Viewing the progress of scientific knowledge as a tree

There was a scientific paper I found regarding a certain topic, but it was published in 2004. I wanted to see if there was any new research that built on that knowledge, but I didn't know if there was any tool which could help me search for it more visually. I decided to ask on Academia StackExchange, but decided to do a cursory search before asking. I found this question which led to multiple tools that did at least a fair job of visualizing papers via citations. Some of these are:

Citation Tree

https://www.citationtree.org/

Cit Net Explorer

You can download and use this tool.

https://www.citnetexplorer.nl/

Connected Papers

https://www.connectedpapers.com/

Inciteful

https://inciteful.xyz/

Lit Maps

VOS Viewer

https://www.vosviewer.com/

Zot Net

This appears to use strings to find relationships.

https://www.conundrumescapes.com/zotnet/zotnet.php

Scope for improvement

Most of these tools appear to rely on utilizing citations to build their tree. This is insufficient to correlate the actual knowledge that scientific research builds upon, since authors may not have cited all papers relevant to the actual knowledge they are building upon. Even the visualization graphs available offer a very poor visual representation and interactivity that is needed when navigating such information. Perhaps one way to improve on this, would be to use a large language model to analyze the contents of each paper and build links between papers based on the knowledge they build upon. This would help not only view but also better track the progress of knowledge in any scientific pursuit.

Dear Game Creators: Please Make Rest Timers a Standard Feature

While you are in the flow of an enthralling game, you wouldn't actually stop to consider whether gaining some virtual points in the game is worth it, while your eyesight is being permanently ruined in the process. For the past few decades we've been in a phase of worsening eyesight. While this is great for the revenue of various companies, I believe it's time we do things more responsibly. It's time to make it a standard practice for every game to have an algorithm which pauses the game and allows players to close their eyes to rest.

If you aren't already familiar with The Real Cure for Eye Strain, I suggest reading it first.

Image by Christiana from Pixabay

Possible for multiplayer games too

With single player games it's simple enough for the algorithm to start assessing whether to pause the game or not as the timer approaches 20 minutes. For example, the game shouldn't pause just when the character is jumping over a pool of lava. However, for multiplayer games, synchronizing the pause is difficult due to latency. With good engineering, even this can be accomplished. 

For example, in a shooting game, as the timer approaches 20 minutes, an audio cue and a visual cue could inform players that it's almost time for a rest break, and timers can be synchronized among all players. When it's time for the break, a shield can be created around all players, to prevent anything from affecting them, and all players and game elements can be frozen. Before any player joins the game, they'd have to agree to what duration of gaming and rest intervals they are comfortable with.

I’m sure you could come up with more creative ways of integrating a rest timer into games and incentivizing players to take rest. 

An alternative…

…is to design games with levels or missions that can be completed in less than 20 minutes, and the player can be offered a break during the next level/mission’s loading screen. I know not all games can be designed like this, but I’m merely brainstorming here.

Help people heal. Prioritize health; not wealth.

It’s easy to put the onus on people to take rest. Similar to how you could say that it’s upto people to drive vehicles safely. Still, it helps to have seat belts and air bags. In the same way, game engines need tools built in for rest breaks. Kids and even adults often don’t understand the consequences of long hours of gaming, and end up permanently ruining their vision. I know game studios would not want to give players a chance to get distracted from the game, but we really need to create a better world where health is valued more than wealth and entertainment.

We’ve been taking our eye health too casually. Myopia is not normal. The need to wear spectacles is a massive danger sign that the eyes are severely affected and that one needs to immediately start a regimen of getting proper sleep and rest. The progression of myopia is an even bigger danger signal that our eyes aren’t able to cope with the torture we are putting them through. Our eyes are not evolved to keep staring in one direction for too long. Parents can actually do a lot to save their children from poor vision. Whether it’s office work or school or gaming, let us begin taking concrete steps to build healthy practices and standard procedures to prevent people from having to even need spectacles. Normal vision is too precious a gift to ruin.

Taking screenshots on Android using the physical keys

For all these years, I've been annoyed at having to swipe my palm over the phone to be able to take a screenshot. Often, the window I'm trying to take a screenshot of, gets disrupted. Often the palm swipe does not get detected. 

Google searches led to nothing other than the palm swipe.

I tried asking ChatGPT, and it suggested pressing the power button and lower volume button simultaneously. It didn't work. But on trying it again, keeping the keys pressed for more than 1 second, it worked! 

I tried a Google search again, and it looks like there are websites that mention how to take screenshots. However, ChatGPT gave the answer in one simple sentence, and it was refreshing to be able to get the answer in a condensed form and directly, rather than having to go through multiple websites. This tech is truly a blessing.

Building my own Flutter apps using GPT4 prompting was surprisingly fast

The stories about the possibility of a vast majority of programmers losing their jobs to AI appears to be true. I already demonstrated how GrootGPT was created simply by prompting ChatGPT. Just a year ago, when I tried creating simple Flutter apps using ChatGPT 3.5, it barely understood what I wanted, and I couldn't create a workable app. That's changed with ChatGPT 4o. It generated the entire code I needed, and all I had to do was prompt it regarding some errors encountered, and it gave me corrected code snippets for those. These are some of those apps:

Simple Notes

Clicking any note leads to a page where you can save/export it and type more text

I became tired of the standard Notes app on my phone not having a dark mode. Also, there was no guarantee that they were siphoning off the data for analysis. So I used ChatGPT to build me one, and then customised it. The APK file is available for download in my GitHub repository.

Automatic Slideshow

On selecting a folder, the slideshow begins

I had always wanted a really simple, minimalist slideshow app, but the ones on Google Playstore were ones with ads or fancy animations which I didn't want, or they didn't have a setting for changing the pause duration between images. So I created one which even searches subfolders for images and displays them with the best fit. Dark mode too, which is another plus of building your own app. ChatGPT generated the code for this too. The APK for this too is available in my GitHub repository.

I'm in the process of building more apps using ChatGPT, and that's where I noticed a few problems:

Limitations of using ChatGPT or other GenAI for programming:

• For complex tasks, GenAI does a poor job of generating or correcting code. 
• Moreover, it seems to depend on what programmers have already written. When I wanted to create a countdown timer which counted down days, hours, minutes and seconds, it generated code only to display hours, minutes and seconds, because that's what programmers usually write for. I had to edit it on my own to include a countdown for days, even though Flutter had days in its Duration class by default.
• It does not follow good coding standards. If the code GenAI was trained with, included badly written code, the code it generates will also have badly written code. Instead of using const's it used string literals in multiple parts of the code.
• It does not necessarily "know" much about good system design and design patterns. These are concepts for which you need skilled programmers.
• For larger chunks of code, it tends to lose track of what the code already contains, and loses track of the prompt's instructions.
  

The good parts of ChatGPT and GenAI:

• It generates working code extremely fast. Tasks that I would need a few hours or days to complete, LLM's can complete in a matter of seconds.
• It makes debugging easier. I only have to paste an error message into the prompt field, and it not only figures out where the error is, it also explains the issue and provides corrected code as a solution.
• It makes testing and locating misuse cases easier. It can actually generate test cases for snippets of code, and can even identify where code is lacking in security, potentially pointing out how people could misuse software. 
• It somehow finds good/efficient programming practices too, and tends to teach me on how to write code better.
  

It has been only a couple of years since ChatGPT has impressed us. With claims of there being no limit to which it could scale, I'm quite sure these algorithms could be trained and have safeguards built to replace even the most skilled software engineers. 

Booting into Linux after reinstalling Windows on a different disk

Operating system bootability sucks bigtime! Whether it's due to the Windows programmers or Linux programmers or the BIOS firmware programmers of various companies. I don't understand why these people can't come to an agreement of how to detect bootloaders and boot in a simple way.

