Lakshadweep Travel Guide - Lakshadweep Tour Guide


	+91 - 22 - 4030 4878
	standard charges apply

Not an Indian Resident – Click here

Slide Menu

Select By Theme
- Adventure
  Auli
  
  Leh - Ladakh
- Beaches
  Andaman & Nicobar
  
  Daman
  
  Goa
  
  Kovalam
  
  Kozhikode
  
  Lakshadweep
- Heritage
  Agra
  
  Allahabad
  
  Bhopal
  
  Bhubaneshwar
  
  Bikaner
  
  Bundi
  
  Chittorgarh
  
  Gwalior
  
  Hampi
  
  Jaipur
  
  Jaisalmer
  
  Jodhpur
  
  Kanchipuram
  
  Khajuraho
  
  Lucknow
  
  Madurai
  
  Mahabalipuram
  
  Mount Abu
  
  Mysore
  
  Nalanda
  
  Pushkar
  
  Thanjavur
  
  Tiruchirapalli
  
  Udaipur
  
  Ujjain
- Hills
  Aizawl
  
  Almora
  
  Coonoor
  
  Coorg
  
  Darjeeling
  
  Dharamsala
  
  Dehradun
  
  Gangtok
  
  Kasauli
  
  Kodaikanal
  
  Kullu - Manali
  
  Mahabaleshwar
  
  Munnar
  
  Mussoorie
  
  Nainital
  
  Ooty
  
  Shillong
  
  Shimla
  
  Srinagar
- Leisure
  Alleppey
  
  Chandigarh
  
  Chikmagalur
  
  Chiplun
  
  Cuttack
  
  Durgapur
  
  Indore
  
  Kochi
  
  Kumarakom
  
  Nagpur
  
  Pune
  
  Vadodara
  
  Yercaud
- Pilgrimage
  Ajmer
  
  Amritsar
  
  Bodhgaya
  
  Ganpatipule
  
  Guwahati
  
  Haridwar
  
  Imphal
  
  Puri
  
  Rameshwaram
  
  Shirdi
  
  Tirupati
  
  Varanasi
  
  Vrindavan - Mathura
- Wildlife
  Corbett
  
  Bandhavgarh
  
  Bharatpur
  
  Panna
  
  Periyar
  
  Sunderbans

Select By Destination
- North
  Agra
  
  Allahabad
  
  Almora
  
  Amritsar
  
  Auli
  
  Chandigarh
  
  Corbett
  
  Dharamsala
  
  Dehradun
  
  Haridwar
  
  Kasauli
  
  Kullu - Manali
  
  Leh - Ladakh
  
  Lucknow
  
  Mussoorie
  
  Nainital
  
  Shimla
  
  Srinagar
  
  Varanasi
  
  Vrindavan - Mathura
- South
  Alleppey
  
  Andaman & Nicobar
  
  Coonoor
  
  Coorg
  
  Chikmagalur
  
  Hampi
  
  Kanchipuram
  
  Kodaikanal
  
  Kovalam
  
  Kozhikode
  
  Kumarakom
  
  Lakshadweep
  
  Madurai
  
  Mahabalipuram
  
  Munnar
  
  Mysore
  
  Ooty
  
  Periyar
  
  Rameshwaram
  
  Thanjavur
  
  Tiruchirapalli
  
  Tirupati
  
  Yercaud
- East
  Aizawl
  
  Bhubaneshwar
  
  Bodhgaya
  
  Cuttack
  
  Darjeeling
  
  Durgapur
  
  Gangtok
  
  Guwahati
  
  Imphal
  
  Nalanda
  
  Puri
  
  Shillong
  
  Sunderbans
- West
  Ajmer
  
  Bharatpur
  
  Bikaner
  
  Bundi
  
  Chiplun
  
  Chittorgarh
  
  Daman
  
  Goa
  
  Ganpatipule
  
  Jaipur
  
