Hi guys, I am doing a Travel Series on Lakshadweep on my Blog, growingwithnemit.com and YouTube channel, @GrowingWithNemit. And, this is the 3rd post of the series. Lakshadweep is a group of 36 islands, out of which only 10 are inhabited and tourists can stay only on 5 of these islands. But entry to Lakshadweep is restricted and entry permit is compulsory to visit these islands even for the Indians. No doubt, people have so many questions about visiting Lakshadweep. So, is it really difficult to visit these islands? How to get the entry permit? Can we take kids to Lakshadweep? How to do the bookings? Which island should we visit? I will take up all these questions and do this post in 2-3 parts. In today’s post (Part-1), I will discuss about which island to visit in Lakshadweep. So, let’s plan a trip to Lakshadweep with kids!

The planning for Lakshadweep trip can be a little tricky and may get tiresome if you decide to do everything on your own. This is what we did because we like to plan things on our own. And, this is also the reason I am in a position to share my experience and learnings with you all. Hopefully, I will be able to help you in clearing all your doubts regarding Lakshadweep Travel.

Before moving forward, if you are still in the process of deciding which beach destination to visit, then do check out the first post of this series.

Andaman or Lakshadweep? How to Choose the Perfect Beach Destination?

Let’s talk about what all islands are open for tourists and which island to visit.

Which Island to Visit in Lakshadweep with Kids?

As I mentioned earlier, there are only 5 islands which are open for tourists with stay options. To apply for Entry Permit, first you need to decide which island/s you want to visit.

1. Agatti (No Govt. authorized hotel/resort)
2. Kadmat
3. Kavaratti
4. Minicoy
5. Bangaram

I have also made a video on the same topic, you may check it out here-

Let’s talk about each of these islands one by one so that you will get an idea about what to expect.

1. Agatti Island

Agattti island is quite famous as it’s the only island with the airstrip and an airport in Lakshadweep. So, anyone coming to Lakshadweep by flight, will be getting down at Agatti only. Also, the island has one of the most beautiful lagoons in Lakshadweep full of fascinating corals and multicolored alluring fishes.

As I mentioned in one of my previous posts of this series that tourism in Lakshadweep is managed by the Govt. authority, SPORTS. They also provide well maintained accommodation on the islands. However, Agatti is the only island that doesn’t have any govt. authorized hotel or resort facility for the tourists.

Agatti Island

When we were in Agatti, we saw a few private resorts on the Airport road that are open for tourists. Upon enquiring, we got to know that one can book these resorts directly or through travel agents.

Here are a few resorts (with their contact numbers) that you may want to check out-

• Seashells Resort – 094477 57006 (They have their own website too)
• White Pearl Beach Resort – 085477 03595
• Kasims Beach Villa – 011 3467 9515
• R Guest House – 081389 77917

These private stay options are comparatively cheaper than the Govt. run resorts. Since we were visiting Lakshadweep for the first time, we didn’t want to take any risks hence we chose the Govt. authorized resort for our stay on a different island.

But we are quite sure now that for our next visit we are definitely going to explore the private stay options as well. I feel if you are traveling with very young kids and you are not very sure about traveling by boat then simply choose to stay at Agatti.

All the other 4 islands have Govt. run resorts for stay. And, to reach those islands, one has to take a boat from Agatti island.

2. Kadmat Island

Kadmat is about 76 kms from Agatti. One can reach Kadmat by boat (2-3 hour ride) which operates only on Monday/Wednesday/Friday.

There are no private resorts on the island. Only one Govt. authorized property, Kadmat Island Beach Resort for which pre booking is mandatory.

Only BSNL network works on the island and there’s no internet connectivity. Also, consumption of alcohol is not allowed on any of the islands except Bangaram. Don’t even think about carrying your own booze with you!

I feel the boat ride to Kadmat from Agatti would be too tiring and a bit boring for kids.

3. Kavaratti Island

Kavaratti is the capital of Lakshadweep and the headquarters of the Administration. It is also the most developed island in Lakshadweep and offers many exciting activities and places to explore. The island has 52 mosques, an aquarium, a museum and a of course a light house as well. Kavaratti offers a lot more to the visitors than just the pristine beaches.

