Oceans and beaches are the main attraction of tourists when visiting any country. India is a land of diversity and has both mountains and oceans within its mainland. Thus, it attracts tourists from all over the world to witness its beauty which lies nowhere else. Along with worldwide tourists, people from India also love to visit these amazing, calm, and relaxing places at least once in their lifetime.
When we talk of oceans and beaches, Mumbai and Goa are the two main places that come to our mind. But thinking a bit ahead of these places India has these amazing Islands that lie in isolation calling you out to come and witness their beauty. The main Islands among these are the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and the famous Lakshadweep. Andaman has been a place of exploration and tourist attraction for a long time and thus has a lot of crowds almost every time of the year. But Lakshadweep is something different. Unlike Andaman, Lakshadweep is still an underrated place that seems to be much more attractive and exciting than Andaman Island.
Lakshadweep is a union territory of India and its capital is Kavaratti. Situated near Kerala, Lakshadweep is a group of 36 islands out of which only 11 are inhabited and explorable. The rest of these islands are either occupied by different tribes or are prohibited to visit by the Indian government.
So, in this blog, we will guide you through the exciting trip of Lakshadweep’s Samudram tour letting you know every minute detail of this trip and how you can enjoy this trip to the fullest. So read the complete blog so that you do not miss anything out on this once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Which package is best for Lakshadweep Samudram?
When going to Lakshadweep it is best to book a package through any reliable travel agency. The benefit of booking a package is that these agency’s agents will receive you when you reach Lakshadweep and help you in the verification process. Along with this, when going through a travel agency the permit and invitation are all arranged by the agency itself so you don’t have to worry about anything. Moreover, there will be hotels, meals, and trips arranged for you by the agency so you don’t have to worry about almost anything.
The other option when going on the Lakshadweep Samudram trip is to book this package through the official government website. “Lakshadweep Samudram” is a package that was introduced by the government and so you can easily book it on the official government website. But this package might be a little complex since you will have to manage many things on your own. Also, the permits are not taken care of in this package and you will have to take the permit yourself.
The permit to Lakshadweep can be taken at the Scanning center of Kochi.
How to reach Lakshadweep Islands?
Lakshadweep Islands are a bit more isolated than the main land mass of India but they are completely a part of the Indian Continent. In India, Lakshadweep lies closest to the city of Kochi which is in Kerala.
Note: You need a permit and an invitation to go to the Lakshadweep Islands.
Lakshadweep has only two means to reach it. These are by flight and through a ship. When going through the flight, you will be landed on the only airport built at the Agatti Island of Lakshadweep.
How to reach Lakshadweep by flight?
The cost of a flight from Kochi to Agatti Island is Rs 6000/person and it takes about 1 hour and 20 minutes to reach Agatti Island.
If you are booking a flight, make sure do the booking in advance since there are a lot of people willing to go to Lakshadweep in comparison to which the flight availability is quite low.
After you reach Agatti Island you can then take a boat to Kavaratti (the capital of Lakshadweep).
The cost of the boat from Agatti Island to Kavaratti is Rs 2000/person.
How to book a ship for traveling to Lakshadweep?
You can also go to Lakshadweep by ship which is a much cheaper and worthful way to travel as compared to a flight. Taking a ship is a better option since it is both cheap and you can also enjoy the amazing scenes of the ocean while on your way to Lakshadweep.
The cost of the Ship can depend on the category from which you choose to travel.
There are three categories in the ship namely Diamond, Gold, and Bunker class. The ship will travel directly from Kochi to Kavaratti.
The cost of the ship can range from Rs 500 to Rs 3800 depending upon the class you choose to travel in.
You will go through a security check before boarding the ship and then in around 18 hours, the ship will drop you at your first destination which the Minicoy Island.
Note: You can do the advanced booking of Islands online on their official website if doing the customised booking.
What are the top places to visit in Lakshadweep Samudram?
The Minicoy Island
The first destination in your Lakshadweep Samudram package will be the famous Minicoy Island. The Minicoy Island of Lakshadweep is famous for its water activities where you can do amazing water sports including Kayaking, Scuba Diving, Glass Bottom, and much more.
The cost of these water activities can range from Rs 150 to Rs 4000 depending on different activities.
Minicoy Island is a famous place where you will find clean water which is even more fun for water activities.
Note: If you are taking a package, you might get one water activity free of cost through your travel agency.
Apart from the water activities, you can witness the beautiful beaches of Minicoy Island and after this, you can visit the famous lighthouse of the Minicoy. This lighthouse was built in 1885 and is a famous tourist attraction from the top of which you can witness the whole Island.