  Jaisalmer
  
  Jodhpur
  
  Mahabaleshwar
  
  Mount Abu
  
  Nagpur
  
  Pune
  
  Pushkar
  
  Shirdi
  
  Udaipur
  
  Vadodara
- Central
  Bandhavgarh
  
  Bhopal
  
  Gwalior
  
  Indore
  
  Khajuraho
  
  Panna
  
  Ujjain

Shopping Delights	City Name

Content

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>

<rss version="2.0">
	<channel>
		<title>Lakshadweep</title>
		<link>http://www.travelguru.com/travelguide</link>
		<language>en-us</language>
		<pubDate>Thu, 23 Aug 2007 14:29:50 EDT</pubDate>
		<ttl>10</ttl>
		<image>
			<title>Travelguru</title>
			<link>http://www.travelguru.com/hotels/</link>
			<url>http://www.travelguru.com/images/logo.gif</url>
			<width>145</width>
			<height>65</height>
			<description>Hotels in India Find Cheap and Budget Hotels online on India largest Hotel Network.Instant Hotel Reservation at Best price</description>
		</image>

<item>
	<title>Editor's Note</title>
	<link></link>
	<description>
		<![CDATA[
			
		
			<table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2">
 
 	<tr>
 <td align="justify" class="body-text"><img src="http://www.travelguru.com/travelguide/images/lakshadweep-editor.jpg" hspace="15" width="220" height="140" alt="Lakshadweep" align="right" />This definitely is Godâ€™s best secret. 36 coral islands that stretch their wings in the sea surpass all heights of your imagination. Lakshadweep is what it has been. Time and years have almost failed to take its true charm away â€“ in the islands and in the villages that abound in people who, in places, still practice coir-making by hand. Lakshadweep might have been formed on their own, and the wind and rains must have rendered it the beauty as we see now. Religion here is almost entirely Islam-dominated and all Muslims and sailors definitely pay obeisance to the Mohiyudeen Mosque. Lakshadweep is as mysterious as its sea and each day unfolds a new chapter. Its islands abound with beautiful and colourful corals, deep-green grasses that render it a golden hue, a striking marine life and wonderful sessions of snorkeling, diving and swimming for adventure-enthusiasts. Life is simple here, beautiful too. Itâ€™s as if the islands were meant to be alone, isolated and pristine â€“ as the menfolk caught tuna and appal (octopus) and women play the curious game of Kuyppter. Go on, dive and discover...
	</td>
 	</tr>
	</table>
			
