[aah78]

Originally Posted by prashant.dinkar

sounds really good ... we are really looking forward for watersports
do you have any idea about the connectivity from delhi ..... Thank you so much for your response

You're very welcome. We (my wife and I), did the trip from Bombay to Cochin by Jet Airways, and Cochin to Agatti by a funky 15 seater Indian Airlines propellor plane - the pilots use newspaper to cover the windscreen because of the intense sunlight (maybe sunglasses would be a better option), but I guess they know what they're doing. Yes, they serve refreshments too!

I'm sure with the multitude of airlines operating in India you'll have no problems finding a Delhi to Cochin flight.

Our package was arranged by someone (who doesn't work there anymore) in Travel Corporation (India), Ltd. (TCI), and it came out to be approx. Rs. 22,500/- (4 days/3 nights) for two, including food, sightseeing, fishing, kayaking, etc. but this was in early 2003.

[prashant.dinkar]

Originally Posted by aah78

You're very welcome.
.
.
.
Our package was arranged by someone (who doesn't work there anymore) in Travel Corporation (India), Ltd. (TCI), and it came out to be approx. Rs. 22,500/- (4 days/3 nights) for two, including food, sightseeing, fishing, kayaking, etc. but this was in early 2003.

Wow 15 seater propellor plane and kayaking sounds really kewl. Ok so one has to fly to cochin first .
I will surely check out the flights and other connectivity details .

Thank You once again for your prompt response

Prashant

[madbullram]

Prashant: Take aah78 advise. Its an amazing place. Agatti is less expensive compared to Bangaram and both places are amazing. But if you want loads of entertainment then this is not the place. I loved the 3 days I stayed here...

What lakshwdeep offers is:
1. Abolsute peace and tranquility
2. Amazing breaches (some are not deep you can like walk for 500m inside them)
3. Simple and good food
4. Load of nice time for both you to know each other and enjoy

Agatti Link: Homepage - Agatti Island Beach Resort

Bangaram: ::Lakshwdeep Island Tours::

[prashant.dinkar]

Originally Posted by madbullram

Prashant: Take aah78 advise. Its an amazing place. Agatti is less expensive compared to Bangaram and both places are amazing. But if you want loads of entertainment then this is not the place. I loved the 3 days I stayed here.

Hey Thank You for the links buddy ..
I am planning a 10 Day Tour (Excluding Travel Time) so do you think there are enough scenic places there ?

[married2speed]

Hi Prashant
First of all, congratulations on tying the knot(soon i.e.)
With regards to your travel plans, first, you've got to be clear in your mind for a couple of things
1. Where do you want to holiday- India or abroad. Once you've decided, stick to it.
2. Set the budget accordingly and your expectations. Things you would like to be included in your package and things you would want to miss out on.
3. Speak to a a lot of travel agents, especially the lesser known one's. If you head out to SOTC etc, you'll get creamed. Remember, brand comes at a price. I remember, when I had to go for my honeymoon, we spent 2 months deciding this. First we went to all the travel agents, who for all their expensive and outrageous costs, could not offer me the programme I wanted. At the end, we ended up designing our own plan and travelled all over europe
4. Beach holidays can be done at australia as well ( personally recommended) at a decent budget or elsewhere too, like SA other than Mauritius etc etc.
5. The weather at Mauritius & Seychelles or anywhere else now-a-days is unpredictable. Thanks to the global warming, the islands are the first one's to suffer. August in Mauritius normally means end of winter. It's normally sunny and One can laze around in a pair of shorts etc but up north, there could be rain-showers as well, which might force you to stay indoors. If you like driving in the rain, then, it should be good for you. For Seychelles, July and August are the driest but can be windy. I would put my money on Seychelles.
6. For the Indian Islands, although both the lakshadweep and the andaman are the best destinations to visit in the country, August is not really the best time to visit. Some may argue othewise but here is my reasoning
a) You being on your honeymoon would not find a soul around. Considering that August is still considered to be a "monsoon" time here in India, flight delays, frequent connections and lack of comfortable transports, is something I would not recommend for a honeymoon. For a holiday, definately but not for a honeymoon.
b) The flight from Cochin to Aggati is a 1 hour deafener flight and should you not love your wife or your life, do take her on that. I almost got thrown out of the donnier by my better half as the noise was simply too much and at the end of the flight, our ears were hurting. Not sure if you would want to start your honeymoon like that.
c) Anadaman - Same opinion. The water is really choppy and again, not a honeymoon destination, considering that you are weighing in your options against seychelles and mauritius. If i were you, I'd rather spend the same amount of money on a foreign trip than a trip within India. A 3 day trip to Andaman would cost you anywhere between 30-35K per person approx. (ex delhi)

