Are you looking for the ultimate Lakshadweep Itinerary? Lakshadweep — the name itself means ‘a hundred thousand islands’. Located off the coast of Kerala, the islands of Lakshadweep are bestowed with miles of heavenly sun-kissed beaches devoid of the crowds, magnificent lagoons, and turquoise blue water brimming with colorful marine life. If you are planning to visit this piece of paradise then look no further, in this post we have shared our Lakshadweep itinerary – how to reach, places to stay, and things to do.
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Islands of Lakshadweep
The islands of Lakshadweep are beautiful inside out and their beauty is unparalleled. With its laid-back vibe, the islands of Lakshadweep offer a multitude of experiences for any traveler; all of which are bound to create lasting impressions.
In this post, we provide all the details so that you can plan for a perfect Lakshadweep holiday.
Lakshadweep is an archipelago made up of thirty-six islands spread across an area of 32 sq. kilometers, 10 out of them are inhabited – Agatti, Kadmat, Kalpeni, Kavaratti, Kiltan, Amini, Bitra, Chetlat, Androthm, Bangaram, and Minicoy.
Tourists are allowed to visit just a few selected islands. The islands of Agatti, Kadmat, Kavaratti, Minicoy, Bangaram, and Thinnakara.
Location: Located between 8° and 12° North Latitude and 71° and 74° East Longitude.
Inhabited Islands: Agatti, Amini, Andrott, Bitra, Chetlat, Kadmat, Kalpeni, Kavaratti, Kiltan, and Minicoy
Languages Spoken: Malayalam & Mahl (spoken on Minicoy Island). Jeseri ( similar to Malayalam with a hint of Tamil) is a dialect that is also spoken in Lakshadweep.
Total Population: As per the 2011 census, the population of Lakshadweep is 64,473 of which 93% are Muslims.
Occupation: Fishing and coconut cultivation are the major occupation on the islands. Tuna fish is the biggest export of the islands.
Lakshadweep Itinerary
Here is a sample Lakshadweep itinerary. You can mix and match and plan your itinerary that suits your needs.
A Week-Long Trip (Suggested) – Lakshadweep Itinerary
- Kadamat (2 days) or Kavaratti (2 days)
- Bangaram/Thinnakara (3 days)
- Minicoy/ Kalpeni (2 Days)
Long Weekend Trip (Our Itinerary) – Lakshadweep Itinerary
- Day 1 – Reach Agatti and hop on a speed boat to Bangaram Island
- Day 2 – Enjoy your Time snorkeling, scuba diving, island hopping ( Pareli 1 & 2 )
- Day 3 – Stay at Thinnakara island
- Day 4 – Enjoy your time in the morning and then head back to Agatti
Our flight was from Kochi to Agatti and we booked our stay via SPORTS (official Lakshadweep Tourism Website)
( Read Next: Our Stay at Bangaram Island Resort )
Cruise Package
Two days/ Weekend Excursion Package: Lakshadweep islands are perfect weekend getaways from Cochin, Mangalore, and Beypore. The ship departs on Saturday from Kochi/Mangalore/Beypore and on Monday it returns to Kochi/Mangalore/Beypore.
Coral Reef Package: It is a five-day cruise package that takes tourists to different coral islands.
Lakshadweep Samudram is a Five-days cruise to visit the islands of Kavaratti, Kalpeni, and Minicoy by ship- M.V Kavaratti.
Get all the latest updates HERE
Best Time To Visit Lakshadweep
October to March/April is the best time to visit any of the islands of Lakshadweep with temperatures dropping to 30°C along the coast.
If you still want to visit during the off-season, chopper services are available. But it is advisable to check before planning. October to May is the perfect time if you want to opt for cruise packages.
Summer Months: March to May
Monsoon Months: May to mid-September
Winter Months: September to Feb
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Islands To Visit in Lakshadweep
Agatti Island
Agatti Island will be your first stop as you land at Lakshadweep. The island boasts of having some of the finest beaches and offers tons of water-sports activities. The beaches are clean and the water is deep blue teeming with the most colorful and diverse underwater world.
Where To Stay:
Local guesthouses and a few private-run resorts are the only options.
Do check the latest update on the official tourism site.
Bangaram Island
Surrounded by a shallow lagoon this island is one of the most beautiful islands of Lakshadweep. It boasts world-class corals and rich marine life. From shipwreck snorkeling sites to hidden beaches with hermit crabs, bluest of the blue ocean to lagoon full of sea turtles, Bangaram fits the bill perfectly for a hidden away beach experience.
Where To Stay:
The only option is to stay at the Bangaram Island resort which is run by SPORTS (Lakshadweep Tourism).
Travel Time
- From Agatti: 30 minutes to 1 hour depending on the boat.
