Bangaram Island
Bangaram Island
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nvp
Bhavnagar, India588 contributions
Mar 2021
Bangaram Island
Bangaram
Fairy tale island
785463503
It is the jewel in the crown of Lakswadeep islands. The best place to stay and enjoy the islands of Lakswadeep. Clear waters, loaded with coconuts, silver sands, water sports, adventure sports, coral views , it has it all. No pollution, cut off from the world, divine and blissful experience. Only Airtel and BSNL network. Only place to stay here is the lovely and cosy Bangaram island resort which can be booked online. The water is having high sulfur content but you will get used to it. Go and have a lifetime memorable holiday.
Bangaram
Fairy tale island
785463503
It is the jewel in the crown of Lakswadeep islands. The best place to stay and enjoy the islands of Lakswadeep. Clear waters, loaded with coconuts, silver sands, water sports, adventure sports, coral views , it has it all. No pollution, cut off from the world, divine and blissful experience. Only Airtel and BSNL network. Only place to stay here is the lovely and cosy Bangaram island resort which can be booked online. The water is having high sulfur content but you will get used to it. Go and have a lifetime memorable holiday.
Written March 30, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
1986_mayur
Pune, India35 contributions
Dec 2021 • Family
We visited during Xmas holidays in Dec 2021 and absolutely loved it. It is a lagoon so it is shallow and perfect for swimming. The water is crystal clear and you can see turtles very near to the beach. It is a small island and you can explore the whole island within 1 hour. If you go to the other end of the island, you can literally walk 500 m from the beach that makes it a family friendly beach. There are many water activities that you can do here such as scuba, Snorkelling, glass bottom boat, kayaking, etc. You can see live corals here, which is difficult to find in most beaches. Do watch out for bioluminescence at night time (after 9 PM).
Written January 10, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Bikram R
Mumbai, India46 contributions
Dec 2019
The best beach resort of the sub continent, in terms of location, natural beauty, facility, service, food quality and hospitality. The only option to stay there is to book from SPORTS website or through agent. Have to spend minimum 4 night to enjoy the beauty. Also the resort staffs are well trained.
Take a kayak and explore the island on your own. The bar has limited choice of liquor, however it was enough for us
Take a kayak and explore the island on your own. The bar has limited choice of liquor, however it was enough for us
Written January 3, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Vipin S
Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India43 contributions
Dec 2017 • Family
My family including my 6 year old daughter visited Bangaram during the month of December, 2017 and we would like to share our expertise of our visit to Bangaram Island. I last visited Bangaram in 2008 when it was run by Casino group , so a lot of anticipation on how it will be under SPORTS now.
Heavan on Earth
To our satisfaction , once we reach Bangaram that pristine charm of the old Bangaram resort is still maintained. We really enjoyed our 3 nights stay at Bangaram Island presently operated by SPORTS (Lakshadweep Tourism) and earlier operated by Casino. We have really enjoyed the mother earth natural beauty right from sun raise to sun set during our 3 days stay. Our rooms are neat & clean, the comfort of sleep is good and I think its not right when folks expect things like AC/hot water etc. CGH Earth originally created this resort as close to mother earth without any modern comforts and you stay in the lap of nature , that was the USP of the resort and I hope it stays like that.
Five Cheers to Food
Our package is inclusive of food and it starts with morning high tea / coffee, breakfast, lunch, evening high tea / coffee and Dinner. The quality and spread of food items and varieties are really excellent and not repetitive. The timing to serve the food was maintained picture perfect and always 15 to 30 minutes earlier than the schedule. The service level right from breakfast to dinner was really excellent and all the serving staff served the food / our special requests always with smile. Shaafi who heads F&B and his team are just great.
Water Sports
Bangaram is having the best excellent water sports team in Lakshadweep headed by the dynamic Asif who is ex-Indian Air Force . On day 1 after our arrival and lunch we have gone for kayaking with our 6 year old daughter. We have reached nearest land point and spent some time with our kid. Next day morning we saw the entire land portion submerged into water due to high tide. After our Kayaking we have gone other side of the island to see the sun set and the walk to witness the different colour of the sky during sun set was really excellent and memorable. Dive instructor Mohammed was such a wonderful host to walk us around the shallows.
On Day 2 we have gone for Scuba Diving and we could able to see the underwater world to the maximum extent. The important point is this was our first experience on diving and we dont know the swimming too. The team lead by Dive instructor Mohammed was really excellent and they ensured our safety and made us to see the underwater world. After our Diving we have gone for snorkelling near old ship wrecks and we could able to see colourful fishes right from small to big sizes including star fishes.
After our snorkelling we have gone for turtle watch in the see through glass boat. We could able to see so many turtles and we are able to witness the speed of the turtle swimming in the water. On day 3 we have gone for shore snorkelling and after that we got our life time experience on WOW Thriller boat which tied up with speed boat and thrown us into middle of the sea. Wow board experience was real thriller. Here also Mr.Asif and his team done real excellent job to give us maximum experience.
