By Mukti Sharma
Beaches, the Sun Dunes and the Deserts – if you were asked to make a
choice in between the three, which one you would pick up. In any case if you
love the beach, the first one would be your choice. And more so, if you have
seen the Movie – The Beach – then the Lakshadweep Islands would be
your ultimate choice. These beaches which line in the reins of the Coral
Reefs – the worlds oldest living organisms – present the most
unforgettable experience of lifetime.
This is one of the places in India which gives you a feel of Queensland
Island of Australia. With colors of green and blue in the waters and creamy
white beaches it is the most spectacular things you will see. Though the
crowd is a bit large here, the wee hours still give some light moments. With
12 atolls, 3 reefs and 5 submerged banks, the
Lakshadweep Group
of Islands covers in total of 36 Islands covering an area of 32 sq.
kms.
Look at it once again, the crystal clear water, the underwater sea life,
the coral reefs and the azure blue sky. Does that sound interesting. If this
doesn't then lets go a little further in the middle of the sea – there
are very likely chances that you might find a dolphin or two playing in the
sea ground. Standing in silence, in the middle of the sea, chaste stillness
and no seemingly boundaries – thats the best nature can give to you.
Its the best here as even the
neighbouring
countries like
Bhutan and
Nepal can't give you something
like this.
Unlike the
Kovalam and
Colva Beaches of
Kerala and
Goa, the beaches of
Lakshadweep are not hindered by the lives of human beings. To say the human
interference is the least here. Kept and maintained with the warmth of the
Nature, a lot of care has been taken to see the beaches are in their natural
forms. The people visiting these beaches are to adhere to the rules and
regulations of the Tourism Authorities. The whole idea is to keep the place
clean. Moreover there are only Ten
Beaches
which are open – Agatti, Amini, Andrott, Bitra, Chetlat, Kadmat,
Kalpeni, Kavaratti, Kiltan and Minicoy.
Expansion and modernization doesn't seem to effect the clarity of the sea,
its beaches and its surroundings. With all the harmony between the nature
and the scientific development, the beaches of Lakshadweep give you the best
experience of all.
There are two options – either you can lazily lie down the sand
beaches or you can take a dip in the sea waters and forget the rest. For
those love to lie under the sea – there are a number of sea side stalls
furnished with all the goodies to serve the tourists. Other can enjoy the
water sports like
rafting, snorkeling,
para - sailing, para - jumping
and sports like that. Other activities which are very popular in Lakshadweep
Islands are Swimming Classes, Underwater Swimming Classes, kayaks, sail
boating and Tuna Fishing.
There are direct flights from Major Indian Cities which touch the
Lakshadweep mainland. There are direct
Trains
too to reach the Lakshadweep Group of Islands. While Islands like Agatti and
Bangaram can be reached by air , the other Lakshadweep Islands can be
reached by Ship from Kochi. One of the best ways to reach Lakshadweep
Islands is from Cochin – either by road, rail or air.
However it needs to be noticed that out of the 27 Beaches Lakshadweep
has only 10 Beaches are open for the Tourists. The rest of the 17 beaches
are totally inhabited and are closed for the public. Kavaratti, Kalpeni,
Minicoy, Kadmat, Agatti and Bangaram are the most sought after beaches of
Lakshadweep. Seeing the number of Islands which are open in Lakshadweep and
the un-certainty of which one may be closed in a particular time, one needs
to check the beach he/she is going to visit with his travel agent. The Peak
time too has to be considered.