Well, I can go on and on suggesting you things, but I guess the mods will be running after my life in a bit
So if you do want to know anything more, don't hesitate to drop in a line. We all bhpians are here to help you with your travel plans

Cheers and have a nice time
M2S

[phamilyman]

M2S brings up an intersting point. With ATF being as costly as it is in India, our flights are ****dy expensive. So DEL-Langkawi-DEL flight will cost approx 25k which is not much more than what you'll spend for andamans.

plus option to visit S'pore VERY cheaply/comfortably, excellent shopping and you get the phoren honeymoon label.

/above is minus hotel costs, where sky is limit

[Rehaan]

Hi Prashant,

I had been to mauritius many years back and the maldives about 4 years back.

They are both fairly similar in a lot of ways. The differences :
- the maldives has incredibly clear waters
- mauritus has a bit of an "indian" feel to it (languages overhead, food, people etc)
- mauritius is one big island - so you can drive/take a taxi to different spots
- maldives is one big atoll (many small islands) so you are stuck on the island with your hotel for most of the time, and can take taxis(boats/sea-planes) to other islands/resorts or for a tour.

I dont have any pics from mauritus, but here are some from the maldives >

(ooh! guess what. This is a special Rudra Sen edit!)










(This is the capital of the maldives - male' - crazy right?)


cya
R

EDIT : Here is an internet photo of the island we stayed on "paradise island resort" ? I think we were there in June, and in mauritus in May. It rained for a few hours in the afternoon a couple of days in both places.

[sushrutha]

Hey M2S ...some nice reviews+suggestions.
Apart from Mauritius/seychelles the topic is being discussed about the various honeymoon destinations, I would request the moderators to change the topic to "VARIOUS HONEYMOON DESTINATIONS" so that it would help others also.

[kvish]

I'm in the same boat too and after spending lot of time on the net, I've "almost" decided on Bali. The costs in Maldives is prohibitive (to me), a decent place costs $500 a night full board excluding other activities.

Anyway, I'm watching this thread closely!

[anurag_p80]

Lakshadweep is a beautiful place. Another travel option you can consider is to go by boat. There are some nice boats (ships??) available from Cochin all year round with all amenities. I think it takes around 20 hrs for the cruise. Should be more reasonable than flying as well. Check it out.

Another option that you can consider is Sri Lanka. It is close, good connectivity, some great beaches, and reasonable as well. There are options for water sports like white water rafting, eco-tourism, and if you feel too hot on the beach, the hills are only about a 4 hr drive away. I have been there off and on for about a year and a half (work), and it is beautiful and safe. I can provide first hand info about SL, Lakshadweep is still at a planning stage. Let me know if you need more info.

EDIT: White water rafting is not in the sea, of course. There are coral sanctuaries for Snorkelling, Scuba diving (you can trained for around USD100 a head) around some wrecks, surfing et al.

Cheers
Anurag

[hondadude]

Lakshdweep in the middle of monsoon season is a bad idea. Please find out more about that before making the bookings.

[married2speed]

Lakshadweep is a beautiful place. Another travel option you can consider is to go by boat. There are some nice boats (ships??) available from Cochin all year round with all amenities. I think it takes around 20 hrs for the cruise. Should be more reasonable than flying as well. Check it out.

Hi - Won't call the ship journey a cruise. I would call it a surgery of the a$$. The wooden planks . I guess you ge the drift. And then, there's always the sea-sickness, which you are 200% bound to suffer, no matter what, so the first day will be spent in a not so memorable way.

