Kerala's strawberry haven Vattavada introduces entry fee; jeep rides start at ₹1,500

Vattavada, the renowned strawberry heartland of Kerala's Idukki district, has rolled out a paid entry system via a green check post for tourists. Now, two-wheelers will have to pay ₹30; small vehicles, including cars, should pay ₹50; buses and other big vehicles should pay ₹100 as an entry fee to Vattavada panchayat. The check post has been opened at Oorukadu, and it will hand over cloth bags to visitors after taking the entry fee. While returning from Vattavada, they can hand over the bags with segregated waste at the check post itself. 

The entry fee was introduced on October 31. Vattavada Panchayat president P Suria Raj said the fee would help them handle the heavy waste brought in by tourists. "Hundreds of people are visiting Vattavada now daily. This is a spot that remains cool throughout the year, and therefore, the number of visitors is also going up. Vattavada's neighbourhood Kanthalloor, which is often paired up with a trip to this village, already has an entry fee in place. The fees will help us handle waste and also pay those providing the service fairly," he says. 

What to see in Vattavada
If you have Vattavada as part of your vacation plan this holiday season, here's what tourists can do:
a) Head to Koviloor in Vattavada
b) Hire a jeep for a 3-hour ride. (It can charge between ₹1,500 and ₹3,000). The places it covers are:
- Pazhathottam: This is where visitors get to check out Vattavada's multiple strawberry farms. They can walk through the farms, click pictures and also buy the fruits. Unlike in the past, strawberry cultivation is done round the year now. 

-Chilanthiyar: Tourists get to check out a cascading waterfall, reserve forest, local flora and fauna and Chinese-style terrace cultivation of vegetables here. The waterfall is at its best after rains. 
- Kottakombai or Kottambamboor: It has agricultural lands that follow terrace cultivation. Visitors can also purchase vegetables like carrots, potatoes, cabbage, different types of beans and more from here. 

- Vattavada also has a few tribal villages. However, entry to this stretch is restricted and can only be undertaken with special permission from the forest department.