			
		]]>
	</description>
</item>

<item>
	<title>Fast Facts</title>
	<link></link>
	<description>
		<![CDATA[
			
			<table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2">
 
 <tr>
 <td width="22%" valign="top" class="climate-head">Climate</td>
 <td width="78%"class="body-text"><table class="body-text" width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2">
 <tr>
 <td width="12%" valign="top"><img src="http://www.travelguru.com/travelguide/images/icons_03.gif" alt="Summer" width="48" height="44" /></td>
 <td width="74%" valign="middle">Summer 
 March-late June, Tropical & breezy Temperatures - 22.0°C-35.0°C.</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td colspan="2" height="13"class="body-text"></td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td align="left" valign="top"><img src="http://www.travelguru.com/travelguide/images/icons_10.gif" alt="Monsoon" width="48" height="44" /></td>
 <td class="body-text" valign="middle">Monsoons 
 June-September, Heavy rainfall Annual Rainfall - 1640 cm</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td colspan="2" height="12"class="body-text"></td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td align="left" valign="top"><img src="http://www.travelguru.com/travelguide/images/icons_06.gif" alt="Winter" width="48" height="44" /></td>
 <td class="body-text" valign="middle">Winter 
 October-March, Cool & pleasant Temperatures - 20.0°C-32.0°C</td>
 </tr>
 </table></td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td width="26%" class="climate-head">Local Languages:</td>
 <td width="74%" class="body-text"> Malayalam, Mahl & English</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td class="climate-head" valign=top>Best Time to Visit:</td>
 <td class="body-text"> Octoberâ€“March is the best time, Agatti and Bangaram can be visited all year through.</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td class="climate-head" valign=top>Clothing:</td>
 <td class="body-text"> Tropical clothes throughout the year will suffice; a waterproof coat during the monsoon will be useful.
</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td class="climate-head" valign=top>Moving Around: </td>
 <td class="body-text"> While the islands are covered on foot, speedboats and helicopters are available to transfer you in between islands. </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td valign="top" class="climate-head">Tourist Offices:</td>
 <td class="body-text"> Lakshadweep Tourism Huts 
Kavaratti 
Tel: 04869-263001</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td valign="top" class="climate-head">Note:</td>
 <td class="body-text"> - Only a maximum number of tourists can visit Lakshadweep Islands at a time, so ensure that you book well in advance 
	- All visitors to Lakshadweep need entry permits, which can be obtained from the Lakshadweep Tourist Office is Cochin 
	- Foreign travelers can only visit Agatti, Bangaram and Kadmat Islands 
	- Indian travelers can visit Agatti, Kadmat, Bangaram, Kalpeni, Kavaratti & Minicoy Islands 
	- Consumption of alcohol on all islands except Bangaram is prohibited 
	- Do not pick coral â€“ it is a punishable offence 
	- Nudity is banned 
	- Donâ€™t pluck coconuts â€“ trees are privately owned and unauthorized plucking of coconuts equals theft 
	
	</td>
 </tr>
</table>
			
		]]>
	</description>
</item>

<item>
	<title>What to See</title>
	<link></link>
	<description>
		<![CDATA[
			
			<table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2">
	 <tr>
 <td class="body-text" align="justify"><img src="http://www.travelguru.com/travelguide/images/lakshadweep-what-to-see.jpg" hspace="15" width="220" height="140" alt="Lakshadweep" align="right" />Agatti Island: This 7 km long beach island shimmers like a jewel. It is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful islands complete with white sands, blue waters, multi-hued fishes, brilliant corals and coconut and palm groves. Fishermen huts line one side of the beach and a mosque and museum let you explore its history and culture. The 2-storey Golden Jubilee Museum houses a traditional sailboat, old jars, utensils, busts of Buddha and wooden chests recovered during ship-wrecks. Also watch the two gold coins believed to date to 1560. Take out time to also visit the Mohiyudeen Mosque, which is surrounded by palm groves and old tombstones. The mosque lacks the typical Islamic minarets and is indeed simple. Watch the Arabic letters that beautify its front cornice. The island is surrounded by coral reefs and its waters abound in fishes, live coral, starfishes, turtles, manta rays and sea anemones. Discover all these and more in a thrilling session of snorkelling and glass-bottomed boat ride. Though it might appear challenging, the lagoon is quite shallow, so go ahead! 
		Open from: Museum â€“ 10.00 am-5.00 pm

Bangaram Island: This is one of the uninhabited islands and the only faces youâ€™re likely to find here are those of the hotel and of eager tourists looking for a thrilling session of discovering the sea. The island is as quiet as it gets, which does seem unbelievable, since this is the only island that permits alcohol! Bangaram attracts deep-sea divers from all over and this is your best chance to discover a whole world of sharks, manta rays, sea turtles, eels, squirrel fish, parrot fish and groupers. You can obtain diving tips and certificates from the resort. Try your hand at some angling and snorkel in the relatively shallow lagoons. Youâ€™d find creatures like angelfish, butterfly fish, clown fish and surgeonfish. Also, if possible, explore the shipwreck that took place off Bangaram â€“ some elements of the destroyed ship would still be visible. For those who would rather not snorkel, there are glass-bottom boats to help you see the spectacular world.