So, if you want to get the local experience, learn more about the people of Lakshadweep and explore the local cuisine then Kavaratti is where you should go. So, if you want to plan a trip to Lakshadweep and want to explore the other side of Lakshadweep then, you may consider Kavaratti Island.

There are 2 ways to reach Kavaratti –

• By ship (Samudram Cruise) where you get to spend 1 day on the island, no night stay option available on the island with this package.

I have shared all the details for Samudram Cruise here – What is the Best Way to Reach Lakshadweep with Kids?

Do check it out.

• Take a boat (2.5 hours ride) from Agatti. You need a confirmed booking at one of the resorts on the island.

For stay, you can either book a private accommodation (many options, please check on Google) or book the Govt. authorized resort (Kavaratti Beach Resort/Paradise Hut Resort).

Here are the charges for the Govt. resort at Kavaratti-

You may get better network and internet connectivity on Kavaratti. Again reaching Kavaratti could be a bit tiresome but considering that you get to explore a lot more of Lakshadweep here as compared to any other island, the journey seems like doable.

Still, it’s your decision so plan wisely as per your family’s interest!

4. Minicoy Island

Minicoy is the second largest and one of the few inhabited islands in Lakshadweep. It is known for the unspoiled and untouched beaches. And, it’s famous for having remarkable resemblance to the beaches of Maldives and Mauritius.

There is only one way to reach Minicoy Island and that’s by Ship from Kochi.

As this island is quite far from Agatti, no tourist ships/boats operate from there.

So, you can either book the Samudram package where you get to enjoy the cruise as well you get to spend a day at Minicoy and other 2 islands. No night stay.

Or, you can book the Swaying Palm Package which is a 6 or 7 days, cruise + island stay package where you get to spend 2 nights on the ship and 3 or 4 nights on the island.

Source – http://lakshadweeptourism.com/

Minicoy has a different language (Mahi), culture and traditions as compared to the other islands. Again, Minicoy is your go to destination if you want something more than just the beaches and the water sports.

This island is also famous for its Lava folk dance, colorful race boats (Jahadhoni) and a 300 foot tall lighthouse which was built in 1885 by the Britishers.

Visiting Minicoy is definitely on our bucket list now but I am not sure if it’s a good idea to visit this island with small kids (younger than 10 years old) under Swaying palm package. So, plan wisely!

5. Bangaram Island

Bangaram is the most famous island among the tourists and it’s also the least explored part of Lakshadweep. It has also been ranked among the best getaways of the world. It’s the uninhabited island and has only one Govt. run beach resort for the tourists.

It is located 12 kms from Agatti and it takes about 30-45 mins to reach Bangaram island by boat.

Since no local people are living here except for the workers, laborers and staff of the resort, you may not find anything else on the island. But I can vouch for the most beautiful and pristine beaches lined with soft white sand and the mesmerizing views of the surrounding which you may not find anywhere else. And, you can indulge in a range of water sport activities!

Bangaram Island

We stayed at Bangaram Island for 4 nights in AC Cottages and it has been our best beach experience in India so far.

Source – https://www.lakshadweeptourism.com/

Now, you can also book newly built Wooden Huts on Bangaram Island.

If you want to plan a trip to Lakshadweep with kids, you can choose Bangaram Island without any doubts. I will share all about our stay and the activities we did at Bangaram in my upcoming posts. So, keep following this series.

Here’s an informative video for you, where I have talked about the different ways to reach Lakshadweep. Do check it out-

Conclusion

I feel visiting Agatti Island in Lakshadweep would be the easiest if you are traveling with kids. You just need to catch a flight from Kochi to Agatti. You can spend as many days as you like in Agatti, just pre-book a private resort on the island. Meet the local people and try the local cuisine as well.

In case you are interested in exploring the local side of the Lakshadweep and also visit the other islands apart from Agatti then you may choose to visit Kadmat or Kavaratti or Minicoy Island.

And, in case you want to experience the untouched and unspoiled beauty of Lakshadweep and also want to stay on an uninhabited island with not many people around, then Bangaram is where you should go.

