After waiting for almost a decade, I finally managed to plan my Lakshadweep tour. I had dreamed of visiting these islands for years, and when the opportunity finally came, I wanted to plan the entire journey exactly the way I do all the time. But here comes the catch.
Planning a Lakshadweep tour is not like planning a regular beach vacation. Unlike other tourist destinations, Lakshadweep comes with several restrictions and a structured process. You cannot simply book flights, hotels, and show up. Instead, you have to carefully choose from the limited options available.
Confusing? Don’t worry. In this post, I will walk you through the complete process of planning a Lakshadweep tour, including transportation options, permits, documentation, and travel planning. If you are dreaming about visiting Lakshadweep someday, this guide will help you understand exactly what to expect.
A Quick Introduction to Lakshadweep
Lakshadweep is a stunning group of 36 islands located in the Arabian Sea, off the western coast of India. It is one of the smallest Union Territories of India, but also one of the most beautiful and ecologically fragile destinations in the country.
The islands are divided into three main subgroups:
- Amindivi Islands
- Laccadive Islands
- Minicoy Atoll
The northern Amindivi subgroup includes inhabited islands such as Amini, Kiltan, Chetlat, Kadmat, and Bitra. The central Laccadive group consists of well-known islands like Agatti, Androth, Kavaratti, Kalpeni, and the Bangaram Atoll. Further south lies the Minicoy Atoll, which includes the main island of Minicoy and the small uninhabited islet of Viringili.
In total, Lakshadweep consists of:
- 36 islands
- 12 atolls
- 3 coral reefs
- 5 submerged banks
Out of these, only 10 islands are inhabited.
The major inhabited islands include:
- Kavaratti (the capital)
- Agatti
- Amini
- Kadmat
- Kiltan
- Chetlat
- Bitra
- Andrott
- Kalpeni
- Minicoy
Fishing remains the primary source of livelihood for the local population, but tourism in Lakshadweep is gradually increasing and may soon become a major contributor to the local economy.
Now that we have a basic understanding of Lakshadweep, let’s talk about the most important question.
How to Visit Lakshadweep
Since Lakshadweep is an island destination, there are only two ways to reach it:
- By Ship
- By Air
The first question you must ask yourself while planning your Lakshadweep tour is:
Are you comfortable travelling by ship?
The second question is even more important:
Are you okay spending most of your Lakshadweep tour on the ship itself, including overnight stays?
If the answer to both questions is yes, then planning your trip becomes extremely simple.
The magic word here is SPORTS.
SPORTS stands for Society for Promotion of Nature Tourism and Sports. It is a government body formed by the Lakshadweep Administration in 1982 to promote tourism in the islands.
They operate organised tour packages that include:
- Ship travel
- Accommodation
- Island visits
- Permits
- Documentation
In short, SPORTS takes care of everything.
You can explore their packages here:
https://lakshadweeptourism.com/
Another option is private cruise liners such as Cordelia Cruises, which occasionally operate Lakshadweep itineraries.
Travelling to Lakshadweep by Air (The More Complicated Option)
Now comes the second option — travelling to Lakshadweep by air.
For people like me who are not comfortable with long sea journeys (or seasickness), flying seems like the obvious choice. But this is where things become slightly complicated.
If you decide to fly, you will need to handle:
- research work
- paperwork
- permit processing
- travel planning
In other words, a lot more effort goes into planning the trip. But if you want the flexibility to choose specific islands and stays, this is often the better option.
Entry Requirements for Lakshadweep Tour
Unlike most tourist destinations in India, Lakshadweep requires an entry permit for all visitors, including Indian citizens.
To visit Lakshadweep, you must arrange the following documents:
- Entry Permit
- Police Clearance Certificate (PCC)
- Sponsorship letter or confirmed booking details
- Self-attested ID proof (Aadhaar / Passport / Voter ID)
- Passport-size photographs
- A detailed travel plan, including the islands to be visited
- A local or government-authorised Lakshadweep tour operator
If you are travelling through SPORTS, all these formalities are handled by them.
However, if you plan the trip independently and fly to Lakshadweep, you will need to arrange these documents yourself.
Finding an Authorised Travel Agent for Lakshadweep Tour
To obtain the entry permit, you must first connect with a local or government-authorised Lakshadweep tour operator.
