Best Pubs in Baratang: Where Locals Actually Drink
Words by
Anirudh Sharma
Best Pubs in Baratang: Where Locals Actually Drink
Baratang is not the first place that comes to mind when you think of India's nightlife circuit. There are no rooftop cocktail lounges here, no DJ nights with bottle service, no neon-lit brewery taprooms. What Baratang does have, though, is something far more honest. The best pubs in Baratang are the kind of places where a fisherman sits next to a forest guard, where the bartender knows your father's name, and where the "happy hour" is just the hour when everyone shows up after work because there is nowhere else to go. I have spent the better part of three years drinking my way through this island, and what I can tell you is that the local pubs here are less about the alcohol and more about the company, the conversation, and the slow rhythm of island life that no five-star resort can replicate.
Baratang sits roughly 100 kilometers north of Port Blair along the Andaman Trunk Road, and it is best known for its limestone caves, mud volcanoes, and dense mangrove creeks. Tourism here is functional, not glamorous. People come for the day trips, not the nightlife. But if you are staying overnight, or if you are one of the handful of long-term residents who call this place home, you quickly learn that the drinking culture is woven into the social fabric in ways that are easy to miss if you are just passing through. The top bars Baratang has to offer are not listed on Zomato. They do not have Instagram pages. You find them by asking the auto driver who dropped you at the jetty, or by following the sound of a cricket match playing on a small television behind a thatched roof.
The legal drinking scene in Baratang operates within the framework of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands' excise regulations, which are stricter than mainland India in some ways and more relaxed in others. Beer is widely available at licensed shops and a handful of eateries. Hard liquor is sold through government-authorized outlets, and several local establishments serve it on premises with the proper permits. The prices are noticeably higher than in Chennai or Kolkata because everything has to be shipped in, and the supply chain is at the mercy of weather and ferry schedules. A Kingfisher Premium that would cost ₹120 in Port Blair can run ₹160–₹180 at a local pub in Baratang. Whisky, when available, starts around ₹250 for a quarter bottle of the local labels and goes up from there.
What follows is not a list of fancy bars. It is a map of where people in Baratang actually sit down, order a drink, and stay for two hours talking about nothing. These are the local pubs Baratang residents rely on, and each one tells you something about this island that a travel brochure never will.
1. The Forest Rest House Canteen at Middle Baratang
The Forest Department rest house canteen sits on the main road in Middle Baratang, the small settlement that serves as the administrative and transit hub for the island. It is not a pub in any conventional sense. It is a government-run canteen that serves basic food, tea, and, when the staff is in a cooperative mood, beer and local rum to guests who are staying at the rest house or who have a connection with someone who works there. The building itself is a single-story concrete structure with a tin roof, plastic chairs arranged around wobbly tables, and a small counter where a man named Rajan (he has been here for at least a decade) pours drinks from bottles kept under the counter rather than on display.
I first stumbled into this place during the monsoon season in August, when the road from Port Blair had been partially washed out and I was stranded for two days waiting for the next ferry to the limestone caves. Rajan served me a Old Monk rum with warm water and a slice of lemon because the cold water supply was down. The rum was ₹120 for a peg, and he charged me ₹30 extra for the lemon, which I later learned is his personal touch and not on any menu. The television in the corner was playing a Malayalam film at low volume, and three forest department employees were arguing about whether the mud volcano had erupted that week. This is the kind of place where the conversation is the entertainment.
The best time to visit is between 5:30 PM and 8:00 PM, after the day shift workers have clocked out and before the canteen closes for the night. Weekdays are better than weekends because the rest house fills up with tourists on Saturdays and Sundays, and the staff gets too busy with official guests to pay attention to walk-ins. During the peak tourist season from November to February, you might find the canteen slightly more organized, but also slightly more crowded. The monsoon months of July through September are actually the best time to experience this place in its most authentic form, when the rain hammers the tin roof and the handful of regulars huddle inside with their drinks and their stories.
Local Insider Tip: "If you are not staying at the rest house, walk in like you belong there. Ask for Rajan by name. Do not ask for a menu because there is none. Order a rum with warm water and lemon, and he will treat you like a regular. If you ask for a cocktail or anything fancy, he will look at you like you just asked him to fly to Port Blair and back."
