Veetikunnu Island Nest: Living on an Island inside a Tiger Reserve
This jungle property offers the perfect mix of pristine nature and digital detox. There is no property within 50 sq km of it. In fact, to get to the nearest human civilization, you will have to travel an hour by boat. It is in the middle of a tiger reserve and is surrounded by a massive reservoir. I am talking about the Veetikunnu Island Nest, a property run and managed by the Kerala forest department. It is in the middle of the Parambikulam reservoir inside the Parambikulam tiger reserve in Kerala. The island is called Veetikunnu Island and it can be only accessed by boat. It is surrounded by huge mountains of the Western Ghats and a lot of wild animals and birds frequent this place.
Wild animals swim the waters of the Parambikulam reservoir to come and graze here. Elephants, gaurs and spotted deer are often seen here. During the dry months, when the water levels recede, the island is connected to other parts of the jungle through a narrow land mass. This ensures excellent migration of wild animals to the island during the dry season.
The island is special and picturesque and one will fall in love with it right from the time they spot it from the boat. The island is not more than four square kilometers and it mainly consists of bamboo forests, though in the middle of the island, you will spot Arjuna, rosewood, sandalwood and many other local tree varieties. A steep walk from the boat mooring point will take you to the top of the island where the property is located. Once you cross a trench that is there to protect you from the elephants, you are inside the property. From here, you can see the vast Parambikulam reservoir while listening to the chirps of the birds. There is hardly any civilization nearby and you and your group will have the entire tiger reserve to yourselves here.
The only way around the island is on foot. You will have to negotiate the sharp bamboo thickets and steep terrain for most of the walk, but once you reach the other side of the island, the terrain flattens out. Here, the bamboo forest gets denser and this is where the elephants hang out along with the gaurs, deer, crocodiles and other wild animals. The entire trek around the Veetikunnu island is eventful as you keep seeing animals and birds. Once you are out in the open grassland, you can see the mountains in the yonder and the vast expanse of water surrounding the island. This stretch along the water is extremely scenic around sunset as that is when the sky changes colours and looks very picturesque.
Early mornings and late evenings are the best time to spot the wild animals as that is when the weather is pleasant and the mist surrounding the bamboo thicket gives the animals some cover from the predators. This is also the time to be extremely cautious as visibility is quite poor and you might miss out on an elephant foraging in the bamboo thicket next to you. The forest guard will keep you on your toes, but it is best if you stay quiet and keep an eye out too.
Afternoons are perfect for that siesta under a tree near your property and the nights are perfect for that campfire under the starry sky while listening to the croaks of the frogs and the sounds of the cicadas and crickets. The air is absolutely pure here and sometimes when the wind is strong, you can hear the gentle laps of the reservoir water against the shore. Overall, it is a magical location offering a surreal experience.
If pristine forest environment and remote location is your thing, then you will definitely love this place. Digital detox is definitely on the cards here and so is an overdose of nature. A perfect combo for a rejuvenating holiday. This place is not for everyone, but if you are willing to rough it out, you are bound to have an absolutely swell experience. As it is not often that you get to stay on an island in the middle of a tiger reserve.
Things to keep in mind while visiting Veetikunnu Island:
1)There is no cell phone or internet connectivity on the island. Be prepared for a total detox from technology. It is up to you if you wish to spoil the sanctity of the place with music from your mobile phone or portable sound systems. You will miss the natural music of the island if you bring your own music.
2) Electricity can be patchy on the island. If your weather is preceded by harsh weather or rains, be prepared for trouble with the power. Flashlights and/or headlamps will be your best companion here.
3) There is no food ration available on the island. Remember to carry everything from the mainland.
4) There is no hot water facility on this island. If you need hot water to shower, you will need to boil the water in a wooden stove.
5) Elephants visit this island frequently. There are trenches dug around Veetikunnu Island Nest, so that will keep you safe. When exploring the island by foot, stay close to the forest guard and keep an eye out for wild elephants.
6) It is a steep walk from the boat mooring location to the place of accommodation. Do ensure that you are in decent physical condition. Also, do carry a good pair of walking shoes with you or a good pair of walking sandals.
