Veettikunnu Island – get connected with the nature

Veettikunnu Island
Veettikunnu Island in the Parambikulam Tiger Reserve is an ideal weekend destination. Photos by Praveen Elayi

The world is getting more and more connected. But despite all this connectedness, loneliness seems to be engulfing the lives more than ever. A way to overcome this is to unplug and seek solitude in nature. And one such getaway is Veettikunnu island in the Parambikulam Tiger Reserve, a protected area at Chittur in Palakkad, Kerala.

Remember to book your stay at the island beforehand through the official website of the Tiger Reserve. The package will offer services of a naturalist and boatmen, but food is not involved. Visitors can, however, opt for services of a cook provided they make arrangements for the provisions. Maximum number of persons allowed is 5.

Once you take the Thrissur-Wadakkanchery-Sethumadai route to the Parambikulam Reserve, the road will be flanked by a thick canopy of tamarind trees. The final stretch passes through Anamalai Tiger Reserve in Tamil Nadu. Before entering Parambikulam, vehicles will be checked at three different spots by forest officials.

Leave your vehicles on the edge of Parambikulam dam and walk to the boatyard. Though small, there are chances of encountering wild animals including elephants in this trek.

Forest department's fibreglass boats will take you to the islands from there. If you can follow Malayalam, the boatmen, who would be your support staff at the island, will share lores of the forest.

The stunted tree stumps amid waters with cormorants on them would remind you of Thekkady in Idukki.

The tourist cottage at the island is officially known as Veettikunnu Island Nest. From the cottage you can spot Karimala Gopuram and several eyots. The Nest is surrounded by a trench to protect tourists from wild animal attacks. The island has a forest of smaller trees, bamboos and sandalwood. At a small trek away can be found a watch tower, which would give you a bird's-eye-view of that side of island.

Note: carry a proper light source while venturing out in the dark there are chances of spotting alligators in the bushes or elephants traversing the waters.

The astute care taken by the forest officials in the matters of safety and precaution makes Veettikunnu a perfectly safe spot for a quiet but adventurous holiday. The friendly behavior of the officials makes it a popular destination among women travelers, too.

For more information dial 89034-61060.

The comments posted here/below/in the given space are not on behalf of Onmanorama. The person posting the comment will be in sole ownership of its responsibility. According to the central government's IT rules, obscene or offensive statement made against a person, religion, community or nation is a punishable offense, and legal action would be taken against people who indulge in such activities.