Laccadives Hotels India

The Laccadives Islands form the smallest union territory in India and lie nearly 200 miles from the coast of Kerala in the south west of the country. They are also known as Lakshadweep, which translates as “one hundred thousand islands” in Sanskrit. Although there are around thirty-six islands in the group, only ten of them are inhabited, and of those Kavaratti, Agatti, Minicoy and Amini are the main ones. Kavaratti is also where the capital is situated, which is a city of the same name. The islands are the only coral islands in India and are a mixture of atolls, reefs and banks.

They are thought to have been formed by coral growing on the tops of a range of submerged volcanos. Lakshadweep is becoming a popular tourism destination, providing an important source of income to the local economy, which otherwise relies almost entirely on coconut plantations and coir production as there is no other industry. The islands are perfect for snorkelling and scuba diving as well as other water sports, including canoeing, sailing, kayaking and wind-surfing.

The reefs offer a wide variety of stunning marine life to see, such as the coral itself, sea urchins, sea snakes, clams, starfish, octopus and sea turtles. The other main attraction is fishing as the islands have a good source of game fish. Tuna, kingfish, barruda and other large fish are caught using the pole and line method which is the more eco-friendly way and ensures the health of the fish population numbers.

Visitors may fish in the lagoons or try deep-sea fishing and then there is the thrill of barbecuing and eating the catch at the end of the day. Agatti, Bangaram and Kadmat Islands are the main islands offering accommodation to foreign visitors, and each island has a beach resort to stay at, with huts or cottages to sleep in by the beach and full access to all the water sports you could need. Agatti is the only island with an airport, otherwise there are passenger ships from the mainland.

Another option is to choose a cruise package which visits Lakshadweep as part of the trip, something which is becoming an established tourism trend in the area. The monsoon season at the Laccadives runs from June to September, and should be taken into account when booking a holiday as the seas can become rough and unsuitable for snorkelling and diving during this time.