Lastly, if you want to visit 2-3 islands in budget then you can choose the Samudram Package. And, if you want to experience the ship as well as stay on the island then visit the Minicoy Island through Swaying Palm Package.

I hope this covers up the question which island to visit in Lakshadweep.

PIN IT!

Now we come to the next question.

How to do the bookings? And, How to get the Entry Permit?

I will take up these questions in the next part of this post. So, stay tuned and keep following the Lakshadweep Travel Series. You may also check out the Lakshadweep Playlist on our YouTube channel.

Which Island would you choose to visit if you plan a trip to Lakshadweep? Tell me in the comments below. And, if you have any specific questions feel free to ask in the comments below. I will try to answer your queries to the best of my knowledge.

If you liked the post or found it helpful, then do share it further with your friends and family! Till then, Bye Bye and Take Care.

The post How to Plan a Trip to Lakshadweep? Which Island to Visit? Part-1 appeared first on Growing With Nemit.

Hi guys, this month I am doing a Travel Series on Lakshadweep on my Blog and YouTube channel. And, this is the 2nd post of the series. Lakshadweep is the smallest union territory of India. It is located off the west coast of India in the Arabian sea and it’s just 496 Kms from Kochi. Lakshadweep is a group of 36 islands, out of which only 10 are inhabited and tourists can stay only on 5 of these islands. When we decided to visit these islands, the budget was on the top of our mind. So, the first thing we wanted to check was the best way to reach Lakshadweep with kids. And, how much it would cost us.

Image Source – https://lakshadweep.gov.in/

Of all the trips we have done, Lakshadweep had been the most trickiest one. The biggest reason for this is that not much information (reliable and updated) is available online. Also, the tourism management on the islands is not privatized and everything is managed by the Government authority – SPORTS (The Society for Promotion of Nature Tourism and Sports).

Now coming back to the topic, I will be writing about the best way we found to reach Lakshadweep as a family with a 7 year old kid. I feel when we travel with kids, it’s a different game altogether. If you really want to enjoy the whole travel experience then focus on making the journey comfortable & less exhausting not just for the kids but also for the parents.

In most cases, kids seem to adjust well but it’s the parents who feel burnt out.

So, if you want to travel with your babies, toddlers or young children; stick to this post till the end and hopefully you will also find the best way to reach Lakshadweep with your kids.

Here is the 1st post of this series – Andaman or Lakshadweep? How to Choose the Perfect Beach Destination?

How to Reach Lakshadweep?

As we travelled to Lakshadweep from Bengaluru (South India), initially I thought of sharing all the details of bookings from Bengaluru only. But since most of our friends and family are in North India, I will give an idea how you can reach Lakshadweep from Delhi as well.

I have made a short video on the same topic, do check it out.

There are only 2 ways to reach Lakshadweep –

• By Ship – Pvt. Cruise Ship & Govt. Cruise Ship
• By Flight

First of all, let’s talk about reaching Lakshadweep by ship.

How to reach Lakshadweep by Ship?

In case you want to experience the cruise and also visit Lakshadweep, you get to choose from private and government cruise.

The private cruise is operated only by Cordelia Cruises in India.

You may choose from 3 night, 4 night and 5 night cruise itinerary which includes 1 day at Lakshadweep. You may also choose from one way trip and round trip.

Image Source – https://www.cordeliacruises.com/

The upcoming Cordelia Cruise dates in Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May and June 2024 are as follows-

Approx. Price Range as per Room Category

Kids (max 2) up to the age of 12, sail free with Cordelia when accompanied by 2 Adults.

• 5k to 20k per guest per night

This is a great choice for people who want to enjoy the luxury cruise as well experience the pristine beauty of Lakshadweep islands.

Note 1 – The price does not include island tour/excursion and any of the activities on the island. 

Note 2 – All the payments on board the ship are done in Dollars $.

To book this cruise, you may visit the Cordelia cruise website or download their app. You may also call them directly and discuss the various packages available.

