9 Best Places to Visit in Lakshadweep, a Top Island Getaway in India

A beautiful gem of southern India lying atop the Arabian Sea, Lakshadweep is a union territory of India, made up of numerous islands. Promising a landscape of swaying trees of palm and coconut, sandy beaches, and the roaring waves of the sea, Lakshadweep is among the best island getaways in the world. Covering an area of 32 sq. km with 35 islands to call its own, Lakshadweep is India’s smallest union territory. The islands of Lakshadweep are not only ideal for a memorable family vacation but can also be the perfect honeymoon destination. Its islands are categorized by blue seas and remote beaches where you can explore nature on your vacation peacefully, where the only sounds you hear will be of the sea and its waves. Some of the popular islands of Lakshadweep include Bangaram, Kavaratti, Minicoy, and Kadmat. Read along to discover more about the beautiful islands of Lakshadweep and must visit attractions that you shouldn’t miss out on a trip to Lakshadweep.

• Minicoy Island
• Agatti Island
• Kavaratti Island
• Bangaram Island
• Thinnakara Island
• Kadmat Island
• Amini Island
• Andrott Island
• Kalpeni Island

Minicoy Island

One of the best islands to visit in Lakshadweep, Minicoy Island is located in southwestern Lakshadweep and is its second largest island. The island has many points of interest that make it a popular place to visit. The beautiful island of Minicoy is most popularly known for its blue lagoon that sits covering an area of 30 sq. km and is one of the reasons that make it an island worth exploring. Apart from the lagoon, the island also houses a lighthouse from the British era. Built in 1885, the lighthouse measures up to a height of 300 ft. and is one of the main attractions at Minicoy, and is among the oldest lighthouses built by the British in India. Being an island, there are beautiful beaches that are dotted with swaying palm trees that make for a perfect tropical vacation, but Minicoy is more than that. If you are someone who likes to explore local culture, Minicoy Island will not disappoint you. The island has 10 villages where you can head to and indulge in the colorful lives and habits of the locals. Reach during the time of festivities and you are sure to take back some wholesome memories with you.

Top Things to Do:

• Visit the British era lighthouse at the island.
• Explore local villages and witness their culture and lifestyle.
• Try the local cuisine and fresh seafood.

Agatti Island

It is from Agatti Island that flights are operated to and from Lakshadweep. One of the popular tourist attractions of the island is the lagoon that the island lies upon, creating the most mesmerizing landscape as it lies along the Laccadive Sea. Agatti Island is also known for its coral reefs and the fish that it has in abundance, making fishing one of the main industries that operate in Agatti. Having such a surplus of fish, seafood lovers are sure to have a delightful time while at the island, with a variety of fresh fish and seafood to opt from. Covering an area of 3.8 sq. km. the island looks like a piece of paradise, with its blessed sceneries that cover the entire island. Walking along the soft sands of Agatti with the tall palms and coconut trees in the background is something you must experience while there. At the beach, you can choose the various water sports to try from that are offered at the island, and include activities such as scuba diving, snorkeling, swimming, and kayaking. Explore Agatti on your visit to Lakshadweep and discover the magic that it has to offer with your own eyes.

Top Things to Do:

• Try the local cuisine and fresh seafood.
• Go for snorkeling and explore the underwater world.
• Take a walk and feel the soft sand of the island’s beach.

Kavaratti Island

Capital of Lakshadweep, Kavaratti is a narrow island spread over an area of 4 sq. km. One of the reasons that make Kavaratti a popular tourist attraction is its 6 km long stretch of lagoon that contains within itself a habitation of marine life such as starfish, sea turtles, colorful fish, as well as sea cucumbers, among many others. With such an abundance of a variety of oceanic life, Kavaratti houses the Marine Aquarium and Museum that will be of interest to marine and wildlife enthusiasts who wish to know more about the ocean and the life within. One of the best places to visit in Lakshadweep, the museum has displays that are also meant to generate awareness among people about the marine ecosystem of Lakshadweep, and a need to take care of it deeply and include beautiful displays, audiovisual presentations, and workshops that make understanding about Lakshadweep’s ecosystem more interesting. The island also offers water sport activities such as snorkeling and scuba diving that you can undertake to see the colorful corals, life under the waters, and have an exciting adventure on your Lakshadweep trip.

Top Things to Do:

• Visit the Marine Aquarium and Museum.
• Try one of the many water sports offered at the island.
• Go snorkeling and view the island’s marine life.

