After the hectic wedding celebrations, when you have had a surfeit of sweets and relatives, rituals and revelry, all you want to do is drift and dream in a quiet honeymoon interlude. Let your thoughts turn to Lakshadweep, a gorgeous archipelago of coral islands in the sunny Indian Ocean, where you can float and tumble, dive and soar. Here you can take long leisurely walks on soft sand, gentle waves kissing your feet. Sway gently in a hammock, sip coconut water together, swim languidly in the moonlight, linger around the glowing embers of a campfire and chase that last drop of ambrosia.

If this sounds romantic, you simply have to come here to believe the incredibly beautiful reality of Lakshadweep. Lying 350 km off the Kerala coast, strung in a shimmering strand of jewels, the islands are coral atolls that encircle a fabulous aquamarine lagoon. Out of the 36 islands, only 10 are inhabited, and that too, sparsely – great news for honeymooners who want to just lose themselves.

Bangaram is the most sought after island, with rafting, snorkeling, deep-sea diving and deep-sea fishing. Sail in glass-bottomed boats, swim with turtles and dolphins, snorkel in the reef through colonies of fish. Surf the aqua marine waters, romp the white sands. Just revel in the anonymity of Lakshadweep, for that honeymoon of a lifetime.

Special Permits

A trip to Lakshadweep requires a tourist permit. This can be arranged at the Lakshadweep Tourist Office in Cochin (Kochi). The only way to visit is to hook up with a package tour group. Tour operators start the first of the trips in October and continue till May. Bangaram is open to both Indian and foreign tourists who have permits. Though Kadmat, Kalpeni, Minicoy and Kavaratti are open to Indian tourists only, movement is restricted to the tourist area.