( Read Next: Our Stay at Bangaram Island Resort )
Pareli 1 & 2
These tiny islands surrounded by the shallow lagoon on one side and the deep sea on the other can be covered by foot in 15-30 minutes. The shallow lagoon is home to numerous sea turtles whereas the deep sea is home to sharks and stingrays.
The island is full of ( hungry 😉 ) hermit crabs, and sea turtles.
Where To Stay:
No options. These islands can be visited as day trips from Bangaram, Agatti or Thinnakara
Travel Time
- From Agatti: 30 -75 min depending on the boat
- From Bangaram: 20-40 min depending on the boat
- From Thinnakara: 15 min
Thinnakara
A bite-sized island midst a shallow lagoon makes Thinnakara an ideal place for vacation. It is isolated and just a few cottages are dotted on the shores. It is a perfect escape for those who want to be away from the rush of life. You can snorkel, sail out in your kayak, play beach volleyball, and relax in a hammock doing nothing.
Even at times, it might happen you are the only one with the resort staff on the island.
Where To Stay:
Cottages on the Island
Travel Time
- From Agatti: 20-40 min depending on the boat.
Kadamat Island
Kadmat is one of the most stunning islands in the archipelago. You will find dolphins cleaving through the clear blue waters, sea turtles all around might come to greet you on your way to Kadmat from Agatti.
The phenomenal sweep of talcum-powder sand with dramatic waves breaking across the bay is an everyday thing here. Apart from the scenic vista, the island also offers various water sports activities like diving, snorkeling, kayaking, and paragliding to name a few. Some of the best diving spots can be found here.
Where To Stay:
Kadmat Island Resort – You have an option of NonAC tents and AC rooms to choose from. However, the Non-AC tents are a little away from the main resort.
Minicoy Island
Minicoy Island is a beautiful coral island dotted in the Arabian Sea full of dense coconut groves, a long stretch of white powdery beaches, and an amazing marine world. The island is distinct from the rest of the islands in terms of culture, lifestyle, and language. You can find a lot of influence from Maldivian and South Indian culture on this island.
Where To Stay:
There are three tourist cottages and one 20 bedded tourist home.
Kalpeni Island
Kalpeni is famed for its bewitching landscape with the small islets Tilakkam & Pitti and an uninhabited island on the north called Cheriyam. You can walk to Cheriyam island from Kalpeni during low tides but make sure you are not barefoot.
The islands of Kalpeni were reshaped because of a huge storm in the 1800s and the formation of the beautiful corals is attributed to this storm. It has the largest lagoons among all the islands of Lakshadweep. These lagoons are quite shallow and are perfect for all sorts of water sports activities. You can also explore the Sait Moinuddin mosque while on the island.
Where To Stay:
Koomel Beach Resort is the only resort for tourists and it is run by SPORTS (Lakshadweep Tourism).
Kavaratti Island
It is the capital of Lakshadweep and the most developed of all the islands. Apart from sun-drenched white sandy beaches, and amazing coral reefs, you can also explore the aquarium and museum on the island.
Ujra Mosque constructed by Sheikh Mohammad Kasim in the 17th century is one of the most prominent attractions on the island and draws a lot of tourists. The island also offers a plethora of water sports activities like kayaking, snorkeling, parasailing, and scuba diving at a very reasonable rate.
Where To Stay:
Kavaratti Island Beach
Budget & Expenses
Flight :
Flights rates are fixed and they don’t vary from Kochi to Agatti – Rs.4842*
Stay :
Stay at Bangaram – INR 10,000 for Tent and INR 15,000 for Cottage
Stay at Thinnakara – INR 10,000 for Tent
Inter-island transfers could be arranged and the price varies depending on the boat. Everything for us was organized by the Sports and we paid around 60-65 K.
- Pick up from/ to airport + Stay ( Inclusive of all three meals ) + Island transfers
PS: We booked our stay at Bangaram & Thinnakara resorts via SPORTS. To confirm your booking you just have to share your flight details and pay by electronic fund transfer (NEFT) or check.
For customizing your trip, you could drop an email to – laksports.reservation@gmail.com.
If you do find our article useful in planning your trip, don’t forget to send a note/picture of your trip to us ( Email: thetalesofatraveler@gmail.com) NOTE
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Lakshadweep Islands are outrageously stunning.
We urge you to put this little corner on your bucket list before it becomes way too commercialized.
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Nice and informative. Sums up Lakshwadeep perfectly. Will be very handy for someone traveling to Lakshwadeep.
Hope our mini guide serves the purpose well 🙂
This should make it easy to plan a trip there. Great pics. A dream destination for me.
That was the whole purpose of this post Indrani 🙂 🙂 Hope it helps others in planning and we hope you get to visit this tropical paradise soon
Such a helpful post!
Thanks a ton !!
Had such fun looking at those photos of sea and sky. Fabulous. Tons of information too.
