A traditional Canoe ride through Mundrothuruthu / Munroe Islands (Kollam, Kerala, India)

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do” –  Mark Twain

Mundrothuruthu is really a hidden gem in Kerala. We came to this place as a part of 2 days visit to Kollam (in April 2018).

Munroe Island or Mundrothuruthu is an island located at the confluence of Ashtamudi Lake and the Kallada River, in Kollam district, Kerala, South India.

The population in this island is very less. Kollam District Tourism Promotion council (DTPC) is giving lot of importance to this place these days. It is infact a great idea because there are lot of potential for this place to be blown into a popular tourism spot

I was told that many foreigners visit this island, may be because of its attributes like calmness, scenic beauty and so on. Munroe island is near Kollam, and it is actually composed by many islands, separated by small water channels and lakes. Now there are narrow roads within the island.

The island is beautiful and we really loved the relaxed atmosphere over there. I personally feel DTPC should promote only traditional Canoe boats here as the Motor boats would cause more pollution and thereby disturb the current eco system. Afterall, Canoe boat being a silent mode of transportation is the best fit for this island. We were charged around 500 INR for a one hour canoe trip.

There are lot of coconut tress around. The tress/plants reflection to the water is an excellent view.

Prawn farming is quite common in this island and the same is completely covered with nets.

Mundrothuruthu has a small railway station. Shuttle/passenger trains coming from Kollam and Alappuzha have a stop @ this station. (Around 15 Minutes journey in train from kollam Railway Station). Journey by car would take around 50 minutes.

If you want to spend more time in this place, you can also stay in some Homestays available within the islands. You can plan this as a day trip also.

There is a temple within the island.

History: This island also owed its name to the British rule. It was named after Colonel John Munroe, who reclaimed the island.

Many times, the canoe will pass underneath the small bridges.

Seems like Duck and Cow Farming is quite common in this island.

One Line Summary: Overall, its worth for a one day short trip, preferably in the early morning or last evening.

Some Useful Links:

1) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Munroe_Island

2) https://sites.google.com/site/munroeislandbackwaters/

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