My wife and I have recently returned from a weeks holiday in Bangaram, part of a longer vacation in southern India. Bangaram in the Lakshadweep island chain, the north most extension to the Maldives and is part of India. It is a short flight east from Cochin to Agatti chain and then a 1 hour boat transfer to Bangaram. Bangaram is the only island with an alcohol license.
The resort has a maximum of 60 guests split between family cottages and chalets. The describe themselves as basic but with 24 hour electricity, Aircon, only the lack of hot water matches that description. Food is included, southern Indian, and was fantastic. My only complaint would be that they only barbeque fish fillets not whole fish.
This was not a dive vacation although the diving was one of the reasons to include the visit to the Islands. We rented dive gear, it was modern and adequate, although set up a little heavy breathing for my taste.
The diving is a 2 dive boat trip leaving early morning and returning before lunch.
The boat is large and comfortable if slow with plenty of room to gear up before a back roll of the side or a giant stride off the stern platform.
We only visited 2 of the many dive sites surrounding the Island, mainly as they had students and inexperienced divers onboard. The dives were led by a dive-master with a tail gunner watching over the group. This is a bit of a pain as I am a photographer.
The diving was fair, visibility was fair to good.
The reef was undamaged but not as colourful as I have seen. The fish life was varied with both juvenile and adult fish. The highlight was a 2 meter thresher shark circling just too far away to photograph, apparently very rare in the islands
Now what would I change if I ran the dive operation.
1. Reduce the price it is too expensive
2. Use fast small boats returning between each dive
3. Offer a combination of up to 3 dives per day, 2 in the morning and 1 in the afternoon
4. Make allowances for photographers
Now some photos.
She who must be obeyed
The resort has a maximum of 60 guests split between family cottages and chalets. The describe themselves as basic but with 24 hour electricity, Aircon, only the lack of hot water matches that description. Food is included, southern Indian, and was fantastic. My only complaint would be that they only barbeque fish fillets not whole fish.
This was not a dive vacation although the diving was one of the reasons to include the visit to the Islands. We rented dive gear, it was modern and adequate, although set up a little heavy breathing for my taste.
The diving is a 2 dive boat trip leaving early morning and returning before lunch.
The boat is large and comfortable if slow with plenty of room to gear up before a back roll of the side or a giant stride off the stern platform.
We only visited 2 of the many dive sites surrounding the Island, mainly as they had students and inexperienced divers onboard. The dives were led by a dive-master with a tail gunner watching over the group. This is a bit of a pain as I am a photographer.
The diving was fair, visibility was fair to good.
The reef was undamaged but not as colourful as I have seen. The fish life was varied with both juvenile and adult fish. The highlight was a 2 meter thresher shark circling just too far away to photograph, apparently very rare in the islands
Now what would I change if I ran the dive operation.
1. Reduce the price it is too expensive
2. Use fast small boats returning between each dive
3. Offer a combination of up to 3 dives per day, 2 in the morning and 1 in the afternoon
4. Make allowances for photographers
Now some photos.
She who must be obeyed