Our Overall Experience Right from our entry to the Bangaram Island till we exit we have really enjoyed to the maximum. The General Manager Mr. YUSUF was present during breakfast, lunch and dinner without fail and ensured we are enjoying the food and we could able to see he had his food only after all the guests were served. This was very nice of him and exposed the quality of service he was providing to his guests.
Some little Draw backs
Water odur was not good and the colour of the water takes 30 minutes to settle down due to its sulphur content below the island . Although nothing to be worried as this is real natural remedy for our body also as its good for sking, but now they are trying for desalination plant also.
The other thing is its very difficult to contact the SPORTS authorities Cochin office to get our booking confirmation after remitting the amount into their account as advised by them. After trying so much we followed up so many times to get the confirmation.
Tips for booking:
• Would be cost effective to book direct with SPORTS , although contacting their Cochin booking office is little difficult
• Atleast take 3 nights/4 days plan to cover maximum stuff
Anyone of you need any more insights , you are welcome to reachout
Heavan on Earth
To our satisfaction , once we reach Bangaram that pristine charm of the old Bangaram resort is still maintained. We really enjoyed our 3 nights stay at Bangaram Island presently operated by SPORTS (Lakshadweep Tourism) and earlier operated by Casino. We have really enjoyed the mother earth natural beauty right from sun raise to sun set during our 3 days stay. Our rooms are neat & clean, the comfort of sleep is good and I think its not right when folks expect things like AC/hot water etc. CGH Earth originally created this resort as close to mother earth without any modern comforts and you stay in the lap of nature , that was the USP of the resort and I hope it stays like that.
Five Cheers to Food
Our package is inclusive of food and it starts with morning high tea / coffee, breakfast, lunch, evening high tea / coffee and Dinner. The quality and spread of food items and varieties are really excellent and not repetitive. The timing to serve the food was maintained picture perfect and always 15 to 30 minutes earlier than the schedule. The service level right from breakfast to dinner was really excellent and all the serving staff served the food / our special requests always with smile. Shaafi who heads F&B and his team are just great.
Water Sports
Bangaram is having the best excellent water sports team in Lakshadweep headed by the dynamic Asif who is ex-Indian Air Force . On day 1 after our arrival and lunch we have gone for kayaking with our 6 year old daughter. We have reached nearest land point and spent some time with our kid. Next day morning we saw the entire land portion submerged into water due to high tide. After our Kayaking we have gone other side of the island to see the sun set and the walk to witness the different colour of the sky during sun set was really excellent and memorable. Dive instructor Mohammed was such a wonderful host to walk us around the shallows.
On Day 2 we have gone for Scuba Diving and we could able to see the underwater world to the maximum extent. The important point is this was our first experience on diving and we dont know the swimming too. The team lead by Dive instructor Mohammed was really excellent and they ensured our safety and made us to see the underwater world. After our Diving we have gone for snorkelling near old ship wrecks and we could able to see colourful fishes right from small to big sizes including star fishes.
After our snorkelling we have gone for turtle watch in the see through glass boat. We could able to see so many turtles and we are able to witness the speed of the turtle swimming in the water. On day 3 we have gone for shore snorkelling and after that we got our life time experience on WOW Thriller boat which tied up with speed boat and thrown us into middle of the sea. Wow board experience was real thriller. Here also Mr.Asif and his team done real excellent job to give us maximum experience.
Our Overall Experience Right from our entry to the Bangaram Island till we exit we have really enjoyed to the maximum. The General Manager Mr. YUSUF was present during breakfast, lunch and dinner without fail and ensured we are enjoying the food and we could able to see he had his food only after all the guests were served. This was very nice of him and exposed the quality of service he was providing to his guests.
Some little Draw backs
Water odur was not good and the colour of the water takes 30 minutes to settle down due to its sulphur content below the island . Although nothing to be worried as this is real natural remedy for our body also as its good for sking, but now they are trying for desalination plant also.
The other thing is its very difficult to contact the SPORTS authorities Cochin office to get our booking confirmation after remitting the amount into their account as advised by them. After trying so much we followed up so many times to get the confirmation.
Tips for booking:
• Would be cost effective to book direct with SPORTS , although contacting their Cochin booking office is little difficult
• Atleast take 3 nights/4 days plan to cover maximum stuff
Anyone of you need any more insights , you are welcome to reachout
Written January 14, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
foxgang1
Mumbai, India61 contributions
Nov 2014 • Friends
Beauiful. Fantastic. Out of the world. The fact the Bangaram is the only island in Laskadweep with resorts makes it a truly virgin island, with immaculate beaches, crystal clear water and privacy that very few places in the world can now offer. If you wish to walk on the beach with your footprints being the only ones, you can. The other islands in Lakshadweep are beautiful too, but since this is uninhabited, it means that you wouldnt find litter on the beach or in the island, you wouldn' find fishing boats hampering the view of the otherwise immaculate horizon and you wouldn't have to give up on your privacy.
The lagoon in Bangaram is shared by its sister island Thinakkara. Both Bangaram and Thinakkara have resorts owned by SPORT (a government body). The tents have an amazing location right on the beach and have basic facilities: bed, bathroom, a restaurant nearby and most of the water sports (kayaking, snorkelling, scuba diving etc.). However, these are not 5 star properties so dont go looking for fancy facilities.
