Lakshadweep

Hi there,

Can anyone tell me how hard it is to get to Lakshadweep and how expensive it is and also do you need a permit like you do for the Andamans?

Any information would be useful, can you fly or is boat better?

Thank you,

freebird

Mod Note
I have moved this to the Kerala forum.

@ freebirdnz,

This thread, although a bit old, is informative:
Lakshadweep trip report

Getting to the Lakshadweep islands depends on where you want to go, the available time you have to travel and your budget.
You can fly from Cochin to Agatti using Kingfisher Airlines or Air India. The cost varies depending on the time of year and availability but for someone travelling in May for example the cost would be about Rs13000 return. The journey time is about 1h20. If you then want to go on to other islands you will have to take the inter islands ferries or arrange with the tour operator for a boat (fishing boat or high speed boat) at extra cost.
You can take the ferry to the islands from Cochin. The cost will vary depending on the type of ferry and the class. The smaller ferries (eg. MV Amindivi or MV Minicoy) to say Kadmat will be about Rs2500 one way whereas the larger ferries such as MV Kavaratti will be about Rs4500 (first class). Depending on the island you are visiting and the route the ferry takes then the ferry journey can take up to 24hours. The cost of the ferry includes all meals. The ferry schedules in my experience can change due to the weather and routes they take. Personally I prefer the ferry as it is cheaper and you get to talk to many of the passengers during the voyage.
You will need a permit to visit the islands and these can be arranged by the tour operator. I think this year the permits cost Rs200 each.
Currently non Indians can stay on Agatti, Kadmat, Bangaram * and I believe Minicoy is also available.
*Bangaram is currently closed and has been since last October due to a dispute over the lease of the resort. CGHearth hotels used to run the resort but the lease ran out last year. CGH believed they could automatically renew the lease but according to the Lakshadweep Government this was not the case. CGH have taken this to court as they are in danger of losing the lease and I understand a hearing was set for the 30th March. Until this issue is resolved no guests can stay on the island although it is hoped that it will reopen in October (but no guarantees).
You can visit various islands through the SPORTS organisation but stay on the ferry at night or you can stay on the islands I mentioned above. I regularly visit Kadmat as I go scuba diving there. I arrange the trip through Lacadives the diving company (www.lacadives.com).
The accommodation is provided by SPORTS. The cost of a detached a/c room will cost about Rs3000 per person per night including all meals. The cost of diving and other water sports activities will be extra.
SPORTS can arrange the trip for you but they are notoriously bad at communicating with potential visitors! Have a look at www.lakshadweep.nic.in as SPORTS is a Lakshadweep government organisation.
The Lakshadweep Islands are well worth a visit. The diving is excellent and is managed by highly trained instructors with safety a key point as it is a remote location. Other sports include snorkelling, glass bottomed boat tours, fishing and kayaking.
I hope this helps but if there are any other questions please let me know.
PS the Tipu Sultan show in the trip report has been decommisioned (thank goodness) and now languishes in Cochin harbour.

I remember that trip report, haunting..

Wow thanks CliveG...great info here to read. I was told it's pretty hard to get onto the islands but I will look into it further. It seems to be similar story as getting to the Andamans where I have been twice.

Another quick question. Is it easy enough to get between the islands? In andamans there is an inter island ferry.

Thanks again for your reply.

freebird

There is an inter island high speed ferry but I believe it is quite expensive. I have travelled between islands such as Agatti and Kadmat on fishing boats but it is a slow 6 hour journey and the cost depends on the number of passengers. As I mentioned you can tour some of the islands on certain ferries (usually the larger ferries) - this can be arranged through SPORTS.

Hello CliveG,I am planning to visit Lakshadweep from Mumbai in November,2012 with my 6-7 friends. We are all students,ages ranging from 17 to 21. We want to do this tour on our own,but some people told me that in case we visit on our own,we can only visit Agatti island. Is that true? We want to visit Kavaratti,Kalpeni and Minicoy islands. Is it possible to do it without taking any tour package? Please guide me about it and also tell me about average inter-islands ferry charges,their schedule,stay options etc.

Currently the issue of visiting the Lakshadweeps appears to be up in the air. First problem is the issue of permits to visit the islands. I understand this was difficult if not impossible during the past season. Second problem is that I have not heard of visitors going independently to the islands you mention. Thirdly if it is possible, arranging the inter island ferries to meet your schedule might be difficult especially to Minicoy which is quite a distance from the other islands. I suggest you contact either SPORTS or the Lakshadweep Administration to get the exact current situation.

PS - Aggatti might be your best option if permits are being issued.

anybody who went lakshadweep recently kindly enter their experience

Thanks CliveG. I e-mailed SPORTS,but no reply from them. Still I will do more research on it as I think I have long time to go for tour. I hope even if I made 3 months prior booking at SPORTS,I will get my package booked,right?

It might be a good idea to check out the situation with some travel agents. I you look on the Lakshadweep Administration website I think they have a list of recommended agents as SPORTS is notoriously slow in replying to requests.

I going to Lakshadweep in Feb. 2013. But air is not possible, so I have to go by boat. But the only ship that suits my timing is the MV Minicoy which only has AC Hall. No cabins.

Anyone tried travelling AC Hall/pushed back seats to Lakshadweep by ship?

I'm hesitant taking my family on a 20hrs. boat trip in what I fear is a lot less comfortable than traveling monkey class by air ...

I have twice travelled on MV Minicoy. On the first occasion the a/c was so cold I went and slept on the top deck. We were told there was a fault with the a/c but as many people had come prepared with blankkets and duvets I think this might be a common occurrence. The second time we took bed rolls and slept on the top deck looking up at the stars -I would go prepared for a cold night or sleep on deck!