## Top 5 Weird Things About Andaman You Probably Weren’t Aware Of

##### Andaman is weird – and also one of the top travel destinations (but who cares about that right?).

You may know it because of its lovely beaches, lovelier weather, crystal-clear water bodies and such treats – but there are certain lesser known facts about Andaman too. And there is a huge population of tourists that visit the Andaman islands every year to explore their hidden secrets. Here, we’ve picked the top 5 of them so get ready to indulge in a not-so-regular Andaman blog.

##### 1. Only Active Volcano in India

India is known for its various physical features, however, an active volcano is not included in the list. As long as the main Indian sub-continent is concerned at least.

However, a lesser-known thing about Andaman is that it has India’s only active volcano, Barren Island. Now the eruptions are on the low scale of volcanic explosivity index, so it doesn’t pose any threat.

##### 2. Andaman’s National Animal is Dugong

If you don’t know what a Dugong is, you probably wouldn’t know that it is Andaman’s national animal. Also known as Sea cows, these shy marine mammals are characterized by no hind limbs, instead a dolphin-like tail.

However, these too have been subjected to poaching and Andaman’s waters are among the only few places on Earth where these can be found today.

##### 3. Ross Island is A Hero!

One thing known about Andaman is that it was used by the British as a penal colony, and later by the Japanese as a POW camp.

However, it atoned for its oppressive history by saving Port Blair (Andaman's capital) from a devastating Tsunami by taking most of its blows.

It has been renamed Subhash Chandra Bose Island in 2018.

##### 4. Andamanese Language is Close to Extinction

The Andaman Islands both had their regional language and populace, both of which are almost extinct now. The Great Andamanese language family, the native language of the Great Andamanese people is about to be wiped out from the face of the Earth.

As for the people themselves, only 400-500 of them remain today. There were around 5000 of them by the late 18th century, but death due to outside diseases is the primary reason why only so few remain.

##### 5. Home to Coconut Crabs

The place has some of the most diverse marine life, and tourists know this about Andaman. And among the most amazing creatures are the Coconut crabs, the largest living land arthropods.

These can go up to 40 cm in length, 1m in width and 4 kgs in weight. So if you find these while on your Andaman trip, it will certainly be a sight to behold.

Now You Know Andaman is More Than Just a Beach To Travel To

Found these facts about Andaman interesting? Make sure to visit us again for more such amazing information.