If I were to select where to stay between Bangaram and Thinnakara, I would be inclined to tilt towards Thinakkara for a couple of reasons. Firstly the resort in Thinakkara cost INR 8,000 whereas that in Bangaram cost INR 10,000. The diraction of the wind means that the resorts in Thinnakara would always have a cool breeze, whereas the tents in Bangaram are cut of from the breeze by the island behind it. The beach in Thinakkara is gradually sloping towards the lagoon, whereas in Bangaram, one of the beaches towards the lagoon has a sudden drop. This can be slighlty dangerous for someone who is not adept at swimming. However in either case, I would strongly suggest to buy your own snorkelling kit before you arrive to the island as renting out the equipment would be slightly more expensive (around INR 600-1000/day). Also, you would be more comfortable with your own kit and there would not be an availability issue. Both Thinnakara and Bangaram have tremendous opportunities to just walk out in the sea and start snorkelling. Be prepared to see large turtles and a myriad of fishes and corals.
Bangaram has another private resort called the Bangaram Beach Island Resort. However this is temporarily shut down due to government ineptitude and bearocratic non-sense. This is quite dissapointing since the island has tremendous potential for tourism. This is only one of 3 other islands where non-Indians are allowed. Also, this is the only island where alcohol is legal. Since the only resort open as of now is the SPORt resort which doesnt have a bar, it means that there is no alcohol on the only island where it is legal to serve it.
Bangaram has tremendous scuba-diving spots all around the island where you can spot large turtles, sharks, sting rays amongst a plethora of other marine lives. It is completely safe and an absolute must according to me. If you want suggestions on the best dive operator, please feel free to send me a personal message.
The island is 30 mins away from Agatti, which has the airport. A return boat ride would cost you around INR 1,500. Other nearby islands are Thinnakra, Parali 1 and Parali 2.
The biggest issue in reaching Lakshadweep, however, is obtaining a permit. As of now, the easiest way to obtain a permit is to either book through SPORT or to be a government employee/relative of a government employee. This has discouraged private tourism in Lakshadweep where most of the private resorts are currently closed.
Laslty, the island is very conservative and the locals would not encourage girls to wear shorts/or even three-fourths. Infact, when we were returning from one of our scuba expedetions by boat, one of the boat crew members actually indicated to one of the girls to wear full trousers and a sleeved tshirt. Bikini's, any form of nudity, or any form of showing excessive "skin" would be deeply discouraged by the locals.
Get sun-tan/coconut oil/mosquito repellant/sun glasses and your permit. Enjoy this little bit of heaven on earth. Feel free to message me personally if trip advisor allows that for more info.
The lagoon in Bangaram is shared by its sister island Thinakkara. Both Bangaram and Thinakkara have resorts owned by SPORT (a government body). The tents have an amazing location right on the beach and have basic facilities: bed, bathroom, a restaurant nearby and most of the water sports (kayaking, snorkelling, scuba diving etc.). However, these are not 5 star properties so dont go looking for fancy facilities.
If I were to select where to stay between Bangaram and Thinnakara, I would be inclined to tilt towards Thinakkara for a couple of reasons. Firstly the resort in Thinakkara cost INR 8,000 whereas that in Bangaram cost INR 10,000. The diraction of the wind means that the resorts in Thinnakara would always have a cool breeze, whereas the tents in Bangaram are cut of from the breeze by the island behind it. The beach in Thinakkara is gradually sloping towards the lagoon, whereas in Bangaram, one of the beaches towards the lagoon has a sudden drop. This can be slighlty dangerous for someone who is not adept at swimming. However in either case, I would strongly suggest to buy your own snorkelling kit before you arrive to the island as renting out the equipment would be slightly more expensive (around INR 600-1000/day). Also, you would be more comfortable with your own kit and there would not be an availability issue. Both Thinnakara and Bangaram have tremendous opportunities to just walk out in the sea and start snorkelling. Be prepared to see large turtles and a myriad of fishes and corals.
Bangaram has another private resort called the Bangaram Beach Island Resort. However this is temporarily shut down due to government ineptitude and bearocratic non-sense. This is quite dissapointing since the island has tremendous potential for tourism. This is only one of 3 other islands where non-Indians are allowed. Also, this is the only island where alcohol is legal. Since the only resort open as of now is the SPORt resort which doesnt have a bar, it means that there is no alcohol on the only island where it is legal to serve it.
Bangaram has tremendous scuba-diving spots all around the island where you can spot large turtles, sharks, sting rays amongst a plethora of other marine lives. It is completely safe and an absolute must according to me. If you want suggestions on the best dive operator, please feel free to send me a personal message.
The island is 30 mins away from Agatti, which has the airport. A return boat ride would cost you around INR 1,500. Other nearby islands are Thinnakra, Parali 1 and Parali 2.
The biggest issue in reaching Lakshadweep, however, is obtaining a permit. As of now, the easiest way to obtain a permit is to either book through SPORT or to be a government employee/relative of a government employee. This has discouraged private tourism in Lakshadweep where most of the private resorts are currently closed.
