Chetlat Island

Chetlat is a coral island in the Amindivi subgroup of the Lakshadweep archipelago, 432 km west of Kochi. This populated island has just 1.174 sq km of dry land, with its reef and a lagoon of 3.79 sq km lying to the west. A sand spit at the northern point grows a little each year.

Local history recalls cruel treatment of the islanders by Portuguese seafarers. Coir twisting was the traditional work here, and the average Chetlat coir used to match first-class coir from the other islands. Residents now do very small scale farming and fishing, mainly for the island's own needs. A small jetty serves the west coast, and there is a helipad at the southern point.