Travel Lakshadweep
Hundred Thousand Islands
New Naval Base in Lakshadweep to Strengthen Defenses
May 17th
The Lakshadweep Islands in the Arabian Sea attracts many tourists from India and abroad. Now a full-fledged naval base – INS Dweeprakshak – is in operation since April this year. It is located at Kavaratti, the administrative capital of this Union Territory, and its commanding officer is Captain SM Hanchinal.
This is a major milestone for the Indian Navy, and its presence in the Arabian Sea strengthens the country’s defenses. Shipping traffic monitoring and intelligence gathering will be part of the main agenda.
Rare Sea Horses and Coral Reefs in Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park
May 3rd
Spanning the coast of Rameswaram, Tutucorin, Tirunelveli and Kanyakumari districts of Tamil Nadu, Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park covers 560sq.km, and lays within the Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve. It was declared a national park in 1986, and is the first marine biosphere reserve in Southeast Asia. It features beaches, coral reefs, mangroves, swamps, near shore forests, estuaries and mudflats.
There are 21 islands as part of the park, away from the coast. The Mandapam Group and Keezhakkarai Group comprise 7 islands each. The Vembar Group comprises 3 islands and the Thoothukudi Group, 4 islands.
Animals, plants and marine life endemic to the region thrive here – the most famous being the Dugong. You can also find dolphins and sea horse in plenty here. Eleven types of sea grass beds and about 147 species of seaweeds are found all along the coast. The sands are home to five endangered marine turtles – Green turtle, Olive Ridley turtle, Hawksbill turtle, Leatherback turtle and Loggerhead turtle. Out of the 180 species of birds found in the park, some are migratory. The reefs here provide shelter to varieties of algae, sponges, sea cucumbers, mollusks, worms, echinoderms, sea urchins and fishes.
The biosphere supports about one lakh people – most of them belonging to the fishisng community of Marakeyars. Tourists can go visiting the islands in glass bottomed boats and explore the area.
Last Minute Cruise Booking To Lakshadweep
Mar 28th
- 8 seats on 7th April (Coral Reef Package)
- 2 seats on 10th April (Coral Reef Package)
- 55 seats on 13th April(Samudram Package)
- 2 seats on 15th April (Coral Reef Package)
- 4 seats on 24th April(Coral Reef Package)
- 4 seats on 30th April (Coral Reef Package)
- 4 seats on 5th May (Coral Reef Package)
- 4 seats on 10th May (Coral Reef Package)
- 55 seats on 13th May (Samudram Package)
Call Now : Babu Thomas – 09447015565/ 09847080022 (www.lakshadweepcruise.com)
Singapore Coastal Leisure Tour
Mar 27th
A 150-km leisure tour along the coastal circuit of the island of Singapore will come up soon. This recreational corridor will have three parts to it – eco-discovery trail, coastal adventure trail and the city and heritage trail.
It will cut across residential areas and benefit the locals and tourists. The government plans to turn Singapore into a “City in the Garden.”
Coral Reef Transplant for Gujarat Coastline!
Mar 24th
I’m sure we’ve all heard of and read about transplants. But a coral transplant? Well, for the first time in India, the Gujarat coast got a coral transplant from Agatti islands in Lakshadweep. These locally-extinct corals were restored into place in Mithapur reef in Arabian sea and Poshitra reef of MNP in the Gulf of Kutch.
Human interventions are the major reason for loss of coral reefs across the world. Such initiatives help to protect the coasts and the flora and fauna of the area. The recent transplant was a joint initiative of Marine National Park (MNP), Jamnagar, Gujarat forest department, Wildlife Trust of India and Tata Chemicals.
Ron Akana – 63 Years in the Sky
Mar 20th
Yes, Honolulu-native Ron Akana has served the skies for 60 solid years. He’s currently 83 and was hired by United Airlines in 1949 as one of the first male stewards for flights between the mainland and Hawaii.
