Pristine blue waters, magnificent coral reefs, white sandy and sunny beaches, big turtles, incredible snorkeling and diving experience, beach front cottages……you may think I am describing Maldives or Mauritius. Not at all-this is from the smallest union territory and India’s only chain of coral islands, Lakshadweep. But that is where the comparison ends.
Tourist infrastructure is not well developed
Lakshadweep does not have a tourist infrastructure as well developed as Maldives or Mauritius. I understand this is deliberate as Lakshadweep is an ecologically sensitive area. Unlike Mauritius, the islands in Lakshadweep are small, just like Maldives. But while Maldives has over 1000 islands, Lakshadweep has 36.There are no fancy resorts and internet availability can be sketchy. But the isolation, lack of crowds and the unspoilt beauty of Lakshadweep provides a great holiday experience.
India’s only coral islands
Located off the coast of Kerala, Lakshadweep is an archipelago of 36 islands out of which 11 are inhabited. There are 12 atolls including Agatti island and 3 coral reefs, spread over 32 sq. kms. Lakshadweep literally means thousand islands. Wonder what happened to the rest?
Agatti Islands is located 459kms away from Kochi. Kavaratti, the capital of Lakshadweep, is located about 400kms from Kochi.
How to reach Lakshadweep
By Air to Agatti
For tourists, Kochi is the gateway to Lakshadweep. There is only one airport in Lakshadweep and that is located on Agatti island. The runway is small and can accommodate only ATRs and similar smaller aircraft. The flight time is close to an hour and half. At present, only Air India operates flights to Agatti.
From Agatti, speed boats ply to Bangaram, Kavaratti and Kadmat. Bangaram can also be reached by helicopter.
By Ship from Kochi
The other good option is to travel by ship. There are several passenger ships that run between Kochi and Lakshadweep islands. The ships typically cover 2 or more islands in Lakshadweep and the journey can take 14-18 hours depending on the island you are travelling to.
It is also possible to charter high-speed boats from Kochi. Passenger ships normally do not ply during monsoon.
My choice
I wanted to have the best of both the worlds so to say and travelled by ship to Agatti and returned by air. Stayed one night in Kochi for some local sightseeing and to relish local cuisine.
Key considerations for planning a trip to Lakshadweep
- Deciding on the island(s) to visit
- Mode of travel- There are 3 options- Both onward and return journey by either air or ship. Else, one way by ship(preferably onward) and the other by air.
- Decide on the number of days based on mode on travel.
- Decide if you wish to take a package or make all bookings yourself.
- Be prepared for unexpected changes in the schedule of ships. Have adequate buffer in Kochi, especially if you are returning by ship.
The key islands to visit are Agatti, Bangaram, Thinnakara, Kalpeni, Kadmat, Kavaratti and Minicoy.
Agatti – home to the only airport in Lakshadweep but as of now, there is no government approved accommodation available.
Bangaram – an uninhabited island with arguably the best private resort in Lakshadweep. The only island where alcoholic beverages are served. Less than an hour by boat from Agatti.
Thinnakara – A small island near Bangaram that offers tented accomodation.
Kavaratti – the capital of Lakshadweep and the best place to experience local culture.
Kalpeni – Over 200 kms from Agatti and over 100 kms from Kavaratti. Mainly accessible by ship.
Kadmat – Popular with tourists. Transfer from Agatti by speed boat is possible.
Minicoy – a large island with a large lagoon and isolated from other other islands. It is accessible only by ship. How many days you stay here will be determined by the ship schedule! Said to be the only island with 3 ship wreck sites for diving.
Click this link for more details on the islands.
One of the islands in Lakshadweep, India 
Agatti beach, Lakshadweep, India 
An island in Lakshadweep, India
How I choose the island
To me, all islands in Lakshadweep looked similar in terms of experience and activities available. Hence the choice largely depended on ease of travel and option to book the resort directly. For that reason, I chose Agatti and stayed at Agatti Island Beach Resort, which I am told is now closed. Until it reopens or there are alternatives available, Agatti will remain a transit point if travelling by air.
If the round trip is by ship, you can base yourself at any island, including Minicoy. Farther destinations will cost more. As much as possible, opt for a direct ship or one with minimal halts.
If you prefer air travel only, or part ship and part air, consider the costs and time required for transfers from and to Agatti.
Remember, island hopping is not easy and there is probably no need also. If based in Bangaram, there are two islands nearby that may be visited – Thinnakara and Pareli.
Activities on the island
The resorts normally will have limited in-house recreation facilities but that is more than made up by activities on the sea.
Scuba diving and snorkeling are at the top of the list. The views of the corals and marine life are just incredible. Swimming and Kayaking in the lagoon too is very enjoyable as the sea is normally calm. So is a ride on the glass bottom boats.
I had my first experience in scuba diving in Lakshadweep. It was magical, thanks to my super instructor.
I went around Agatti village and it seemed obvious that the inhabitants lived in complete harmony with nature. The only sore sight was a vehicle that is otherwise ubiquitous in the Indian towns – the autorickshaw!
Another sight I cannot forget are those of big turtles. I saw many of them close up while kayaking and from the glass bottomed boat.
Sea turtle visible under water, Lakshadweep, India 
Sea Turtle in Lakshadweep, India 
A pier at Agatti, Lakshadweep, India 
The ‘main’ road at Agatti Island, Lakshadweep, India 
Agatti beach, Lakshadweep, India
Where to stay and how to book
Once the island is decided, you will normally have only one choice for the resort! The total number of rooms/cottages available is limited and hence, book well ahead of time. Homestays too are available on certain islands like Kavaratti and Agatti but I am not sure if it is a good idea to book them.
