Travel Diaries: A Nightmare, a Missed Boat, & an Ethereal Ride to Sambranikodi – Part 2

You can read the first part of this blog here. 

A Sudden Camaraderie 

Even as I wiped my brow with a tissue and settled onto a window seat, I was still feeling embarrassed by my mistake. My mind was overloaded with the could-have-been and would-have-been scenarios:

“I should have called the staff yesterday and confirmed my seat. Then I wouldn’t have missed the boat at 10:30 a.m.” 

“Maybe I should just go back to sleep. When I wake up, there might still be enough time to catch that double-decker boat.” 

Just then, a mother-daughter duo rushed into the boat and sat on the seat behind me. I heard them inquiring about Mundrothuruth and Sambranikodi to the boat conductor. Long story short, they missed the ‘See Ashtamudi’ boat too. Not just them, a young married couple with a toddler, and a middle-aged Chetan, too.  I immediately felt less guilty about my mistake, and as I chit-chatted with these people, a sudden camaraderie grew between us. We decided to explore Sambranikodi together. 

A Blessing in Disguise

The friendly conductors in khaki uniforms gave us detailed instructions on how to explore Sambranikodi. From them, we learned that our mistake was a blessing in disguise.

• For starters, a ticket to Sambranikodi costs only Rs 20 in the regular passenger boat, compared to the Rs 400-500 fare (lower vs upper decks’ fares) in the double-decker boat. 
• Even if we had boarded the ‘See Ashtamudi’ boat, we would have to pay an extra fare at the Sambranikodi boat terminal to enter the island, for the meal provided by Kudumbasree workers, and for the rides in the smaller boats. 

Of course, there are demerits, too. The regular passenger boat only went to Sambranikodi and did not explore the other islands, such as Mundrothuruthu or Kaakkathuruth. 

Boat Ride Begins

Like a swan, the boat glided through the water, away from the Kollam boat jetty. Close to the shore, the stink of Ashtamudi Lake and the sight of floating plastics distressed us. But then, it drizzled, and raindrops pelleted the otherwise serene lake.

As we moved farther and farther from the shore, the water became clearer. In Malayalam, we say, ‘thelineer(clear water),’ or ‘kanneer poley(as pure as teardrops).’ 

The distant sights of mangroves and new shores filled me with hope and joy. Thanks to my recent wanderings, I could easily recognise the Adventure Park, Raviz Hotel, All Season Hotel, Kadavoor Church, and Kayalvaram on the opposite shores. I felt like a local guide when I shared my knowledge about these places with my fellow passengers. 

Goddess of Light

After a while, we came across the Valavila family estate. On its premises, there was a big, nude statue of a woman bearing a torch – Vilakkamma (Goddess of Light). 

I could hear chuckles and a few murmurs of disapproval from the passengers: “Why does every female statue have to be nude? Why so much prominence given to her breasts and buttocks?” 

I wondered if it was just the artist’s gaze or the male gaze. I would love to see a modern woman or a gay artist’s interpretation of female figures such as mermaids, goddesses, and yakshis. 

Swan Boat

As the boat wafted through the lake, the water splashed sideways, exposing fish and attracting birds. Soon, a flock of seagulls and black cranes chased our boat. 

The way they gracefully glided through the air and landed on the water with flair was nothing short of magical. Then they sailed behind our boat, their elegance making me feel as though they were princesses from a fairytale, cursed by a witch to become swans.

When we looked behind our boat, we found many seagulls and cranes chasing houseboats, full of tourists, probably visitors staying at Raviz or All Season hotels who booked the luxury cruise. The sight of the houseboats surrounded by these birds reminded me of Devasena’s swan boat in the Bahubali 2 movie.

Malayali Chill

By then, all of us passengers were in a chill mode. Yes, the renowned Malayali chill.

Many indulged in photography for a while, but later, some kept their phones away, just to lie back and enjoy the enchanting lake with their naked eyes. 

Families, especially those with children, were thoroughly enjoying the trip. I could hear laughter and clapping from their side. 

Scenes on the Way:

As the journey progressed, we saw many small and large houses on the way. One spot even hosted a wedding reception. There were many small boat jetties or kochukadavukal too, such as  JK Flamingo Kadavu and Vanjipuzha boat jetty. 

Chinese Nets

The sight of Chinese fishing nets dipping in the water and glistening in the sun mesmerised me. While I was staring at these nets and the crane-sages meditating on a single foot on the nearby wooden stumps, I overheard an interesting conversation between two passengers: “These nets are not as profitable as before. The fish have become tricky and intelligent. They’ve learned to avoid these nets.”

“Or maybe it’s because the fish population is declining due to overfishing,” another commented. 

