Overview
About Red Skin Island
Red Skin exists in most travellers' minds only as a footnote to Jolly Buoy, which is a shame, because for half the year it is the only way into the Marine National Park — and it is very good. The Forest Department rotates the two islands so each gets six months without visitors, and Red Skin generally holds the open slot from around May through October.
The reef is shallower and closer in than Jolly Buoy's, which makes it forgiving for first-time snorkellers, and because it falls in the shoulder and monsoon months it is almost always quieter. Boats still run out of Wandoor on the same permit system, and the rules are identical: snorkelling and glass-bottom boat only, no scuba, no motorised sports, and absolutely no plastic on the island.
The catch is the weather. Red Skin's open window overlaps the south-west monsoon, so sailings are cancelled more often and visibility swings with the swell. May, early June and October are the sweet spots — the island is open, the sea is usually workable, and there is nobody there.
Like Jolly Buoy, the island is uninhabited. No stalls, no shade beyond the treeline, no facilities. Carry everything you will need for the day.
Why people come here
- Live shallow coral inside the Marine National Park
- Open in the months Jolly Buoy is closed
- Far fewer visitors than the peak-season island
- Gentle, close-in reef that suits first-time snorkellers
- Strict no-plastic, no-motor-sport protection
Things to do
What to do here
Snorkelling the inner reef
The coral shelf sits close to shore in shallow water, so you are over live reef within a minute of wading in.
Glass-bottom boat
A short circuit over the reef heads for anyone staying dry, run by the same boat that brings you out.
Beachcombing
An undeveloped sand strip backed by forest. Take shells and coral photographs, not shells and coral — removal is an offence inside the park.
Birdlife along the treeline
Sea eagles and reef egrets work the shoreline in the first hours of the day.
Getting there
How to reach
Port Blair to Wandoor
About an hour by cab; leave by 7 am for the permit counter.
Wandoor to Red Skin
Around 45 minutes by approved boat, departing mid-morning.
Booking
Same system as Jolly Buoy — permits issued only at Wandoor, capped daily, ID required.
Best time to visit · Mid-May to early June, and October
These are the calmest edges of Red Skin's open window. Through the heart of the monsoon, sailings are frequently cancelled and visibility drops sharply after heavy rain.
Good to know
Travel tips
- Confirm which island is open for your dates before booking anything — the rotation is the whole point.
- No plastic. Steel bottle, tiffin box, cloth bag.
- Build a spare day into a monsoon-season plan; cancellations are common.
- No scuba is permitted inside the park, whichever island is open.
- There is no shade beyond the treeline and no drinking water on the island.
Gallery
Red Skin Island in pictures
Port Blair (South Andaman)
Combine it with
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