7) There are no mosquitoes on the island, but you can expect a lot of insects and bugs as they will all get attracted to the lights in your accommodation. If you are sensitive to bugs, do carry some form of a bug spray to repel them.
8) If you have young kids in your group, do make sure to keep them close to you at all times.
9) Watch out for crocodiles when you go near the shore.
Best season to visit:
Parambikulam tiger reserve is open all year round. If you can handle the heat, the best time to see wild animals would be the dry months between March and May. If you wish to see the forest in all its lush glory, the post monsoon months from November to February would be ideal. During the other months, you can see animals and birds, but it would depend on your luck. Monsoons happen to be the season of mating, so may be, you will see the birds busier than usual and showing their best plumage.
How to reach there:
The nearest airport and large railway station would be Coimbatore. The nearest large bus station would be Pollachi. From Coimbatore, Parambikulam tiger reserve is about 120 kms away. Only four wheelers are allowed into the forest. It is best to hire your own vehicle to travel to Parambikulam as a lot of different places in Parambikulam are quite far away from each other. The route would be Coimbatore –> Pollachi –> Top Slip (Anaimalai Tiger Reserve) –> Parambikulam Tiger Reserve. If you have booked your accommodation at Parambikulam, you can show that booking voucher at the different forest entry gates. From Parambikulam reservoir, a forest department boat will take you and your belongings to Veetikunnu Island.
Where to eat:
There are no hotels or restaurants on Veetikunnu Island. The people who row your boat and who bring you to Veetikunnu Island from the mainland double up as your cooks. You will have to carry your food rations for the duration of your stay. This includes rice, wheat, lentils, eggs, meat, spices, oil, tea, coffee, milk, sugar, salt, etc. You can either carry the supplies with you from home or buy them at the line of shops near the Parambikulam reservoir. You can share your dietary requirements with the cooks before they prepare the dishes.
How to make the bookings:
Bookings can be made easily by visiting the Parambikulam tiger reserve website. The bookings include your accommodation, food, safari, treks and entry fee. Anything additional will be charged. As there is only one place to stay on Veetikunnu Island, it might be prudent to book well in advance, especially if it is the holiday season or the weekend.
Other places to stay inside Parambikulam Tiger Reserve:
The other places to stay inside Parambikulam tiger reserve are the properties managed by the forest department. These include the tented niche, treetop hut at Thunakadavu, Honeycomb, Peruvari Island Nest and Tented Roost. All these places will provide you with food, though some places might you to carry the food rations as they are totally remote and do not have a functioning kitchen.
Other tourist attractions inside Parambikulam Tiger Reserve:
1) Trekking inside Parambikulam tiger reserve: A thrilling adventure
2) Kannimara Teak: The oldest teak tree in Parambikulam tiger reserve
3) Jungle safari inside Parambikulam tiger reserve
Other nearby tourist attractions:
1) Anaimalai Tiger Reserve: Of elephants, gaurs, tigers and hornbills
2) Puthuthotham Estate: The hidden gem of Anaimalai Tiger Reserve
3) The best place to see the rare Lion Tailed Macaque in the wild
4) Monkey Aliyar Falls, Aliyar Dam, Sholayar Dam and other vast water bodies
5) Pristine Vazhachal rainforest highway: A special road trip hot spot
6) Valparai to Athirapally: One of the top tropical motorcycle routes in India
7) Poringalkuthu Reservoir: Nestled in the tropical rainforests of Vazhachal, Kerala
8) Athirapally Falls: The Niagara of Kerala
9) Valparai: The unsung hill station of India
10) Nallamudi Poonjolai: Velu saw god there
11) Udumalpet to Munnar forest highway: Perfect route for your Neelakurinji highway
12) Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary: An offbeat wildlife heaven
13) The tea estates of Valparai and around
14) Eravikulam National park: The Nilgiri Tahr lives here
15) Mukurthi National Park: A treasure trove of nature near Ooty
16) Emerald Lake: An offbeat gem near Ooty, Tamil Nadu
17) Cauliflower Shola Forests from Mukurthi National Park, Tamil Nadu
18) Nilgiri Mountain Railway: Go for a joy ride on this heritage train
19) Silent valley national park is not really silent