Laslty, the island is very conservative and the locals would not encourage girls to wear shorts/or even three-fourths. Infact, when we were returning from one of our scuba expedetions by boat, one of the boat crew members actually indicated to one of the girls to wear full trousers and a sleeved tshirt. Bikini's, any form of nudity, or any form of showing excessive "skin" would be deeply discouraged by the locals.
Get sun-tan/coconut oil/mosquito repellant/sun glasses and your permit. Enjoy this little bit of heaven on earth. Feel free to message me personally if trip advisor allows that for more info.
Written December 8, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
divagirl2013
Geneva, Switzerland75 contributions
Nov 2014 • Friends
Lakshadweep islands
One of the last places on earth that has not yet been exploited and commercialized.
Being a beach lover, we were very much looking forward to discovering these islands. The fact that only 4 out of 11 inhabited Lakshadweep islands are open to foreign tourists also adds to the intrigue and charm of this place.
Everyone going to these islands needs a permit that can be obtained by SPORTS. It seems that one needs 2 months advance planning and booking. We opted for Bangaram island for a 3 night stay.
Upon arrival at Agatti airport and approximately 25 passport and permit checks later, we got on a 'speedboat' to take us to Bangaram. It was more like an old fishing boat than a speed boat. The journey took 1h30 minutes. Eventhough the distance between Agatti and Bangaram is just 10 kms. :-)
Once we arrived on Bangaram, we were escorted to our non A/C 'tent'. The tent is very basic...2 twin beds, a small bathroom at the back of it and a shower that drip drops water.
The island has beautiful shades of turquoise/emerald green colour, but the beach at Bangaram is a bit disappointing since the patch of sand is interrupted by a patch of grass. On low tide it is ok...but high tide eats up the beach even more. Due to the lake found in the middle of the island, there are tons of mosquitoes around at night.
By the second day, we were curious to visit Thinnikara which is the island directly facing Bangaram that also had some tents set up on what looked like a much bigger sandy white beach. We decided to take the boat ride that covered Parveli 1 and 2 (uninhabited islands nearby) as well as Thinnikara. The corals are unspoiled and the water is an amazing colour.
Once we reached Thinnikara, we knew immediately that this was exactly what we were looking for in terms of beaches. The beach here is large white fine sand and is just spectacular!!! We asked the man running this island if we could transfer from Bangaram to Thinnikara and he was very happy to accommodate us. So we immediately took the small fishing boat back to Bangaram, packed in 10 minutes, and off we were back to Thinnikara.
The tent set up is exactly the same on Thinnikara as it is on Bangaram. There was a total of 7 tents (all the same) set up along the beach. Each tent accommodates 2 persons. The bathroom is exactly the same too. The only downside when comparing Bangaram to Thinnikara is that Thinnikara shower water smelled much worse than the shower at Bangaram. No hot water, but you don't really need it. No mosquitoes, or at least a lot less due to the absence of a marshland in the middle of the island.
The best part about Thinnikara is that you have sunset directly in front of you as opposed to having the sunset behind you like on Banagaram (you get sunrise if you wake up early enough on Bangaram)
On days 2 and 3 we were literally the only persons on Thinnikara. Our own private island :-) (apart from staff). We walked around the island (it takes about 50 minutes with a brisk pace)...and also ventured out on the various sand bars found at the tip of the island. The emotion is overwhelming.
We saw tons of turtles, sting rays, Nemos everyday.
Thinnikara is paradise on earth. The water, the corals, the turtles and all the unspoiled nature of it is what will stay for a long time in your memory.
It is true that it is very basic accommodations, with basic food...but the staff is lovely (all young boys), and willing to help out with whatever request, obviously within their very limited knowledge of English language. It is sheer bliss well worth a 3 night stay.
To all foreign tourists that have non-Indian cell phones: Please note that your cell phone will not take on the island. Bangaram has no cell phone reception, obviously no wifi, and no electricity between 7:30 a.m. and 7:30 p.m.
Thinnikara, manages to sometimes get a cell phone signal that hardly ever works, no wifi and also no electricity during the times mentioned above. If you can handle being disconnected from the world and appreciate the beauty of such places...this is definitely for you.
If you can rough out the basic camping conditions (nothing remotely close to 'glam-ping' on these islands!), then this place is really worth the visit...You will be one of a few hundred travelers that ventures out annually to this part of the world. It's probably the basic conditions that will make you dream to go back one day.
One of the last places on earth that has not yet been exploited and commercialized.
Being a beach lover, we were very much looking forward to discovering these islands. The fact that only 4 out of 11 inhabited Lakshadweep islands are open to foreign tourists also adds to the intrigue and charm of this place.
Everyone going to these islands needs a permit that can be obtained by SPORTS. It seems that one needs 2 months advance planning and booking. We opted for Bangaram island for a 3 night stay.
Upon arrival at Agatti airport and approximately 25 passport and permit checks later, we got on a 'speedboat' to take us to Bangaram. It was more like an old fishing boat than a speed boat. The journey took 1h30 minutes. Eventhough the distance between Agatti and Bangaram is just 10 kms. :-)
Once we arrived on Bangaram, we were escorted to our non A/C 'tent'. The tent is very basic...2 twin beds, a small bathroom at the back of it and a shower that drip drops water.
