Dharmadom Island - 4 Things to Know Before Visiting
About Dharmadom Island
An island that can be accessed on foot during low tides.Dharmadam Island is a small 5 acre island in Thalassery Town, Kannur District of Kerala State in Southern India. It lies about 100 meters from the main land separated by the Arabian Sea, and situates near to the famous Muzhuppilangad Drive-in Beach. The island was private property until 1998 after which the Kerala Government took it over and promoted it to be a tourism spot in the district.
The island is uninhabited, covered in coconut palms and dense bushes offering picturesque views from the nearby shores and the horizons far away in the Arabian Sea. If you do not want to walk there during low tides you can hire a boat form the nearby harbour and reach the island - but that would never match the exciting experience of crossing the sea to get to the island.
Inside the Dharmadam Island
The island, though now uninhabited, shows the presence of humans at some point of time due to the existence of a well. The well is filled with fresh water. Along with tall coconut palm trees and dense bushes, there are many medicinal herbs and tall plants that grow on the island. It is not clear on how far inside the island you can venture into (if at all), you will have to check with the locals in the area to know for sure.
Dharmadam- the nearby village
The village where the island is located is called Dharmadam. Dharmadam means ‘the place of ethics’ and once used to be an area frequented by Buddhist monks from Northern India.
With the vast stretches of sand, the blue seas, black rocks protruding out from the sea, and the emerald waters, the village is truly charming. Every year in December, the village hosts the local carnival with decorative lights, food stalls, fun rides, and an orchestra and other shows providing a great time for amusements to the visitors.
Reaching Dharmadam Island and best time to visit
The best time to visit is October to May. June to September is the monsoon season during which the climate becomes less predictive and dangerous due to torrential rain and choppy seas.
There are plenty of buses from the nearby Kannur (18 km) and Thalassery (7 km) if you are planning to come by public transportation. Kannur and Thalassery hosts the nearest major railway stations as well. It will be very easy to find the island as it is well known in Kannur District.