Minicoy Island?
Minicoy is a part of Lakshadweep Islands of the Indian sub-continent. Lakshadweep Islands have more than 15 uninhabited islands. Minicoy is one of the few inhabited ones and of those a few that allow foreign tourists. Transportation to Minicoy is through sea, nearest airport is Cochin. Only Agatti has a civilian air base while others have aircrafts/helipads for Defence purpose only.
Compact with one shopping place, a couple of mosques, a school and a hospital, Minicoy has a tropical savanna climate throughout the year.
Hospital here, offers service free of cost to the islanders. All of them are home owners, no tenants. A 100% Islam following population with a high literacy rate, way higher than mainland India, about ~84%. Every home is internet lit and almost every home has a mariner on duty. If a man has to marry a woman from this island, he has to provide a certificate from their local hospital that he hasn't contracted AIDS! Guy when married, lives in his mom's or wife's home, a matrilineal society. Remarriages of women and men are equally accepted and alcohol is a big no-no here, no liquor shops, no bar.
'Maldives is so close that you can just swim across!' That's what a local would tell you. But, commutation across was banned as early as 1956. Maldives is just around 200 or so kilometers away and people at Minicoy have close cultural ties with this island nation. Mahl(a dialect of Malayalam) and Dhivehi are widely spoken, like in Maldives.
Is Minicoy an attractive tourist location?
Well, that depends on your view. It is a very-very small place. Holds a population of about ~10,000, like 10 streets of a metro city put together. Rich coconut tree plantation, water sports with glass-floored boat, kayaks, scuba-diving and a decent sea-side resort are all that you will see. But that's pretty much other island destinations can also offer, isn't it? Here, it is just smaller in scale. Tourist spots include an age-old light house and a Juma Masjid.
You can include Kadmat, Kalpeni, Kavaretti, Agatti along with the Mini-Minicoy alias Maliku. All of them own awesome-fresh underwater life. Make sure to experience the helicopter ride from Agatti to Kavaretti. No luxury resorts/spa/nightlife and no, I do not guarantee an exotic holiday, but definitely a nice private one, it would be.
Minicoy is a part of Lakshadweep Islands of the Indian sub-continent. Lakshadweep Islands have more than 15 uninhabited islands. Minicoy is one of the few inhabited ones and of those a few that allow foreign tourists. Transportation to Minicoy is through sea, nearest airport is Cochin. Only Agatti has a civilian air base while others have aircrafts/helipads for Defence purpose only.
Compact with one shopping place, a couple of mosques, a school and a hospital, Minicoy has a tropical savanna climate throughout the year.
Hospital here, offers service free of cost to the islanders. All of them are home owners, no tenants. A 100% Islam following population with a high literacy rate, way higher than mainland India, about ~84%. Every home is internet lit and almost every home has a mariner on duty. If a man has to marry a woman from this island, he has to provide a certificate from their local hospital that he hasn't contracted AIDS! Guy when married, lives in his mom's or wife's home, a matrilineal society. Remarriages of women and men are equally accepted and alcohol is a big no-no here, no liquor shops, no bar.
'Maldives is so close that you can just swim across!' That's what a local would tell you. But, commutation across was banned as early as 1956. Maldives is just around 200 or so kilometers away and people at Minicoy have close cultural ties with this island nation. Mahl(a dialect of Malayalam) and Dhivehi are widely spoken, like in Maldives.
Is Minicoy an attractive tourist location?
Well, that depends on your view. It is a very-very small place. Holds a population of about ~10,000, like 10 streets of a metro city put together. Rich coconut tree plantation, water sports with glass-floored boat, kayaks, scuba-diving and a decent sea-side resort are all that you will see. But that's pretty much other island destinations can also offer, isn't it? Here, it is just smaller in scale. Tourist spots include an age-old light house and a Juma Masjid.
You can include Kadmat, Kalpeni, Kavaretti, Agatti along with the Mini-Minicoy alias Maliku. All of them own awesome-fresh underwater life. Make sure to experience the helicopter ride from Agatti to Kavaretti. No luxury resorts/spa/nightlife and no, I do not guarantee an exotic holiday, but definitely a nice private one, it would be.
Yes, the Maldivians also say the same about swimming across to Minicoy - not seriously though. Just shows their closeness to this island and yeah Dhivehi :) :) Koba Keeney :)))
ReplyDelete