Lakshadweep - Best way to book/dive

Blackcat

Hi

I was wondering if anyone could help me out with the best way to book a dive trip to Bangaram?

I would like a 5/6 night dive trip as a lone traveller (unless there's someone who wants to buddy up?) mid-late November. I've looked at planetdive, CGH Earth Group (previously Casino Group) and Laccadives and am getting a bit confused at the different accommodation/diving rates.

Is it better to book through the resort or the dive centre or both or travel agent?

Does anyone know if I'll be able to join a group/guide as a lone diver? I'm a BSAC Sports Diver who hasn't dived for a few years.

Is my time frame about right for a taster or should I be shorter?

Any help on these or any other matters would be greatly appreciated.

BTW, thanks for all the other info contained in previous threads on similar - very helpful

CliveG

I agree the rates can be confusing. CGH quote per person while Lacadives quote per room for two persons.
CGH manage Bagaram Resort so dealing with them is the most direct method. You can contact the booking manager by e-mailing antonyviju@cghearth.com. Alternatively e-mail Siddharth at Lacadives (lacadives@gmail.com) Lacadives would have to contact CGH for booking the room so it might be easier to go straight to CGH Earth. They will book your flight and arrange transfer from Agatti airport to Bangaram and will arrange the permit to visit Bangaram (cost Rs200). I would not go through a travel agent as the cost may be higher. Also November is a quiet time so you could try and negotiate a lower rate.
5/6 day visit is fine. Normally you can do two dives in the morning and return to the island for lunch. As you have not dived reently they may ask you to do a 10 minute refresher dive in the lagoon just to ensure ou are comfortable with the basic procedures (retrieving regulator, mask etc.)
The island does not have much else to offer except relaxation, good food, a beach bar and some other water sports. November is a quiet month so yyou might find very few visitors there. The dive instructor (Subin) is an excellent diver and very informative about all marine life.
It is not a cheap place to visit especially as the flight to the islands is about Rs17000.
Alternatively if you want a less expensive trip you could consider Kadmat. To reduce the cost you can take a ferry to Kadmat which visits the island every 3 days. The accommodation is cheaper and the diving excellent. Seemant the dive instructor is a great guy. Downside is that the food is a bit basic and it is technically a dry island. This can be booked directly with Lacadives. I have visited both islands many time but this year I will be visiting Kadmat. It is very remote and I have been there when there were just my wife and I as visitors. It has a local population unlike Bangaram and you can visit the town at the other end of the island.
If you need any more info don't hesitate to ask. Also look at my photos of Bangaram and the marine life in my photo file.

Blackcat

Thanks for that Clive. Thanks also for all your other posts, I think I've read them all and they've been very informative - you seem to be the guy in the know.

Is there much of a difference in the diving between the two islands? Although I don't want to pay over the odds, I'm doing this as my 30th birthday present for myself so it's a bit of a 'once-in-a-life-time' trip for me. I've always wanted to go to the Maldives but this (Bangaram) seems the next best thing, if not better.

When you say the food's basic at Kadmat, how basic are we talking? I would just be looking for local cuisine and fresh fish? Also, altough I'm looking for some relaxation and some time with just me and the sea, I would like to do other water sports if possible which I don't know if you can do at Kadmat?
Do you think there's enough difference between the two islands to justify the cost difference?

Thanks for the advice on negotiating price, that's something I'm never sure about. Would I just ask if that's their 'best price'?

CliveG

Hi Blackcat,
Seems Indiamike might have crashed as I tried to reply yesterday but couldn’t get on to the site.
In answer to your questions:
Diving: No difference really. You are more likely to see Mantas near Bangaram but both islands have excellent dive sites. The reef around Bangaram is further out and takes about 30 + minutes to reach the sites whereas on Kadmat it is 5 minutes from the island and in fact you can at low tide walk to the edge and snorkel over the reef. Dive instructors on both islands are first class. They know the reefs so well and will show you morays, turtles, sharks and a myriad of small fish.
Food: Bangaram has excellent food cooked by the chef, John. It is some of the best I have experienced in India. The range offered for all 3 meals is wide and caters for meat eaters and veggies. The cook on Kadmat is appointed by the government and it is limited. Choice is limited. It is O.K. but a bit bland. Choice for dessert will be an apple one day and an orange the next whereas on Bangaram you usually have a choice of about 6-8 desserts.
Watersports: On Bangaram you can take a sail boat out into the lagoon or kayaks. There is also fishing and there is very good snorkelling in the lagoon around several coral heads.
I have not used watersports on Kadmat but this can be done, I think through SPORTS which is another organisation based on the island.
November is the beginning of the season on both islands and you might find very few visitors on them but this can great as you feel you have the island all to yourself.
Staff: Apart from the cook on Kadmat and the dive guys there are few staff available (or needed). Your room is cleaned every day on both islands. I have to say that all the staff on Bangaram are so helpful and friendly and have over the years become our friends.
Sooooooo if I were to choose an island for a special celebration I would choose Bangaram for the extras such as the food, the friendly staff and the peace and tranquillity. It is more basic than the Maldives but that to me makes it more attractive – no need to dress up – just chill out.
I will PM you so some other details that are not relevant here.
When you make a decision contact me and I can give you some more specific details.

