The Island of John Munroe

Kerala is never short of beautiful places and Munroe Island is one of them.

Munroe Island is actually a cluster of 8 tiny islands and it is bordered by the Ashtamudi Lake and the Kallada River. The island is located about 27 kilometers from the town of Kollam and you can either drive there or take the ferry.

As for us, we opt for the ferry ride as it is nearer to our accommodation.

When we arrived at the jetty, the ferry was not at all what we thought it would be. It is more of a homemade ‘catamaran’ that is used to transport villagers and their vehicles from the mainland to the island and back.

The ‘catamaran’ was made out of 2 long boats connected with huge planks in the middle. Looking at the size of our van we were a bit skeptical at first but then… the trip before us was loaded with 3 cars and 10 motorbikes seems to made it across alright. The ferry ride across was a short one, about 5 – 7 minutes.

Munroe Island was named after John Munroe, a local British Colonel. It was said he helped spread Christianity in Kerala.

Unlike any other backwater boat rides we have experienced before, here in Munroe Island the canoe rides are much more intimate as they bring us through the small canals that passes through the village homes. In fact, the widths of the canals are just wide enough for 2 canoes.

According to our boat guide, these canals are man-made and before the arrival of roads they were used as main mode of transportation.

There is no better way to enjoy Munroe Island than taking these canoe rides. The view is breathtaking. You can feel the wind blowing mildly and the coconut trees swaying lazily.

If you are a photo junkie, we guarantee that you will not be able to put your camera down.

Last but not least, we recommend that you take the evening slot for the boat ride as the rays of the evening sun gives that magic touch to the already amazing views of Munroe Island.

-NZ-