On the ferry to Ross Island, don’t sit in the front, and don’t wear cotton shorts. That’s what I was wearing when we hit a particularly angry wave, and got drenched. I spent the rest of the 15 minute ride perched on the edge of the boat, in a kind of malasana, thankful to my yoga practice.

Ross Island

Ross Island is an important part of most tourist itineraries to the Andamans Islands. What makes this island interesting is that the ruins of the British cantonment are now engulfed in the humongous roots of trees growing across the island.

The overgrown roots that now overrun the British ruins at Ross Island.

Although it was scorching in the Andamans, I decided to explore Ross Island, one of the most fascinating historical sites there. It’s a short ferry ride from Port Blair, and should certainly be on your list of things to do while in the Andaman Islands.

I was excited because I was also finally going to do the kind of thing book dreams are made out of – I was going to explore a location I had read about in a book I had loved. A book that had all the ingredients of a thriller – an isolated island bathed in fog, a few murders, good looking officers and intelligent women.

Death in the Andamans

My copy of “Death in the Andamans”

“Death in the Andamans” is a book by MM Kaye, written in 1960. Since I’d read and loved this book, a visit to Ross Island was the most anticipated part of the trip for me. As MM Kaye wrote, “It was a disturbingly creepy place. What my Scottish grandfather would have termed ‘unchancy.'” I had to see for myself….

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