I had stayed at Agatti Island Beach Resort which was a 5 minutes walk from the Airport. A decent resort but nothing fancy. Food options were limited. But I just loved the experience of checking out of the resort in the morning and then walking with the luggage to the airport. Unfortunately, I believe this resort is now closed and there are no other government approved resorts in Agatti. That is a pity.
Travel from Kochi
As of now, only Air India flies from Kochi to Agatti. Given the monopoly, prices are unlikely to change even if booked well in advance and costs ~INR 6k one way.
The rates on the ships vary depending on the class of accomodation. On MV Kavaratti, first class with 2 berths can cost upto INR 5k person on full board basis while second class with 4 berths will cost half of that.
You can book a journey by ship on this link.
Accomodation
For accommodation, check a minimum of 2 online portals as apart from Bangaram Island Resort, most resorts/hotels may not have their own websites. The prices can be quite ridiculous at times with high amounts under taxes and charges.
On an average, the cost of accommodation on any island on full board basis would be ~INR 9-12k per night for a couple. Could be marginally higher or lower depending on the island and season. Bangaram will be more expensive, over INR15k per night. Transfers and activities will cost extra.
Don’t forget to book speed boat transfers from/to Agatti through the resort. Costs will vary depending on the distance.
Packages
You can also consider booking all inclusive packages through SPORTS or any authorised travel agents listed on the website of SPORTS.
If you prefer a 5 day round trip from Kochi by ship with halts at 3 islands, you can opt for the Samudram package.
What should be my budget?
These 2 websites will give all the information to make out a budget.
https://www.lakshadweeptourism.com/tourpackages.html
https://bangaramislandresort.in
To budget for the activities, check the Tariffs page of Bangaram Island resort website.
Rates may not be updated
It is possible the websites may not always display the current rates. There are lot of variations and inconsistencies in the prices quoted by online booking portals, the SPORTS website, Bangaram Island Resort website and so on. The Bangaram tariffs page for activities indicates the year as 2017-18!
Overall, a budget of about INR 50-90k for 3 nights per couple would be needed, depending on the island. Plus travel from and to Kochi and onward home.
When to visit
Lakshadweep is a year long destination though travel is constrained during the monsoon season.
The climate of Lakshadweep is similar to that of Kerala, hot and humid throughout the year. During March to May, temperatures reach well above 30 degrees Celsius. Mid May to September is the monsoon season and it rains very heavily. The best time to travel to Lakshadweep is October to February but if you can tolerate higher temperatures, you can travel upto first week of May. December is the peak tourist season and costs are normally up by about 10%.
I travelled in the month of April and came back with a heavy tan. My body must have produced more Vitamin D in those 4 days than it would have in one full year in Bengaluru!
Restricted area or entry permit
Lakshadweep is a restricted area and both Indian and foreign tourists have to obtain an ‘entry permit’. For Indian tourists, the Society for Promotion of Nature Tourism and Sports(SPORTS) is authorised to issue permits.
If you have booked through an authorised travel agent or through SPORTS, they will also arrange for the entry permit.
For direct bookings, request the resort to obtain this permit. That is what I did.
Alternatively, the permit can also be obtained at the SPORTS office in Kochi. Just make sure you don’t land up there on a government holiday!
For more information, check this link though it does not say anything about the process.
https://lakshadweep.gov.in/tourism/entry-permit/
What else?
- Bring adequate quantities of your favourite toiletries, medicines and accessories for the entire trip as you will not be able to buy what you need locally;
- Sun screen is a must if you want to avoid a deep tan. Plus a hat or even a small umbrella though it may be inconvenient. I did not carry any of this and it is not needed if you are ok with getting a tan which in my case, took over a month after return to disappear;
- Carry cash as credit card options may be highly limited;
- Alcoholic beverages are available only in Bangaram island but can often be out of stock. Tourists are not allowed to carry alcoholic drinks to Lakshadweep.
How many days?
I stayed for 3N and 4D and that seemed just about good for one island. Whether you should consider another day or two would depend on the schedule of your transport to Kochi and if you are keen on visiting additional islands.
Any reason to avoid Lakshadweep?
Despite its natural beauty, Lakshadweep may not necessarily make it to the ‘must visit’ destination for tourists of all kinds for the following reasons.
Lack of choice for hotels/resorts
There are no sprawling, luxurious resorts the like of which you see in Maldives or Mauritius. The available resorts are small with minimal facilities and limited variety of vegetarian food on offer. No elaborate buffets. Even Andaman and Nicobar Islands offers much greater choice.
Another big drawback as of now is lack of government approved accommodation in Agatti which hosts Lakshadweep’s only airport.
Requirement of entry permit
While the process to obtain the permit is simple, one cannot make an impromptu visit to an island not listed on the permit. Entry permits are automatically issued if a package is booked through SPORTS or authorised travel agents.
There is no option for getting entry permits online and on arrival at Agatti airport.
Higher domestic air-fares
I found it was cheaper to fly to Maldives from Bengaluru than Agatti. I am sure this will be true for other cities too that have direct flights to Maldives.
Neither a budget nor a luxury holiday
Now this is a bit subjective but I believe Lakshadweep will be best enjoyed by those who have money to spend and not unduly perturbed about ‘value’. If you liberally indulge in water activities, the spends can rocket, even for a couple.
