Lakshadweep - India's Hidden Secret !

Lakshadweep is a tropical archipelago of 36 atolls and coral reefs in the Laccadive Sea, off the coast of Kerala, India. Only a handful of the islands are inhabited and are open to visitors (permits required). With coconut trees, secluded beaches, lagoons and coral reefs, the islands are known for their scuba diving, snorkelling, kayaking and fishing.

We had our plans for Lakshadweep from quite a long time...actually years for that matter. It was the landing on a small stretch of land which we had wanted to experience. The Airport being one of the smallest airports of India.

Image courtesy -http://ourairports.com/airports/VOAT/

Tickets & Stay –

We booked our tickets way back in November 2015 for our travel to Lakshadweep in the month of March 2016.  (Bangalore to Agatti via Kochi). The only flight that goes there is the Air India flight (48 seater). Don’t expect a high service out of it. 

Our Flight to and back 

While we now looked up for our stay options. We used every social media to contact people who had travelled there to help us out and there we found help.

We were connected to Sikandar Hussain (94460 55972) who looked into our stay and all activities. He arranged the stay in a perfectly tucked in place where we had two rooms to ourselves with the comfort of the beach just 10-15 meters on both sides. The cost of stay included the food (breakfast – lunch – Dinner)

Our Man –

Sikandar whom we called bhaiya is the kind of person who is so friendly. He is always seen to be smiling and his laugh will make you forget everything that puts you off. He is a PADI certified diver and has a very good network with people in Lakshadweep.

Being a person who loves to be in waters, he loves people who are water phobic and teaches them to swim, snorkel and even do a scuba. One of the most patient man, I have come across. He will not give up on will help you love water if you feel water isn’t your game.

Qualification: PADI Open Water scuba Instructor # 467306,

Experience: Since 1995- Lakshadweep, Goa, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Thailand & Maldives.

Obtaining the Permit –

The most difficult task of all is obtaining the permit for travel.

 Here are the steps we took to obtain ours.

•  We need to first apply to the police for a Police clearance certificate. This takes time depending from state to state.

             In Mumbai it took close to 20 days. Got it from the Office of the Dy. Commissioner of                      Police, Special Branch (i) C.i.d., Mumbai.

             In Bangalore, you need to visit the commissioner’s office on infantry road for the same.                    Time taken is almost the same there too.

•  Send the Obtained PCCto Sikandar who arranges to get the permit.

         Ours was looked after by Sikandar himself .we sent it to him through speed post and he got the           permits arranged for us who we got just 14 hours prior to travel.

        The permit is issued from Kochi hence, they sent us a scanned copy and our originals were given to us in our flight which they look into ( He shall either send it to you through post to your address or will be given at Kochi)
 You need to worry both ways !

 The permits are checked as we alight and reach Agatti Island and entry is only permitted if you have the original permit.

•      We all had to visit the police station to submit and mark entry into entry and exit register.

Best time to visit –

The best time to visit is from November to April.

Panoramic view 

 Our experience

After getting our permits as described above, we were so excited. Our flight from Bangalore was on 8^th March 2016 and we were all set by the night to leave.

The flight to Kochi took close to 1.5 hours with a stopover for 30 min. From there it was 1 hour flight to Agatti. Right above the sea with clouds around. Just the perfect time to listen to some slow music, correct!

                                          View of Agatti Island from our flight 

As we approached our destination we could see turquoise blue, green colours water. Our spirits rose even high. Our excitement overleaped and we waited to see the landing from our window seats.  As the plane turned towards the right, our eyes were seeing heat we had been seeing in the photographs online. Clear water on all 3 sides and just a small patch of land and an even smaller landing strip. The flight started to descend and we touched the island and we were out of our seats within the next 7 minutes from the time, the tyres touched the land. 

                                 The small stretch of airport at Agatti (background) and us :)

With a sunny weather and the soothing calm voices of the waves, we moved out of the airport to be greeted by the police who checked for our permit and as we got our baggage we headed out to reach our place of stay.

                                                Just adjacent to the airport

As we reached we left our luggage and rushed to the clean waters to feel and experience what our eyes had bee seeing for such a long time. 

Euphoria! 

In Heaven, Right!

That moment, it was … when you could see, feel the clean waters of the sea. So clean it was that you would believe it to be mineral water if someone had to offer you to drink. The white sand, stones the trees and the waters with changing hues of blue. 