The Forest Rest House canteen is worth going to not because of the drinks or the food, but because it is one of the last remaining government canteens in the Andamans where the old system still works. The staff are not trying to upsell you. There is no service charge. The prices are fixed, and the atmosphere is exactly what it was fifteen years ago. In a place like Baratang, where change comes slowly and reluctantly, that consistency is its own kind of comfort.
2. Abdul's Shack Near the Baratang Jetty
The jetty at Baratang is where every visitor passes through on the way to the limestone caves and the mud volcano. It is a chaotic, dusty stretch of road lined with small shops selling packaged snacks, coconut water, and boat tickets. About 200 meters from the jetty, on the left side of the road heading toward Middle Baratang, there is a small shack with a tin roof, a few plastic tables, and a hand-painted sign that reads "Abdul's Tea and Snacks." Abdul himself is a wiry man in his fifties who migrated from Tamil Nadu in the 1990s and has been running this shack ever since. He serves tea, coffee, packaged biscuits, and, discreetly, beer and rum to customers who know to ask.
I have stopped at Abdul's probably thirty times over the years, mostly because it is the last place to grab a cold drink before the boat ride to the limestone caves, which takes about 45 minutes through mangrove creeks with no shops or facilities. The beer here is Kingfisher Strong or Haywards 5000, sold at ₹150–₹170 per bottle, which is steep by mainland standards but standard for the islands. Abdul keeps the bottles in a small cooler that runs on a generator, so the beer is cold but not ice-cold. He also sells Old Monk rum at ₹100 per peg, mixed with whatever soft drink you prefer, though his stock of mixers is limited to Thumbs Up and Sprite.
The shack is busiest between 9:00 AM and 11:00 AM, when tour groups gather at the jetty waiting for their boat slots. Abdul does a brisk trade in tea (₹15–₹20 per cup) and packaged water (₹20 per bottle) during this window. The afternoon, from about 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM, is quieter, and this is when the regulars, mostly auto drivers and boat operators, sit down for a beer after the morning rush. I prefer the afternoon visits because Abdul has time to chat, and he has stories about the island that no guidebook will ever capture. He told me once that the mangrove creek used to be narrower twenty years ago, and that the crocodile population has increased since the forest department stopped the tribal hunting practices.
Local Insider Tip: "Abdul does not advertise the alcohol. If you want a beer, do not ask loudly. Just say 'cold one' and he will understand. He does not accept UPI or cards, so carry cash. And if you are heading to the caves, buy your beer here because there is nothing available at the caves or on the boat, and the ride back in the afternoon heat is brutal without one."
Abdul's shack is a perfect example of how drinking culture in Baratang operates in the margins. It is not a licensed bar. It is a tea stall that happens to serve alcohol to people who ask. This is common across the Andamans, where the line between a "shop" and a "pub" is blurry at best, and where the social contract between the owner and the customer is based on trust and discretion rather than a liquor license on the wall.
3. The PWD Guest House Bar in Middle Baratang
The Public Works Department guest house in Middle Baratang is one of the few government accommodations on the island that has a small attached bar area. It is not advertised, it does not have a signboard, and you will not find it on any travel website. But it exists, and it is one of the more "proper" drinking spots in Baratang, if you can call a room with a refrigerator and a stack of chairs a bar. The PWD guest house is located on the main road, about a five-minute walk from the Forest Rest House, and the bar area is a small enclosed veranda at the back of the building.
I found this place through a PWD engineer named Suresh, who I met at a chai stall near the market. He told me that the bar is technically for guests and their visitors, but in practice, if you are polite and you buy a drink, no one asks questions. The selection is basic: Kingfisher Premium (₹160), Haywards 5000 (₹140), Old Monk rum (₹130 per peg), and a few local whisky labels that I had never heard of before. There is no food menu, but the guest house canteen next door serves rice, dal, and fish curry for around ₹80–₹120 per plate, and you can eat at the bar if you ask.
The best time to visit is between 6:00 PM and 9:00 PM on weekdays. The bar is busiest on Friday evenings, when the weekly market in Middle Baratang wraps up and the traders, auto drivers, and guest house staff all converge for a drink before heading home. The atmosphere is relaxed, almost sleepy. There is no music system, just the ambient noise of the road and the occasional barking dog. During the monsoon, the veranda gets damp and the chairs are moved closer together, which somehow makes the whole experience more intimate.
