Lakshadweep

Lakshadweep Islands is on west of Kerala coast scattered in 200 – 400 km. The islands form the smallest Union Territory of India as their total surface area is just 32 square kilometres. The group is a continuation of the Maldives and the small islands are similarly characterized by white coral sand beaches fringed with palm trees and translucent lagoons. The islands offer a precious heritage of ecology and culture. They were also known as Laccadive Islands. Lakshadweep comes from 'Lakshadweepa', which means `one hundred thousand islands’ in Sanskrit and other languages. Most of the islanders are of Keralan descent, originally Hindu. However, Sunni Islam was brought to the islands by Hazrat Ubaidullah in the 7th century and the vast majority of islanders are Muslims. The capital of the island chain is Kavaratti. Both Kavaratti and Kadmat have full-service scuba facilities, and the latter also has a center for kayaking, water skiing, yachting and wind surfing. Blessed with an unmatched natural beauty, the exotic coral reef island of the union territory is an interesting blend of scenic beauty coupled with modern infrastructural facilities that draw several tourists to this place from across the globe.