If you have Windows installed on one disk and Linux installed on another disk, if you reinstall Windows, you won't be able to boot into Linux. In-fact, even when you press F11, GRUB won't be shown in the boot options. There are two things you can do in such a situation:

1. Point BIOS to the Linux bootloader

Simply restart the computer, go to BIOS, and depending on where in the boot options you find the option to specify the Linux bootloader, simply select it and set it as the first boot option instead of the Windows bootloader.

2. Do a boot repair

If the BIOS does not show you any option for the Linux bootloader, boot from a bootable Linux pen drive and run boot repair. In the start menu, simply start typing "boot", and you'll see the boot repair application. At least in Linux Mint, it's pre-installed. 

 

You might see an error message, but you could ignore that and go to BIOS like I mentioned in the first point, and set Linux GRUB as the first boot option. Everything will work fine then.

A slightly more involved method of doing it I've mentioned here, and there are some more options here.

Having a space before your bash command prevents it from being saved to history

Before getting to the topic, I wanted to mention how much more I like the old Reddit. The new one is heavy and really cumbersome to use. I was browsing through Reddit using the old interface, and noticed this post, which mentioned that adding a space before a command prevents it from being written to history. 

Decided to give it a shot. I opened a terminal and typed "hello". Checked  ~/.bash_history, and sure enough, at the end of the file there was "hello".

Then I typed " pwd" (note the space prepended), and the command was not added to the Bash history file. HISTCONTROL even allows avoiding duplicates.

Why aren't these taught in college?

Driving license contactless renewal procedure via Aadhaar authentication

In certain states in India, the driving license (DL) renewal process can be contactless. This means, you don't have to go to the road transport office (RTO) at all. You can do the entire process online, and the DL will be delivered to your house. Also, if you use Aadhaar authentication, you don't even have to upload your photo. It'll automatically be fetched from the Aadhaar server.

 

Disclaimer: What is presented here is in no way an official communication of the Road Transport Office (RTO). These are bits of information I’m presenting from my (non-transport category vehicle) experience of renewing my driving license (DL), so that it may provide some clarity and overview to people who wish to renew their DL. The time taken would vary for you. I’ve tried to present accurate information to the best of my knowledge, but there might be inaccuracies, and the procedures, web pages, etc. may change with time, so kindly contact your RTO to obtain the latest information that is relevant to you.

How many months prior to DL expiry can you initiate renewal?

The driving license renewal can be done one year prior to driving license (DL) expiry. I got an email confirmation about this from the helpdesk. Earlier it was possible to renew it only one month prior. Just remember that if the renewal is done too early, you'll lose some validity period. For example, if your DL expires in August, and you renew the DL in January, the newly renewed DL will have the January date on it, so the next time you need to renew it, you'll have to do it on or before January. I hope they change the process later, to not let there be such a loss of validity period.

Is a medical certificate required if you aren't yet 40 years old?

If you are aged 39 in January, and you will be 40 in February, and your DL expires in January, if you do the renewal by January, you don’t need to get a medical certificate from a doctor to prove your physical fitness. From what I could reason, the date that matters might be the date of filling the online application, because that would be when the algorithm checks for the date of birth, for determining if you reached the age of 40. In any case, if you'll know if the certificate is needed or not, once you start filling the application. If it's needed, you can just save the application as a draft, find a doctor who can issue a medical certificate, and then continue filling your application on some other day when you are ready to continue. You could ask the RTO helpdesk if there are an specifics you need to clarify.

 

If problems happen during the application process, whom to contact?

1. The first option is to file a grievance from the homepage (the button for filing a grievance is shown in one of the screenshots below).
2. The second option is to send an email to helpdesk-sarathi@gov.in (or whatever the current contact email id is shown on the Parivahan website) with details about the problem and your application number. They generally reply within a few days, but once it took eleven days.
3. The third option is to find out your RTO's phone number or email id, and ask them. During the application process, I remember seeing the email id of my RTO.
4. In extreme situations, you could consider PG Portal or Lok Adalat, but it may not be necessary, since delays might simply be a matter of the people at the RTO not having sufficient manpower to process requests. You need to have some patience and use the RTO's contact points as much as possible first. 
   

Timeline 

Your timeline would obviously vary. Depending on the RTO, the number of days taken for each step can be more or less than what is shown in the image below. I'm presenting my timeline to show where the most delay happened and when I had to file grievances to get things moving. Even though things didn't go as smoothly as it ideally should, I'm happy that our government has taken this first step in automating processes and making things convenient for the general public. Hoping to see more such improvements soon.

Click the image to view it larger

 

Procedure

At https://parivahan.gov.in/parivahan/, in Online Services, select Driving License related services, and then select your state.

 

Getting to the state-specific page

Close the popup which shows you which services are contactless.

This is the homepage. Select the option to apply for DL renewal. Also, notice the “Application Status” button and “File Your Grievance” button at the right side. You’ll be using the Application Status button soon.

Homepage

Remember: Once you've started the application process, you can close the browser anytime, and return back later to continue applying. But to continue applying, you need to click the "Application Status" button (shown above, with the yellow arrow pointing to it) to continue with the same application.

 

A page then shows the instructions and an option to download Form1A if you are above the age of 40 (for a doctor to certify you physically fit). If you are not yet 40 years old or exactly 40 years old and want to check if the algorithm requires you to show the medical certificate, you could download Form1A now, and proceed with the application to see if you are prompted for the certificate or whether you only need to submit a self-declaration of fitness. Again, it's best to clarify such details from the RTO. Since I didn't have to use the form, I can't provide more information on it. From what I understood from what someone told me, I think you could get certified from any doctor in a government hospital, but I'd recommend that you clarify this from the RTO, since I'm not sure. Click the "Continue" button to proceed.

 

Availability of form 1A (medical certification of fitness)

Enter your DL number, date of birth and captcha. Click Proceed.

Application start

I believe it's at this stage you'll be shown a message if you are above the age of 40, and you need to submit form 1A (medical certificate). You'll be shown your existing details and be allowed to select the RTO you want the processing to be done at. I selected the same RTO that my old DL was issued at. If you have to get it processed at a different RTO, and have any questions about this, please ask the RTO. I don't know how the processing would be different if a different RTO is selected.

 

Initial confirmation and RTO selection

Now you'll be allowed to confirm your address. There's no need of entering the Qualification and Employer category, but you may be asked to mention the Taluka.

 

Address confirmation

Now you need to select whether you want to proceed with or without Aadhaar authentication. I chose to do it via Aadhaar, because it offers certain conveniences. I didn't have to upload a photo and signature separately, the eKYC was instantly done. You can even use your m-Aadhaar Virtual ID (VID) number (I did it) if you don’t want to reveal your Aadhaar number. There might be some complications if the name and date of birth in the Aadhaar don’t match your DL. As per the next screen, it seems like some states will provide an option to make a change in the name and date of birth if there is a mismatch. If you have doubts, please ask the RTO whether it would be better to proceed via Aadhaar authentication or not.

 

Aadhaar eKYC. Click image to view larger.

Choose renewal of DL and proceed. In the screenshot below, the blue text in the bottom mentions that when eKYC is chosen, some states may provide an option to correct the name and date of birth. You could either email the helpdesk and ask about it or ask at your RTO. Chances are you'd get a better reply from the helpdesk.

Service choice. Click image to view larger.

Click the button to open the self declaration form. At the bottom of this page there’s an option to opt for being an organ donor. It’s not compulsory, but you can select it if you wish. If you select yes, I think some extra information is printed on the DL, that in case of an accidental death, you'd be willing to donate your organs. There's no negative consequence of not selecting the organ donation option.

Choice for Form1. Click image to view larger.

The self declaration. Rule 5[2] might be a rule mentioned in the motor vehicles act.

Self declaration form. Click image to view larger.

Application number now available

On submission, you'll be given an application reference slip which you can download as a PDF. It clearly mentions that there's no need of going to the RTO. Make sure you note the Application number mentioned on the slip.

Application reference. Click image to view larger.

The application process is not yet complete. Now if you are not automatically taken to the Application Status page, you can to go to the homepage and click the "Application status" button to start uploading your documents.