Bangaram Island

When it comes to the best islands to visit in Lakshadweep, Bangaram Island cannot be forgotten. This beautiful island in Lakshadweep is one that is a popular tourist attraction despite being an uninhabited island. Covering an area of just 2.3 sq. km, the island is a tiny one as compared to the others of the archipelago. In close proximity to the islands of Agatti and Kavaratti, Bangaram Island is a favored destination for spending a tropical vacation, even among foreigners. The scenery of the island captures a mix of a variety of fish such as crabs and pufferfish; birds such as parrots, and wildlife like prickly porcupines along with a marvelous setting among the coastal trees of palm and coconut, densely spread out through the island. Not just breathtaking during the day, Bangaram unfolds a special charm at night with its display of bioluminescence. The phosphorescent plankton that washes up on the shores of Bangaram’s beaches offer a blue hue that make for a truly magnificent sight. Bangara, apart from scenic beauty, also offers various water sports for a refreshing experience. These include scuba diving, snorkeling, and deep-sea fishing.

Top Things to Do:

• Try one of the many water sports offered at the island.
• Observe the island’s beach at night as it turns blue.
• Explore the birds and wildlife of the island.

Thinnakara Island

Lying in close proximity to the islands of Agatti and Bangaram, Thinnakara Island is one of the best places to explore in Lakshadweep. Just like the other islands of the archipelago, this island is also made beautiful with its clean sands, turquoise blue waters, and a dense vegetation of palm trees. What makes this island different from others though is the fact that it is an uninhabited island, only remaining open for the access of tourists. The smaller size of the island is also a contributing factor to this. The lack of many people at the island creates the perfect ambience for a peaceful and quiet trip where you can explore the beach and the sea at your own pace and uninterrupted. With a chance to explore life under water, Thinnakara Island offers snorkeling that will help you to witness the marine life of Lakshadweep. The island also has water sports such as kayaking, paddle boarding, and sailing that put it among the best islands to visit in Lakshadweep. Stay in one of the beach cottages at the island and live your best tropical vacation in India.

Top Things to Do:

• Take a walk and feel the soft sand of the island’s beach.
• Go snorkeling and view the island’s marine life.
• Stay at a beach cottage and sleep as you listen to the sounds of sea.

Kadmat Island

Kadmat Island is among the top tourist destinations in Lakshadweep and is among the top three popular destinations of the archipelago favored by tourists. With an area of 3.2 sq. km. Kadmat is a narrower island with endless beauty within its boundaries. Take a trip to this enchanting island of Lakshadweep and immerse yourself in its scenic beauty. The island flaunts its long, sandy beaches that make for an ideal setting for sunbathing, where you can just relax and bask in the goodness of the sun. What makes this island one of the top islands to visit in Lakshadweep are the lagoons that surround it both, on its western and eastern sides creating the most aesthetically pleasing landscape, with the green trees of palm and coconut lining the beach as well. Tourists visiting the island may stay in the tourist huts that dot the beach to get the most out of your Lakshadweep trip. The plethora of water sports offered at Kadmat Island, too, add to its charm. Scuba diving, kayaking, pedal boats, water skiing, and glass bottom boat rides are some of the activities that are available at the island for the tourists visiting Kadmat Island.

Top Things to Do:

• Explore the island’s beach and take a sunbath.
• Go for a glass bottomed boat ride and explore the sea.
• Stay in one of the tourist huts at the island’s beach.

Amini Island

Amini Island is a place that you must add on your itinerary for Lakshadweep tourism. The Island is most known for its Amini Beach that attracts plenty of tourists throughout the year for being covered in beautiful corals and sandstones, making it one of the popular beaches to visit in Lakshadweep. Covering an area of just 2.6 sq. km, Amini Island can be dubbed a mini paradise. The island is also known for its traditional handicrafts made by the artists and weavers who reside in the island’s village which are made using tortoise shells and coconut shells, a specialty of the coastal region. The island is also popular for its stone engravers that reside in the village. This oval-shaped island is one of the most beautiful islands to visit in Lakshadweep and is a place that you must visit if you love to visit unique beaches. It is at Amini Island that Sheikh Ubaidullah first reached from the faraway lands of Mecca and Jeddah in the 7th century to spread the religion to the islanders. It is due to him that, today, Islam is the major religion followed by the people in Lakshadweep, making the Juma Masjid at the island one of the popular points of interest at Amini as well.

Top Things to Do:

• Take a walk and feel the soft sand of the island’s beach.
• Visit the local village and explore the traditional handicrafts.
• Visit the Juma Masjid of the island.