Thank you so much and glad you liked 🙂
A good guide for the lesser known Lakshadweep….hopefully one of these days and soon
You can plan a weekend trip 🙂
The place looks stunning for sure!
You will love it !!!
Very exhaustive info. Loved it.
Thank you so very much 🙂
Beautiful place to visit !! well narrated
Thanks a ton 🙂
Beautiful images. This is a very useful itineary.
Thanks a lot Rajesh, glad you liked it. 🙂 🙂
Great post on Lakshadweep! I have been wanting to visit it for so long…. I’m glad I can plan my trip with ease with this post. Thanks guys!
Thanks a lot Renuka, glad we could be of help. 🙂 🙂
I am planning a trip to lakshdweep in january, I will be alone and do not want to spend much on stay. Please suggest whether i can get some cheap stay after reaching there, or prebooking/e-booking is required?
Please note I am a solo traveller and I generally focus on sightseeing and local cuisines and culture. I can manage with some cheap accomodation.
Hi Prashant, you need a permit to travel to Lakshadweep. This permit is arranged by SPORTS or any other travel agent which takes care of your lodging (the details of travel agents are on the SPORTS Lakshadweep website). We would highly recommend a pre-booking. For more details, you can check the website of SPORTS Lakshadweep.
I want to plan my own trip and not go for any package. Will Sports help me get permit if I only book my lodgings through them?
Yes 🙂
Detailed and useful post…. Kachua photo is best. Hope to visit here some day
Thanks a lot, Srinidhi and yeah we too loved the turtle. There were so many of them near the island. You should definitely plan a visit soon.
Thanks for detailed tour guide. I really like to visit this place. Carry some nostalgic memories. My father was working in Minicoy long time back when I was a toddler. So I wan to see the place again taking with my mother. Can you please suggest a 2-3 days (max) itinerary covering Minicoy. I want to see Minicoy.
Hi Vipin,
Glad you liked our post, Minicoy is near Kalpeni & Kavaratti so either you can plan to visit one of the islands and visit Minicoy on a day trip or you could check weekend cruise packages from Cochin.. hope that helps
Lovely photos as always! Thanks for sharing vital information on Lakshadweep tour.
What is the approximate total cost for a week trip. I want to mainly know how much we would spend on daily stays at each island and the no of ppl on sharing basis.
Awesome post! It’s so confusing the information on google about these islands! Just wondering – is Minicoy an inhabited island? Just because you mention that there are 3 guest houses owned by locals there. Also if we were to book a few days through SPORT and stay at their accomodation, could we extend our stay and stay at local accomodation somewhere? Do we need to apply to SPORTs to be able to stay in local accomodation? I just assume local places would be cheaper?
Awesome tips. Thank you so much for this post. Being located so close to use, Lakshadweep is in the top of my wishlist! I really hope to go soon…
did you book the whole trip through SPORTS ?
Not the whole trip only the accommodation and transfer between islands … food is inclusive
hey..Thanks for the informative post.. Though I have a query.. you have given quite a detailed information of the islands while SPORTS website is mostly about about the cruise packages and they dont cover all the island either. Did you guys make your own itinerary and visited the place via flight. Would it be possible for you to give an idea about the ititnerary you followed.
Thanks a lot, Nimisha….We have mentioned everything about our itinerary in this post only 🙂
Hey.. just wanted to say thanks. Your blog is very descriptive and informative. You’re doing awesome job by writing down about your travel experiences. It’s really helpful for me and I’m sure for others also. This inspired me to go to lakshwadeep. Thanks again. Happiness and blessings to you.!
Detailed and useful for Lakshadweep travellers !
First of all !thank you for informative post. We are planning to visit lakshadweep by the year end, and your post is really helpful in planning for the same.
Glad you liked and have fun in Lakshadweep, it’s a beautiful place and best time to visit is during winters 🙂
A really detailed, informative with amazing pics, itinerary! Appreciate it both!! Wanted to plan on a trip and this blog had almost all the information that I was looking for. I have been thinking of writing such a blog, but haven’t written one yet.
Thank you so much Kevin and all the best for your blog, do share a link whenever you write one, would love to read your experience 🙂
Awesome post. The tips very helpful for the visit Lakshadweep. Thanks for sharing the information and guide to travel near places of the Lakshadweep.
Thank you so much for your kind words, we are delighted 🙂
Hi, what a wonderful post with great details. Which month of the year did you travel?
We visited in the month of March and it was super hot 🙁
wow! such nice and informative blog thankss for sharing your travel experiences with us
Glad you liked and hope it helps you in planning to this beautiful part of India 🙂
I was looking for a detail guide to Lakshadweep Island and so landed on your website. Really great info and guide. Better to visit Lakshadweep than maldives. this is after looking at your pictures.