How to access the application anytime

Enter your application number, date of birth and captcha. Click Proceed.

Continuing the application using the application number

The remaining steps are shown, and notice how the photo upload is exempt (not required) because it was automatically taken from the Aadhaar database. Click "Proceed to upload documents".

Steps remaining

Photo and signature exempt

On clicking Ok, you will be allowed to upload the documents. I only had to upload a self-signed DL copy. Mentioning the document number was not required because it didn’t allow me to enter the full DL number. For “Issued by”, I typed “RTO”. Click “Browse” to upload the document. If you have more documents to upload, you can select the respective options from the "Documents" dropdown menu in the "Required Documents" section and upload them. Once all documents are uploaded, click "Next".

Document upload page

This is the document I uploaded, from what I understood from videos online. You could ask your RTO about what format they need this document to be in.

Uploaded document for DL

 

Payment process

Proceed for fee payment.

View the total fee and proceed to pay. The Gateway available for me was named “Khajana 2”.

Fees to pay. Click image to view larger.

 

Note your token/transaction number and proceed to pay.

Here I encountered an error: "Not able to process the request. Reason: Sorry we are unable to redirect to bank login". I could not proceed even when I went back to the homepage and attempted the payment again. I was shown errors like “404. Oops! The page you are looking for can’t be found”, and “Sorry..! We are unable to process your request now. Please try after sometime”. Even trying the next day didn’t help.

So I went to the homepage and filed a grievance. Only a limited number of words can be typed in the “Feedback” field of the form, so if you need to attach screenshots or explain more, you can use the “Browse” option to attach a file with more information. Sometimes, attaching a file results in an error on submission, so if that happens, just mention the issue briefly in the feedback field, and submit it. In most cases, they look into the matter immediately. If there’s a long delay and nothing happens, you can send an email to helpdesk. You can see if there's any response to the grievance you filed, by clicking on the "File your grievance" button again. At the bottom of the page it'll show you all the grievances you filed.

Filing a grievance

They fixed the backend issues with the payment, and I could proceed to pay. I don't know within how many days they fixed it. I didn't get any notification, so I checked only around a week later. After payment, you’ll be shown the payment receipt number and an option to print it or get a PDF version of it.

Viewing the remaining status updates

Now you can go back to the homepage by clicking the "Home" button, and select the "Application status" button again, to see the status of the application anytime. Ideally, there’s nothing more you need to do. The scrutiny and endorsement will be done and the DL will be printed and sent to your house by speed post.

In my case, the application remained stuck at the scrutiny stage for around 18 days, and it moved forward only when I realized that nobody is attending to it, and submitted a grievance. 

Soon the scrutiny was done, and I received an SMS containing a Sakala number. The endorsement was done soon after (at this stage you can see the renewed DL on DigiLocker, which I believe can be used as a valid DL), and the DL was printed. I've heard that many DL's may be sent as a batch for printing, which may be one reason the printing takes a long time to happen. The same might be true for sending DL's to the post office. 

Then I received an SMS that the DL has been dispatched. The SMS also had an India Post tracking ID. However, when I went to the India Post website and entered the Consignment tracking number, it showed an error that the consignment details were not found. 

I emailed India Post's Bangalore branch, and they replied that they did not physically receive the DL. This meant that the DL was still in the RTO. So I filed another grievance that the DL was not dispatched. Nobody seemed to have attended to this grievance, so I emailed the helpdesk about this, and then the DL was sent to the post office and it was delivered to my house.

Phew! That's it. It took a good amount of effort to create this guide. Hope this has helped you, and wishing you all the best for your application.

For RC renewal I had created another guide here.

Info to plan your Samudram Lakshadweep trip

What's special about Lakshadweep, is the exclusivity. There's no crowd. You can enjoy the beauty and serenity of the place with pleasure.

A stunningly beautiful beach at Kalpeni

The Indian government's Society for Promotion of Nature Tourism and Sports (SPORTS) organizes a visit to three islands of Lakshadweep via the ship M.V. Kavaratti (the M.V. stands for Motorized Vessel). It's a ship with a capacity of 700 passengers. Said to be the biggest ship constructed in India (Vishakapatnam). It travels at 17 nautical miles per hour (31 kmph). This is the Samudram package, which does not require obtaining a permit or police clearance certificate to visit Lakshadweep, because you'll be spending your nights on the ship.

 

This ship will be your home for 4 nights. If there's any issue with the ship, I think they'd use a backup ship like M.V.Lagoons

When preparing for the trip, many questions come to mind, which aren't really answered properly anywhere, so this blog post hopes to clarify the points.

Caution: This blog post is for information purposes only, as an aid regarding what points to remember when planning the trip. It's based on some of my experiences and assumptions. What's presented here is in no way official and does not in any way represent the views or procedures of the organizers of the trip. Before the trip, you need to check with the relevant authorities, whether there are any changes or updates to the procedures and facilities. Use your discretion to ensure your safety and a pleasant trip.

Booking the trip

 

Official website for booking trips

As of 2023-2024, you can visit this page, and if you see dates of travel and available seats displayed, you can create an account on the website and do the booking yourself. I've been told that once the booking is done, there's no separate email or SMS confirmation. If that page does not show any info, or if there are no general seats available, contact the authorised travel agents. If there are any unused seats, they'd be able to get you a seat. You can request the travel agent to notify you when there's an availability too. If you don't want to go through the trouble of booking via the website, you could ask the travel agent to do it for you. They don't charge any extra commission. I contacted Gol Travels. The advantage being that their office is close to the Lakshadweep wharf, so their representative was physically present on the date of travel, to help us. Once I paid the amount to their bank account (they sent me a payment receipt), shared a soft-copy of my mAadhaar (it's safer to share mAadhaar instead of the actual Aadhaar number) and stated my food preference (veg/non-veg), it took many days until I was emailed a 13 character long tourist passenger id which confirmed my booking.

 

Passenger id

I did find it odd that there's no immediate PNR number generation or email/SMS confirmation like a railway or airline ticket.

Locations

Knowing where you'll be taken and how long the trips could be, can help you schedule your time for the water activities, excursions, bathing, etc. Looking at the photos provided in Google Maps can help decide if you want to go for specific excursions or whether you'd prefer to spend more time at the beach. On arriving at the resort, make sure you ask the organizers for the exact time the excursions are planned. The links provided below are of What3Words, which allows a precise specification of location. Switch to satellite mode (the button is in the bottom right corner) in What3Words to see the water and landscape. You can click the "Navigate" button and select Google Maps, to be shown the corresponding area in Google Maps.

• Lakshadweep wharf: Reach here to get your boarding pass.
  
• Ernakulam wharf: You'll be taken here to board the ship.
  
• Minicoy resort at Thundi beach: This is where the water activities are available, lunch is served and the traditional dance is performed. Kayaking is done in this place (complimentary). We didn't see fishes in the light blue areas. Black patches are the places that usually have corals and fishes. Light brown areas in the water are slimy dead algae at the bottom of the sea.
  
• Minicoy lighthouse: We were taken here to see it (complimentary, except for the Rs.20 you pay if you are taking cameras or your smartphone to the top).
  
• Minicoy village house visit: Here we were served the evening snacks and were told about the culture of Minicoy.
• Kavaratti Paradise island resort: Scuba bookings and refunds are done at the reception area. UPI payments work fine. Signing the scuba form and initial instructions are given here. Your comfort level with the scuba mask is checked here (at this place if you aren't comfortable, a full refund is given).
• Kavaratti temple visit: We were taken to this temple (complimentary visit).
• Kalpeni Koomel resort: Make sure you go to this part of the beach to get some extremely beautiful photos of the beach and islands.
• Kalpeni snorkeler seating area: Here you can sit and get ready for snorkeling (complimentary). There was first aid and some juice available here for free. Snorkeling is done approximately here. You'll have to walk in the knee-deep water to reach the area. Later I wondered if it'd be possible to walk here and then cross the island to reach the snorkeling point.
• Kalpeni north tip beach visit: Before reaching the north beach, we were taken (complimentary trip) to the government hosiery factory which is somewhere in the middle of the island, but I can't find it on the map. The north tip beach is here. Great place for photos.
• Ernakulam wharf: You'll get public transport here after disembarking.

