There are amazingly beautiful islands in India, representing the geological continuation of the Maldives. Here the same wonderful beaches stretch and the same Muslim population lives. For foreigners, you must pre-arrange permission to visit the territory of these exotic islands.
The article provides information about the Laccadive Islands: where are they located, photos, descriptions, etc.
Geographical position
Lakkadivi - the Indian Ocean archipelago, which is one of the island groups that make up Lakshadwip (Indian Union Territory). It consists of 27 atolls, reaching a height of up to 4 meters. The administrative center of the Union territory is located on the island of Cavaratti.
Lakkadivi is the largest island group of Lakshadvipa by population (more than 32,200 people) and by territory (more than 18 km 2 ). They include four large islands (Cavaratti - more than 4 km 2 , Andrott - almost 5 km 2 , Agatti - about 4 km 2 and Kalpeni - 2.8 km 2 ) and several small islands. The archipelago is located west of Kerala. In the north of it are the Amindiv Islands, in the south - the Ninth degree strait (Malik atoll and Minikoy island).
sights
All the entertainment and the main attractions in the Lacquadives are connected with the sea in general and underwater sports in particular. It is easy to organize diving, kayaking, snorkeling; there are pleasure yachts and boats with a transparent bottom.
The largest in terms of population and area is Andrott Island, which is closed to tourists. Two islands, Agatti and Bangaram, interconnected by shallow water, are a popular tourist resort.
One of the main activities of the inhabitants of the islands is fishing for tuna. So fishing lovers have something to do here.
Description
Laccadive Islands (photo presented in the article) include 10 islands inhabited by people, and 17 uninhabited. They occupy an area of 32 km 2 . The archipelago includes 4 more small new islands and 5 underwater reefs.
Inhabited islands: Agatti, Cavaratti, Amini, Kiltan, Kadmat, Bitra, Chetlat, Kalpeni, Andrott and Minikoy. The least populated of them is Bitra.
Beaches and lagoons
Lakshadwip attracts tourists not only in remoteness from other traditional routes, but also in the fabulous beauty of the islands, the shores of which are strewn with delicate golden sand. Many coconut trees grow here.
The secret of the unique beauty of Lakshadvipa, most likely, lies in the fact that the islands, remote from the outside world, have not yet been practically influenced from the outside.
Nature features
An amazing silence reigns here, occasionally broken by the cries of seabirds or the splash of a canoe paddle, gently dissecting the waves of the ocean. The water here is so clear that at a depth you can clearly see fish scurrying between coral reefs.
For lovers of scuba diving, an amazing underwater world opens here, represented by unique colors and amazing purity. The only coral island of India is Rama Rajya.
Hotels
Laccadive Islands are more and more visited by tourists. But the number of hotels on the islands is limited, so you should book them in advance through travel agencies. It should be noted that their cost is approximately equal to the cost of hotels in the Maldives.
Below is a brief description of some resort islands.
Cavaratti
This part of the land is the administrative center of the entire group of islands. A variety of attractions will not let you get bored. There is an aquarium with marine inhabitants of local waters. There are many mosques (over 50), the most beautiful of which is Ujra. The island has a lot of great beaches. You can rent a yacht, boat, boat and take a boat trip along the coastal surroundings.
There is only one inconvenience - only transit visits to the island are allowed for tourists (according to the law of 2012, you can stay on the island for no more than 12 hours).
Agatti
This is one of the small islands of Laccadive, famous for its lagoon, which is the most beautiful on the islands. Water and underwater tourism are the main types of entertainment. The only hotel on the island is the Agatti Island Beach Resort, which has 20 comfortable double rooms.
Agatti is not the most populated and large island, however, the only airport on the entire island group is located on its territory.
Bangaram
This small island in Lakkadivy has a size of 0.5 to 1.5 km. It used to be uninhabited, but now people live here and there is the only Bangaram Beach Resort hotel, where the local population works. There are beautiful beaches, and in the center of the island is a very beautiful lake.
Bangaram is the only island in Lakkadiv where alcohol is allowed.
Cadmate
This island is the most populated and largest among all the islands of the group. It reaches a length of 8 kilometers and a width of 500 meters. The population is 5,000 inhabitants. In the south of the island is the Kadmat Island Resort, which is also the only one on the island.
Kadmat is the most affordable resort island in Lakkadiv with a well-developed tourism industry. Most of all, the island is suitable for lovers of more active and noisy holidays.
How to get there
Laccadive Islands can be visited in two ways: by sea and by plane. The main point of communication with the islands is the city of Kochi (Cochin), located in the state of Kerala, India. From this city to the Lakkadivskie Islands can be reached by plane and by sea. You can take another route - from Bangalore via Cochin to Agatti.
More expensive is the flight by plane, but it is the fastest. In this way you can fly to the island of Agatti. Travel time is 1 hour 15 minutes. By sea, you can reach the islands from the cities of Baypora, Kochi and Bangalore. The way of sea liners is planned so that each of them enters almost all the islands of the archipelago. From October to May, direct flights from Kochi to Kadmat begin to operate. Travel time is about 20 hours. It should be remembered that tickets must be ordered in advance.
Travel Tips
As noted above, the flow of tourists to these islands is strictly limited, so the trip should be arranged in advance.
- The best time to visit the Lakkadiv is the December-May months.
- The islands are quite far from civilization, and here, in addition to the picturesque nature and several hotels with a variety of entertainment, there is practically nothing. There are no convenience stores.
- Nudism is strictly prohibited on the islands.
- It is forbidden on the islands to break corals, litter, pluck coconuts from palm trees, sail away or leave the island without escort and permission. The distribution and use of drugs is prohibited.
- The budget for a trip to the islands is several times higher than the budget for a trip to India itself. The most affordable - the island of Kadmat.