Both Andaman or Lakshadweep are home to some amazing beaches. Both have stunning marine life and a dash of water sports to get you the thrills. They are both are off India’s coast. With so many similarities, one is often left wondering which is a better destination to choose for a holiday. Let us make it easy for you with a pros and cons list.
Means of transport
Andaman: Andaman can be reached by sea or air. Sea isn’t the most preferred choice for tourists as such. It is used more by locals who commute between the islands and Chennai. The choice of available airlines in higher for Andaman. If you book well in advance, you should find competitive pricing on the airfare too.
Lakshadweep: As of now, Air India is the main airlines for flights to Lakshadweep. The fares are at par with airfares to tourist destinations. Lakshadweep also has a Ship package from Kochi where you can stay on the ship for 4 nights / 5 days while you tour different islands in Lakshadweep.
Airfare
A big chunk of the vacation’s cost is dependent on the airfare cost. Most people try to book in advance to get it as cheap as possible. While both Andaman and Lakshadweep are at par, Lakshadweep looks a bit costlier on this front. Here’s a table of the cheapest airfares thrown by Google for both destinations from various Indian cities for the month of May 2018
| City | Andaman airfare | Lakshadweep airfare |
|---|---|---|
| Mumbai | Rs. 9792 | Rs. 5961 |
| Delhi | Rs. 5824 | Rs. 8718 |
| Bangalore | Rs. 5822 | Rs. 7462 |
| Chennai | Rs. 5848 | Rs. 5700 |
| Kolkata | Rs. 4189 | Rs. 11832 |
Travel time
When travelling by air, it can take anywhere between 5 to 9 hours depending on whether you have a direct or connecting flight to Andaman.
You’ll take around 6 hours to reach Lakshadweep by flight in general although it takes longer from Chennai and Kolkata (10+ hours)
Overall cost
An Andaman tour package cost is mainly dependent on your choice of hotels. If you choose average 3-star facilities, you can get a per person package between 30-40k for a 5 night 6 days package including site seeing. There will be some overhead costs for meals and water sports but that should be about it.
If you choose to take the sea route to Lakshadweep, you will get the entire package including travel, stay and meals for an average 30k per person. Additional costs for water sports.
Andaman or Lakshadweep – which to choose
Beaches: There is no doubt that the beaches on both these destinations are a slice of paradise. Clear waters and white sand make them irresistible. Even then, it can’t be disputed that Andaman is home to Radhanagar beach which has often been cited as the best beach in Asia and regularly counted among the best beaches in the world. If your main idea is to rest on the beach and have a good time, then you’ll probably need to do an eenie meenie mina mo to decide as they are both equally good.
Water sports: Both islands have waterfronts developed keeping tourists in mind. They offer glass bottom boat rides, kayaking and scuba diving among other options.
Attractions: When it comes to other attractions, Andaman comes on top. From the cellular jail to mud volcanoes to limestone caves, treks, rainforests, waterfalls, natural sand bars, bridges and even an active volcano, there is so much to do and see in Andaman that you’ll wonder if a 6 days, 7 nights package will cover it all. If sun, sea and sand were equal, Andaman gives much more value for your budget.
Considering an Andaman vacation? Get in touch with us to know how you can get a really good one.