You can find a list of authorised agents here: https://samudram.utl.gov.in/sprt_Agents.aspx https://www.lakshadweeptourism.com/agents.html
Your travel agent will help you:
- design the itinerary
- arrange accommodation
- coordinate island transfers
- apply for the entry permit
How to Plan Your Lakshadweep Tour
Once you finalise your travel agent and transportation mode, the planning process becomes easier.
Start by discussing the following with your travel agent:
- duration of your trip
- islands you want to visit
- preferred accommodation type
Based on this information, they will prepare a complete itinerary, including travel between islands and accommodation availability.
If you are unsure about which islands to visit, simply tell your agent the number of days available, and they will suggest a suitable itinerary.
Applying for the Police Clearance Certificate (PCC) for Lakshadweep Tour
The next important step is obtaining a Police Clearance Certificate (PCC). This should ideally be done 2–3 months before your travel date. Each Indian state has its own procedure and processing timeline. Since I am based in Pune, I had to apply through the Maharashtra PCC system: https://pcs.mahaonline.gov.in/Forms/Home.aspx
The process involves:
- Submitting an online application
- Uploading required documents
- Visiting your local police station for document verification
During the verification process, you may be asked to provide:
- two local witnesses
- address verification documents
- additional identity documents
I personally submitted:
- Birth Certificate
- School Leaving Certificate
- Aadhaar Card
- Passport
- Electricity Bill
- Passport-size photos
- Details of my neighbours
Another important document required for my online PCC application was “Requirements for PCC.” This is usually provided by your travel agent as a sponsorship letter.
Booking Flights to Lakshadweep
Once your PCC is issued and sent to your travel agent, they can proceed with the entry permit process. At this stage, nearly 80% of your work is done. Now you can safely book your flights. Lakshadweep has only one airport, located on Agatti Island.
Agatti Airport is connected to:
- Kochi
- Bengaluru
- Mopa (Goa)
Due to the relatively short runway on Agatti Island, flights are operated using ATR 72-600 turboprop aircraft.
Lakshadweep Entry Permit Process
Your travel agent will arrange the Lakshadweep entry permit after receiving your PCC. The permit is usually issued one day before your travel date.
This document is extremely important and will be checked at multiple points:
- before boarding your flight to Agatti
- upon arrival at Agatti Airport
- during inter-island travel if required
Always keep both printed and digital copies with you.
Why Are There So Many Restrictions in Lakshadweep?
Many travellers wonder why visiting Lakshadweep requires so much documentation.
There are several important reasons. Lakshadweep is a fragile coral ecosystem, and unrestricted tourism could severely damage the environment. The islands also have a unique indigenous culture, with local communities forming around 95% of the population.
Additionally, Lakshadweep faces several logistical constraints, including:
- limited accommodation
- restricted transport capacity
- fuel shortages
In fact, there is only one petrol pump in the capital, Kavaratti, while other islands receive fuel through a rationing system. Because of these factors, the government carefully regulates tourism in Lakshadweep.
(All procedures mentioned here were applicable during our travel in 2026.)
Beginning Our Lakshadweep Journey
I had originally planned to include Minicoy Island in my itinerary along with the other islands. However, while researching the travel logistics, I discovered that there is no regular inter-island connectivity to Minicoy.
There is a ship that occasionally sails from Kavaratti to Minicoy, but the schedule is quite uncertain. The journey itself takes nearly 12 hours by sea, considering the distance of the atoll from the other islands. Minicoy, however, has relatively regular ship connectivity with Kochi. Since there was no reliable way to include it in my island-hopping plan, I had to reluctantly drop Minicoy from my itinerary for this trip.
After completing all the documentation and formalities, we were finally ready for our Lakshadweep tour. We received our entry permit the evening before our travel date, and that’s when the excitement truly began.
For this trip, I planned to visit:
- Agatti
- Kavaratti
- Thinnakara Island
Our travel agent handled the remaining bookings. However, things did not go entirely as smoothly as we expected. We faced several hiccups during the trip — mostly related to coordination with our travel agent. But those experiences deserve a story of their own. So stay tuned for the next post in my Lakshadweep blog series, where I will share our actual travel experience and the challenges we encountered during the trip.
PS: I strongly recommend choosing a travel agent based in Lakshadweep itself rather than an authorised agent from other parts of India.
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