The island has beautiful shades of turquoise/emerald green colour, but the beach at Bangaram is a bit disappointing since the patch of sand is interrupted by a patch of grass. On low tide it is ok...but high tide eats up the beach even more. Due to the lake found in the middle of the island, there are tons of mosquitoes around at night.
By the second day, we were curious to visit Thinnikara which is the island directly facing Bangaram that also had some tents set up on what looked like a much bigger sandy white beach. We decided to take the boat ride that covered Parveli 1 and 2 (uninhabited islands nearby) as well as Thinnikara. The corals are unspoiled and the water is an amazing colour.
Once we reached Thinnikara, we knew immediately that this was exactly what we were looking for in terms of beaches. The beach here is large white fine sand and is just spectacular!!! We asked the man running this island if we could transfer from Bangaram to Thinnikara and he was very happy to accommodate us. So we immediately took the small fishing boat back to Bangaram, packed in 10 minutes, and off we were back to Thinnikara.
The tent set up is exactly the same on Thinnikara as it is on Bangaram. There was a total of 7 tents (all the same) set up along the beach. Each tent accommodates 2 persons. The bathroom is exactly the same too. The only downside when comparing Bangaram to Thinnikara is that Thinnikara shower water smelled much worse than the shower at Bangaram. No hot water, but you don't really need it. No mosquitoes, or at least a lot less due to the absence of a marshland in the middle of the island.
The best part about Thinnikara is that you have sunset directly in front of you as opposed to having the sunset behind you like on Banagaram (you get sunrise if you wake up early enough on Bangaram)
On days 2 and 3 we were literally the only persons on Thinnikara. Our own private island :-) (apart from staff). We walked around the island (it takes about 50 minutes with a brisk pace)...and also ventured out on the various sand bars found at the tip of the island. The emotion is overwhelming.
We saw tons of turtles, sting rays, Nemos everyday.
Thinnikara is paradise on earth. The water, the corals, the turtles and all the unspoiled nature of it is what will stay for a long time in your memory.
It is true that it is very basic accommodations, with basic food...but the staff is lovely (all young boys), and willing to help out with whatever request, obviously within their very limited knowledge of English language. It is sheer bliss well worth a 3 night stay.
To all foreign tourists that have non-Indian cell phones: Please note that your cell phone will not take on the island. Bangaram has no cell phone reception, obviously no wifi, and no electricity between 7:30 a.m. and 7:30 p.m.
Thinnikara, manages to sometimes get a cell phone signal that hardly ever works, no wifi and also no electricity during the times mentioned above. If you can handle being disconnected from the world and appreciate the beauty of such places...this is definitely for you.
If you can rough out the basic camping conditions (nothing remotely close to 'glam-ping' on these islands!), then this place is really worth the visit...You will be one of a few hundred travelers that ventures out annually to this part of the world. It's probably the basic conditions that will make you dream to go back one day.
Written December 1, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
driftwood-HB
Melbourne, Australia59 contributions
Jan 2015 • Couples
First, thanks to those who'd gone before since we benefited from your suffering. We were lucky in negotiating a largely pain-free 4 nights on Tinnakara.
The good points were unequalled anywhere. Dive visibility over 20m, near-new gear and skilled divemasters. We saw only 2 of the 7 sites, probably because we'd misplaced an Advanced cert card and were kept below 19m. Minimal tidal difference led to no current issues. The lagoon snorkelling is superb, even if the reef is far from shore. Food was consistently good, if a little repetitive. Only noticed a few mosquitos, and the genny ran for most hours so they could be cleared by the pedestal fans.
The bad is unbelievably so. There's one launch for transfers so if it's elsewhere, the pictured fishing boat is used. 20min from Agatti becomes 105min of sun, sucking in fumes from that exhaust in front of passengers. SPORTS bully you at booking time to take in Kadmat, 10 times further away. Fight back, or go elsewhere. All activities require cash, and at 3000rup per dive, I'd like a little more services- a video, fish ID book etc.
The good points were unequalled anywhere. Dive visibility over 20m, near-new gear and skilled divemasters. We saw only 2 of the 7 sites, probably because we'd misplaced an Advanced cert card and were kept below 19m. Minimal tidal difference led to no current issues. The lagoon snorkelling is superb, even if the reef is far from shore. Food was consistently good, if a little repetitive. Only noticed a few mosquitos, and the genny ran for most hours so they could be cleared by the pedestal fans.
The bad is unbelievably so. There's one launch for transfers so if it's elsewhere, the pictured fishing boat is used. 20min from Agatti becomes 105min of sun, sucking in fumes from that exhaust in front of passengers. SPORTS bully you at booking time to take in Kadmat, 10 times further away. Fight back, or go elsewhere. All activities require cash, and at 3000rup per dive, I'd like a little more services- a video, fish ID book etc.
Written February 3, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
ram
Hyderabad, India41 contributions
Oct 2014 • Friends
Me and my friend had planned for a 7 day dive trip to Lakshadweep (for at least 8 dives). After months of torture, we managed to get the permit. We stayed at Thinnakara and Kadmat.
