Lakshadweep
meaning ' A Hundred Thousand Islands' is an archipelago consisting of 36
islands, 12 atolls, 3 reefs and 5 submerged banks in the Arabian Sea. The
Islands are scattered on the emerald blue waters of the Arabian Sea, off the
western coast of India. The emerald islands of Lakshadweep beckons tourists
and adventure lovers from all over the world.
Location :
Lakshadweep islands lie about 220 to 440 kms from the Kerala coast between
8 and 12 North Latitudes and 71 and 74 East Longitudes.
Modes of Transportation :
One can reach Lakshadweep by flight and ships from Kochi. The Indian
Airlines operate flight from Kochi 6 days a week except Sunday. Lakshadweep
Administration operates ships from Kochi. The ships have standard voyages.
Attractions :
The Lakshadweep islands have marvelous marine life and its natural beauty
is unparalleled. Lakshadweep is a perfect getaway and offers everything to
relax and rejuvenate tourists. Some of the must visit places are Bangaram,
Agatti and Kavaratti.
» Andrott Island - The longest island amongst the
Lakshadweep group of islands is the Andrott Island. The major attractions
for tourists at the Andrott Island are the tomb of Hazrat Ubaidullah and the
Buddhist archaeological remains.
» Kalpeni - Kalpeni has the largest lagoon among
Lakshadweep islands. The lagoon is relatively shallow and is ideal for all
kinds of water sports. A unique feature of Kalpeni is the huge storm bank of
coral debris along the eastern and southeastern shoreline. Kalpeni with the
small islets Tilakkam, Pitti and the uninhabited Cheriyam with sparkling
lagoon in between them are renowned for its panoramic beauty. The gently
curving bay of Koomel offers tourists facilities like bath huts, change
rooms etc. It also offers numerous water sports options. Kayaks, SailBoats,
Pedal Boats are available on hire.
» Minicoy - Close to Maldives, is the large island
of Minicoy in the Lakshadweep group of islands. Minicoy is the southern most
island of the group and is geographically isolated from other islands. The
culture here is a mix of Maldivian and South Indian. The language spoken is
Mahl a form of Divehi, the language spoken in Maldives. It is a cousin of
Indo-Persian languages whose script is written from right to left. Tourists
must visit the Tuna Canning Factory and the lighthouse built by the British
way back in 1885 here. Tourists can also enjoy the performance of the
traditional Lava Dance.
» Kadmat - The kaleidoscopic island of Lakshadweep,
Kadmat boasts of Water Sports Institute. In addition there is Laca Dives,
the scuba diving centre which attracts adventure lovers from all over the
world. Kadmat offers the cheapest scuba diving course package in the world.
» Water Spots - Lakshadweep with its vast lagoon
around all the islands has emerged as a water sport destination in the
country. The potential of water sports is vast, therefore, Tourism
Department has been striving to make these islands a prime water sports
destination not only within the country but also through out the world. As
such, the Tourism Department has been concentrating on developing the water
sports facilities. The water sports like water scooters, etc has been
deliberately kept out to save its natural ecology. Another feature of water
sports in Lakshadweep is the development of high yielding adventure water
sports like scuba diving and para sailing, etc.
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