He’s the oldest serving flight attendant in the U.S. and probably the world, too. The airlines, which is now known as United-Continental, and other organizations have conferred several accolades and awards on him. You can see 11 rhinestones on his lapels – one for his first 10 years in the air, and another for every five years after. He is also one of the highest earners in the industry.
Ron now lives in Boulder, Colorado. He has met scores of celebrities in his flying time, especially those flying to and from Hawaii. His wife was a flight attendant until their marriage, and now their daughter Jean is a flight attendant, having clocked 22 years for United Continental.
Nine Mile Fest 2012 – Celebrating Bob Marley in Miami
Feb 29th
On the coming third, Virginia Key Beach Park in Miami will play host to the 19th consecutive edition of Bob Marley Movement of Jah People’s annual reggae fest. Conducted now in memory of the late singer and icon, the event is popularly called Marley Fest or even the Carribean Music Festival. Last year, the event was renamed to honour Marley’s birthplace, Nine Mile in Jamaica’s north coast.
The whole music function lasts for 12 hours, and area around the beach and park will be jam-packed with people. Three of Marley’s sons – Stephen, Damian, and Julian – with reggae legends Burning Spear, Capleton, and Cocoa Tea as well as Wale, Tarrus Riley, Collie Buddz, Kevens, and Khevs will perform next week.
Virginia Key Beach gained fame in1945, as the only public beach for the “exclusive use of Negroes” in Dade County. It was earlier accessible only by boat. The beach was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2002.
Phuket International Boat Show – March 29th
Jan 27th
Located close to the Andaman Sea, Phuket in Thailand is one of the top five cruising destinations on the planet. The Andaman Marine Triangle comprises Phuket, Phang Nga and Krabi provinces of the country. There are scores of cruises available in this area.
To top the tourism ratings of Phuket, coming up end of March is the Phuket International Boat Show (Pimex). It is Asia’s largest in-water boat show and will be held at the Royal Phuket Marina on the island’s east coast. Phuket has four super marinas and 750 boats. The authorities plan to increase of berth capacity by more than 20 percent in the next five years. The Andaman Marine Triangle, when completed, will have about 400 berths.
Sports and marine leisure enthusiasts, wealthy tourists and travellers account for the largest number of visitors here. More than 5500 visitors attended the 2011 Show and more numbers are expected this year. International boat brands and cruise lines will be displaying their products and services at the function, which will go on till the first of April. You can also try your hand at luxury real estate and marina developments at the boat show.
Beypore: New Berth Facility For Ships To Lakshadweep
Jan 24th
Ships to and from Lakshadweep will get a berth at Beypore soon. Minister for Ports K. Babu said that Beypore would be developed as hub port of Lakshadweep. Kerala signed a supplementary MoU and lease agreement with the Union Territory recently. This port in Kozhikode was a buzzing centre of activity when trade with the Middle East was common in earlier decades.
The port will be soon developed, infrastructural facilities added and maintained. Beypore estuarine port is 10km from Kozhikode. The Beypore Lighthouse was built in 1977 and faces the Chaliyar river.
New Earthworm found in the Andaman and Nicobar islands
Jan 15th
The new species of earthworm found in the Andaman and Nicobar islands has been named Moniligaster ivaniosi, after the name of the college where the researchers are from – Mar Ivanios, in Thiruvananthapuram. Samples collected from Port Blair by CSIR Emeritus scientist Oommen V. Oommen and Assistant Professor K. Ramachandran were identified by Jaya Manazhy and Aja Manazhy, senior research scholars in the Department of Zoology of the college, under the guidance of K. Vijayakumaran Nair.
More than 15 species of Moniligaster have been reported from India. Right now, the specimen of the new species has been deposited at the Zoological Survey of India, Kozhikode. It has special characteristics such as a black line running along the middle region and three pairs of genital apertures. The species is most probably endemic to the Andaman and Nicobar islands.