Thinnkara and Bangaram are 2 islands in the same Lagoon. Thinnakara is a really small island, you can go around the island with in 2 hours. Bangaram is much bigger.
Pros:
1. You'll see turtles not too far away from the shore. We saw more than 10
2. The view is superb. The lagoon's are amazing, you'd never imaging finding such a place in INDIA.
Cons:
1. The tents are substandard and the beds are awful. Take your own sheets.
2. They serve pretty much the same food everyday. Quality is below par.
3. Difficult to get any snacks in between meals. Take your own snacks.
4. They have a dive shop but the instructor was not there, so we could do nothing. Confirm if the instructor is there and when they did diving recently (turns out, they had no dive in the recent months)
5. Trip from Bangaram to Agatti is a 45 mins boat ride (if the weather is good). Their speed boat was not working, so they sent us in a fisherman boat, about 12 people and 4 of them did not have life jackets.
6. They don't really care for your plan, you will be moved about on the availability of boats.
Over all, don't go with a high expectation and with a plan. You will thoroughly enjoy it. Also, preferably, move to agatti a day before you depart. If on the day you leave, the weather is bad; you will be stuck on that island.
Thinnkara and Bangaram are 2 islands in the same Lagoon. Thinnakara is a really small island, you can go around the island with in 2 hours. Bangaram is much bigger.
Pros:
1. You'll see turtles not too far away from the shore. We saw more than 10
2. The view is superb. The lagoon's are amazing, you'd never imaging finding such a place in INDIA.
Cons:
1. The tents are substandard and the beds are awful. Take your own sheets.
2. They serve pretty much the same food everyday. Quality is below par.
3. Difficult to get any snacks in between meals. Take your own snacks.
4. They have a dive shop but the instructor was not there, so we could do nothing. Confirm if the instructor is there and when they did diving recently (turns out, they had no dive in the recent months)
5. Trip from Bangaram to Agatti is a 45 mins boat ride (if the weather is good). Their speed boat was not working, so they sent us in a fisherman boat, about 12 people and 4 of them did not have life jackets.
6. They don't really care for your plan, you will be moved about on the availability of boats.
Over all, don't go with a high expectation and with a plan. You will thoroughly enjoy it. Also, preferably, move to agatti a day before you depart. If on the day you leave, the weather is bad; you will be stuck on that island.
Written December 11, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Himalay_Wanderer
Mumbai184 contributions
Mar 2018 • Family
We flew in from Kochi to Agatti by the only flight operated by Alliance Air in the morning. Be sure to carry a printout of your entry permit for Lakshadweep since this is verified by the airline prior to check-in. At Agatti airport the representative of SPORTS helps you with the taxi to the jetty to catch ferry for Bangaram. The ferry takes between 45 to 60 minutes depending on the type of vessel.
At Bangaram, you are received by the resort manager who then briefs you about the facility and arranges for you to be taken to your cottage. Currently only non-AC cottages given to tourists, since the AC cottages are reserved for Govt. staff. We were told that there are plans to convert cottages to AC in the near future.
The cottages are comfortable and have an air-cooler that is periodically replenished with water by house-keeping staff. There is no provision for hot water in the bathroom. Another thing to be kept in mind is that the bathroom water stinks of sulphur. It is preferable to fill the bucket and let it stand for few hours to reduce the smell, prior to using it. The resort provides 1 bottle of drinking water per person per day in the room. Housekeeping staff does the rounds daily to clean the cottage, make the beds and replace towels.
A decent buffet breakfast is provided catering to Indian / western palate. The lunch buffet is mostly South Indian style food, although spice levels are way down (bordering on bland / insipid) to cater to foreign tourists. The dinner buffet is served on the beach and has a mix of Indian / Western style dishes, with similarly bland spice levels. The baked items and desserts were consistently good.
Bangaram is the sole island in Lakshadweep where liquor is served, although the choice is limited.
The resort provides various water sports activities like kayaking, knee-boarding, water-skiing, wind surfing, banana ride, glass-bottomed boat, turtle watching, snorkelling, etc.
Snorkelling is excellent near the ship-wreck in the lagoon (shared with Thinnakara island) and the water level is shallow enough for sunlight to reach the sea-bed for great visibility. The timing for this visit has to be according to the tide level. The other spots are deeper and the visibility is impacted. Various types of coral and fish are found in abundance, although some level of coral bleaching / dead coral is seen. Comparatively, Kavarati and Minicoy have more number of shallow snorkelling spots for greater sea-life / coral visibility.
Scuba diving for first-timers is done near the shore itself without a boat, since the beach in front of the resort has a steep gradient and quickly reaches a depth of 6 meters.
Depending on the tide, one get a great sunset view from the sand-bank near the helipad side of the island. During low tide, one can walk across to the sand-bank.
On a full moon night, the moonlight is enough to light up the beach for a cosy walk after dinner. Prior to moon-rise, when the night sky is pitch black, you may be able to experience the momentary glow of bio-luminescent plankton on the shore when the waves hit the beach. It is as if tiny flickering green lights are strung up on the beach.
