Conolly's Plot - 13 Things to Know Before Visiting

Three sides of Conolly’s Plot are bordered by the rivers Chaliyar and Kurinjipuzha and the fourth side by dense forests. Kurinjipuzha originates from the forests of the Western Ghats and is considered to have the purest water in the region. It joins the much larger Chaliyar at a corner of the plantation.

The suspension bridge

To reach Conolly’s Plot, one has to cross over through a suspension bridge. Its constructed on the river Chaliyar in 2008, with a length of 142.4 meters and a width of 1.2 meters. The bridge offers good views of the river and plantation. The bridge is now damaged after the floods of 2019 and now the crossing is done using a makeshift raft.

The well-maintained teak trees

Coming down from the bridge to the plantation, you will be amazed to see the carefully maintained teak trees that have withstood so much time. One of the large trees is among the oldest known teak trees still standing in the world. The remains of Chathu Menon who played a significant role in developing the plantation is said to be buried near the plantation as a matter of respect.

The plantation was named after H.V Conolly, the district collector of Malabar from 1841 to 1855 who decided to plant teak to meet the growing demands of timber during the British era. Along with Chathu Menon- the local sub-forest conservator, he carried out the planting of new teak trees in the area. From the year 1933, the area was preserved for research purposes and named ‘Conolly’s Plantations’.

The initial plantation was 15 acres and it is even considered the foundation of systematic forest management in India. During World War II, 9.1 acres of teak were chopped off to meet the timber requirement of the allied forces. The remaining 5.9 acres of plantation with roughly 117 trees are being preserved and protected by the Kerala Forest Department.

Apart from the raging monsoon months of June to September, visit Conolly’s Plot at any month of the year. During monsoons, the water levels of the nearby river can get dangerously high and forceful. The area also has been experiencing flooding in recent years.

1. During the monsoon months, you can still visit the plantation but the highlighted part of it will not be accessible as the rafting service to cross the river stops during monsoon months.
2. During the summer months, the weather here can get very dry and humid.

1. Conolly’s Plot is one of the oldest teak plantations in the world.
2. The development of the plantation started in the 1840s.

On average, it will take 2 to 3 hours to explore Conolly’s Plot and the nature around it.

Conolly’s Plot offers a unique experience with its teak plantations. The plantation is located near Nilmbur Town in Malappuram District of Kerala State in Southern India. To reach here, take a taxi from Nilambur to a place called Vadapuram where the plantation is located. The nearest railway station is in Nilambur as well.

The entry fee for adults is 40 INR without the rafting service across the river to the older part of the plantation. With the raft, it is 80 INR per person. For cameras, an additional 20 INR is charged.

Conolly’s Plot is open from 9 AM to 4.30 PM daily, except on Mondays on which it is closed. There is a staff break from 1 PM to 2 PM so plan to reach out accordingly.