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If you wish to relax on fine white
sand, swim in turquoise lagoons, snorkel or SCUBA dive in a
rich marine environment you need to leave the mainland and
visit the coral atolls dotted around the Indian Ocean.
The Republic of the Maldives can be
found off the south western coast of India and there are
daily flights between Trivandrum in Kerala and Male (the
capital of the Maldives). Some of the airlines that fly to
India and Sri Lanka also fly to Male so it is easy to
combine a holiday to both countries.
The Andaman Islands are owned by India
and connected to the mainland by daily flights from Chennai
(Madras) to the islands’ capital Port Blair.
The Lakshadweep Islands are also part
of India and connected to the mainland by flights from
Cochin.
At 1,000 km off the east coast of India, the 500 or so
islands of Andaman and Nicobar represent India’s most remote
state. A permit is required to visit the Andaman Islands and
the Nicobar Islands are off limits to visitors (to protect
the indigenous population). In fact very few foreign guests
visit the Andaman Islands and consequently there are few
hotels and a limited infrastructure.
This, however, makes a visit very appealing to those of
us who like to explore places off the beaten track. The
island’s thick tropical forests support a wide range of
wildlife, and their isolation means that many species are
endemic. The islands are particularly attractive to SCUBA
divers who wish to dive the unexplored; some of the marine
life to be found along the fringing reefs is unique to the
area. These islands were affected by the 2004 tsunami but
the majority of the damage was sustained in the Nicobar
islands.
The Lakshadweep (previously called the Laccadive Islands)
are geographically part of the same chain of islands as the
Maldives but are a Union Territory of India. The inhabitants
of these remote and little known islands are conservative
and their culture is protected by restricting the number of
tourists visiting the islands. Foreigners are restricted to
a few islands and a permit must be obtained before arrival.
We can arrange this for you.
Flights are from Cochin in a small, non-pressurised aircraft
and there is a 10kg baggage weight limit. Excess luggage can
be left on the mainland and collected on return. Transfers
between the airport on Agatti Island and Bangaram Island
Resort are by a small local boat during the high season
(October to mid May) or by helicopter in the low season or
when the weather is rough. SCUBA diving is not available
during the low season (mid May to September)..
The islands and atolls of the Maldives are situated in
the beautiful turquoise waters of the Indian Ocean. There
are daily flights from Trivandrum in the south of Kerala.
The resorts and hotels on the Maldives have found a niche at
the deluxe end of the market. The area is well known by
SCUBA divers and all the islands listed offer diving.
The resorts we list below have been selected because they
are all within easy reach of Male Airport. This means that
they are a good choice for a few days combined with a
holiday in India. We are also able to offer other resorts,
hotels and boats that are not listed here, so if what you
are looking for is not mentioned, please ask.
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WEATHER CHART : THE ANDAMAN ISLANDS |
| MAX °C |
30 |
30 |
31 |
31 |
30 |
30 |
29 |
29 |
29 |
29 |
29 |
30 |
| MIN °C |
23 |
24 |
25 |
26 |
26 |
26 |
26 |
26 |
26 |
25 |
25 |
24 |
| RAIN mm |
80 |
60 |
110 |
250 |
330 |
190 |
120 |
90 |
150 |
350 |
300 |
150 |
| |
JAN |
FEB |
MAR |
APR |
MAY |
JUNE |
JULY |
AUG |
SEPT |
OCT |
NOV |
DEC |
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