One detail most tourists would not know is that the PWD guest house bar is one of the only places in Baratang where you can sit and drink without feeling like you are doing something slightly illicit. At Abdul's shack or the Forest Rest House canteen, there is always a sense of informality, of operating in a gray area. Here, the drinks are served in proper glasses, there is a price list (handwritten, taped to the wall), and the staff treats you like a paying customer rather than a favor-seeking outsider.
Local Insider Tip: "Bring your own snacks. The canteen food is edible but basic, and if you show up with a packet of chips or some dry fruits from the market, the staff will open them for you and serve them on a plate like you are at a proper hotel. It is a small gesture, but it changes the whole vibe. Also, the bar closes at 9:30 PM sharp because the guest house has a curfew, so do not show up at 9:15 expecting a long night."
The PWD guest house bar represents a side of Baratang that most visitors never see. It is the administrative, bureaucratic side of the island, where government employees posted far from home create their own small comforts. The bar is not glamorous, but it is functional, and in a place like Baratang, functionality is its own virtue.
4. The Market Side Dhaba Near Rangat Road Junction
About three kilometers south of Middle Baratang, where the road toward Rangat intersects with the Andaman Trunk Road, there is a cluster of small dhabas and eateries that cater to truck drivers, bus passengers, and laborers working on the road. One of these dhabas, which does not have a formal name but is known locally as "the one near the petrol pump," has a back room where beer and rum are served to regulars. The front of the dhaba is a standard roadside eatery: steel plates, plastic chairs, a menu board with rice, roti, and fish curry listed in faded paint. The back room is where the drinking happens.
I was taken here by an auto driver named Mani, who I had hired for a day trip to the mud volcano. After we finished the tour, he suggested we stop for "something cold," and I assumed he meant a cold drink. He meant beer. The back room had four tables, a small television playing a Tamil serial, and a man behind a counter who poured drinks from unlabeled bottles. The beer was ₹140 for a Kingfisher Strong, and the rum was ₹90 per peg. The food, which Mani ordered without asking me, was a plate of fish thali with rice, dal, and a dry vegetable preparation for ₹100. It was one of the better meals I have had in Baratang, and I suspect the cook back there is better than the one in the front.
This place is best visited in the late afternoon, between 4:00 PM and 7:00 PM, when the heat has broken and the truck drivers are stopping for their evening meal. Weekends are livelier because the Rangat bus brings more passengers, and the dhaba does a brisk trade in both food and drink. During the summer months of March to June, the back room becomes almost unbearable in the afternoon because there is no AC and only a single ceiling fan, so timing your visit is important.
Local Insider Tip: "Mani told me that the fish here comes from the local catch, and it changes daily. If you see 'today's special' written on the board in Tamil, order it. It will be the freshest thing you eat on the island. And do not ask for a receipt for the drinks. There is no receipt. You pay cash, you drink, you leave. That is the system."
The market side dhaba is where to drink in Baratang if you want to experience the island's working-class culture. This is not a tourist spot. It is a place where people come to eat a cheap meal, have a drink, and rest before getting back on the road. The fish is good, the beer is cold enough, and the company is real. If you are the kind of traveler who wants to understand a place through its food and its drinking spots, this dhaba is essential.
5. The Eco Resort Bar at Parrot Island View Point
Parrot Island, visible from a viewpoint on the western coast of Baratang, is a small, uninhabited island known for its large population of parrots that return to the island at sunset. Near the viewpoint, there is a small eco-resort run by a local family that has a basic bar area attached to their dining space. The resort is not well-known, and most tourists drive past it on their way to the viewpoint without stopping. But the bar, such as it is, serves beer, rum, and a few basic cocktails made with local fruit juices.
I visited this place in January, during the peak tourist season, and the bar was surprisingly well-stocked. The owner, a woman named Kavita whose family has lived on Baratang for three generations, told me that she keeps a small inventory of Kingfisher, Haywards, and Old Monk specifically for guests who want a drink after the sunset viewing. The prices are ₹170 for a beer and ₹140 for a rum peg, which is on the higher side, but the setting, a small open-air deck overlooking the sea, justifies the premium. She also makes a lime and honey cocktail with local honey for ₹200, which is genuinely good and worth trying.