One can easily walk around the island in about an hour along the beach paths (no concrete / tiled pathways on the island). There is a lake in the middle of the island that provides the piped water. But it is not a beautiful sight and has greenish water. The beach on west side has comparatively more shallow water than the east side,
The resort provides packed breakfast for the ferry ride back to Agatti island since it is usually early morning.
Special mention for Mr Asif & Mr Salim from the water sports team and Mr Mohammed from the restaurant / bar.
Recommend a stay of at least 3 nights to enjoy fully.
At Bangaram, you are received by the resort manager who then briefs you about the facility and arranges for you to be taken to your cottage. Currently only non-AC cottages given to tourists, since the AC cottages are reserved for Govt. staff. We were told that there are plans to convert cottages to AC in the near future.
The cottages are comfortable and have an air-cooler that is periodically replenished with water by house-keeping staff. There is no provision for hot water in the bathroom. Another thing to be kept in mind is that the bathroom water stinks of sulphur. It is preferable to fill the bucket and let it stand for few hours to reduce the smell, prior to using it. The resort provides 1 bottle of drinking water per person per day in the room. Housekeeping staff does the rounds daily to clean the cottage, make the beds and replace towels.
A decent buffet breakfast is provided catering to Indian / western palate. The lunch buffet is mostly South Indian style food, although spice levels are way down (bordering on bland / insipid) to cater to foreign tourists. The dinner buffet is served on the beach and has a mix of Indian / Western style dishes, with similarly bland spice levels. The baked items and desserts were consistently good.
Bangaram is the sole island in Lakshadweep where liquor is served, although the choice is limited.
The resort provides various water sports activities like kayaking, knee-boarding, water-skiing, wind surfing, banana ride, glass-bottomed boat, turtle watching, snorkelling, etc.
Snorkelling is excellent near the ship-wreck in the lagoon (shared with Thinnakara island) and the water level is shallow enough for sunlight to reach the sea-bed for great visibility. The timing for this visit has to be according to the tide level. The other spots are deeper and the visibility is impacted. Various types of coral and fish are found in abundance, although some level of coral bleaching / dead coral is seen. Comparatively, Kavarati and Minicoy have more number of shallow snorkelling spots for greater sea-life / coral visibility.
Scuba diving for first-timers is done near the shore itself without a boat, since the beach in front of the resort has a steep gradient and quickly reaches a depth of 6 meters.
Depending on the tide, one get a great sunset view from the sand-bank near the helipad side of the island. During low tide, one can walk across to the sand-bank.
On a full moon night, the moonlight is enough to light up the beach for a cosy walk after dinner. Prior to moon-rise, when the night sky is pitch black, you may be able to experience the momentary glow of bio-luminescent plankton on the shore when the waves hit the beach. It is as if tiny flickering green lights are strung up on the beach.
One can easily walk around the island in about an hour along the beach paths (no concrete / tiled pathways on the island). There is a lake in the middle of the island that provides the piped water. But it is not a beautiful sight and has greenish water. The beach on west side has comparatively more shallow water than the east side,
The resort provides packed breakfast for the ferry ride back to Agatti island since it is usually early morning.
Special mention for Mr Asif & Mr Salim from the water sports team and Mr Mohammed from the restaurant / bar.
Recommend a stay of at least 3 nights to enjoy fully.
Written March 8, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
manojINDIA
Allahabad, India653 contributions
Mar 2017 • Family
I visited this island with my two young kids. I stayed here for five night.The island is just 45 minutes from Agatti. This small but very beautiful island. It's very peaceful because their is no population. Only guests and resort staff stay here. You can say it's 'Big Boss ' kind of island. You get nothing here no internet, no news paper , no television,no mobile network (except Airtel, BSNL), no AC, no pollution, no fisherman boats near beach you just enjoy peace, peace n peace. Even staff n other guests never try to encroach your privacy.So you can enjoy yourself.Mr. Yusuf the manager and Mr. Shahjahan supervisor take care of all your needs .Food has especially North Indian touch. I did not like non vegetarian food but vegetarian food is good. Dinner is served on shore.There is water sports center and dive center. Water sports center offers many water sports facilities but Mr. Asif the person in charge at water sports center is not a good man. He will try to give excuses for many rides like high speed boat , water scooter ride etc. He sites lame excuses. For example when we asked for high standard speed boat ride he said it was low tide but after five minutes he gave ride to other people. He is only interested is snorkeling, kayaking or board ride. Dive center is wonderful. I completed my PADi open water diving certification course. Equipments are high standard and they never compromise with security. People at dive center has some semantic problem but they very friendly and wonderful people. My instructor Najim (Aazi) is very efficient person. I never swam in sea water so I was worried and tense, he kept me calm n took extra care of my needs. I was not very much confident about finishing the course but everyone at dive center kept me motivated during the course. My final dive was at manta point, I was lucky enough to spot turtle n shark. It's life time experience. Once in your life you must try SCUBA diving.The island has a small shop where you can purchase things for daily uses. The shop has also glass art collection by local artist Naseera. Water is great problem here it takes time to get used to with this water. Island need better maintenance. The water lake in island is in poor condition. If they pay attention it can be a good happening place. Sunrise and sunset is very beautiful at Bangaram.Sunset from western coast is wonderful. You will never forget its beauty. There's is very beautiful sand field on western coast. People walk through sea to approach it but as we had two kids we did not go on sand field. You can also enjoy fishing in early morning before sunrise. If you are planning to go Bangaram choose the date of full moon. Moon rise through the horizon of ocean looks phenomenal. If you have DSLR you will get life time shot for full moon rise. Our six day stay was wonderful my kids n my wife also enjoyed very much. The island is strongly recommended for people who want a peace escape from hectic metro life or having heavy work stress. You go with the person to whom you love most and stay here for a week you will feel rejuvenated. When we were staying most people came for one or two night stay three couples were staying for longer than a week. I do not think it's suitable for honeymoon couples because there are not much activities you can enjoy here. Our overall stay was wonderful. I was surprised to see that my kids can stay without mobile or tv for week and enjoying the island. I will definitely go back to Bangaram for its exceptionally beauty and wonderful hospitality by resort staff.