CliveG

Can't PM you for some reason. With regard asking for a discount my trick is when they give you the cost just suck in breath and sound horrified. If you contact CGH Earth and suggest you are deciding between Kadmat and Bangaram - see what they offer to get you to choose Bangaram. As with all things there is leeway in their margins that mean they can drop the prices especially in a time of recession and being early in the season. Even if you get 10% it makes a difference. While I have no financial link with either CGH or Lacadives I have known them now for about 8 years and class some of them as friends so if you need to drop my name into the discussion do so and mention iyou want to go to for a special celebration.

Blackcat

Thanks again Clive. Sorry for the time lapse, distracted by a car crash and the Ashes!

Thanks to the website and your amazing photos, I've already fallen in love with Bangaram. I'll email CGH for a quote for both and see what they come up with! Is it alright if I PM you with extra, probably silly, questions when they arise? (If I can work it out)

Do I need to contact/book the dive co far in advance? I take it they wont have a problem with me being a solo and can just buddy up with them??
Again, thank you so much for your advice.

CliveG

Sorry to hear about the car crash but great to hear about the Ashes!
If you are considering Kadmat then contact Lacadives as they organise that centre. When you contact CGH tell them you will want to go diving but it won't be a problem as they have plenty of dive staff there. The dive guys will always accompany you on the dives so you will either buddy up with them or another guest.
Make sure that they know you want them to arrange the transport to the islands.
Yes of course you can PM me any time. Hope the planning goes O.K.

scribetribe

Hi Clive, you've put in some really cool info on Bangaram in this thread. Saw the photos you've posted...they are gorgeous.

I am considering a visit to Bangaram sometime around October end for my honeymoon. Though both me and my fiancee aren't too dive-savvy (we'd love to but neither of us knows swimming), we'd want to maybe snorkel around close to the beach. How much, in your guesstimate, will I have to shell out on hiring the snorkeling gear, boat and other necessary equipment? Roughly how long will I get to use them?

My other question is, since Bangaram is the only place that serves liquor, are the drinks priced over-the-top? What would I, on an average, have to pay for, say, a cocktail? Does the bar accept credit cards or will I have to carry wads of cash to the island?

Look forward to hearing from you. Thanks.

CliveG

Hi Scribetribe,

You can snorkel from the beach - no need for a boat. About 15 mteres from the shore there are some coral heads where you will find many different varieties of fish including parrot fish, box fish, Butterfly fish, damsels. Soem fish including Unicorns come right up to the edge of the beach. Occasionally you will also see turtles. The hire of the fins and mask is about Rs75 each or on a 24 hour hire Rs500.
Prices of cocktails vary according to the the number of alcohol shots but on average Rs250-300 (try the Bangaram Binge - excellent!) The also do a range of non-alcoholic cocktails. Beers are roughly what you would expect to pay in a hotel - approximately Rs140 for a Kingfisher.
No need to worry about cash. While you are there everything is put on a tab including snorkelling gear and any other extras, (bottles of water, any activities such as fishing etc.) You pay for this at the end of your visit either by cash or card. All food is fully inclusive in the cost of the visit.

scribetribe

Hi Clive, thanks for the brilliant piece of info. I'm glad to know that snorkeling can be done right off the beach. Surprisingly, a Casino official has told me I wouldn't be able to witness much marine life around the beach area, and insists I hire a boat to the ship wreck and other sites to snorkel there.

Thanks for mentioning the liquor prices...none of the other threads discuss that so, yeah it definitely helps to get a sense of what I could expect there, besides, of course, your wonderful tip on the Bangaram Binge...will try that out for sure

CliveG

Hi Scribetribe,
Don't listen to officials who have probably never been snorkelling!
I could name at least 40 -50 different varieties of fish I have seen in the lagoon around the coral heads. When I am not diving I spend hours just floating over the coral heads looking at the fish!
As a matter of intersst if you feel confident you could consider a resort dive course. They take you into the lagoon in a bout a metre of water anfd go through all the basics and then take you into the lagoon to about 3-5 metres - very safe. If you are happy with that and are confident they will take you out for a reef dive under close supervision. My wife and I started diving on our first visit to Bangaram and it gave us a WOW factor and as a result took further dive courses and have continued ever since. Being a good swimmer is not the be all and end all. Being confident in the water helps and the instructors will give you that. Whatever you decide - have fun.

Blackcat

Hi Clive
I've just received an astronomical quote from Bangaram, much more that posted anywhere on their website. I've tried to PM you but can't do it. I've changed my settings to receive emails so was wondering if you would mind emailing me to discuss this please? Sorry for the hassle.

CliveG

No Hassle! Tried to PM you but cannot- either you have not allowed private messages or there is minimum number of posts that you must have entered before you are allowed- cannot find the details in the rules.
What tariffs did CGH Earth give you? I will have a look at them and see if they tally up with my own calculations.

Blackcat

I've gone through all my settings but I think I just don't have the authority to PM yet. If you want to get off the public forum, you could email me on laura_archaeology@hotmail.com

CGH Earth quoted me 300Euros a night, works out about £265 for just me. I haven't asked for a discout yet, it would have to be a hefty one! I can understand them charging more than half a double rate but I would have thought they could knock quite a bit off for food. What do you think?? Thanks

scribetribe

@Clive: Thanks for the reassurance. I'm looking forward to snorkeling now, and diving, as well, if I feel confident enough.

@BlackCat: 300 Euros a night?!! That's got the eyeballs off my sockets! Mid-November is apparently high season at Bangaram but 300 Euros is still an awful sum to pay for a single night!