The best time to visit is between 5:00 PM and 7:00 PM, specifically to catch the sunset over Parrot Island. The parrots start returning around 5:30 PM in winter and slightly earlier in summer, and the combination of the birds, the sunset, and a cold beer is one of the more memorable experiences Baratang has to offer. The resort is accessible by auto-rickshaw from Middle Baratang, and the ride costs about ₹150–₹200 one way, depending on your bargaining skills.
One detail most tourists would not know is that Kavita's family has been on Baratang since before the Andaman Trunk Road was fully paved. Her grandfather was one of the early settlers from Tamil Nadu who came to work in the logging industry, and the land the resort sits on has been in the family for decades. The bar is a recent addition, built about five years ago when Kavita realized that tourists wanted a place to sit and relax after the viewpoint visit.
Local Insider Tip: "Call ahead. Kavita does not always keep the bar open, especially during the monsoon when tourist numbers drop. If you call a few hours in advance and tell her you are coming, she will make sure the bar is stocked and the deck is clean. Also, ask for the honey cocktail. It is not on any menu, but she makes it if you ask, and it is the best thing she serves."
The eco resort bar is the closest thing Baratang has to a "destination" drinking spot. It is not a pub in the traditional sense, but it offers something that none of the other places on this list can: a view, a sense of occasion, and a drink that feels like it was made for you rather than poured from a mass-produced bottle.
6. The Fishermen's Hut Near the Creek Mouth
At the southern end of Baratang, where the mangrove creek meets the sea, there is a small settlement of fishermen who work the waters around the island. In this settlement, one of the fishermen, a man named Karuppan, has converted part of his home into an informal drinking spot. It is literally a hut with a thatched roof, a few benches, and a small ice box where he keeps beer and soft drinks. Karuppan does not advertise this place. You find it only if someone takes you there, and the someone is usually a local who knows him.
I was brought here by a boat operator named Ravi, who I had hired for a creek tour. After the tour, Ravi said, "Let me show you where the real Baratang drinks," and we walked about ten minutes from the jetty to Karuppan's hut. The beer was ₹130 per bottle, which is the cheapest I have found on the island, and Karuppan served it with a plate of dried fish that he had prepared himself. The dried fish was intensely salty and paired surprisingly well with the cold beer. We sat there for about an hour, watching the creek and listening to Karuppan talk about the fishing seasons, the tides, and the crocodiles that sometimes come close to the hut at night.
The best time to visit is in the late afternoon, around 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM, when Karuppan returns from his fishing trip and is in a good mood. Mornings are not ideal because he is out on the water, and evenings after 7:00 PM are dark and the path to the hut is not lit. During the monsoon, the hut is sometimes inaccessible because the creek rises and floods the path, so check with a local before making the trip.
Local Insider Tip: "Ravi told me that Karuppan sometimes has fresh crab or prawns if he had a good catch. If you are there in the late afternoon and you see him cleaning fish, ask if he has anything extra. He will cook it for you on a small wood fire right there, and it will cost you maybe ₹50–₹100 extra. It is the freshest seafood you will ever eat, and the experience of eating it in a fisherman's hut with a cold beer is something no restaurant in Port Blair can match."
The fishermen's hut is the most remote and rustic entry on this list, and it is also the most rewarding for travelers who are willing to step off the beaten path. It is not comfortable. There are no proper chairs, no toilet facilities, and no lighting after dark. But it is authentic in a way that no licensed establishment can be, and it connects you to the Baratang that existed before the tourists arrived.
7. The Highway Dhaba at Bartang Bazaar
Bartang Bazaar is the main market area of Baratang, a small stretch of shops and stalls where locals buy vegetables, household goods, and daily necessities. On the edge of the bazaar, right along the Andaman Trunk Road, there is a highway dhaba that serves as a gathering point for truck drivers, bus crews, and travelers passing through. The dhaba has a front section for food and a side section, partially screened by a tarpaulin curtain, where alcohol is served. The setup is basic: a few tables, a cooler with beer, and a man who pours rum from a bottle kept under the counter.