Kadmat Island: This stunning island is one of the most uninhabited islands and was relatively unexplored, till recently. Once used as a fishing spot during the monsoon, this island is best for spending a lazy outing swimming. The beach abounds in coral and the waters are a pristine blue surrounded almost totally by the deep-green sea grass. Occasionally you might come across a beautiful red coral and hermit crabs, so called because they are so shy that they almost never leave their shells! For adventure enthusiasts, enroll yourself in the Prahlad Kakkarâ€™s Lacadives Dive School, which offers packaged diving holidays complete with stay, equipments and dives. Also take out time to visit the Coconut Desiccating Plant, where you can watch the production of dry coconut powder, and the Coir Factory, where machine-made and hand-made coir are produced.

Kalpeni Island: Kalpeni must have once been one of the most beautiful islands, though today it lies rather forlorn. Made of three small isles, it was once a center for collecting turtle shells and today fisherman lay their nets to collect an all-time delicacy â€“ octopus! Occasional bits of coral, fishes and turtles line the lagoons and deep-green sea grass abounds here. The sea is quite rich here and occasional catches of seer, skates and Bombay ducks are found. It is not advisable to go snorkeling here, since the corals beneath are often pointed and jutting. Alternately, take a kayak and explore the sea. If the tide is low, venture out to the Cheriyam Island, accessible by a walk over the coral debris. This island is favourite with fishermen looking for seer, tuna and octopus. Though avoidable, you might visit the Moinuddeen Mosque, whose Mangalore-tile covered roof is worth watching. You can also spend your time checking out the local handicraft shop, from where purchases of miniature boats and Lakshadweep Tourism t-shirts can be bought.

<img src="http://www.travelguru.com/travelguide/images/lakshadweep-what-to-see-1.jpg" hspace="15" width="220" height="140" alt="Lakshadweep" align="right" />Kavaratti Island: This is one of the busiest islands here, since this is the administrative centre of Lakshadweep. The beach here is definitely not the cleanest though the lagoons abound in starfishes, anemones, sea cucumbers and other fishes. This island is one of the best places to try your skills at diving. If youâ€™re a first-timer, enroll yourself at the Dolphin Dive Centre, which offers quite a few interesting diving classes and sessions. Important visit in this island is the Ujra Mosque, which is a beautiful white structure and houses the tomb of Sheikh Kasim, who introduced the festival of Ratheeb. The mosque lacks minarets and its pillars and ceilings are intricately carved. Watch the ceiling of the mosque verandah, which is said to have been built out of a single driftwood. The Aquarium-cum-Museum in the Island houses a shark, anemones and octopuses and on display are the shells, which were used as money and specimens of coral. Inaccessible to public are the Suheli Par and Pitty Bird Sanctuary, whose waters abound in fish and crowies. 
Open from: Ujra Mosque â€“ 10.00 am-6.00 pm 
Aquarium-cum-Museum â€“ 10.00 am-5.00 pm, Entry fee â€“ Rs 5
Minicoy Island: This is one of the most active and interesting islands divided into tiny and perfect villages. One of the busiest islands, it is credited to be the only island which has a set of mangroves. The lagoon is its almost secluded beach is perfect to snorkel in and the lake houses water crabs, turtles and tiny fishes. The Maliku (Minicoy) houses are brightly coloured and each village is manned by a unanimously chosen headman. Note that each village has a separate mosque. Since fishing is the most important industry here, a highlight of this island is the presence of several bobbing chests on the lagoons that are used for storage of fish.