          Shades of Blue 

We headed back to our room to freshen up ( infact we already were ).. , had our lunch, rested on the hammock looking at the coconut tree above us and just waiting to get into action to snorkel ,swim in the sea.

Our diver Sikandar  bhaiya came and we walked towards the airport side where he had things kept and would take us into the water from. We were told about the basics signs and given our gears and we all entered the water practising breathing through the snorkel.

                                                      Our Gear 

Ashitha di, who has never been into water also did snorkelling, Thanks to Sikandar who made her feel comfortable and instilled confidence in her to do it.

One of the most calm Ssunsets seen 

Our evening was spent in the waters snorkelling seeing the corals and the fishes all around the coral area.  This included to move to other side of the island again to snorkel a waters were expected to be cleaner that side.

My mami, snorkeling

We walked back to our rooms, freshened up and we spoke about the culture and the problems of the people there with Sikandar. Post our dinner we sat again to discuss the next day’s events.

Day 2 began with me seeing one of the most beautiful sunrises. It was so calm and refreshing. Not a single noise to disturb as you would walk across on the beach. The hermit crabs would be running around and hiding themselves. The waves were hitting the shore and going back into the sea and at the background the sun was slowly coming out across the horizon.

 Sunrise 

We picked up our breakfast and headed to the site to undergo basic scuba training and snorkel. Hours passed by and one by one each one of us learnt the same. The whole of morning till noon was spent doing this an then we headed to freshen up pack on lunch and see Agatti after taking  a short break and relaxing again on the hammocks.

While I come after a round of Scuba :)

We went to museum and the jetty and another island on the other end of the island. Evening was again spent seeing the sunset and relaxing by the beach.

A few minutes back .... Bhaiyaaaaa 

While I Just got a Heart Attack !
( the dead fish breathed its last in my Hand - though it was dead when I picked it up )

The third day we were all ready with our camera , Xiaomi yi camera, mobiles and all to go out for scuba and visit the Bangaram and the Tinnakara islands. Our boat awaited us and we left at around 8 in the open sea to the diving area which was known by the boat person and Sikandar. 

The boat was anchored and my sis was told to get ready for the dive. Nervousness along with excitement was evident on all our faces. She got ready and there she somersaulted and there she goes like a fish into the water to discover the life below. She came up gleaming after 40 minutes with such a big smile.

 I too got ready and I too somersaulted into the water. And was taken down by our diver Sikandar. While we went down the change in pressure caused discomfort in the ears but during our practices session we are taught and I got rid of it as we kept going down to reach 15 metres below.

Time to Go down 

Such a beauty it is, the fishes stare at you. They come out and see you the way you see them. We saw a lot of fishes ,starfish , sweetlips , parrotfish ,tiger fish , Blue and yellow angel fish, stripy fish, and indeed orange Memo clown fish dart in and out in between the corals amongst many others .

     The beautiful flora and fauna with whom we got to spend time with !

 It’s such a mesmerizing view one can see, and being my first it was even much more fascinating to watch for me. I too came back and was out of the water after 40 minutes and then we get to see the dolphins in numbers (anyway above 20) diving and somersaulting as our bot passed their way. 

We then headed to the Tinnakara Island followed by Bangaram Island. Enorute we saw turtles swimming across in shallow waters. We visited a shipwreck near to the Tinnakara islands and saw again the colourful fishes and how this ship had become a part of the flora and fauna.

Turtle 

As we had our snacks and were going about the small island of Bangaram...Just near to the helipad Sikandar went into the water and called us in. What a surprise he had for us in store. He took my sis Prachita into the sea and they swam across and landed on a sand bank. For all of us wondered how were they running on water for from a distant it wasn’t visible.

Panorama of the Sandbank

We all too after a lot of convincing from Prachita went again into the waters and experienced the fun of being on a sandbank. We ran to shore away the flamingos that were sitting on one end of the     sand back.

   
     I am sure I would have missed something hadn’t I gone in again.

Panoramic Selfie with the Bangaram Island

As we decided to head back I took the top position of the boat to be seated like the character in the movie life of Pi. The boat cut across the water and we were heading towards home, back with so many memories of the day.

The next morning we were again in the water for the last time before we caught our flight back from Agatti and packed our bags to head back with so many memories and tanned skin as a souvenir !


If you all need any help - please do not hesitate to ask.