Tropical love.... Review on Lakshadweep

Lakshadweep is a tiny union territory of India that we hold on to for political and defence reasons, even though it costs us a whopping 300 crores a year to do so. But even if that was'nt so, its worth it for the beauty alone. I think I can safely say its a glimpse of paradise on earth. It has pristine beaches, the sand is white and feels like silk, because its more coral powder than sand, they tell me.

The entire beach is littered with beautiful corals but don't even think of bringing away any, its forbidden. KAVARATTI-its the capital of Lakshadweep.How to get there....from Cochin you can take a flight to Agatti(and back) in a Dornier aircraft, seats 17, from where Kavaratti is a two hour boat ride, or you can fly the direct Cochin-Kavaratti helicopter service which is faster and takes you there in two hours, albeit the ride is hot and leaves you queasy. But its fast and saves time. The boat from Cochin to Kavaratti does a overnight journey. Activities-- Kavaratti has a small museum and aquarium that house the most incredible fish I have ever seen.They also have glass bottomed boats that show you awesome sights of life in the ocean.If you're lucky, you may even see dolphin.I saw one faaar away in the distance, or so my boatman insisted.If you're really lucky, they sometimes swim close to the island and exhibit some synchronized swimming in groups of ten or more.The island is secluded and its almost totally cut off from the mainland.Its like time stopped there.

From Kavaratti, the gorgeous BANGARAM island is just 30 minutes away by chopper. Bangaram is FABULOUS, with its coral reefs and blue lagoons, its got scuba diving, snorkelling and other water sports.Its a huge international attraction, but its also pricey at 24000 INR a day.The beach is clean and unlittered the likes of which I have never seen before.The locals tell me the Maldives are similar but far more crowded.The lagoon waters are so crystal clear, you can read a letter through them.The coral reefs are huge, growing like trees in some places and the fishes are in technicolor (eat your heart out nat geo).The water is turquoise blue, the lagoon is the color of the loveliest green. If you do take the chopper, I promise you a sight you will never forget, of the blue - green ocean with waters through which the corals are clearly visible, and the island covered with a carpet of lush greenery, every inch of it, even the sky's bluer as there is zero pollution.But you will need a permit to visit, usually obtained within 15 days.AGATTI is much the same, a 15 min helicopter ride from Kavaratti.ALL beautiful, clear and clean beaches, friendly people...one thing that struck me was...nobody hounds you to buy this and sample that.They just let you be, the aggressive selling of the tourist touts is non-existent here.The beaches are exclusive, theres no crowd...that's right, no crowd, just spaces of empty beaches and coconut trees and tropical paradise.There's no shopping to be done here, only speciality is a type of tuna fish pickle you may enjoy.The food is good and if you like fish you're in for a treat.Its so serene and the only sound is birdsong and the whispering of the ocean.When compared to the beaches of Lakshadweep, Goa seems so commercialised and crowded, over hyped is the word that comes to mind, with the rowdy crowds and locals bending backwards to please the foreigners and shortchanging the rest.

The beaches of Goa are passable, the sea a dirty grey, yet its the marketing that has made it a star, and a totally undeserving one too.By contrast, Lakshadweep is paradise, ..PARADISE!!...I guess they prefer classes rather than masses, I pray they keep it this way. Spend time lazing in the sun by the lagoons, and time will slowly spin out and stop. Don't forget to bring along sunscreen, and be warned- the humidity levels are pretty high. And book your seats well in advance as availability is limited.Btw, Bangaram has a total capacity of holding 120-130 people, half of whom are island staff.That means the island maxes out on 60 odd tourists.This is the reason for the high prices, and the feeling you're on your own private beach.There are very few cottages and they're snapped up by both indians and foreigners in the blink of an eye, so make sure you book well in advance.                   P.S.we saw a gorgeous red full moon rising over the ocean(ARABIAN SEA actually)ant its an unforgettable sight.