Andrott Island

Spread over an area of 4.9 sq. km. Andrott Island is Lakshadweep’s biggest island and falls into the category of one of the best places to explore in the archipelago. Even though it was at Amini Island that Sheikh Ubaidullah arrived first, it was at Andrott Island that the religion of Islam was finally accepted by the people of Lakshadweep. It is therefore, at this island that he later passed away where today, lay his grave. The grave of Sheikh Ubaidullah is a popular point of attraction for tourists and lies in the Juma Mosque at the Andrott Island. The island is also accredited with various remains related to Buddhism that were also found at Andrott, making the island a land rich with history and heritage. Bordered by beautiful reefs, the Andrott Island is one of the best places to explore in Lakshadweep.

Top Things to Do:

• Visit the Juma Masjid and the grave of Sheikh Ubaidullah at the island.
• Visit the island’s different heritage sites.

Kalpeni Island

Situated between the islands of Andrott and Minicoy, Kalpeni Island is one of the most beautiful islands to visit in Lakshadweep. The island covers an area of 2.7 sq. km. of land and boasts of beautiful golden beaches against the backdrop of the blue lagoon. Blessed with many rare species of plants and marine life, Kalpeni Island is a delight to explore. The island is also known for providing the best water sport activities in all of Lakshadweep with activities such as snorkeling, kayaking, swimming, in the island’s mesmerizing lagoon. The location of the island makes it a favored destination for snorkelers and divers, who love to explore the underwater world at Kalpeni and spot various beings of the marine kingdom such as fishes, rays, and sea turtles. The island is inhabited by the indigenous people of the island who maintain and follow their traditions and culture, preserving the heritage of Kalpeni. Explore the beach, lagoon, and try your hand at a water sport, or opt for exploring the beautiful island and view the ways and lifestyle of the indigenous people of this island at Lakshadweep.

Top Things to Do:

• Take a walk and feel the soft sand of the island’s beach.
• Go snorkeling and view the island’s marine life.
• Visit the local village and learn about the culture of the indigenous people of Lakshadweep.

Best Time to Visit Lakshadweep

Being a coastal region, Lakshadweep experiences a tropical climate often seeing warm and humid days. The archipelago faces an average temperature of 27°C to 29°C throughout the year with the temperatures reaching a maximum of 31°C in the month of May when Lakshadweep sees its hottest days.

Between the months of June and September, the region experiences the season of monsoon when the weather can include a mix of harsh rains, strong winds and sometimes cyclones, making it an unpleasant time to visit the island for tourism.

As such, the best time to visit Lakshadweep for a holiday vacation is between the months of October and May, when the weather is pleasant and is ideal for exploring its islands.

How to Reach Lakshadweep?

Being an island, Lakshadweep can be reached via ships and flights both of which operate from Cochin, Kerala. Here is how you can reach the union territory:

• By Air: Flights to Lakshadweep are operational from Cochin and fly to the Agatti Airport, located on the Agatti Island and can take one and a half hours to reach the island from Cochin.
• By Sea: There are many ships that operate from Cochin to Lakshadweep such as MV Kavaratti, MV Arabian Sea, MV Lakshadweep Sea, MV Lagoon, MV Corals, MV Amindivi and MV Minicoy that will reach the island in a span of 14 to 18 hours, and will reach the different islands of Lakshadweep.

Things to Remember

• For people not native to Lakshadweep, it is necessary to obtain a permit to visit the islands. The permit can be obtained by applying online at https://epermit.utl.gov.in
• Applying for the permit as an Indian will require you to submit a Police Clearance Certificate from the Commissioner of Police of the district you reside, a self-attested copy of your identity card, and 3 passport-sized photographs. Foreigners who wish to visit Lakshadweep would need a valid passport and an Indian Visa.
• Though Indian tourists are allowed to visit all the islands in Lakshadweep, foreigners only have access to the islands of Agatti, Kadmat, and Bangaram.
• When planning your trip to Lakshadweep, it is important that you book all your tickets beforehand, since it is difficult to find flights, hotels, and ships at a moment’s notice at Lakshadweep.
• Whether you go snorkeling or diving, it is important that you do not touch or take with yourself the corals of Lakshadweep. It is not only a punishable offense but corals are extremely important for the ecosystem of the seas and oceans.
• Alcohol consumption in Lakshadweep is not allowed except in the islands of Kavaratti and Bangaram, as such, consuming or carrying alcohol with you on other islands may invite official action.

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