Lakshadweep
Union Territory Of Lakshadweep; Coral Atolls Of The Arabian Sea · Agatti, Lakshadweep
India's smallest union territory, an archipelago of coral atolls in the Arabian Sea off the coast of Kerala: thirty-six islands, of which only about ten are inhabited, with white sand, palm groves and lagoons of extraordinarily clear turquoise water. It is one of the least visited and least developed island groups in Asia, and that is deliberate. Everyone needs an entry permit from the administration, foreign visitors are limited to a few islands, and tourism is kept small to protect the reefs and the islands' communities, who are almost entirely Muslim and live by fishing and coconuts. Agatti has the only airport, with flights from Kochi; ships sail from Kochi too, taking many hours. The attractions are the water: snorkelling and diving over coral reefs, kayaking in lagoons, and glass-bottom boats, with little else to do and that being the point. Bangaram, an uninhabited island with a resort, is where alcohol is permitted; elsewhere it is not. The islands drew a surge of domestic interest in 2024. The southwest monsoon makes seas rough from roughly May to September.
Agatti Island, Agatti, Lakshadweep, 682553, India
NO OPENING TIME HERE WAS CHECKED; confirm permits and schedules well ahead. Access follows the season, not a clock: visitors come roughly October to April, and in the monsoon, roughly late May to September, ships are cut, flights may be cancelled and water sports close. Flights from Kochi and ships run to limited, changeable schedules. Permits are issued for specific dates and islands. THE TRAPS: applying for the permit late, booking a tight onward connection, and planning an island that foreigners are not allowed to visit.