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The
Lakshadweep or Laccadives, as they were formerly called, are a string of little-known
islands, lying 250 or so miles off the Malabar coast of India. (See
map) There
are 36 main islands in all, forming an archipelago of surpassing beauty. This
is a world of silver sands and clear warm waters, of submerged banks and virgin
reefs, enclosing a fascinating underwater world. Legend
has it that the islands were discovered by shipwrecked sailors during the reign
of Cheraman Perumal, a legendary King of Kerala, around 435 AD. Frankly, things
haven't really changed much since. Nature and culture have both remained preserved
over the centuries, miles from the mainland and the trade routes.
And
so the crabs scuttle. The reefs remain pristine.The people continue to fish, grow
coconuts and smile a lot. And that's in the handful of islands that have any population
at all. The vast majority still remain much as they were the day nature conjured
them up.
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| A
hut, a hammock, a palm canopy. (Above),
blues, whites and greens in a million
shades. | | |
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Called
sometimes the Jewel of the Lakshadweep, Bangaram Island is an sparsely populated
haven. Barring the occasional visitor from nearby Agatti (where the airport is
situated), the only residents are the resort staff.
Teardrop shaped, thick
with cool coconut plantations and encircled by a corona of silver sand, Bangaram
lives up to every 'desert island' fantasy you've ever had. .
The air is fresh
with ozone. Sparkling coral reefs unwind around turquoise blue lagoons, bursting
with tropical life. The waters are calm, warm and perfect for swimming, snorkeling,
diving or just plain wading and messing about.
All this, of course, would
tend to leave you with a difficult choice. Activity or inactivity?
If you're in an unhurried mood,
you can simply laze on the silver beaches, soak in the sun, listen to the sound
of the waves and watch the swaying of the palms.
The island feels like it
was designed specifically for languid strolls. Step out, stretch and watch the
beach dances of hermit crabs, or listen to the raucous music of a hundred-piece
seabird chorus.
But should you feel the need for a little more adventure on
your holiday, Bangaram island offers a wholly different set of activities.
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on the beachfront moves along at its own languid pace. |
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The
resort offers you a variety of outdoor pursuits - Kayaking, Catamaran sailing,
snorkelling, deep sea fishing, and scuba diving. A
well-equipped and professionally manned Scuba Diving facility is available at
the resort. As a diving location, the virgin reefs of Bangaram have been ranked
by many of the world's experienced divers as being among the best anywhere. |
Diving
courses and lagoon diving are offered for beginners too. Diving is permitted only
within safe depths around 30 meters. Visitors can avail of a decompression chamber,
except from 15 May to 15 September.
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Ancient shipwrecks get discovered
every now and then, since the reefs aren't even fully explored yet. That's one
reason why they abound in undersea life. Manta rays, eagle rays, moray eels and
Hawksbill turtles are common, as are game fish. There
are three uninhabited islands in the same atoll, Tinnakara, Parali and the not
very imaginatively named Parali-II. Each can be reached by outboarding, sailing,
rowing or for the incurably athletic, by kayaking or windsurfing from Bangaram.
Perfect for a day's outing, if you're up to it... Popular
dive spots off Bangaram include Manta Point and the wreck of the Princess Royal,
sunk 200 years ago. |
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| Bangaram
can be equally exhilerating,
for the
expert or the novice. |
Virtual
visit: The restless reef
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Accommodation
on the island is simple and unpretentious. Set in 128 acres, there are 30 tiled
- roof beach huts, each with its own palm-thatched verandah, en-suite bathroom,
ceiling fan and fridge.
In a bit to preserve Bangaram's unique environment,
a hotel atmosphere is avoided intentionally, but fret not - there are enough creature
comforts to ensure your stay is an enjoyable one. There
are also four bungalows, which are bigger and offer total privacy. At the heart
of the resort is the restaurant hut. It's a little architectural marvel made by
the islanders, crafted entirely out of bamboo and palm fronds, around a single
tall central pole.
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| | Coconut
and fish are abundantly available on the island. So naturally, no meal would be
complete without a selection of the day's catch.
The cuisine styles are international
and the menu also offers a selection from the coastal cuisines of India and local
island recipes.
There is also a well-stocked bar, right off the beach. Not
that the enchantment of the islands won't get you high enough already. | |
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