Documents to carry

To get your boarding pass, you need to carry a black and white printout of your id card and either the passenger id you were emailed or the travel agency's payment receipt. I was told that a soft-copy would also suffice for the passenger-id/payment receipt, but whatever id card you carry, needs to be in original. I carried my Aadhaar card. The security personnel visually verifies if your id card details match what is mentioned on the boarding pass and passenger id details or payment receipt. Then there's a security check of the baggage and yourself, similar to how it is done at an airport. If you have any queries, you can call up the Lakshadweep administrative office in Kochi and ask. I found them to be honest, sincere and very helpful.

Cancellation

10% cancellation charge will be deducted if the booking is cancelled 30 days before departure. 25% cancellation charge will be deducted if the booking is cancelled between 29 to 7 days before departure. No refund if cancelled within 7 days before the departure. The refund will be directly paid to your bank account, within 7 days. Transaction charges levied by the bank/payment gateway will not be refunded.

Travel insurance

I contacted many insurance companies, but none of them covered travel insurance for ship travel. So I was worried about the possibility of a family member getting hospitalized a day before the trip, and me needing to cancel the trip. Thankfully that didn't happen.

 

Arrival and departure at the city

Once your ship booking is confirmed, you can book your flight or train (I think the travel agents can also do that for you), but make sure you book tickets that can be rescheduled or canceled. I heard of a situation where the ship which was set to sail on the 11th, got rescheduled to sail on the 10th, and one island visit was canceled. Part of the money was said to be refunded. The airport is far from the port, and sometimes, there could be a good amount of traffic, so plan accordingly. You always have the option of staying at a hotel in Kochi for a night. When searching for rooms, make sure you look at the Google reviews of the hotel or homestay, and sort the reviews by ones with the lowest ratings, to check for poor reviews. There's no particular advantage of picking a hotel close to the Lakshadweep wharf, because from Fort Kochi, there are buses that'll take you directly to the Lakshadweep wharf, at approximately (I think) 20 minute intervals (some buses won't go directly, and you'll have to get off the bus near a bridge, and take another bus or auto. So make sure you ask for buses going to Willingdon island). If you take a ferry from Ernakulam to Willingdon island, there might be some amount of walking to do to reach the bus stop, and then there might be a long wait for the bus. I hope there would be auto-rickshaws available. If not, app-based taxis might be available.

From the airport, the cheapest option might be to go to the Angamaly railway station and take a train or bus to Ernakulam. There also appear to be airport feeder buses to and from various locations. I assume an information helpdesk at the airport might be able to provide the necessary guidance.

There are buses to Ernakulam too. The state transport volvo buses I've traveled in, were quite good (when I traveled many years ago). There are plenty of private buses too.

If you want to get really fancy, you could ask chartered helicopter companies if they have an option to take you from the airport to Kochi.  

Order of island visit

The reason the Samudram brochure mentions only the island names and not the order of visiting them, appears to be because the ship has different schedules for visiting the islands. I saw a table available here. After the ship drops you off at an island, there's a good chance it'll sail off to another island to pick/drop the local passengers, and then return by evening to pick you up.

Sample of an old schedule with some inaccurate timings. Click to see it slightly bigger.

 

Weather

The true beauty of the islands reveals itself when there's sunny weather. The following websites offered a reasonably good prediction: https://www.meteoblue.com, https://www.meteoconsult.co.uk/, https://weather.com, https://www.weatheravenue.com/en/, https://www.weathercrave.com, https://www.bbc.com/weather.

These websites predicted rain on my travel dates, but it didn't rain: https://www.weathertab.com/en/, https://www.timeanddate.com/.

 

The incorrect predictions from weathertab and timeanddate

There are also websites like https://www.tide-forecast.com/ for estimating the tides and https://windy.app/ which graphically depicts wind directions and intensity on a map. There are also websites like https://www.earthcam.com/ which show you live camera views of places, which will give you an estimate of the weather (not available for Lakshadweep yet). 

Front of the ship

Front of the ship

If you have plans of standing at the front of the ship like how Jack and Rose did in Titanic, you'll be in for a disappointment, since passengers aren't allowed to go there. From the machinery you can see in the photo, it should be obvious why. Also, on any ship or boat, if you fall off the front side, there's a high chance of the vessel moving forward and you getting struck by the propeller. Very dangerous.

Cabins and cupboards

It really is good to buy a first class cabin ticket. The extra space and privacy you get compared to the second class cabin, is worth it. Also, there is only one other person competing with you for toilet time :-). Each bed has its own curtain (present in cabins of all classes), which is great for privacy and to shield yourself from light. There are also bottle holders beside each bed. They are meant for smaller bottles, but you can invert the 1L bottles you are given, and hope the ship doesn't sway too much to displace the bottle.

Complimentary fruits, soap and t-shirt (the shirt will be given when you get your boarding pass at the wharf)

 

First class cabin (there's a body length mirror behind where I stood for this photo)

The view from my cabin

The second class cabin has beds in the place that the first class cabin has a table and chair. I believe the cupboards were a bit narrower here, but apart from that, there's no other difference between the facilities available for second class passengers.

Second class cabin

Bunk class cabins (for islanders)

 

Bunk class cabins don't seem to be available for the Samudram package, but if you ever travel on your own to or fro, you can see it might be more comfortable to use the second class or first class cabins.

Deck views and boat transfers

Great photo-op's for sunset views. Cameras with good zoom are needed

You can see Minicoy at the horizon

The sunset and panoramic views from the decks are absolutely beautiful. Sometimes it can be rather windy, so take care to hold your cap and spectacles/sunglasses, or get some kind of safety cord to wrap it around your neck.

Upper deck

At the posterior upper deck, the smoke from the ship's chimney can sometimes be a little troublesome, so it's usually better to be at the front upper deck

Restricted areas blocked by chains and ropes

 

Areas restricted by ropes or chains are areas you are not allowed to go to. Also make sure you read the signs as you climb the staircase anywhere inside or above the ship. For example, on the 5th deck, there's a staircase which looks similar to the staircase that leads to the passenger cabins of the 5th deck, but as you climb the staircase, you'll see a sign on the wall that says you aren't authorized to go there. Pay attention to these signs and avoid such places.

At night, you'll notice that there are no headlights switched on in front of the ship. The captain told me that unlike road vehicles, the visibility will be lesser if they switch on a light in the front. There's radar, to navigate.

Swimming pool on the ship

 

The pool is never filled with water. I was told it's because if it is filled, it gets crowded with people. I assume that's dangerous because I've heard of how in crowded swimming pools abroad, kids have drowned and nobody noticed, because of how crowded the pool was.

What the muster stations are

Place to gather when evacuating

Information about which part of the ship passengers need to assemble during evacuation, will be displayed on all decks.

A muster station is a designated location where passengers and crew assemble in case of an emergency. It serves as a gathering point for all individuals aboard the ship to ensure everyone is accounted for. Passengers and crew receive instructions on safety procedures, such as how to use life jackets and lifeboats. It helps organize the orderly evacuation of the ship, if necessary, by directing passengers to lifeboats or other evacuation means.

Luggage safety

Luggage safety in the ship

When traveling alone, it does help keep one's luggage under lock and key, for peace of mind. For this, a piece of metal has been engineered into the cupboard door. A lock will not be provided for free. You need to either bring your own padlock or buy one from a little shop in the ship, opposite cabin 415. I'd suggest bringing your own number-combination lock, to avoid the hassle of carrying the key around.

The mechanism available to lock the cupboard door

 

You won't be provided keys to lock your cabin door from the outside. However, you can lock the door from the inside. When you go onto the island, a crew member will lock all cabin doors. When you return, the crew member will unlock all cabin doors.

