Crystal clear blue waters, coral reef full of colorful fish, white sand beaches, coconut trees leaning towards the sea, a perfect recipe for paradise. This is what Lakshadweep Islands are like. Formerly known as Laccadive Islands, they are situated around 400 kilometers (250 miles) from the west coast of India in the Laccadive Sea (above the well known hot tourist spot - Maldives). The archipelago consists of twelve atolls with around forty islands and islets, ten of which are inhabited. The name "Lakshadweep" means one hundred thousand islands in Sanskrit. The islands are governed by India.