A Free Rider

At the Vanjipuzha boat jetty, a white crane entered the boat and nonchalantly walked to the other side. Hearing the conductor’s chant “ticket… ticket…,” the passengers pointed to the crane and jested, “A free rider. Catch him!”

Fishing Boats

Apart from the houseboats, there were also many fishing boats in the vicinity. Soon, we came across a fleet of fishing boats harboured on the lake. The boats were so big. One of the passengers explained that, since these boats will be at sea for months as part of their fishing expeditions, they need large freezers to store and preserve the fish. 

Kavanad Kollam Bypass Bridge

We moved past small resorts named Paro and Ripples. Soon, I could see the Kavanad Kollam Bypass Bridge close by. There were fishing boats on both sides of the bridge. I loved it when our boat passed beneath the bypass bridge.

Lunch With Strangers

As the boat conductors had informed us, we reached the Sambranikodi Boat Terminal by 12 p.m. There was a DTPC office and many small shops with cool drinks and snacks nearby. I checked the signboards in the place and realised we were in Thrikkaruva Grama Panchayat. Sambranikodi belongs to Ward 13 of this panchayat. 

I could see speedboats plying from the terminal towards the direction of Sambranikodi Island. All the boats were full. 

The boat conductors led us through a small walkway and up a flight of stairs to reach a small restaurant named “Sajeev Tea Shop.” The signboard outside the shop said meals were available for Rs 80. I thought it would be a simple vegetarian meal, so I was delightfully surprised when the owners served us meals with fish fry, fishy curry, various thorans(dry, vegetarian dishes), and boiled tapioca(kappa).

New Friends

While gorging on the food, all of us introduced ourselves. One of the conductors was from Haripad. He was half-bald, but he had a charming, dimpled smile.

The second conductor was from Parassala, Trivandrum. He said he’s a graduate and talked about his brother, who is a  PhD holder. I could see the pure elder brotherly joy and pride in his eyes as he talked about his sibling. He reminded me of Mammotty’s elder brother character in the movie Vatsalyam. I hope I will make my siblings proud of my hard work and achievements, too, someday.

The middle-aged Chetan in our group, a family man, was a native of Kozhikode who worked in Trivandrum. Since it was tiresome to travel from Trivandrum to Kozhikode every weekend, he often used his free weekends and holidays for short trips like this. 

Whereas, the mother-daughter duo from Paripally explained how they made an impromptu plan to visit Sambranikodi in the morning, as the rest of their family had gone to a wedding. They didn’t have a reservation on ‘See Ashtamudi,’ but when they called the staff in the morning, they said if the duo could make it to the Kollam ferry by 10:30 a.m., they would let them ride along. The daughter was a graduate in Physics and was working as a teacher in an engineering entrance coaching centre in Trivandrum.

I told them I’m a writer who loves solo travelling. When I asked them their favourite local spots and requested them to recommend a few must-visit places in their native places, all of them were happy to help. They also enthusiastically inquired about my work life and travel experiences so far.

By 12:30 p.m., the conductors had to hurry off to the boat for their return journey. They bid us farewell, saying we will meet again when the boat returns at 3:15 p.m. 

Meanwhile, the rest of us walked leisurely to the DTPC office at Sambranikodi to take a Rs 150 ticket for the speedboat ride to Sambranikodi Island.

Onto the Sambranikodi Island

By then, the mother-daughter duo, the family man Chetan from Kozhikode, and I had formed an invisible travel bond that the staff started counting us as one family. We felt excited as we bought our tickets and entered the speedboat to Sambranikodi.

The boat rushed us to the island. From a distance, Sambranikodi looked like a tiny landmass, full of mangrove trees. The small, red flag, hoisted on a bamboo stem in the island, flying in the air, made me feel like we were an excavation gang that stumbled upon an exotic island by accident.

Soon, we got down on the island. It was a tiny area, full of marshy land and mangroves. Most of the tourists and sellers were standing in knee-deep water of the Ashtamudi Lake. There was a ‘I ❤️ Sambranikodi’ photopoint too.

As soon as I landed on the water, I felt the slippery, marshy ground under my rubber sandal. Soon, my sandal got stuck in the clayey mud, so I removed it and held it in my hand. Sree Chechi, the mother from the Paripally duo, warned me – “Moley(Daughter), there are a lot of oyster shells under the water. Wear the sandals. Don’t get hurt.”

I followed her sound advice and wore my sandals again.  Whenever I was on the verge of slipping, she and her daughter Appuz gave me a hand to keep myself steady. Since I’m not that tall, my two-sided shoulder bag was getting wet in the water, so Sree Chechi held it while I explored the island.

Before we could explore the island properly, a few guys approached us and asked if we were interested in exploring the more remote areas of the lake and mangrove forests in a small boat. The boat ride cost only Rs 100 per head. 

