Amidst the India-Maldives diplomatic row caused by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent visit to the pristine archipelago of Lakshadweep, there has been growing interest among Indians to travel to the archipelago. A lot of social media users have shown their excitement about visiting Lakshadweep and exploring the region. Some have even said that they cancelled their Maldives plan to visit the island.
However, visiting the Lakshadweep, despite this massive spike in interest, is proving to be futile for the travellers. The primary reason is the lack of the flight tickets to Lakshadweep, which has let down many. As per a report, MakeMyTrip saw 3400% hike in the search for Lakshadweep.
Also read: Can Lakshadweep Overthrow Maldives To Attract More Tourists?
Lakshadweep Airport Flight Options
The Island can be reached by ships and flights operated from Kochi, Kerala only. It’s situated around 250-400 km from Kochi, depending on the island in the region. Flights are operated to Agatti Island, the only island with an airstrip from Kochi International Airport.
Only Alliance Air operate flights from Kochi and it takes approximately one hour and thirty minutes in flight. From Agatti, boats are available to Kavaratti and Kadmat during fair season October to May. As seen on MakeMyTrip, there’s no ticket on the Alliance Air flight till mid February.
Similarly, while returning back, there are not tickets till March end. Alliance Air operates a 70-seater ATR-72 aircraft. With only a single flight, and that too from Kochi, it becomes tedious for travellers to reach Lakshadweep.
Further, the limitations on the number of tourists allowed to visit Lakshadweep due to the delicate ecosystem and limited infrastructure of the islands is another turn down for many. All Indians have to apply for an Entry Permit to visit the islands.
Also read: PM Modi Goes Snorkelling In Lakshadweep, Shares His ‘Tranquil’ Experience
Lakshadweep-Maldives Tourism Row
The tensions between India and Maldives erupted soon after Prime Minister Narendra Modi posted some pictures from his recent visit to Lakshadweep, a cluster of islands in the Arabian Sea. In a series of posts on X.com, PM Modi shared his experience of snokerling in the ocean and walking on pristine beaches of the island region.
He also promoted tourism in the region, asking people to visit Lakshadweep for its beauty and water sport activities. PM Modi’s visit to Lakshadweep sparked an online debate. Few social media users compared Lakshadweep to Maldives and asked Indians to boycott Maldives and visit the Indian archipelago instead.
The comparison didn’t went well with some high ranking government officials from Maldives and they posted negative about the Lakshadweep, mocking the beach destination. In response, there was a backlash from Indian social media users who called for Boycott Maldives campaign.