"Andaman vs Maldives: The Honeymoon Question, Answered by People Who Book Both"

This is the question couples ask us more than any other, and the honest answer begins with a confession: the two are not really competitors. They sell different products at different prices, and the right choice depends on which product you're actually buying. We book both, week in and week out; here is the comparison we give across the desk.

The water

Call it a draw, and mean it. The Maldives' lagoons are shallower, stiller and more turquoise — the postcard is real. The Andamans answer with Radhanagar's sweep, richer coral at snorkelling depth, and the better scuba story: a first dive at Havelock costs ₹3,500–6,000 against ₹8,000–12,000 at a Maldivian resort. If the honeymoon includes learning to dive, the Andamans win outright.

The stay — where the products diverge

The Maldives sells one thing supremely well: the overwater villa, breakfast on your deck, a resort that is the entire island. Nothing in India replicates it, and if that image is the honeymoon, no substitute will do. Budget honestly for it: ₹2.5–4 lakh per couple for five nights at a genuine four-to-five-star water-villa resort in season, transfers included — those seaplanes cost real money.

The Andamans sell variety instead: a boutique beach resort one night, a candlelight dinner on sand the next, scooters to a lighthouse, a ferry to a quieter island. The luxury ceiling exists — the Radhanagar-front flagship is a genuinely world-class address at ₹25,000–40,000 a night — but the sweet spot is the ₹8,000–12,000 boutique tier, which has no Maldivian equivalent at triple the price.

The money, side by side

Six nights, per couple, mid-range done properly: Andamans ₹85,000–1,20,000 including flights; Maldives ₹2,20,000–3,20,000 including airfare and resort transfers. The gap is not subtle: the same wedding budget buys the Andamans and a second holiday. At the top end the gap narrows in character but not in cash — Maldivian ultra-luxury starts where Andaman ultra-luxury ends.

Paperwork and logistics

Andamans: domestic — no passport, no visa, no forex; direct flights from Chennai and Kolkata in two hours. Maldives: free visa on arrival for Indians, direct flights from Mumbai, Bengaluru and Kochi, plus a resort transfer (speedboat or seaplane) that must be arranged through the resort. Both are easy; the Andamans are effortless.

Weather windows

They peak together (December–March) and fail differently. The Maldives' wet season (May–October) means passing squalls but usable days — resorts discount heavily and the gamble often pays. The Andaman monsoon (June–September) is a harder stop: rough seas, suspended ferries, shut dive schools. Off-season, the Maldives is the safer bet; in season, prices decide.

The verdict we actually give

Choose the Maldives if the overwater villa is non-negotiable, the budget clears ₹2.5 lakh without wincing, and the plan is to barely leave the resort — as a pure-luxury cocoon it remains unbeaten. Choose the Andamans if you want variety, activity and startlingly beautiful water at a third of the price — or if you'd rather spend the difference on the home you're furnishing. And the quiet third option we increasingly sell: Andamans for the honeymoon now, Maldives for the first anniversary, when you'll savour it more and book it smarter.

Full numbers for the Andaman route are in our Andaman honeymoon cost guide; the Maldives has its own destination guide. Or skip the spreadsheet entirely — tell us your budget and dates and we'll price both honestly.