I was sceptical at first, because we had just reached the island in a speedboat, and these strangers were asking us to get on another boat. But one of the guy’s remarks, “if you don’t like the trip, you don’t have to pay us,” won me over. And I’m glad I succumbed to his persuasion, because it was the most magical part of the trip.

An Ethereal Boat Ride

Since the boat riders mistook us for one big family, we got one boat for ourselves. I sat at the front, followed by Sree Chechi, then her daughter Appuz, and Mani Chetan from Kozhikode. 

As the driver started rowing the boat, for the first few minutes, we passengers complained about how thoughtless people were for throwing plastics in the water or how the sun was at its peak. 

Fish & Prawn Farms

Then we spotted the chemeen(prawns) and karimeen(Pearl Spot fish) farms. Sree chechi commented on how she had last seen such farms in the Malayalam movie Ponman.  

A Prank

Mani Chetan videocalled his family in Kozhikode and pranked them by lying that he was in Thailand. He laughed heartily as he revealed the truth and showed them the mangroves in the vicinity. 

Mangrove Paradise

Soon, we went deeper into the lake and into the mangrove paradise, and the whole mood changed. The clouds, forming ethereal patterns in the sky, wrapped us under their shade. I think my favourite weather in the world is a cloudy but not rainy day, with an occasional peek by the sun. 

The sound of clashing waves felt like a sacred chant. The several varieties of mangroves thriving in the small, uninhabited islands intrigued us. Oh, we can’t call them uninhabited.  There were cats and dogs even there, and we wondered how they found food to eat. But of course, we knew: nature always provides. 

Mangrove Warriors

Near the marshy shores, there were many new saplings of mangroves with just roots and the start of thick shoots, with no leaves. Sree Chechi reminded us of the mangrove warriors of Kerala: Kallen Pokkudan, T. P. Murukesan, and Mariamma Kurien, and how mangrove trees can prevent soil erosion and reduce the impact of natural calamities like tsunamis. 

Since mangroves grow in marshy, salty areas, they act as breeding grounds for many varieties of fish and also host many rare animals, reptiles, and birds. Some fish breeds use the thick roots of mangroves for laying their eggs. So, schools of fry swimming close to the roots of mangroves and cranes dipping their beaks low to catch these hatchlings are a common sight around Sambranikodi Island.

Jumpers

As I was lost in thoughts and the beauty around me, the boat slowed. The boatman told us that it was a shallow area. 

Have you heard of stoneskipping? Tossing a flat stone across water, making it bounce multiple times before sinking. 

Many little fish around us were jumping on the water’s surface like a tossed flat stone. First jump, second jump, third jump, and gone, creating ripples all around. I couldn’t believe my eyes. I wondered if it was a natural phenomenon or if some wizard had cast a spell on the fish. 

Serenity

It was so quiet and peaceful. I felt I was in a space where time was still, and worldly pleasures, pressures, and pain couldn’t permeate us. Other than the occasional caws of birds and the sound of waves, nothing broke us from our tranquil states. 

Beyond this point, we simply stopped talking. We had even forgotten that mobile phones and social media existed. Why take away from a blissfully beautiful moment, recording it, when we could simply live it? 

Soon, our boatman, Shaji Chetan, safely rode us back to Sambranikodi. When he dropped us off, he asked if we enjoyed the ride, and we told him we absolutely loved it. 

The whole ride lasted somewhere between 40 minutes and 1 hour. 

Back at Sambranikodi:

Photography 

After landing back at Sambranikodi, we spent some time posing before the photo points and atop the mangrove trees. I photographed the sellers who sold cut fruits, such as mango and pineapple, and their half-submerged stalls. 

Oyster Sellers

I met another Shaji Chetan among them, who sold oysters. Initially, I mistook it for mussels or what we Keralites affectionately call ‘kallumakkaya.’ 

Like a Child

I loved climbing the mangroves and watching the school of fry swimming close to their roots. A few kids were trying to capture these hatchlings using their little hands, but failed. I followed their lead and tried, but I failed as well. 

I found it hard to follow their lead again when they were soaking in the water and swimming around. I didn’t dare to try, partially because I was shy, and also because of the recent reports of amoebic meningoencephalitis or brain-eating amoeba in Kerala. 

After wandering around for another hour, we waited for the speedboats to return. I felt my skin was sun-baked and my hair sun-toasted by that point. 

I learned from a boatman that there are three boat terminals or boarding points to Sambranikodi. We came from Terminal 1 – Sambranikodi Boat Jetty. The other two are Manalil and Kureepuzha Boat Jetty.

Back to the Sambranikodi Boat Jetty: 

Soon, the speedboat that dropped us at Sambranikodi returned and took us back to the main boat jetty. There was a short wait for our initial passenger boat to return. We thought we might get bored. But the weather was so pleasant. So our gang sat on the benches, chit-chatting with each other, and admiring the waves crashing on the shore. 