The Kadmat Island
After exploring the beauty of Minicoy Island the next stop in your Lakshadweep Samudram trip is Kadmat Island. From Minicoy Island, a boat or ship will transfer you to Kadmat Island. After reaching Kadmat Island, it is now time to explore this beautiful place. The best way to roam around Kadmat Island is by bus. Although this service is included in your package if you book it through any agency or government website.
Kadmat Island is famous for its Glass Bottom Rides.
The Glass Bottom ride is a kind of water activity where you sit in a bot with a transparent bottom. Through this transparent floor of the boat, you witness the beautiful sea creatures and unseen corals of the clean sea.
Along with this, Scuba diving is also a great option to try out on Kadmat Island since the water here is also clear and best for scuba diving.
The cost of Scuba Diving at Kadmat Island is around Rs 2000 to Rs 3000 per person.
If you are thinking that scuba is not a safe activity to perform then this fact is wrong. Scuba does not require you to know swimming. Also, during the complete scuba, an instructor remains with you the entire time to guide you and help you explore the underwaters.
The scuba lasts for about 20 minutes which you can take pictures and witness the beauty of the oceans.
‘The Kalpeni Island
Another Island that is also the last part of your Lakshadweep Samudram trip is Kalpeni Island. Kalpeni Island is another great place to explore sunsets and sunrise. The Island is known for its natural beauty where you can explore many beaches and famous spots.
How many days are sufficient for Lakshadweep?
Lakshadweep is not a densely populated place and thus it is very difficult to import everything here. Due to this reason, things here are quite expensive. Although the experience it provides is worth experiencing once in a lifetime.
If you are going to Lakshadweep, you must spare a minimum of 4 nights and 5 days to explore the Lakshadweep Samudram completely. The best time to visit Lakshadweep is from Oct to March during which the temperature is quite cool and favorable.
Apart from this, Lakshadweep remains closed during June and August. So, you must not plan a trip during this time of the year.
If you are planning a customized package for yourself then you have to take a permit before going to Lakshadweep. This permit can be taken from the Lakshadweep Permit Office which is situated in Kochi.
One can find every kind of food in Lakshadweep so it won’t be a problem if you are a vegetarian. You can undoubtedly plan a trip to this place.
One thing which must be noted is that liquor is completely banned in Lakshadweep by the government of India. Although it is allowed only on Bangaram Island which is not a part of the Lakshadweep Samudram tour.
The Samudram tour whether taken by any agency or by the official government website consists of the three Islands named Minicoy, Kalpeni, and Kadmat.
Where can you book a hotel in Lakshadweep
When visiting Lakshadweep, taking a package is the safest option to choose. Whether you are taking a government package or a private agency’s itinerary hotel rooms and meals will be included within the package only.
Talking about the meals, they are also included when taking a package for Lakshadweep. The meal is provided three times for all the days you will be staying in Lakshadweep.
Apart from this, the cost to rent a hotel room if you plan to go through customized booking will be around Rs 12000 per person for four days and the meals in the customized plan will cost around Rs 5000 for five days.
Government vs Private Agency Packages Comparision
Although the Samudram package to Lakshadweep was initially proposed by the Indian government to provide a cheap and good experience to the tourists. But with time the same package was offered by some private agencies as well. Now when we compare the two packages the conclusion that we reach is that taking a private package is much more relaxing and easy when compared to the government packages.
The major difference can be that even after taking the government package you will have to take a Lakshadweep permit on your own while the private agencies take care of this within the package.
Although, this fact cannot be denied that the government package is cheaper than any other private company’s package.
The government of India offers two types of packages to visit Lakshadweep. They are known as Diamond and Gold respectively.
The cost of the Diamond package for adults is Rs 32025 and for children is Rs 23100 whereas the cost of the Gold package for adults is Rs 23625 and for children is Rs 17850.
Though, there is a difference only the quality of rooms offered in both the packages rest of everything remains the same.
How to plan a customized package for Lakshadweep?
Although you might be a little disappointed reading this if you are planning to go with a custom package, a custom package can be the worst option to take when going to Lakshadweep. Here you will have to take care of everything on your own with no background support.
This must be noted that traveling to Lakshadweep is still not that convenient and for this reason, going by a custom plan can be somewhat chaotic.
Mentioned below can be the approximate cost of your custom plan:
Kochi -> Minicoy: Rs 4000
Minicoy -> Kalpeni: Rs 4000
Kalpeni -> Kadmat: Rs 4000
Hotels: Rs 12000
Meals: Rs 5000
Water Activities: Rs 10000 (approx.)
Total: Rs 45000 (approx.)
Conclusion
With this, we close this guide to the Lakshadweep Samudram tour. Apart from the Samudram tour, there is also the Bangaram Island tour which is a completely different package. For the Samudram package, this is all that you need to know for having a great trip to Lakshadweep.
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