Overview
About Govind Nagar Beach (Beach No. 3)
Govind Nagar is where Havelock actually lives. The beach is a long, shallow, casuarina-backed strip, and behind it is the closest thing the island has to a town: the market, the ATM that sometimes works, scooter and bike rentals, dive shops, bakeries, the cheap thali places and the good seafood ones.
As a beach it is pleasant rather than spectacular. Fishing boats pull up on the sand, the water is calm and shallow, and it is a good place to swim in the morning without going anywhere. Where it earns its place on an itinerary is what launches from here.
The mangrove creeks at the northern end are the base for Havelock's kayaking. Day paddles run through narrow mangrove channels with kingfishers and mudskippers; the night paddles, on moonless nights in the right months, are the ones people talk about for years — every stroke of the paddle lighting up with bioluminescent plankton.
It is also the practical centre of the island. If you need cash, a SIM top-up, a mechanic, a pharmacy or a ferry ticket reissued, it happens here.
Why people come here
- Mangrove kayaking, including bioluminescence night paddles
- Havelock's dive centres, cafés and market
- Calm shallow water and fishing boats on the sand
- Scooter, bike and gear rentals
- The island's ATMs, pharmacy and ferry offices
Things to do
What to do here
Bioluminescence night kayaking
Tandem kayaks into the mangrove creeks on a moonless night. Plankton light up with every stroke. Seasonal and weather-dependent — book as soon as you land.
Daytime mangrove paddle
Quiet channels through mangrove forest, with kingfishers, herons, mudskippers and crabs. No experience needed.
Dive shop hopping
Several established centres run certification and fun dives out of here to sites off Havelock's north and west coasts.
Eat in the village
Bakeries, thali houses and seafood shacks along the main road — the best value eating on the island.
Getting there
How to reach
From Havelock jetty
About 3 km — five to ten minutes by auto, and the first place most arrivals stop.
On foot
Walkable from the northern resorts along the beach or the road behind it.
Best time to visit · November to April · night kayaking on new-moon nights
Bioluminescence needs a dark sky, calm water and the right season — check with the kayak operators rather than assuming it will be running.
Good to know
Travel tips
- Draw cash here. ATMs on Havelock are limited and run out, especially at weekends.
- Book the night kayak the day you arrive; the moonless slots go first.
- Rent scooters from the village rather than through a resort — cheaper, and you can pick the machine.
- Ferry ticket queries and reissues are handled from the village offices, not the jetty.
Gallery
Govind Nagar Beach (Beach No. 3) in pictures
Havelock Island (Swaraj Dweep)
Combine it with
Tour packages
