Agatti Island: White Sands, Corals and the Arabian Sea
Agatti Island acts as the getaway to the Lakshadweep Islands. Housing an expansive and secluded and almost totally empty white sandy beach, the Agatti Island is one of the more known beaches in the Lakshadweep Islands. Further, the Agatti Island is actually an atoll, and is surrounded by beautiful sea-green and sea-blue corals. These corals house exotic flora and fauna, and are a sea lover’s paradise.
Places to Visit in Agatti
Agatti Island is a part of the Indian union territory of Lakshadweep. The term Lakshadweep is derived from the Sanskrit terms laksha (translated as one hundred thousand) and dweep (translated as island), and is translated as one thousand islands. The Lakshadweep Island chain comprises of 12 atolls, 3 reefs and 5 submerged banks. The island chain of Lakshadweep is home to some of Asia’s best beaches and also houses some of Indian Ocean’s most beautiful coral reefs. Further, the Lakshadweep island chain is also home to many historically significant structures and monuments including colonial era lighthouses. Further, many of the islands are completely surrounded by coral reefs.
Agatti - Travel tips, languages spoken, cuisine
Hindi and English are quite prevalent and as such communication should not be a problem. Cuisine would largely be local, though somewhat exotic food can be found in the higher-end restaurants. Many tour operators cover the Agatti Island as part of their Lakshadweep tours. The waters surrounding the Agatti Island are rich in aquatic life and make for excellent fishing points. While visiting Lakshadweep, one is advised to carry as much cash as possible because ATMs and credit card swiping machines are almost non-existent. Further, stealing corals is illegal and is a highly punishable crime.
Best time to visit Agatti
Though the Agatti Island can be visited any time of the year, the monsoons, that occurs between the months of June and September, is not the perfect of times as one may not be able to soak up a whole lot of sun. The best time to visit Agatti Island and the union territory of Lakshadweep in general is between the months of January and May, during which the beach gets plenty of bright and clear sunny days. Further, during this time the sea is very smooth and one can even see cloud reflections on many days. Note that this is also the best time for snorkeling and scuba diving.
Best way to reach Agatti
- By Air: Agatti Island houses the only aerodrome on the Lakshadweep Islands. Agatti is connected to Cochin (located 459 kms away) via regular flights. Cochin is one of India’s more prominent airports and as such is well-connected to Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Kolkata, Bangalore, Hyderabad and major Middle Eastern cities. Limited helicopter services are also available for inter-island commute.
- By Sea: Every week, three to four ships sail between Agatti and Cochin. The Island administration runs these sailings. Further, the local administration also maintains regular inter-island foreshore and harbour ferry services to cater to the needs of inter-island commuters. However, bookings have to be made in advance.
- By Road: While some of the islands have a decently-developed road network, many do not. Some of the islands are entirely inhabited, and as such have no roads at all. On the islands which are somewhat more populated and have a decently developed road network, local transport comprises of local buses, bicycles, motorcycles, auto rickshaws, taxis and rental cars/motorcycles/cycles. On most islands, however, transport is only limited to bicycling or walking.
Accommodation
Hotels, inspection bungalows, private cottages, etc. are available to suit all budgets. There are only a limited number of family vacation beach resorts, beach retreats, beach villas, beach vacation homes, beach hotels and beach houses. However, one can obtain excellent discounts on accommodation via beach family holidays, beach tours and beach holidays. A very interesting feature of Agatti Island is that there are some beach camps and beach resorts that are located right at the beach. Some of the beach resorts also have scuba diving and snorkeling facilities.