I have eaten at this dhaba at least a dozen times, mostly because it is conveniently located and the food is consistently good. The fish thali costs ₹90–₹110, the chicken thali is ₹120–₹140, and the beer is ₹150 for a Kingfisher Strong. The rum is ₹100 per peg, and the dhaba also sells beedis and cigarettes, which adds to the atmosphere. The television in the corner is always on, usually playing a Hindi news channel or a cricket match, and the conversations around you are a mix of Tamil, Hindi, Bengali, and the occasional Andamanese dialect.
The dhaba is busiest between 7:00 PM and 10:00 PM, when the evening buses from Port Blair and Rangat pass through and passengers stop for a meal. The lunch rush, from 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM, is also busy but less atmospheric because people are eating quickly and leaving. I prefer the evening visits because the pace is slower, the beer is colder (the cooler works better in the evening when the temperature drops), and the conversations are longer. During the winter months, the dhaba is pleasant in the evenings, but in summer, the lack of ventilation makes the side section uncomfortably hot.
Local Insider Tip: "The dhaba owner's son, a young guy named Deepak, is the one who handles the alcohol service. If you ask him for 'special rum,' he will pour you a slightly better label than the standard one, for the same price. He does this as a favor to people he likes, so be polite, tip well (₹20–₹30 is appreciated), and he will remember you on your next visit. Also, the fish here is sourced from the local market in the morning, so the lunch thali has the freshest fish. By evening, it is still good but not as good."
The highway dhaba at Bartang Bazaar is the most accessible entry on this list and the one most likely to be encountered by a casual traveler. It is not special in any obvious way, but it is reliable, and in a place like Baratang, where options are limited and supply chains are unreliable, reliability counts for a lot. The food is good, the beer is cold, and the atmosphere is exactly what you would expect from a highway dhaba in a small Indian town.
8. The Homestay Veranda at Lalaji Bay Area
Lalaji Bay is a small, relatively quiet area on the eastern coast of Baratang, about eight kilometers from Middle Baratang. It is not a major tourist spot, but there are a few homestays and small guest houses that cater to travelers who want to escape the noise of the main road. One of these homestays, run by a retired schoolteacher named Mr. Narayan, has a veranda that doubles as an informal bar in the evenings. Mr. Narayan keeps a small stock of beer, rum, and a bottle of locally made cashew fenny, which he serves to his guests and, occasionally, to neighbors who drop by.
I stayed at Mr. Narayan's homestay for a week in December, and every evening at around 6:00 PM, he would bring out a tray with glasses, a bottle of rum, and a plate of roasted peanuts, and we would sit on the veranda and watch the sun set over the water. The rum was ₹120 per peg, the beer was ₹160, and the cashew fenny was ₹150 for a double. The fenny was the highlight. It was made by a local cashew farmer, and it had a sharp, fruity intensity that I have not encountered in the commercial fenny sold in Goa. Mr. Narayan told me that the farmer makes only a small batch each year and sells it informally to friends and neighbors.
The best time to experience this is, obviously, in the evening, from about 5:30 PM to 8:00 PM. The veranda faces west, so the sunset is directly in front of you, and the light on the water in the evening is beautiful. This is not a place you visit for a night out. It is a place you visit for a quiet drink in good company, and the company, in this case, is Mr. Narayan, who is one of the most interesting conversationalists I have met in the Andamans. He taught history at the local school for thirty years and has stories about the island's settlement, the Japanese occupation during World War II, and the changes he has seen over the decades.
Local Insider Tip: "Mr. Narayan does not charge for the peanuts. He considers them part of the hospitality. But if you bring him a bottle of something from Port Blair, a good whisky or a bottle of wine, he will be genuinely delighted and will open it immediately to share. He told me that guests rarely bring alcohol because they assume there is nothing to drink on the island, and a good bottle always makes his week. Also, ask him about the Japanese bunkers on the island. He knows where they are, and if you are interested, he might draw you a map."
The homestay veranda at Lalaji Bay is the most intimate and personal entry on this list. It is not a pub, not a bar, not even a dhaba. It is a man's veranda, and the drinks are an excuse for conversation. If you are the kind of traveler who values connection over consumption, this is the place for you. And the cashew fenny alone is worth the trip.
