My Lakshadweep Trip:First Day

Finally the trip to Lakshadweep came as a reality after months of planning. There are two type of trips to Lakshadweep.One is offered by SPORTS(of Lakshadweep Tourism) and the second one is offered by private resorts, one at Agatti and the other at Bangaram.SPORTS have a variety of packages catering to different category of tourists, like the one meant only for divers or water sport lovers. They also had a package in which you spend the day on the beaches and night on the ship. The Package Availed was called "Coral Reef". It was a 5 day / 4 night trip covering 3 islands, Capital Kavaratti, Minicoy and Kalpeni. We reached the SPORTS office on Wellington Island by 9:00 am. Got the boarding pass and a small kit containing tee shirts, caps and a brochure about Lakshadweep from the SPORTS office. There was a small checking before we boarded the ship. Our ship was M.V.Kavaratti.It was a comparatively new ship. The cabins had two bunkers, a desk, chairs and an attached bathroom. There was a small speaker which served as a mode of announcement to the tourist’s .It was my Maiden travel on a ship .We had a stroll in and around the ship. Since our cabins were on the fifth floor, it was easy for us to go to the helm of the ship. We had to climb just one stair. The ship started its voyage towards Lakshadweep by 12:30 in the afternoon. The dining room had long tables and chairs. We had our lunch from there. There were both vegetarian and non vegetarian foods available in the canteen. Had the dinner also from the canteen. Had a good sleep in the cabins.

Second Day:Kavaratti

Got up early morning to view the sunrise from the ship. It was wonderful view. Had the breakfast and disembarked to a boat which took us to the shore. The beach was made up of pure white sand, amazingly clean, and the water was light green and almost transparent. The tourists were given a welcome drink of tender coconuts. Spend some time kayaking in the beach. After that we were taken on glass boats for a ride .We could see corals, sea anemones etc.through the glass boat. A large number of fishes in different colours were also spotted through the glass boat. Could see the butterfly fish, sword fish etc.After the boat ride we were simply lazing in the beach. Many were playing volley ball in the beach. Marine life exhibits can be seen at the new Marine aquarium which has excellent collection like fishes, sea anemones, corals, sea potatoes etc. The Skelton of a sperm whale was a variety item in the Museum. We were also taken to the desalination plant in Kavaratti which provided water to entire Kavaratti.Here water is salinated into fresh cold water for consumption.Lunch was followed by Kolkali and Parichamuttu kali performed for the tourists.

Thrid Day:Minicoy

Minicoy:Minicoy is the southernmost and the second largest island. The island is crescent shaped and has one of the largest lagoons. Minicoy islanders are employed as seamen in ocean going vessels the world over. While the rest of the islands speak a customized Malayalam, Minicoy speaks Mahl, a dialect of Divehi, the language of the Maldives. It has its own script written from right to left.Minicoy women stand out in their colourful gowns and stitched headscarf in Minicoy.The water in Minicoy is greenish. Had a good time bathing in the sea. The water was only Knee deep and we could walk kilometers through the sea. We waded out a long, long way, sometimes walking, sometimes crawling, but it never got any deeper than mid-thigh depth. After that we were taken for a village visit. We were taken in tempo autos which is the mode of transport in Minicoy.There we could see the processing of the Tuna Fish.The Tuna Fish gets cleaned, steamed in huge steamers, cooled overnight and cut into small pieces by women, weighed ,placed in cans with 3 grams of salt,vacuumed,sealed,sterilised for an hour and labeled. Tuna fish is boiled, smoked till dry and then exported. The Women in Minicoy enjoy a high position in the SocietyAfter that we were taken to the light house which was constructed in the year 1885.There were 215 steps to climb. To reach till the top. After that there was a metal ladder to climb. The view from the top was breathtaking. On one side, there was the sea in its greenish with a beautiful beach, along with the huge number of coconut grooves. After the light house visit, we were taken to another beach where we had some kayaking and sea bathing. I spent some time picking shells on the beaches. The usual dance and music were arranged for the tourists in this Island too. Local girls presented traditional Minicoy dance with plastic pots. They threw in two more items, Oppana and Daf Muttu.Most of the tourists joined in the dancing towards the end. By evening ,after the snacks we boarded the boat which took as to our ship. The boat ride from the boat to the ship was comparatively lengthy. The sea was a bit rough on the way back .Was very tired and slept after watching the beautiful sunset from the deck of the ship.

Fourth Day:Kalpeni

Disembarked From the ship to a boat which took us to the beautiful island of Kalpeni.This island is known for its scenic beauty and small islets called Tilakkam and Pitti .It is a progressive island. It was in this island that girls first went to school. We were taken on a boat to the Thilakam islet. Had a good time snorkelling.Could spot many fishes in different colours darting in and out through the corals and the sea anemones .Could spot many sea cucumbers also. If we are not careful our legs may get scratched badly when we walk through the coral reefs. We were taken back to the main beach .I spend some time, picking curiously shaped shells and stones from the beach, which was found in almost all the islands. After the lunch we were taken to a hosiery factory, where we could see the process of baniyan manufacturing. This is managed by the government. Those interested can buy tee shirts from there. The tourists were taken back to the beach, where we spend some time and after some boarded the small boat which took us to the M.V.Kavaratti ship which was anchored in the sea. Decided to explore the ship a bit more and spend a lot of time on the topmost portion of the ship, after watching the sunset. Early morning around 9 am we reached Wellington Island, Kochi.

I was back to reality that this wonderful trip has ended when I stepped out of the Port. Words or pictures cannot put forth the real essence of Lakshadweep islands. It’s something that each one of you should experience in real.
You can get more details at their websites (www.lakshadweeptourism.com) for the Packages Offered by SPORTS
Reaching there :The Lakshadweep group of islands is well connected both by Air and Sea. While Islands like Agatti & Bangaram can be reached by Air, the other islands can be reached by ship from Kochi.
Best time to visit: November to March
Don’t forget to have enough supply of batteries for your cameras and other necessities because it is difficult to find good shops in these islands.