Hey M2S ...some nice reviews+suggestions

. Cheers brew.

plus option to visit S'pore VERY cheaply/comfortably, excellent shopping and you get the phoren honeymoon label.

egg-jacktly my point.
Cheers!
M2S
PS: Good thing you decided to stay off thailand. Too much temptation there

[anurag_p80]

Originally Posted by married2speed

Hi - Won't call the ship journey a cruise. I would call it a surgery of the a$$. The wooden planks . I guess you ge the drift. And then, there's always the sea-sickness, which you are 200% bound to suffer, no matter what, so the first day will be spent in a not so memorable way.

Dude, maybe boat is the wrong word. These ships are luxurious. Check this from mapsofindia website:

The Lakshadweep cruise journey extends to a maximum of 14 to 20 hours from Cochin. The Lakshadweep cruises provide air-conditioned deluxe class rooms with two berth cabins, air-conditioned first class rooms with four berth cabins and tourist class rooms with air-conditioned seating arrangements.

These ships also have cafeteria, snack bars, lounge, video shows, etc, for refreshment. They also have a doctor in case of any medicinal requirement.

The Coral Reef cruise liner with a 5 days tour package takes you to the islands of Kavaratti, Kalpeni and Minicoy by MV Tippu Sultan ship. MV Tippu Sultan has a total number of 36 first class rooms and 100 tourist class rooms.

Source:Lakshadweep Cruise

Guess your a$$ is safe

Anurag

[married2speed]

Dude, maybe boat is the wrong word. These ships are luxurious. Check this from mapsofindia website:

Anurag

Have you ever travelled in these ships Anurag? That apart, this thread is more towards a honeymoon destination, and me, in my personal experience, would not recommend LD as a honeymoon destination. A great holiday destination but not a honeymoon destiation.
Well, that is subjective, so let's leave it like that.

Cheers!
M2S

[prashant.dinkar]

I joined Team-BHP last year that's also after staying as a guest for atleast an year ....
Now I realise whats this place is all about ..... You login to a "website" post a query and vrooom People start giving you best possible advices.... This is definately a Family not just any other Forum .
THANK YOU so much guys for your suggestions , for taking time out from your schedules, for seaching pictures and then posting here , for providing every possible information ....this is Amazing .

Originally Posted by married2speed

Hi Prashant
First of all, congratulations on tying the knot(soon i.e.)
With regards to your travel plans, first, you've got to be clear in your mind for a couple of things
1. Where do you want to holiday- India or abroad. Once you've decided, stick to it.
2. Set the budget accordingly and your expectations. Things you would like to be included in your package and things you would want to miss out on.
3. Speak to a a lot of travel agents, especially the lesser known one's. If you head out to SOTC etc, you'll get creamed. Remember, brand comes at a price. I remember, when I had to go for my honeymoon, we spent 2 months deciding this. First we went to all the travel agents, who for all their expensive and outrageous costs, could not offer me the programme I wanted. At the end, we ended up designing our own plan and travelled all over europe
4. Beach holidays can be done at australia as well ( personally recommended) at a decent budget or elsewhere too, like SA other than Mauritius etc etc.
5. The weather at Mauritius & Seychelles or anywhere else now-a-days is unpredictable. Thanks to the global warming, the islands are the first one's to suffer. August in Mauritius normally means end of winter. It's normally sunny and One can laze around in a pair of shorts etc but up north, there could be rain-showers as well, which might force you to stay indoors. If you like driving in the rain, then, it should be good for you. For Seychelles, July and August are the driest but can be windy. I would put my money on Seychelles.
6. For the Indian Islands, although both the lakshadweep and the andaman are the best destinations to visit in the country, August is not really the best time to visit. Some may argue othewise but here is my reasoning
a) You being on your honeymoon would not find a soul around. Considering that August is still considered to be a "monsoon" time here in India, flight delays, frequent connections and lack of comfortable transports, is something I would not recommend for a honeymoon. For a holiday, definately but not for a honeymoon.
b) The flight from Cochin to Aggati is a 1 hour deafener flight and should you not love your wife or your life, do take her on that. I almost got thrown out of the donnier by my better half as the noise was simply too much and at the end of the flight, our ears were hurting. Not sure if you would want to start your honeymoon like that.
c) Anadaman - Same opinion. The water is really choppy and again, not a honeymoon destination, considering that you are weighing in your options against seychelles and mauritius. If i were you, I'd rather spend the same amount of money on a foreign trip than a trip within India. A 3 day trip to Andaman would cost you anywhere between 30-35K per person approx. (ex delhi)

