Details of the Resort and Cruise Options to Holiday in These Exotic Islands
Suddenly there has been a frenzied interest in Lakshadweep, but very few people know about the islands, and still fewer know how to plan a holiday to the Lakshadweep Islands!
About Lakshadweep in general, you can read in detail in my earlier blog here.
How to Plan for a Holiday in the Lakshadweep Islands?
Read on!!!
There are two ways to holiday in the Lakshadweep Islands:
1. Fly into Lakshadweep and Stay on an Exotic Island
Agatti airport on Agatti Island is the only airport. Indigo has daily flights from Kochi and Bangalore to Agatti. New airline Fly91 has flights from Mopa airport (North Goa) to Agatti.
There are some small guest houses and hotels on Agatti Island, but there is no government-approved accommodation, so we would not recommend a stay on Agatti Island.
As of now, government-approved accommodation is on the islands of Bangaram, Kavaratti, and Minicoy. Don’t expect 5-star accommodation there – though news is that the Taj group is building a 5-star resort in the near future.
Accommodation in these resorts is in the form of quaint air-conditioned huts/cottages built just next to the beach, furnished with basic amenities. There are no water bungalows here as yet, so only beach accommodation. For the adventure enthusiasts, there are a host of water-based activities that can be done while staying in any of these island resorts – scuba diving, snorkeling, kayaking, glass bottom boat ride, etc.
This is ideal for honeymoon couples and families who would like to spend time together. We recommend at least a 3–4 nights stay here to best enjoy the scenic beauty.
One more important point – depending on where you are flying from, always keep a night stay in Kochi/Bangalore/Goa during onward as well as return journeys, as the flight schedule to/from Agatti can get disrupted due to weather. You don’t want to get stranded because of a missed flight!!
Best time to visit: November to March.
Packages on these islands typically start at around Rs. 16,550 plus taxes per person for a 3-night stay, including all meals and transfers to and from Agatti airport. Not too costly, right?
2. Cruise from Kochi
The Lakshadweep Tourism Department (Society for Promotion of Nature Tourism and Sports – SPORTS) runs a cruise ship from Kochi to the Lakshadweep islands. This is no 5-star cruise but the most value-for-money way to visit the islands.
The itinerary is a 4 nights / 5 days program starting from Kochi and visiting the 3 major islands of Kalpeni, Kavaratti, and Minicoy. Nights are spent on the cruise while daytime you are taken to the islands to explore and indulge in the various adventure activities available there.
Cabins are basic AC cabins, two-bedded with bunk beds, attached toilets, basic furnishing, and no television.
The cost of the 4 nights cruise starts from Rs. 37,500 plus taxes per adult on a twin-sharing basis and includes all meals – Morning Tea, Breakfast, Lunch, Evening Tea/Coffee, and Dinner, Local village sightseeing, Water Sports – Snorkeling, Kayaking, Glass Bottom Boat, and transfers by smaller boats from the main ship to the island and vice versa.
The cruise normally operates from October to March, and bookings for the coming season will open in August this year.
So, if you are planning to holiday in Lakshadweep, you now know the options available.
Connect here if you are interested in planning a Lakshadweep holiday!
Acknowledgment: All photos copyright of Chetan Kelkar