 

Doors being unlocked by the crew

After you get your boarding pass, you'll be transported to the port via a minibus. Before that, your luggage will be loaded into a tempo. When I traveled, the back doors of the tempo were closed after the luggage was loaded, so it seemed safe. If you have a small piece of luggage, you can carry it with you on the minibus. Some passengers will end up standing in the minibus, so it's better to put your luggage in the tempo. Once you reach the ship, the luggage will be taken to your cabin (along with the boarding pass you'll be given tags which you can attach to the luggage, and you can write the cabin number on the tag). I believe it'll be left at the corridor in front of your cabin door. You also have the option of carrying the luggage to your cabin yourself. When disembarking, if you aren't in a hurry, you can leave your luggage at the corridor, and it'll be carried down by porters. Again, you have the option of carrying it down yourself.

 

Luggage safety on the islands

Bags can be left on the table while you go for water activities

 

You'll be advised to take only a small bag or satchel containing your swim-wear and anything else you need. You'll also have to wear the yellow life-jacket provided in your cabin. At the resort, there will be multiple tables and chairs, where you can keep your mini-luggage. No lockers were provided there. During my trip, although this arrangement of leaving our things on the tables seemed trustworthy, if you can't trust your luggage and valuables simply being left on a table while you swim or go for the village visit etc, you can carry a small bag which has some kind of a combination lock. I carried along a tiny suitcase which was helpful, since I could lock it with an inbuilt combination lock and when we waited in various queues (when waiting to get onto the boats or waiting for the car/auto for island excursions), I could sit on the suitcase. Even if your belongings are not too expensive, protect them, since if lost at the island, it could be a bit of a hassle to find replacements. When at the island, your main luggage will remain in your ship cabin, in the cupboard. Since staff might enter the room to clear the garbage from the dustbin and perhaps clean the room and perhaps also the toilet, it's helpful to have a lock to keep the cupboard door locked. Moreover, at some islands, the ship drops you off at an island in the morning, and goes to some other island to transport the islanders and then comes back to pick you up in the evening. During all this, you'd want your main luggage to remain safe.

Toilets and changing rooms

Toilets at Minicoy

There are toilets which can be a bit inconvenient to use when the weather is hot, so try your best to do your toilet business while in the ship itself, since the toilets in the ship are air-conditioned.

Bathroom in the ship with a lot of conveniences provided.

When I traveled, there was no bucket and mug in the ship's bathroom. There is a bar for hanging the towel (not visible in the photo) and there's a hook on the door too, for hanging any other clothes. The hand-held shower has an adjustable temperature knob, with a temperature dial that can be increased upto 38 degrees Celsius. Hot water is always available for showering.

Changing rooms where you can have a shower after your water activities

There are obviously separate changing rooms for men and women at the resorts. The shower areas are separated by shower curtains. Something what I really wished to have there, was a larger platform or holder to keep my spectacles while showering. At some places, the hooks for hanging the clothes was either inadequate or broken, and I wished I carried some of those hooks that can be stuck to walls.

Clothes washing and drying 

Clips will be provided

As of April 2024, there's no laundry service on the ship for the passengers. There's no dryer either, and there's no designated place on the ship exclusively meant for hanging the clothes for drying. A suggestion was put forward for making a dryer available. Until then, you can hang wet clothes on the fixtures provided in the bathrooms. The air-conditioner circulates air in the bathroom too, so there's some chance of the clothes drying there. At each island resort, there will be ropes provided to hang your swimwear to dry. Clothes clips will also be provided, but I brought my own clips which was helpful since at one island I didn't find spare clips on the ropes (I should have asked the organizers if they had more clips), and then there's the assurance of my clips being used only on my clothes. If the swimwear isn't dry by evening, you'll need a way to carry your damp clothes back to the ship. I wonder if it'd help to carry your own rope, in case you need to hang your clothes to dry in any specific area, or as in one case, where other tourists had hung up so many clothes that I found it hard to find a rope to hang my clothes.

It helps to have separate clothes for each day that you spend on the island, since there's no option for washing the clothes. For wearing in the ship though, you could use the same pair of clothes on all days (unless you spill curry on your clothes), since you'd be in an air-conditioned environment.

Food in the ship's canteen

The canteen

At 6am to 6:30am, tea, coffee and biscuits are served at the canteen (no announcement will be made for it). There's sugar-free tea and coffee too. At 7am breakfast is served (with tea). There's a good variety. Cornflakes with milk and sugar, bread with butter and jam, omelette, boiled egg, and some unique breakfast like upma or idli with sambar and chutney. It could also be noodles. Except for the first day, where lunch is served on the ship, you'll be having your lunch and evening snacks at the island resorts. There's a great variety of north Indian and south Indian curries available. You'll also be served a dessert like paysam, and there's soup too. During dinner (8pm), you need to wait. There are 170 tourists, but the canteen can seat only 100 people. To avoid overcrowding, sometimes the passengers of the 5th deck are called first to dine (there's a speaker in every cabin, through which you can hear these announcements). Sometimes the passengers of the 3rd and 4th deck are called first. An hour later the announcement is made for the next batch of passengers to come to the canteen. Bunk-class passengers have a separate canteen, so you need to wear your id card to enter the tourist's canteen. You shouldn't sit and socialize in the canteen during dinner. You need to finish your food quickly and move out, since others will be waiting. On the edges of the tables, you'll notice wooden props. Those are to prevent the cutlery from sliding off when the ship sways.

In the non-veg section, it's chicken, egg and fish that's the non-veg part. Non-veg tourists are requested not to go to the veg section. I asked if food could be cooked separately for anyone who has a special dietary requirement, but the answer was a polite "no", since they have limited staff.

If anyone isn't able to go to the canteen, there was a notice which said that they can get a food parcel from the canteen. Eligible people are those who have difficulty in walking, pregnant ladies, breast feeding mothers with infants aged less than 6 months, senior citizens, visually impaired people and differently-abled people who have difficulty walking or climbing the stairs.

There's also a kiosk (I think it's on the 4th deck) where you can buy snacks, ice-cream, toothpaste, etc.

A kiosk that's similar to a kirana shop

Medical treatment

Medical treatment is free of charge for tourists. There's a doctor onboard, and even after hospital timings, a male nurse will be present to help. If nobody is at the hospital or ward when you go there, simply go to the information desk, and they'll make an announcement for the nurse. There are separate wards for men and women. First aid is available at the resorts too for free. For more serious issues, they can take you to a primary healthcare center at the islands. Some islands may even have a helicopter for medical emergencies.
 

The doctor's room and the male ward (the light was switched off, hence it's dark)

What's provided

You'll be given a complimentary shirt along with your boarding pass (you can specify the shirt size at the time of collecting your boarding pass). A cap that used to be given earlier, is no longer being provided, so carry your own hat (you really will need one). A towel and soap will be provided in your cabin. You don't have to take it along to the resort. At the resort, towels, soap, shampoo and sometimes a conditioner will be provided. Two apples and two oranges were kept on our table. A welcome drink was also provided when we boarded the ship and when we reached each island. A blanket, bedsheet and pillow will also be present in the cabin. Lunch, dinner and snacks are available for free at all the islands and on the ship. Some specific cool drinks or ice cream are available at stalls at some islands and at the kiosk on the ship, but you'd have to pay for that.

Small bottles of soaps and shampoos provided at the resorts

 

Boarding pass. Do not lose this.

Six bottles of drinking water per passenger will be available in your cabin on the first day (I wonder if freepaani would be a good replacement). If you need more, you can ask at the canteen, but the initial six is usually sufficient. There is also a water dispenser available at some corridors. The mirror in the bathroom has a small cupboard behind it, where you can keep your toiletries. Room service personnel will clean the trash can everyday while you are at the island. The room also has an electric kettle and two steel tumblers. There's a third utensil which we couldn't figure out the purpose of, since it wouldn't open. 

