Water sports in Lakshwadeep is a most enjoyable experience and with its vast lagoon around all the islands, Lakshwadeep has emerged as a major water sport destination in the country. The vast expanses of the shallow lagoons provide an ideal setting for water sports enthusiasts. All the islands offer kayaks, canoes, pedal boats, sail boats, wind surfers, snorkels sets glass-bottomed boats and other facilities to tourists who wish to indulge in water sports in the unpolluted lagoons. Kadmat, Kavaratti and Bangaram have facilities for scuba diving. Deep-sea fishing enthusiasts can pursue big game fishing. Barracuda, Sail Fish, Yellow Fin Tuna, Triveli and sharks are abundant in the seas around Lakshadweep. Local boats with experienced crew can also be hired. Some of the popular water sport centers are discussed below.
Dolphin Dive Center, Kavaratti
Kavaratti is the headquarter island situated around 404 km off the coast of Cochin. The beautiful calm lagoon in the island is ideal for scuba dive beginners. Open water outside the reef is equally beautiful. The dive center is conveniently located on the northern tip of the island very close to the entrance. Therefore access to dive spots is easy and quick from the dive center. The island has a 10-bedded resort catering to divers. It is well known for turtles, soft corals sharks, rays and all kinds of tropical fishes. Dive Spots like Harbour Mouth, very close to the entrance, is abundant with Giant Sea Fans, Giant Triveli, Gorgonians. A dive at Governors Reef is a lesson in different types of soft corals of attractive colours especially of bright red. One can enjoy amazing cave dives at Wall of Wonder in the north-west side of the island. A dive at Turtle Nest is worth all different types of turtles there. One can swim with grey reef sharks, spotted rays, bat fish and lot of groupers at Wind Mill Point.
Kadmat Scuba Diving Centre
Kadmat is one of the most beautiful diving locations in India. It is an idyllic little island which forms part of the Lakshadweep archipelago, situated 407km. off the coast of Kerala in the Arabian Sea. Kadmat is just 8km long and only 550m wide at its broadest point. The crystal clear water and the abundant marine life enhance the beauty of Kadmat. Against the vast expanse of the blue sea, the island looks like emerald. Clear water with 20-50 meter visibility and a variety of fishes like Lion fish, Lobsters, Tuna, rays, sharks, shoaling jacks, fusiliers, sweet lips, groupers, eels, turtles makes it a memorable destination for scuba divers. Pristine beaches, lovely lagoons and the wealth of marine habitat make Kadmat a dream diving locale.
Kadmat is home to the first Laccadives Dive Centre and School. The Laccadives Kadmat Dive School offers beginner to advanced courses throughout the season (1st October to 1st May). The centre caters to certified divers as well. This is the only Dive school in India offering CMAS certification courses from Beginner (1 Star) to Instructor levels.
Minicoy Dive Center
Minicoy is the southern-most island in the Lakshadweep group of islands. Situated 398 kms from Cochin, it is the second largest island in size. A crescent shaped island, it has a huge lagoon on the western side. It has a tiny islet called Viringili on the southern tip of the island. The island is set apart from other islands as culture, language and tradition are different from other islands. It has a 20-bedded resort for accommodating divers and other tourists. Independent tourist cottages are also available in the island.
Minicoy is the only island in Lakshadweep having three large ship wrecks believed to be that of S.S Hoechst and other ships, within 8 meters depth on the island reef. These wrecks are virtual underwater museums and fish species found here are larger than average normal size found else where perhaps due to consumption of Ferrous of the wrecks. Manta Ray can be cited in almost all dive sites like Ragganmathi, Mulimatti, Rabberufarai during September - October and January - February. Sharks, bull rays, turtles, school of jacks, red snappers, black snappers, napoleon wrasse, barracuda, and sweet lips are in abundance at Bose Point, Murambu and Boduhavaligang. Other interesting species found here are hump back parrot fish and Giant Sweet Lips.