There are 3 drawbacks of choosing this cruise –

1. You won’t be able to spend the night in Lakshadweep.
2. The cruise will take you to only 1 island in Lakshadweep.
3. You will get only 1 day (5-6 hours) to explore the island.

All these cons led us to ditch the Cordelia Cruises but it’s still on our bucket list, may be not for Lakshadweep.

The cruise does not operate during the monsoon months from June to September.

Now, if you need more days to explore the stunning beauty of Lakshadweep but still want to travel by ship; then you may consider taking the Govt. cruise.

Govt. Cruise to Lakshadweep – Samudram (By M.V Kavaratti)

Samudram is a 5-Day cruise package which covers the 3 different islands in Lakshadweep; Minicoy, Kavaratti, and Kalpeni. The cruise starts from Kochi and does a roundtrip back to Kochi.

The Govt. cruise is not a luxurious cruise and provides only the basic facilities on board. As per the Samudram Itinerary, they take you to 3 different islands on Day 2, Day 3 & Day 4 of your journey. However, the tourists need to return back to the ship around 4-5 pm after spending their day exploring the island. You can not spend the night at any of the visiting islands.

Image Source – https://www.lakshadweepcruise.com/

To book this cruise package, you may visit the SPORTS website to check the availability and may be do the bookings also.

But this part is a bit tiring as during the peak season, the website doesn’t show the available dates and prices directly. So, you have to put in your dates of interest and check if the cruise is available or not. Most of the times, the booking page will take you to Authorized Travel Agents page.

So, to avoid the hassles of booking and saving some time, you may choose to do the bookings with the travel agent.

Package Rate for Samudram

You get 2 types of rooms/cabins to book on M.V Kavaratti; Diamond Class and Gold Class.

Image Source – https://www.tripoto.com/

The Diamond class cabin has 1 bunk bed (2 single beds, one above the other/ 2-berths) and can accommodate 2 Adults and 1 Child (less than a year old). Whereas the Gold class cabin has 2 bunk beds (4-berths) and it can accommodate 4 Persons (including children above the age of 1).

Lakshadweep Samudram Package Source – https://www.lakshadweeptourism.com/

Please Note – The Samudram package rate includes the island sightseeing charges.

Note 1 – As per their website, child is 1 year and above up to 10 years.

Note 2 – The charges are paid per person basis so if you are 3 people including a child and you book Gold class then there’s a high chance that they will accommodate another person in your cabin. So, you may not get the privacy.

Also, the Gold class cabins are compact, some may feel claustrophobic in there.

If you want to book Samudram, I would suggest you to watch some of the latest videos on YouTube to get an idea what to expect.

We did not book the Samudram package as we were not sure if we would be comfortable enough to spend 5 days on the ship.

If I have to decide between the Cordelia Cruises and Samudram, I feel traveling with Cordelia is the best way to reach Lakshadweep with kids.

How to reach Lakshadweep by Flight?

Reaching Lakshadweep by flight is the fastest and easiest way if you are travelling from Kochi, Bengaluru or somewhere nearby. However, if you are flying in from Delhi, or any other part of the country then it may take a bit of planning; as there are no direct flights available.

But still taking a flight can be considered the best way to reach Lakshadweep with kids.

There is only single direct flight (Alliance Air) that operates from Kochi to Agatti and back to Kochi that too once a day. The flight duration is 1 hour and 20 mins.

At Agatti Airport, Lakshadweep

It departs from Cochin International Airport (COK) at 8:55 AM and reaches Agatti Airport (AGX) in Lakshadweep at 10:15 AM.

The same flight then departs from AGX at 10:45 AM and arrives back at COK at 12:05 PM.

One way flight charges from Kochi per person are INR 5,647 approx.

How to Reach Lakshadweep by Flight from Bengaluru?

Now, if you are travelling from Bengaluru, you have an option to book the same Alliance Air flight from Bengaluru to Agatti. Yes, it’s a connecting flight!

The flight departs from Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru (BLR) at 7:15 AM and reaches Agatti Airport (AGX) in Lakshadweep at 10:35 AM with 1 Stop at COK.

One way flight charges from Bengaluru per person are INR 20k to 21k approx.