Written April 22, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Stefano C
7 contributions
Esiste un reef accessibile a nuoto dalla spiaggia oppure per fare snorkeling e vedere la barriera bisogna prendere una barca ? Grazie Molte
Negroiu T
1 contribution
Hi, could you please be kind and tell me if you booked the trip to Bangaram by yourself or via tourist agency ?
Did you go there by plane to Agatti and then to Bangaram ?
Thank you in advance!
Bikram R
Mumbai, India46 contributions
Book it personally. No agent required. Just search for samudram.utl at google and once you enter the site click on resort booking
Rushikesh B
Bhavnagar, India2 contributions
How many budget for couple 5day 4night
IndianTraveler2013
Mumbai, India56 contributions
Roughly 55k including water sports + 30k flight tickets = ~85k for the best experience at Bangaram and Thinakara islands.
SREEJITH
Lonavala, India
In which island does the ship boards?
Detailed price list of water sports, hotel (including food) per day.
IndianTraveler2013
Mumbai, India56 contributions
Dinner/lunch/breakfast & tea are included in your hotel price. For 6 days of stay at Bangaram & Thinakara islands, it may cost you around 60k (excluding flight tickets).
You arrive at Agatti island and from there they take you by boat to different islands.
adidagan
Tel Aviv, Israel124 contributions
We are looking for a recommendation for a travel agent to book a package- any ideas? Do the agents help with the entry permit?
Anirban59
Newcastle upon Tyne, UK2 contributions
Is it possible to be based at and scuba dive at Bangaram, and travel to other islands (e.g. Kavaratti and Minicoy) for diving?
Fortheloveofwater
Brighton, UK50 contributions
Hi, I believe that it would’ve too far to travel daily to other islands. Better that you travel and stay on different islands and dive from there. Diving at Bangaram is very good so no problem to stay and dive there. Failing that try a two center holiday. If you opt for a two center, stay at Bangaram closest to your departure date as it is closer to Agatti than other places you mentioned. If you are not Indian Nationals you are limited to the islands you can stay on ( sorry if you know that already). Please contact us if you need more info. The islands are so beautiful, I hope you get there.
ritusofat2003
New Delhi, India6 contributions
hi could u please let me know if cake & champagne is available in the resort as we plan to go there for a birthday celebration. thnx a tonne!
IndianTraveler2013
Mumbai, India56 contributions
Only Bangaram Island has liquor that too minimum brands. Not sure about champagne but wine and beer was available. Not sure about cake either.
Amrata M
Mumbai, India5 contributions
Hi, I was giving a thought of travelling to Lakshwadeep (one of the islands) in the third week of may. Is it a good time to visit along with a toddler?
GreenEarthTrails
Kochi (Cochin), India29 contributions
I am not sure whether Bangaram would be open by then. Last year they closed Lakshadweep from mid of May, to prepare for the monsoon which was expected to start by the first week of June. The best time could be considered from October to mid of May.
It is part of the summer in the Islands, it is going to be beautiful blue skies and super warm clear water during the day.
paolinawawy
Faenza, Italy28 contributions
Per chi si è affidato a agenzie indiane...vi risulta che i permessi per le isole arrivano la settimana prima della partenza?
MJH31
Godalming, UK101 contributions
We were given the permit once all payments were complete. We collected ours from agency but they can be scanned to you too which is acceptable too.
Kirkukland
Birmingham, UK12 contributions
Hi there, I was hoping to go diving here - would you be able to let me know how much it is? The tourism page is distorted where they show the tariffs. Thanks very much!
MJH31
Godalming, UK101 contributions
I was told by two brits that they paid £40 per dive and were really happy with the professionalism of the dive school. Enjoy, I am most envious!
Bangaram Island - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go
Frequently Asked Questions about Bangaram Island
- Hotels near Bangaram Island:
- (0.46 mi) Bangaram Island Resort
- (0.39 mi) Minicoy Island Beach Resort
- (2.04 mi) Thinnakkar Tent Houses
- (9.43 mi) White Pearl Beach Hotel
- (8.66 mi) Island Holiday Home