Lakshadweep, formerly a union territory of India is a group of some three dozen islands scattered over some 30,000 square miles (78,000 square km) in the Arabian Sea off the southwestern coast of India.

There are a total of three groups of islands in the territory namely Minicoy, Aminidivi and Laccadive. 

The easternmost island Androth lies about 185 miles (300 km) from the coast of the state of Kerala. 

The name Lakshadweep means "Hundred Thousand Islands" in the Malayalam language and also in Sanskrit.

Some of the interesting facts about Lakshadweep Islands:

  • Lakshadweep is a union territory declared in 1956 earlier named as Laccadive islands with Kavaratti as its capital.

  • There are in total 39 islands in Lakshadweep out of which only 10 islands are inhabited and the remaining have no population.

  • The High Court of Kerala at Ernakulam serves as the judiciary of this Island.

  • The only Airport in this territory is Agatti International Airport on Agatti island.

  • Islam is the chief religion of this territory and more than 90% of the population is Muslims.

  • INS Dweeprakshak was an Indian Naval Base established for security reasons and also to ensure smooth trade and exports from these islands.    

  • People living on this island speak a mixture of Indian and Arabic languages. The most spoken language in Lakshadweep is Malayalam.

  • It is a well-known place for pollution-free air, clean water, and guest hospitality and convenience. Here you can enjoy the sea driving or enjoy a lot of natural pleasure and comfort. 

  • Kavaratti is a beautiful island known for its carved wooden pillars and roofs of its mosques and the carved stones of its graveyards. This island has nearly 50 mosques out of which Ujra Mosque is the most beautiful one.

  • A beautiful lagoon in these islands offers an ideal spot for water sports.

  • The sea around Lakshadweep is rich in fishery resources and the main fishery resource in the islands are Tuna.

  • Lakshadweep island is known for its corals you can explore the beauty of corals by scuba diving.

  • Coconut is the only crop of Economic importance. 


How to reach Lakshadweep Islands:

You can reach Lakshadweep islands by flight or ship. There is a direct flight from cochin which takes 1 hour 30 minutes to reach and by ship, there are seven ships available from cochin which takes 14 to 20 hours to reach. There is an Air ambulance that can take the patients from the island Kavaratti to Cochin for medical assistance.

All travellers travelling to Lakshadweep will need a permit, as the Indian Union Territory keeps a check on the number of tourists visiting the island. 

To get the permit, you will need a clearance certificate from a police station in your locality, along with all your identification documents. After getting the permit, you will have to submit it to the station house officer in Lakshadweep.