Andamans the best

LAST WINTER, the Andaman Islands were in the news for the tsunami. This winter, they are in news for a different reason. A German tour operator turned author, Wim De Ruiter, has named the areas containing the world's 10 best beaches. In his list, which was reported by The Independent, De Ruiter gave the Andaman Islands the top rank. The first four areas in the list -- others are Laccadive Islands, the Maldives and the Seychelles -- are in the Indian Ocean.

LAST WINTER, the Andaman Islands were in the news for the tsunami. This winter, they are in news for a different reason.

HT Image

A German tour operator turned author, Wim De Ruiter, has named the areas containing the world's 10 best beaches. In his list, which was reported by The Independent, De Ruiter gave the Andaman Islands the top rank. The first four areas in the list -- others are Laccadive Islands, the Maldives and the Seychelles -- are in the Indian Ocean.

De Ruiter rated, on a scale of 1 to 5, measurable factors like quality of sand and colour, luminosity and depth of water and angle of the sun to arrive at the best beaches.

Explaining his formula, he said: "White sand is only made by the erosion of coral reefs.

Coral can only be found in waters where the temperature never drops below 21C. This is why the best beaches are only to be found in the tropics, between 27 degrees north and 27 degrees south of the Equator."