Docking and boat transfers

The beautiful blue colour I always wanted to see. This was at Minicoy.

At times when the sea is calm and there's no other ship at the jetty, the ship docks at the jetty. You need to go to the third deck to get off the gangway at the jetty.

The boats that take us to the island and bring us back to the ship

Curious passengers looking on while we get onto the boat

When the ship is anchored away from the shore, boats can arrive at both sides of the ship to pick up passengers. For this, you need to go to deck number one to get onto the boat.

ATM/UPI at the islands

UPI worked fine at Kavaratti, for people who made payments for their scuba dive. It was done by scanning a QR code. There are ATM's at all three islands. When you want to go to an ATM, you need to tell the organizers at the resort. They'll take you to the ATM.
 

Network at the islands

BSNL seemed to work fine on all three islands. Airtel was available only at Kavaratti, and when I measured it, the download speed was 8Mbps, but the upload speed was just 0.5Mbps. At Kavaratti I was able to use Airtel even though the ship was anchored maybe a kilometer away from the island. There's no network while the ship is sailing.

SCUBA

 

Acclimatization stage where at a shallow depth, we feed fishes for a while before proceeding deeper into stunningly beautiful views, colourful corals and a variety of fishes and other sea creatures

For a "try scuba" dive of upto a depth of three meters, I didn't have to show any doctor's certificate. However, I was required to answer a standard medical questionnaire. We didn't even have to wear any special scuba suit. Our normal swimwear was enough. If you are myopic, it's recommended that you learn how to use contact lenses and carry disposable contact lenses. It's necessary to see clearly to truly appreciate the beauty of what you see underwater. I took along spectacle lenses and cellotape to see if it could be stuck to the inside of the mask, but the instructors said it's not a good idea. At Rs.2950, it was among the most cost-effective dives in India. Just make sure you practice breathing through your mouth. You don't even need to know how to swim. Also, make sure you take your underwater camera along, since although we were told we'd be given a video of the dive, we were given only one minute's worth of footage at the place shown in the photo above. The whole dive was around 10 minutes or more, of exquisite beauty, which we now only have as a memory in our mind. 

It's better if you educate yourself about scuba before going there, because if you only listen to the instructor there, there's a good chance you'll promptly forget what he told you. They'll tell you about a Valsalva maneuver, which is basically when you have to pinch your nostrils to close them, and then push air into your nose like how you do when you are blowing your nose when you have a cold. This causes a squeak sound at your eardrum, and equalizes the air pressure inside you, with the water pressure of the sea as you dive downward. I had to do this once during my dive upto a depth of three meter.

These were the yes/no questions in the questionnaire before the dive:

• I am currently suffering from a cold or congestion.
• I have a history of respiratory problems or disease.
• I have had asthma, emphysema or tuberculosis.
• I currently have an ear infection.
• I have recurrent ear problems, ear disease or surgery.
• I have a history of sinus problems.
• I have had problems equalizing (popping) my ears with airplane or mountain travel.
• I am diabetic.
• I have a history of heart condition (e.g., cardiovascular disease, angina, heart attack).
• I have a history of seizures, dizziness or fainting.
• I have a nervous system disorder.
• I have behavioral health, mental or psychological disorders (panic attack, fear of closed or open spaces).
• I have recurrent back problems, history of back or spinal surgery.
• I am currently taking prescription medication that carries a warning about impairment of physical and mental abilities (with the exception of anti-malarial).
• I have recently had an operation or illness. 
• I am under the care of a physician or have a chronic illness.

If your answer is "yes" to any of the questions, you need to get written medical approval. You can take form 10063 to the physician. I assume the form would be available there itself and I assume you could go to a nearby primary healthcare center. You could call up and ask someone to provide this information before you go for the trip. You could ask if you can get the medical certification before embarking on the trip or whether it'd be possible to get it done via any doctor who is traveling as a tourist, or perhaps the doctor who is onboard the ship. If there are any updates on this, please let me know in the comments.

 

Complimentary activities and water sports cost

These were the costs displayed at Minicoy and Kavaratti.

Water sports cost at Minicoy

Costs at Kavaratti

Complimentary activities at Kavaratti

 

Fishes come up to the side of the glass bottom boat, swim along with the boat and peer at you too, when the boatman throws food at the sides. Sometimes you get to see turtles too.

• Kayaking is free in Minicoy (but for a limited time, so don't go too far from the shore). I felt they could have purchased more kayaks so that tourists could enjoy more time paddling, instead of being asked to cut short the activity so that other tourists who were waiting, could try kayaking. Paddling takes some effort, so make sure you exercise well before coming for the trip. See if you'd enjoy having a kayaking race with other travelers.
  
• Glass bottom boat ride is free at Kavaratti (they'll give you coupons labelled "GB", which you hand over to the boatman, for a one-time glass bottom boat ride. Toward afternoon, if there isn't a crowd, you can go for one more ride). Remember to keep your feet away from the glass, to prevent damage to it.
  
• Snorkeling is free at Kalpeni (there are many participants and very few snorkeling masks, so either bring your own swimming goggles and plastic tube to breathe, or your own snorkeling masks). 

I think the only water sports activity at Kalpeni was Kayaking. It's important to note that it helps to have your own swimming goggles or snorkeling mask, because even if you are simply swimming around anywhere, when you open your eyes underwater, everything will be blurry, even if you have normal vision. It's only when you use the goggles or mask, that you'll be able to see clearly underwater.

Exploring the island

Island excursion cost at Kavaratti

Really good quality t-shirts were available at Kavaratti for Rs.500 during the island-excursion

You can request for a vehicle, and you can explore the island to go to a souvenir shop or shops where you can get some maasu (a tuna specialty). 

 

The government hosiery factory at Kalpeni

T-shirts are available here for reasonable rates like Rs.200 or Rs.300 (I don't remember the rates correctly)

I expected a large factory, but the building you see is just slightly bigger than what you see in the photo. There are tables and cupboards where the t-shirts are displayed, and you can purchase it if you want. It gets rather crowded there when tourists visit. When getting out of there, make sure you take the sharp right turn, or else you'll end up getting lost, because the roads pointing straight out of the factory, lead to the opposite direction. The main road is less than 25 meter away, and that's where the vehicles will be waiting for you. You'll be brought here while on the way to the north tip beach, so if you aren't interested in buying t-shirts, you can go directly to the beach.

Lost or missing items

A person's iPhone was said to have fallen into the water, and when found after two days, it was couriered to them. Similarly, any other items missing or lost, when found, will be couriered to you. I think you may have to pay for the courier. Long ago, two passengers accidentally took each other's similar-looking suitcases, and they realized it only when they reached the airport and railway station respectively. I'm told that the tour manager put them in touch with each other and suggested that they could courier each others luggage to each other, once they reached their destination. To prevent this from happening, make sure you select your luggage carefully when disembarking, and make sure you put some kind of sticker on your luggage to distinguish it. Or, simply carry your luggage on your own, up and down the ship. 

As far as I could ascertain, the people who work on the ship are people who have a high level of honesty and integrity, so there's the peace of mind that our luggage would be safe. We were told of how during prior trips, somebody's ring went missing and the staff later found it lodged between the wall and the bed. Another woman's ring was later found lodged a corner of her own luggage. It helps to place small items in pouches and compartmentalize your luggage. Check carefully before accusing anyone. More importantly, prevention is better than cure. Don't leave things lying around anywhere. Either keep your things in your pocket or purse or baggage.
 

Sharing photos after the trip

The tour manager usually creates a WhatsApp group after the trip. At the start of the trip, after one of the briefing sessions on the ship, you can give them your phone number for adding into the group. Even group members can add you to the group later. People use the group to stay in touch, to share videos and photos, to post updates of upcoming Samudram bookings and sometimes even to share info about lost items.