</td>
 </tr>
 </table>
			
		]]>
	</description>
</item>

<item>
	<title>Gourmet Feasts</title>
	<link></link>
	<description>
		<![CDATA[
			
			<table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2">

<tr>
 <td class="body-text" align="justify"><img src="http://www.travelguru.com/travelguide/images/lakshadweep-food.jpg" hspace="15" width="220" height="140" alt="Lakshadweep" align="right" />
	A whole range of the freshest seafood is what youâ€™ll get here, mixed with a generous helping of coconut. The food ranges from spicy non-veg to healthy veg and most often a certain Kerala-element is obvious here. Among all islands here, only Bangaram allows alcohol. The Bangaram Island Resort has an a la carte menu and the cuisine is mainly Keralite. Tuna fish is mostly available here so you can have it grilled, baked or fried. Maliku Resort offers a fair share of seafood including squid and octopus, but advance notice is required. Try the rayereha (red tuna curry), sannath (white coconut-based tuna), rice rotis and Malabar parotta. For sweet-tooth lovers, do ask the chef to prepare kadalakka (sugar coated sweets made of ground rice and pulses). Agatti Island Beach Resort at Agatti also offers a variety of tuna preparations, sambar, rice and avial. The Lakshadweep Tourism Resort at Kadmat served buffet meals, which are essential Kerala in nature. While sambar, rice and avial is easily available, curried and fried tuna fish, idli, puri and potato curry is popularly served too. Kavaratti Island serves Malabar-style food, so Malabar chicken and parotta is especially common. And while thereâ€™s no alcohol, there always is the fresh coconut water available here in plenty.</td>
 </tr>
</table>

]]>
	</description>
</item>

<item>
	<title>Shopping Delights</title>
	<link></link>
	<description>
		<![CDATA[
	
	
	<table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2">
 		
 			<tr>
 		<td class="body-text" align="justify"><img src="http://www.travelguru.com/travelguide/images/lakshadweep-shopping.jpg" hspace="15" width="220" height="140" alt="Lakshadweep" align="right" />The islands offer limited, but attractive shopping options. A range of handicrafts made of seashells and oyster-shells are available at the tiny roadside stalls. Other crafts include those made of coconut shells and tortoise shells. The chunky jewelry that these colorful people use can also be bought and carried home. Among all islands, one of the prime to pick up stuff from is Minicoy. It offers craft wood painted in several colours. An unusual buy would be the bridal trousseau, which essentially is a straw-woven floral decorated betel pouch, a silver ornament or chain, a casket for storing chuna and an areca-nut cracker. These quaint art-works are available at Hussian Dommuthege and Hassan Dombadge.</td>
 		</tr>
		</table>
		]]>
	</description>
</item>

<item>
	<title>Festive Celebrations</title>
	<link></link>
	<description>
		<![CDATA[
			
			<table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2">
 
 <tr>
 <td class="body-text" align="justify">
Since Lakshadweep is inhabited largely by Muslims most festivals celebrated here are Islamic in nature. Popularly known as the fast-breaking festival, Id-Ul-Fitr is observed as soon as the new moon is sighted at the end of Ramadan or month of fasting. This day is marked by preparation of special food and delicacies and distributed to neighbours and friends. Bakri-Id is a festival of sacrifice of goats. Observed to pay homage to Prophet Ibrahim's readiness to sacrifice his son for God's sake, on this auspicious day special prayers are recited by thousands of Muslims for peace and prosperity. Milad-Ul-Nabi celebrates the birthday of Prophet Muhammad and is marked by religious services and preparation of delicious food and delicacies for the day. Though not really abt joy and festivity, Muharram is the mourning of the Karbala tragedy when the grandson of Prophet Muhammad was martyred. To observe this day of mourning, luxuriously decorated taziyas, which are the replicas of the martyr's tomb are carried through city streets. People beat their chests and lament over the murder of Imam Husain. Celebrated mostly by the inhabitants of the islands, Moulood Festival is observed to obtain divine blessings. Earlier, the festivities used to be marked by the Dandi Dance performed by locals in a group before the village house. Ratheeb is another uncommon festival celebrated here. During this, locals visit the tomb of Sheikh Kasim to pray for his blessings. </td>
 </tr>
</table>
			
