Lakshadweep Experience: Close your eyes. Now imagine a tiny strip of land fringed by pure turquoise blue water. You are sitting on a pristine beach of white sand and another uninhabited island is in view. The waves splash around you but you hardly notice them. Your eyes look at the sheet of pure sparkling water that is transparent till the depths of the lagoon – among the marvels you see are multicolored schools of fish, manta rays, eels and even a scurrying sea turtle. And all this amidst dazzling arrays of corals looking like rainbows. Welcome to Lakshadweep.

Food, sight-seeing and shopping: Some pointers if you set your sights on these islands: 1. You require a permit to stay at Lakshadweep as the govt. restricts the no. of tourists. 2. October to February is the best season to go - in March it was already scorching hot, avoid going from May onwards - you may actually get marooned if the monsoon suddenly starts and ships / flights close down! 3. This destination is superlative on all fronts - a. scenery b. activities c. costs - yes, the costs are amazingly high if you stay at one of the two resorts Food is included in the tariffs of the resorts. These are pristine islands - I went there mainly for diving - the corals are amazing - visibility underwater is fantastic - go but take care of their delicate ecosystem - the corals die if you touch them. Shopping - do really wish you would wake up marooned on an island with a shpopping mall? Get real!

Activities & things to do: The gamut of activities and possibilities seem to reach the horizon at the end of the lagoon! You can do everything to your hearts content. Have a look at what’s on offer: All sorts of boating – sailing, speedboat, motor boat Coral watch – using a glass bottomed boat Deep sea fishing Kayaking – kayaks are kept on the beach - for free Snorkeling for an introduction- underwater Scuba Diving for the adventurous Dives cost Rs.1500+ per dive.

Travel tips, How to reach, travel warnings etc: There are three ways of enjoying Lakshadweep: 1. Taking a package tour from the government organization called SPORTS, where you sail to these islands onboard a ship which covers various islands during the night while you sleep, and are greeted with various islands during the day- this is the lowest priced. 2. Staying at one of the two resorts 3. By Star Cruise Libra. good for exploring the cruise liner; a sad option for exploring Lakshadweep Tips: Credit Cards were accepted at the resort. There is a STD booth. Only BSNL SIM Cards work - and they work pretty well even if you are in the deep ocean!! Alcohol is banned on all islands except Bangaram - another plus in my opinion which prevents it from it turning into a Goan paradise eroded by noisy suburbia.