DJ dance at the last night of the trip

Passengers dancing to music on the night we returned to Kochi

No announcement was made for this on the night, but it was mentioned in the briefing on the first day. On the last night of the trip, after dinner, an automated DJ jukebox is placed on the top-front deck of the ship, and some dance lights are switched on. Tourists dance to the music until quite late into the night. There's only the music and dance.

Ship's return to Kochi

 

Passengers who chose to leave their luggage for the porters to carry down

Normally, the ship reaches Kochi by 10am. I'm told the maximum delay may be upto 2pm, but it never goes beyond that. It takes around 1 or 2 hours for disembarkation. You will be asked to keep your luggage outside your cabin, and you can go to the ship's control room (called the 'bridge') to see how the ship is operated. Workers will carry your luggage down, and after all the luggage is taken down, you'll be allowed to get off the ship. Within 100m walking distance, you'll get autos, buses (available every 20 minutes, I think) and app-based taxis. If you are in a hurry to catch a flight or other transport, you will be allowed via a special line, to leave when the ship docks itself. However, I recommend not leaving so early, since after the ship docks, you'll be allowed to enter the bridge (the place where the captain controls the ship). You can see all the controls there, and they'll explain it to you if you want. They didn't allow us to take photos or videos inside there though, but I assume you could take a photo while standing outside the door (ask for permission first). 

A unique script I noticed on a ship wall near the swimming pool

I initially thought the script might be Jaseri, but when I uploaded this script to ChatGPT-4o, it said: "The last line is in Mahl language. Mahl, also known as Maldivian or Dhivehi, uses the Thaana script, which is what is shown in the image. Jaseri language, spoken on the Lakshadweep islands, can use the same script but the context and script style here are characteristic of Mahl". ChatGPT also said: "Transliteration: 'Laif bōṭilum kappalilum vasaṅṅalilārum tūmpārunnaṯ' which means 'Do not spit in lifeboats and ships'".

 

Tips

Top bed ladder placement

At the bed, if the ladder is placed at the topmost position, it'll be very unstable when climbing, and can injure your hand too. The right way is to place it as shown in the image below. This also ensures it rests safely on the floor.

 

UV protection

I assumed that my childhood spent playing in the hot summer sun would give me sufficient protection. I was so wrong. Spent just a few hours in the afternoon sun at Lakshadweep, and a layer of flesh below my skin was painful to touch. After the trip, heat blisters developed and my skin was peeling off at all exposed areas. Make sure you wear arm-sleeves or a full-sleeved shirt and a hat to protect yourself. It also helps to have good polarized sunglasses with UV protection. It takes a little more than a month for the skin colour to return to normal.

Sunscreen might damage corals

There's conflicting information about this. The National Geographic says chemicals found in sunscreens (oxybenzone) damages coral reefs. Others say that the amount of chemical is less, and heat waves are responsible for the actual bleaching. Even reef-safe sunscreen may not be all that safe. It's better to cover up your body with clothes and a hat, instead of using sunscreen. There are special arm-sleeves that can be purchased online.

Prefer the open-top vehicles on hot days

Open-top vehicle

 

Minibus with luggage racks at the sides. The amount of shaking can cause the luggage to fall down.

To take you from the ship to the resort, there are small open-top vehicles and there are mini-buses and cars. I found it better to choose the open-top vehicles, since it was a lot more airy, and it didn't have to wait long at any spot. The larger vehicles waited for a sufficient number of passengers to get in, and during that wait, it'd get a bit stifling in the heat.

Phone safety

Try your best to avoid taking your phone anywhere near the water. Even if it is in your pocket, there's a chance you may fall into the water. If it does fall into the water, we were told that raw rice will be available in the kitchen to keep the phone (the raw rice absorbs moisture). There are certain types of waterproof plastic covers available for protecting the phone from water (you'll have to buy it yourself before reaching the wharf). It allows you to operate your phone's touchscreen even though it's inside the cover. There was this one unique situation somewhere abroad, where a flying fish hit a woman's phone and it fell into the water. I know a person whose phone fell into the sea on the last day of his honeymoon, while he was getting onto the boat in Andaman. The phone didn't work again.

Collect swimwear when returning

Since your swimwear will most likely be hung up for drying at the resort, you may forget to collect it when returning to the ship. A guy forgot his, and remembered only when he was bathing in the ship. At first he thought it'd be a lost cause to try and get it, but he told the organizers, and since the ship hadn't left the port yet, they quickly brought back the swimwear.

Take care of your lifejacket

Remember the number written on your lifejacket. The yellow lifejackets kept in your cabin are to be worn while you embark and disembark (keeps you afloat you if you fall into the water), and when you are on the boats. You need to bring it back to the ship, so take extreme care not to lose it anywhere while on the island or while in the water. There are smaller lifejackets available for kids. I believe it's given at the time of disembarkation.

Getting into the water

Enter the water only at areas designated. Other areas can be dangerous due to unexpected depth, ocean currents (seriously, the currents are dangerous. I couldn't even fight against a slow current), sea creatures and sharp/rough corals or rocks. Do not underestimate these rocks and corals. The movements of the sea are so strong that it'll rub you against the rocks, and your skin which would already soaked in water, will get cut unbelievably easily. This happened to me when I was simply holding onto a rock and also when I simply placed my foot onto a rock. The rocks didn't even have sharp edges. Trust me; you don't want to return home with a bunch of injuries. Calm lagoons are on the western side of the island. Larger waves are on the eastern side. You can clearly see the difference of the calmness of the water, from the satellite view.
Even in shallow water, it's better to wear your lifejacket, since I was told that if a person's leg gets twisted or stuck, there's a chance they may drown if they aren't wearing the lifejacket.

Cabin selection

Some port views probably obstructed by the lifeboat

Try asking for a cabin that's away from, or above the lifeboats. Some cabins have a good view of the sea. Some may have the lifeboat blocking the view. In any case, people rarely spend time in the rooms. You'll find everyone either at the top deck or at the walkways at the sides, or even in the recreation room. The images below could help visualize which cabins would be best. It's better not to select a cabin that's too close to any point leading out to an outer deck, because people will be constantly opening the deck door, causing noise. Some cabins at the rear have a great view. A person who got a cabin on the 5th deck, said he requested the travel agent specifically that he wanted it on the 5th deck. I don't think there's any option for making such a selection while booking via the website, although I assume you could call up the Lakshadweep administrative office and ask if the person in charge of the bookings would oblige with selecting a specific cabin. I wouldn't recommend doing all this, since you'd barely spend any time in the cabin anyway.

Ship layout back. Click to view larger.

Ship layout middle. Click to view larger.

Ship layout front. Click to view larger.

Plugpoints

Some plugpoints may not be a perfect fit (my camera's charging plug fit loosely in the plugpoint, so I couldn't charge it), so it can help to carry some kind of an adapter or universal adapter.

Hand railings

There are reddish pink hand railings on all corridors, which seem to be wrapped with some kind of plastic. A co-passenger slid his hand on it while walking, and his skin got slightly cut by a piece of the railing that was slightly broken and jutting out. Be careful with regards to that. Also, it is not decent and not respectful to hang your clothes for drying on those hand railings. Those hand railings are meant for holding onto for balance, when the ship sways.

Own supplies

Even though first aid is available at the island and ship, it helps to have some basic medicines with you, in case the injury happens when the personnel are not available (it happened to me). It also helps to have a small towel, since sometimes, at the resort, the towels get exhausted quickly. It might even help to carry your own clothes clips. The mouthpiece of the scuba mask and snorkel, is designed in a way that you have to bite onto it, and a part of it makes contact with your gums and teeth. Normally, I'd have expected such equipment to be sanitized, but as far as I could see, the only sanitation done, was washing it in sea-water, so it was a bit disconcerting that I was biting onto something that has been in the mouths of many people. If you choose to buy a full-face mask, there are said to be life-threatening dangers when using full-face snorkeling masks, so choose your mask carefully.

