Lakshadweep Tourism

Around 350 km off the Kerala coast lies the most beautiful coral necklace in the Arabian Sea. Really like a precious jewel, the pure shores of the akshadweep archipelago shimmer and shine in the sun kissed setting, and wink and beckon to every traveller.

The set of 36 islands is allied to the Republic of India and at a total area of 32 sq km is her smallest union territory. 51,000 people inhabit only 10 of the islands. The islanders are mainly Muslim and they speak a local version of the Kerala language. The economy survives on fishing and coir making. Only 6 of the islands are open for tourism and only 2 of these are open to non-Indian tourists.

There’s a range of things to do on the Lakshadweep Islands. Swim with the locals: turtles, dolphins, eagle ray and stay away from the bad crowd: sharks, octopus, barracuda! (Don’t worry, the sharks are completely harmless and octopus and barracuda too far from the shores – the waters are completely safe). Snorkel in the reef through colonies of fish. Surf the aqua marine waters, romp the white sands. Just go - must go!

ALERT! Resist the urge to collect corals as souvenirs. Picking up corals is prohibited and is a punishable act.

SPECIAL PERMITS: A trip to Lakshadweep requires a tourist permit from all. This can be arranged at the Lakshadweep Tourist Office in Cochin (Kochi). The only way to visit is to hook up with a package tour group. Tour operators start the first of the trips in October and continue till May. The most popular months are from January to the middle of May when the diving and fishing is good but it’s possible to visit any time in the year.