A Backpacker’s Guide To Munroe Island: Authentic Backwaters

Munroe Island – an unexpected bliss amid the chaos that is India. It’s a destination easily bypassed by travellers intent on the backwaters of Alleppey or the sandy beaches of Varkala. But I’m telling you, if you’re heading to Kerala, you have to prioritise a visit to Munroe Island, and my short travel guide will hopefully convince you why.

Referred to as Mundrothuruthu by the locals, a network of 8 small islands makes up the island where the Kallada River meets Asthamudi Lake. Kerala is commonly known as God’s Own Country”, and after visiting Munroe Island, I can confirm it.

Picture this: you wake up, walk out of your room and hear the gentle lapping of water against wooden boats. Around the water’s edge, you see two fishermen paddling rhythmically, setting out for their daily catch. Time seems to almost stand still on Munroe Island, giving you a chance as a traveller to fully recuperate from India’s chaos and immerse yourself fully in the chill rhythm of backwaters life.

Brief history of Munroe Island

The locals know the island as Mundrothuruthu, and its history dates back to the mid-1800s when the British ruled India. John Munroe, a British Colonel, governed the State of Travancore (now, modern-day southern Kerala and southern Tamil Nadu) and granted a deserted island to the Malankara Missionary Church Society to set up a religious study centre for training priests. To show gratitude, the members of the society named the island after him.

Travellers can still tour John Munroe’s colonial-style residence. Now it’s been converted into a museum of some sort where you can see photos of John and his family, along with the “star of the show” an Indian-style toilet seat preserved under glass casing (it is believed that it was shipped especially for John Munroe from Europe and the locals say it could be one of the first toilets in India). It’s not worth going all the way to Munroe Island, but it’s worth checking out once you’re there.

Getting to Munroe Island

Munro Island has a train station called Munroturuttu Railway Station(MQQ). Although it’s a small station, you’ll find passenger trains from major places like Trivandrum (where you’ll find the closest airport, Thiruvananthapuram International Airport), Kollam, Kottayam, Kochi (Ernakulam), Varkala, and Alleppey.

Alright, alright, now I’m going to share with you my top-secret app, which I only found out about 3 weeks into my travels. It’s called Where’s My Train. If you’re catching local short trains in India and you don’t need to reserve, this is the best Indian Railways app to find out the train times and schedules. If you need to reserve a train, perhaps an overnight sleeper, go for Ixigo.

Before reaching Munroe Island, I was at the beach in Varkala and took the train to Munroturuttu for 45 INR (€0.50) – unbelievable.

From Munroturuttu railway station, pay no more than 100 INR for a tuk-tuk directly to your accommodation.

Where to stay on Munroe Island?

As a backpacker, there’s really only one place you should stay: Santa Maria Hostel. If you’re looking for a social vibe with beautiful people, it’s a no-brainer. Located right on the water, Santa Maria Hostel made it almost impossible for me to leave Munroe Island in January. Albeit it’s not luxury, it’s a budget traveller’s paradise. Oh, and it’s only 500 INR per night.

If you’re looking for something more bougie and more of a homestay experience, go for Munroe Vision Panakkattu Homestay for around 1900 INR for a private room.

What to do on Munroe Island?

rent a kayak

Rent a kayak from ASR Boating and kayak through the mangroves for 300 INR. You can also rent a boat trip at sunrise and sunset from the same people for around 1500 INR per boat.

Cycle around Munroe Island

At Santa Maria Hostel, they had free bicycles available, but if you’re staying in a homestay, it’s likely they’ll have some available or to rent for less than 100 INR a day.

My favourite morning activity was cycling the 5km loop around the island and either grabbing a delicious fresh juice from Mundro Riverside Restaurant or a roadside chai from the many kiosks dotted around the island.

Wake up early and watch the fisherman.

Fishing is one of the main livelihoods on Munroe Island. If you’re not staying directly on the water, you can head down to Edachal Bridge at any time of day to watch the fishermen.

go to a Toddy Shop

You’ve gotta try toddy on your trip to Kerala, and Munroe Island is just the place to find it. Also referred to as Coconut Vodka, toddy is made by fermenting the sap of coconut or palm flowers. It is said around 50,000 Keralans work in the toddy industry.

Head to this spot on Munroe Island to try some toddy. It’s also the perfect place to interact with locals.

chill out: you're on holiday.

Chill the f*** out in a hammock and regain your strength to take on India.

Where to eat on Munroe Island?

As most homestays supply food to their guests, there are limited official restaurants on the island. But these ones are budget-friendly, local and definitely worth visiting.

Mundro Riverside Restaurant: the best place to visit this restaurant is between 12 – 2 pm, when everything is fresh. They serve traditional fish thali on banana leaves for around 200 – 300 INR.
Thuruth Restaurant& Homestay: cheap and tasty food; there is no official menu; it’s just what’s available that day! Around 80-100 INR.
Friends: Like Thuruth, it’s a local restaurant run by a couple who don’t have a menu. They’ll ask if you’re a vegetarian or a meat eater and give you food accordingly. It costs around 60-100 INR.
Banana fritters: all around the island, you’ll see banana fritters for sale; they are 10 INR each and the best snack. Be sure to get one when you see them!

How many days should you spend on Munroe Island?

I’d say 2 nights are enough on Munroe Island for a backpacker on a tight schedule. Still, if you have the time, once you arrive, you’ll likely want to stay longer and cancel your plans for the next week. That’s kinda what happened to me and many other backpackers I met staying at Santa Maria Hostel.

Ok, that’s a wrap. I hope you enjoyed my short travel guide to Munroe Island and the photos helped you visualise how much of a paradise the place is. As always reach out if you have any questions!