Well, I can go on and on suggesting you things, but I guess the mods will be running after my life in a bit
So if you do want to know anything more, don't hesitate to drop in a line. We all bhpians are here to help you with your travel plans

Cheers and have a nice time
M2S

Thank you for the Best Wishes ..Regarding my travel plan ...yeah deciding few things is a nice idea so ok ..
1. I would prefer to travel abroad, its not like that we dont have nice scenic places in India , its just that I will feel special so abroad it is .
2. I have not decided on budget yet .. but i think 1.5 for 2 (Package) will do nicely .
3. I am already talking to a lot of travel agents , but I dont know why they dont sound promising to me .
4. I have heard that Australia is bit expensive
5. Even I prefer Seychelles , but as I mentioned in the start , no Tour Operator is providing Tour for seychelles except SOTC .

Flying from Delhi- Cochin then to LD sounds too much , so I think I will stay away from it .

Originally Posted by phamilyman

M2S brings up an intersting point. With ATF being as costly as it is in India, our flights are ****dy expensive. So DEL-Langkawi-DEL flight will cost approx 25k which is not much more than what you'll spend for andamans.

plus option to visit S'pore VERY cheaply/comfortably, excellent shopping and you get the phoren honeymoon label.

/above is minus hotel costs, where sky is limit

Hey Phamilyman , I can not opt South- East Asia ....Wifey do not want to go there.

Originally Posted by Rehaan

Hi Prashant,

I had been to mauritius many years back and the maldives about 4 years back.

They are both fairly similar in a lot of ways. The differences :
- the maldives has incredibly clear waters
- mauritus has a bit of an "indian" feel to it (languages overhead, food, people etc)
- mauritius is one big island - so you can drive/take a taxi to different spots
- maldives is one big atoll (many small islands) so you are stuck on the island with your hotel for most of the time, and can take taxis(boats/sea-planes) to other islands/resorts or for a tour.

I dont have any pics from mauritus, but here are some from the maldives >

(ooh! guess what. This is a special Rudra Sen edit!)
Attachment 27790

Attachment 27792

Attachment 27791

Attachment 27793

Attachment 27794

(This is the capital of the maldives - male' - crazy right?)
Attachment 27795

cya
R

EDIT : Here is an internet photo of the island we stayed on "paradise island resort" ? I think we were there in June, and in mauritus in May. It rained for a few hours in the afternoon a couple of days in both places.

Hey Rehaan ,

Thank You so much man ...I mean searching for the photographs then posting them here ... Thank You

Rudra Sir can make any place look like heaven .... My heart literally started beating faster after looking at these pics .
You mentioned about driving around in Mauritius... Can we rent a Car/Bike there ? Do we need an International License for it ?
Can you Please share you experience about Mauritius in bit detail.

Originally Posted by sushrutha

Hey M2S ...some nice reviews+suggestions.
Apart from Mauritius/seychelles the topic is being discussed about the various honeymoon destinations, I would request the moderators to change the topic to "VARIOUS HONEYMOON DESTINATIONS" so that it would help others also.

Yeah thats a really nice idea , it will be helpfull for other bakras as well.

Originally Posted by kvish

I'm in the same boat too and after spending lot of time on the net, I've "almost" decided on Bali. The costs in Maldives is prohibitive (to me), a decent place costs $500 a night full board excluding other activities.

Anyway, I'm watching this thread closely!

$500 ....gosh thats obnoxious , Hey Congrats in advance buddy.

Originally Posted by hondadude

Lakshdweep in the middle of monsoon season is a bad idea. Please find out more about that before making the bookings.

Thanks for the Advice man.... I will stick to abroad I guess.