Deep Conversations

Sree Chechi sat next to me. We talked about our shared love for travel. I felt so happy and lucky to meet her and the rest of the gang because humans with wanderlust are my tribe. She told me how her parents’ ancestral homes were close to each other, so she couldn’t travel much during her childhood. So when she got married, her only demand was that she wanted to get married to someone who lived far from her native place and would be supportive of her travel dreams.

Her husband has always been supportive, and they have gone on many impromptu trips. But with kids and professional responsibilities, a lot of their time was tied up. Only now, with their kids all grown up and independent, have they started exploring their travel dreams in full swing. They will be travelling to Delhi soon.

Sree Chechi suggested that I add her favourite spots, like Athirapally, Aryankavu, and Azhimala beach, to my Kerala trip itinerary. I diligently jotted down all the travel-related suggestions, directions, and learnings she shared with me.

Elusive Boat

As we were talking, the big double-decker ‘See Ashtamudi’ boat docked near the Sambranikodi boat jetty, and Chechi and I burst into a chuckle.

Both the upper and lower decks of the boat were fully packed. Security officers stood on both decks, guarding it.

Chechi and I wondered out loud how different the day would have been if all of us had caught the double-decker boat on time. Surely, we would have had a more comfortable trip, but would we have had as much fun and adventure as we did? What were the odds that all four of us would’ve even said hi to each other inside that packed boat, let alone had deep conversations? For that, I’m nothing but grateful for the twists and turns of our fates.

Just then, our old passenger boat arrived and docked at the other side of the ‘See Ashtamudi’ boat. We had to walk through the double-decker to reach our boat. We met our familiar boat conductors. They greeted us and inquired about our day before hurrying off for their tea break. Once the double-decker boat left for Kollam, our boat was moved close to the jetty.

Return Journey: 

We started off from Sambranikodi at 3:30 p.m. On the way, we saw the familiar small boat jetties, hotels, Chinese nets, seagulls and black cranes flying in unison, and men trying to catch fish with their long fishing rods. A group of young boys, probably part of the NCC cadet group, were practising canoeing on the lake.

Vanishing Trees – The grandpas sitting next to me talked about the medicinal values of Portia trees (Cheelanthi or Poovarasu in Malayalam), which they spotted on the shore, and lamented how their numbers were decreasing day by day.

Inauguration – Midway, the conductors told us that the Kollam MLA would inaugurate the evening service of ‘See Ashtamudi’ at 4:30. If we stayed back until then, we could watch the ceremony. The grandpas chuckled and commented sarcastically, “The same MLA we see now and then, right?” Not a bad comment for an MLA at all; much better than people lamenting, “Where is our MLA?”

By the time we reached the shore, the ‘See Ashtamudi’ boat was decorated with balloons. Why conduct a separate inauguration for a boat that has been in service for three years? Does the start of a second trip need such celebrations? I wondered. I guessed the authorities were also celebrating the successful three-year run of the boat. 

But one question asked by the grandpa still rang in my ears: “Ethra naal, or how long?” As with my experience at a few of the touristy and historical sites in Kollam, we have a reputation for starting great tourism ventures but not maintaining them well enough.

Goodbyes

As our boat reached the Kollam boat jetty, the rest of my gang huddled near the tea shop. We bid each other goodbye, hoping our paths would cross again on another trip. I walked away, feeling like a part of my heart was still wrapped around their fingers.

I realised that out of all my recent wanderings through Kollam, Sambranikodi was my favourite, not just because I had an adventurous day, but mainly because I got to share it with this lovely bunch of people. It was crazy how close I felt to those people I had only known for a day.

Like I said, people with wanderlust are my TRIBE. I feel most alive and happiest when I am around them. Every time I meet one, I have this sudden intrusive thought: like Pokémons, I gotta catch them all and try to keep them in my life forever. Silly me!

After bidding my fellow travellers goodbye, I visited the “See Ashtamudi” office again and inquired if there were any direct boats from Kollam to Mundrothuruth. To my dismay, they told me that the only such boat departed from the Kollam boat jetty at 5 a.m. I figured I would have to rely on passenger trains for that journey. Slowly, I walked to the nearest private bus stand, wondering where my next trip would take me, and about all the wonderful people in this world still left to meet.

Have you ever visited Sambranikodi? I’d love to hear about your experience. 

Author’s Notes

~ All content, including images, on this blog is the intellectual property of the author. © 2025 Lirio Marchito. All rights reserved.

~ This blog is part of a series exploring my travels through my hometown, Kollam, a beautiful district in Kerala, India. You can read more posts from this series here: Kollam | Kerala | India.