The only issue here is the price, which is too high.

Because instead of booking this direct flight if we book a separate flight from BLR to COK, the charges are from 1.5 k to 2.5 k depending on the time of flight. So, you get to save a lot.

The only catch here is you need to book an early morning flight from BLR, keeping in mind that the flight may get delayed. In that case, you will miss your another flight to Lakshadweep from Kochi.

And, there are very slim chances that you will get another flight the next day as the flight is usually full. And, if this happens your whole vacation plan will go for a toss.

So, although this whole arrangement sounds okay but considering the logistics and keeping in mind that you are travelling with kids, it seems like a total flop idea.

Then what can we do if we still want to save some bucks and not make it an exhausting journey?

Now, you may consider these 2 options for which you need to add 1 extra day to your travel-

1- Catch a flight from BLR to COK a day prior to your actual travel date. Reach Kochi & stay at a hotel nearby airport for the night. And, the next day easily take your 8:55 AM flight to Lakshadweep.

• BLR to COK Flight – Approx. INR 2k to 3k
• Stay at Kochi – Approx. INR 3k to 5k
• COK to AGX Flight – Approx. INR 6k

Total cost – INR 7.5k to INR 8.5k (plus 3k-5k for stay)

2- Take an overnight train from Bengaluru to Kochi. Stay 1 night in Kochi and catch your Lakshadweep flight the next day. This way you will be able to save your whole day in Kochi and may use it to explore the city.

Here’s a Vlog of our Overnight Train Journey from Bengaluru to Kochi.

• KSR Bengaluru to Ernakulam ERN Train – Approx. INR 2.5k (AC First Class, 1A)
• Stay at Kochi – Approx. INR 3k to 5k
• COK to AGX Flight – Approx. INR 6k

Total cost – Approx. INR 8k-9k (plus 3k-5k for stay)

Kanyakumari Express (16526) departs at 8:00 PM from KSR Bengaluru and reaches Ernakulam Town ERN at 7:30 AM.

And, this is what we did as we wanted to travel comfortably. This way we were able to experience the train journey as well. Moreover, we were able to save around 10k per person.

If you are travelling with a child under the age of 5, you may further save the charges for 1 berth if child can sleep with you on the same berth. I feel this is one of the best ways to reach Lakshadweep with kids.

Pro Tip – If you choose to travel by train, instead of getting down at ERN, get down at Angamaly (AFK) at 6:41 AM which is just 10 mins from the COK airport.

Our travel agent in Lakshadweep suggested that we take the flight on the same day after getting down from the train. He said even if the train gets delayed, it won’t be more than 30 mins.

But we still didn’t want to take any risks so we decided to stay 1 night at Kochi.

So, these are all the ways by which you can reach Lakshadweep from Bengaluru.

How to Reach Lakshadweep by Flight from Delhi?

Lastly, let’s talk about reaching Kochi by flight from Delhi. There is no other way except to book a flight a day prior to Kochi. Then stay at Kochi overnight and next day take your morning flight to Lakshadweep.

The nonstop flight charges from DEL to COK starts from INR 7k and may go up to INR 10,000.

So, total charges would be-

• DEL to COK – Approx. INR 7k to 9k
• Stay at Kochi – Approx. INR 3k to 5k
• COK to AGX – Approx. INR 6k

Total cost – INR 16k to INR 20k

So, with this we come to the end of our post. There are 2 different ways of travelling to Lakshadweep, one is by ship and another is by flight. Now, it’s up to you to decide what would be the best way to reach Lakshadweep with kids. It all depends on your preferences and budget. Also, you are the right judge of what would be the best for your kids. I have tried my best to cover all the available options with price details to make your job a little easy.

I hope you found it helpful, please do share the post with your friends and family! We will meet again very soon with another interesting post on Lakshadweep Travel. Till then, Bye Bye and Take Care.

You may read the other posts of this series here – Lakshadweep Travel Series!

You may also check out: Lakshadweep Travel Guide for Families!

The post What is the Best Way to Reach Lakshadweep with Kids? With Price Details appeared first on Growing With Nemit.