			
		]]>
	</description>
</item>

<item>
	<title>Staying There</title>
	<link></link>
	<description>
		<![CDATA[
			
			<table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2">

<tr>
 <td class="body-text" align="justify">
Almost every island has one resort like accommodation options, which are eco-friendly and have hut-like rooms. <a href="http://hotels.travelguru.com/moreinfo.do?strHotelId=00000234&link=HotelOverview&hotelName=Agatti+Island+Beach+Resort&hotelClass=0&address1=Agatti&address2=&city=Lakshadweep&state=Andaman+and+Nicobar&pinCode=682553&country=India&strAffiliateCode=00000080&strCurrency=INR&searchChoice=right">Agatti Island Beach Resort</a> is breathtaking spectacle of sparkling coral reefs, turquoise blue lagoons, silvery beaches and lush green coconut palms. The resort is located in the most serene spot of the Island. The Resort offers some of the best swimming beaches in the world. The lagoon is huge, shallow, leaving a lot of space for a good swim. </td>
 </tr>
	</table>
			
			
		]]>
	</description>
</item>

<item>
	<title>Getting There</title>
	<link></link>
	<description>
		<![CDATA[
			
		<table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2">
 
 <tr>
 <td align="justify"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2">
 <tr>
 <td width="5%" valign="top" class="climate-head">Air:</td>
 <td width="5%" valign="top" class="body-text"><img src="http://www.travelguru.com/travelguide/images/icon-air.gif" alt="Air" width="48" height="44" /></td>
 <td width="75%" valign="top" class="body-text">The Union Territory has an airport in Agatti, which is regularly connected by flights from Kochi. From Agatti, you can book a helicopter service to reach Kavaratti round the year and Bangaram Island in the monsoons.</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td valign="top" height="8" class="climate-head"></td>
 <td valign="top" class="body-text"></td>
 <td valign="top" class="body-text"></td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td valign="top" class="climate-head">Sea: </td>
 <td valign="top" class="body-text"><img src="http://www.travelguru.com/travelguide/images/icon-ship.gif" alt="Ship" width="48" height="44" /></td>
 <td valign="top" class="body-text">Ship cruises are available as packages designed for the tourists. A number of passenger ships operate from Kochi to Lakshwadeep. The ships offer a range of accommodation and modern amenities. However, during the monsoons, the ship services remain closed.</td>
 </tr>
 
 <tr>
 <td valign="top" height="8" class="climate-head"></td>
 <td valign="top" class="body-text"></td>
 <td valign="top" class="body-text"></td>
 </tr>

</table></td>
 </tr>
</table>
			
			
		]]>
	</description>
</item>

</channel>
</rss>

Travelguru is the leading hotel booking & air tickets booking website, offering you the best prices on flights tickets, hotels booking(hotels in india & International hotels) and holiday packages across the world. We are the largest hotels network in India, offer instant hotels booking confirmation online. Travelguru makes planning and buying a holiday or a business trip easy and convenient. Travelguru’s current product offering consists of airline tickets, hotel rooms, vacation packages and cruises. We will shortly be expanding our services to offer a wide array of travel-related services including car rentals.


	home \| flights \| hotel India \| international hotels \| vacations \| corporate travel \| about us \| contact us \| media \| sitemap \| FAQ's \|
	affiliate program \| credit card security \| testimonials \| airlines \| careers \| feedback \| privacy policy \| terms & conditions \| link partners \|

Travelguru.com provides discount hotels, last minute hotel deals and Air Tickets Booking at cheap rates. Select from goa hotel, delhi hotel, mumbai hotel, hyderabad hotel, jaipur hotel, pune hotel, ahmedabad hotel, pondicherry hotel, darjeeling hotel, bangalore hotel, mysore hotel, mangalore hotel, manali hotel, tirupati hotel, agra hotel, varanasi hotel, madurai hotel, kolkata hotel, puri hotel, mussoorie hotel, chennai hotel, kodaikanal hotel, hotel in goa, mount abu hotel, ratnagiri hotel, gurgaon hotel, aurangabad hotel, taj hotel, gangtok hotel, mahabalipuram hotel, ajmer hotel, amritsar hotel, chandigarh hotel, cochin hotel, jodhpur hotel, shimla hotel, shirdi hotel, thousands of other hotels in most major cities in India & worldwide.