Carry a pen drive if going scuba diving

By around 4pm in Kavaratti, an announcement was made that we could go to a room to collect our scuba dive video. Sometimes, people's mobile phone filesystem isn't recognized by the laptop operating system of the organizer, so it becomes difficult to copy the files onto the mobile phone. It's best to carry a pen drive that's formatted with the FAT filesystem (or NTFS if any single filesize may be greater than 4GB). An alternative is to make a folder on your Google Drive public, and share the link with them. Before the scuba dive, you'll be given a plastic tag with a number mentioned on it, which you'll have to wear during the dive. You'll have to bring along that tag at 4pm, to collect your video and photos from the organizers. The number on the tag is how they identify you in the video.

Hot floating docks

The plastic floating docks can get extremely hot in the afternoon, so ensure you wear footwear when walking on them. I wonder if the plastic would leach and whether microplastics would be an issue. Perhaps such docks could be re-built with densely packed coir or wood?

Hot lighthouse balcony floor

Lighthouse at Minicoy

 

At Minicoy, people who wanted to carry any kind of camera (including the smartphone camera) had to pay Rs.20 at the base of the lighthouse (you don't have to pay separately for each camera). If you don't want to pay, you can leave the phone and/or camera in your locked luggage at the base of the lighthouse and climb up. It is a slightly exhausting climb consisting of some concrete steps, some narrow metal steps and some even more narrow almost vertical metal steps. I think we were told there were 230 steps, but I counted lesser number of steps (including the ones that lead to the base of the lighthouse). I think the person who originally counted it said some number and nobody bothered to verify or they remembered it wrong. Anyway, once you reach the balcony at the top of the lighthouse, there's a good chance you'll find it difficult to stand there if the sun has heated the balcony, since you are expected to leave your footwear at the base of the lighthouse. One option may be to carry along rubber slippers in a pouch, and wear it at the balcony if the floor is hot. It'd be prudent to ask someone there if it's ok to do so. The view from the top of the lighthouse is really beautiful. It's not the same lighthouse as the one you see when the ship docks. Surprisingly, we couldn't see the ship from the top of the lighthouse. At the compound below, there's a swing and some benches where you can sit and relax for a while. Just outside the compound's entrance there's a splendid beach.

Do a schedule refresher at each place

At each resort, ask them what the schedule is for everything (snacks, lunch, trips to parts of the island, first-aid, souvenir shops, etc.). I missed a chance at getting some hot samosa and tea at Kalpeni because I didn't know when it'd be served. I didn't know about when the trips to souvenir shops happened, because I forgot the announcement the tour manager made regarding it, on the first day. A Youtuber missed the DJ dance and the visit to the ship's bridge because nobody announced it on the last day. By the way, if in that hot weather you need refrigerated water, you can ask the resort people, and they'd be happy to give it to you for free. I feel they should have kept a large water cooler for dispensing refrigerated water for everyone.

Dolphins and flying fish at Minicoy

 

Dolphin breaching, barely visible

When the ship is a few nautical miles away from Minicoy, go to the starboard side (right side of the ship) on the third deck and lookout for dolphins and flying fish. We were lucky enough to see some. I'd have loved it if there were whales too. A co-passenger shared a video of a dolphin (shown above) they saw from the top deck, on WhatsApp. Be very careful with your phone when recording, as if it slips or bounces and falls into the sea, you'd never get it back.

Garbage

Click to see it bigger

Do not throw garbage into the sea. There are very specific regulations regarding it.

Rules about corals

Punishable offences

Don't take anything from the islands, don't ruin anything there, and don't leave behind any garbage on the islands. Don't even take the white sand. Unlike the beach sand at other places which is formed by rocks, the sand at Lakshadweep was formed by a process of 12 million years of corals and shelled creatures being crushed by various forces and creatures.

 

Calm waters mean a clearer dive

I visited during Ramzan, which meant that many of the fishermen didn't venture out on their boats. So the noise from boats was nil. Also, the sea was calm, the sun was bright, and there wasn't any rain, so the waters were super-clear. During the dive it was like as though I was looking through air, and not water. It was so clear.

Reach early for boarding

I was told that if you arrive at the wharf after 10:30am (or by the time boarding is closed for tourists), you won't be allowed onto the ship, and you won't get a refund. This is one of the other reasons it's better to arrive at the city a day early and stay at a hotel/homestay, so that you can reach the wharf early. What I found confusing is that the brochure they gave along with the boarding pass says: "Tourists are requested to board the ship 2 hours prior to the sailing time of the ship...", so given that the ship sets sail by 3pm, what I was told about 10:30am seems conflicting. Keep your ticket safe, since no refund will be given for lost tickets.

Stay before and after the trip

There's a Lakshadweep guesthouse in Ernakulam, but it'd help to call up and ask if you'd be allowed to stay there. There are many homestays and hotels in Fort Kochi and Ernakulam. Some homestays seem to have a bait-and-switch tactic, where they list the room at a lower price and show you and charge a bit higher for a different room when you reach. Some don't even offer you water for free. Air conditioning may cost extra. Some don't have parking space. Rooms appear big in the photos, but can be rather small. So read the Google reviews carefully (you can sort the reviews by the lowest rating) and call up and ask the homestay owners your questions before choosing to go there. There are direct buses from Fort Kochi to the Lakshadweep wharf. You can also stay at Ernakulam and take a cab to the wharf. You also have the option of staying at Vypin and traveling to either Fort Kochi or Willingdon island by ferry. Buses are a lot cheaper than the cabs/autos. Staying at hostels are also an option, but some travelers say it's better to stay at a homestay or hotel since in shared dorms you can catch a cold or cough from fellow travelers, and that's one kind of infection that'll disqualify you from the scuba dive. At Fort Kochi, take a bit of care at rentals and shops, since I've encountered some people who try to overcharge. A friend asked an auto driver who pointed us to a good eatery which was far cheaper than many restaurants there. The person who traveled with me found one (at least when I dined there, it was hygienic and cooked by a responsible person) where a good lunch was served for just Rs.30. Very soft and tasty dosas with chutney and sambar was served for dinner for Rs.10 per dosa (sambar and chutney was included in the cost). There are also nearby eateries where you can get idlis for Rs.7 each (I don't know about the hygiene and quality). The homestays charge Rs.100 to Rs.150 for a breakfast, which is too much, but offers the convenience of not having to venture out.
 

Make friends early

It helps to make friends early, since they can help you with a variety of things. A YouTuber who couldn't climb the lighthouse, could have given us his camera and we could have shot the scenery for him at the top of the lighthouse if he had introduced himself to us earlier. A couple of foreigners could have had better access to information, if they introduced themselves to other passengers early. There were some announcements and explanations that were entirely in Hindi, which the foreigners couldn't understand (I believe it was explained to them later, separately). Same problem with Indians who didn't understand Hindi.

Ernakulam South and Ernakulam Town railway stations

When booking tickets, be aware of which railway station you are choosing. There are two of them in Ernakulam, 4km away from each other. You can take the metro or an auto to travel between these stations. The metro costs 5 times lesser than auto, but there's a bit of walking to do. There's also one railway station at Triupunitrhura, if that's in any way convenient for you.


I hope this info has been useful. I created it because I know how difficult it can be when wanting to plan a trip, and the info available online is lacking. After the trip, when I went to the Lakshadweep wharf (where we got our boarding passes) to ask some queries, it was closed. At the same time, a foreigner came there to ask about how to book a trip, and he expressed confusion at how there's very less information available about how to book a trip. 

If travel by ship is cumbersome, you could always go to Lakshadweep by flight, but a travel agent told me that you'd have to reserve the rooms many months in advance and go through the formalities of obtaining a permit from the Lakshadweep office, and a police clearance certificate from your local police station (which can be done online). The authorized travel agents can help you figure this out. One thing that'd be good about going by flight, is that you can land at Agatti and then visit islands like Bangaram, which is said to be a lot more pristine than the other islands. You also get to spend early mornings and late evenings on the beach, possibly even having the chance of viewing bioluminiscence.

Have a nice trip!