When to Go and What to Know About Drinking in Baratang
The best time to explore the local pubs Baratang has to offer is between November and February, when the weather is cool, the skies are clear, and the tourist infrastructure is fully operational. The monsoon months of July through September are the most challenging. Ferry services to the limestone caves are often suspended, the roads can be slippery and partially flooded, and many of the smaller establishments reduce their hours or close entirely. That said, the monsoon has its own appeal. The island is lush and green, the crowds are gone, and the handful of places that stay open have a quiet, almost meditative quality that you will not find in peak season.
Getting around Baratang is primarily by auto-rickshaw. There is no Uber or Ola on the island, and the auto drivers operate on a negotiated fare system rather than meters. A typical ride from the jetty to Middle Baratang costs ₹80–₹120, and a ride to Lalaji Bay costs ₹150–₹200. The drivers are generally honest, but it is worth agreeing on the fare before you start the trip. Buses run between Baratang and Port Blair, but the schedule is irregular, and the last bus usually leaves by mid-afternoon, so plan accordingly.
Alcohol prices across Baratang are 20–40% higher than in Port Blair, and Port Blair prices are already 10–20% higher than mainland India. This is the reality of island logistics. Beer ranges from ₹130 to ₹180 per bottle depending on the location, rum from ₹90 to ₹140 per peg, and whisky from ₹250 to ₹400 for a quarter bottle. Carry cash. UPI and card payments are accepted at some of the more established places, but the smaller spots are cash-only, and the nearest ATM is in Middle Baratang, and it does not always work.
One more thing. Baratang is a small island with a small population. The drinking culture here is social, not commercial. People drink to talk, to unwind, to celebrate a good catch or a good day. If you approach the pubs and bars of Baratang with that understanding, you will have a far better experience than if you arrive expecting a nightlife scene. The island does not owe you a party. But if you sit down, order a drink, and listen, it will give you something better: a sense of place.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Baratang expensive to visit? Give a realistic daily budget in ₹ for mid-tier travelers covering accommodation, food, and local transport.**
A mid-tier traveler should budget ₹2,500–₹4,000 per day. Homestays and guest houses cost ₹800–₹1,500 per night. Meals at local dhabas run ₹100–₹200 per thali. Auto-rickshaw transport for a full day costs ₹400–₹700. Add ₹300–₹500 for boat tickets to the limestone caves and miscellaneous expenses.
How easy is it to find pure vegetarian or Jain food options in Baratang, and are most restaurants clearly marked as veg or non-veg?
Vegetarian food is widely available at dhabas and canteens, with rice, dal, roti, and vegetable curries as staples. However, most small eateries are not clearly marked as veg or non-veg. You need to ask specifically. Jain food is difficult to find. There are no dedicated Jain restaurants, and most kitchens use onion and garlic. Travelers with strict dietary requirements should carry their own supplies from Port Blair.
What is the one must-try local dish or street food that Baratang is genuinely famous for, and where is the best place to eat it?
Baratang is known for its fresh fish thali, which typically includes rice, dal, a dry vegetable preparation, and a fish curry made from the day's catch. The best versions are found at the highway dhabas along the Andaman Trunk Road and at the Forest Rest House canteen. The fish is usually caught locally in the morning and served the same day, which makes a noticeable difference in flavor.
Is tap water safe to drink in Baratang, or should travelers rely on sealed bottled water, and is filtered water readily available at dhabas and restaurants?
Tap water in Baratang is not safe for drinking. Travelers should rely on sealed bottled water, which is available at shops across the island for ₹20–₹30 per liter. Some dhabas and guest houses offer filtered water, but the quality varies. Boiled water is available at the Forest Rest House and PWD guest house if you ask.
Are there dress code requirements for visiting temples, mosques, gurudwaras, or heritage monuments in Baratang, and are entry restrictions common for non-Hindus?
Baratang has a few small temples and a mosque in the market area. Dress codes are informal but modest clothing is expected. There are no formal entry restrictions for non-Hindus at any religious site on the island. The limestone caves and mud volcano are natural attractions with no dress code or entry restrictions. The Jarawa tribal reserve along the Andaman Trunk Road has strict regulations, including a ban on photography and physical contact with the tribe, enforced by the forest department.
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