Munroeisland Backwaters Homestay

Our first stop in Southern India was a few days at a homestay on Munroe Island. We stayed with Vijeesh, who took us by boat through tiny waterways, teaching us about the plants and animals along the way. Some of the bridges were so low we had to duck our heads down into the boat just to get underneath them. We watched the sun set over the Arabian Sea and made our way back as the fireflies danced and the stars reflected in the water. We walked through the village, learned how to make coir rope, and tried the local lime soda. Every meal was traditional Keralan food, prepared by Vijeesh’s mother and sister, and honestly a work of art. Oh I can’t forget Deva, who completely stole our hearts and somehow convinced us to teach her how to swim in the backwaters. I can’t imagine anything topping our time here. ❤️

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Thank you. Everything was perfect 😀

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Amazing stay!! I had such a great time with Vijeesh and his family. The location is great, close to the water, it’s so peaceful. The facilities are so nice with a great terrasse. The food is just incredible! You can do a kayak or a canoe tour (did the kayak and 100% recommend) and Vijeesh is so helpful.

Fantastic stay here, Vjeesh was so helpful and communicative. The early sunrise boat tour was really lovely. Vijeesh was great, giving lots of info about the island and taking me on a little walking tour of the surrounding area. Great rooms and hang out area. Vijeesh’s mother made delicious traditional breakfast and dinners - the best food I had in Kerela!

Such a nice place to hang out, re-energise, and a good base to explore the island from. The bikes were super handy to explore with. Thanks very much!

Best stay so far in Kerala. Vijeesh was a great host, from organizing my transportation from my previous location to an amazing canoe sunrise trip. He really cares about the details and loves to show his guests India. He took us to a temple festival in another village just so that we could experience it and it was one of the highlights of my trip. Also, big comfortable room and delicious food.

Fantastic place, loads to do, great friendly, funny and very helpful host who obviously loves what he does. Delicious food.

Nothing, it was outstanding and a highlight of my holiday

Fantastic, friendly atmosphere, calm, incredible food. Vijeesh and family were fab, full of suggestions and cycling around the area on the available bikes was ace.

L’âme de la maison qui est Vijeeh , sa gentillesse, son humour, sa discrétion, son hospitalité….il aime vraiment recevoir , il a un grand coeur , on se sent comme à la maison. Merci à sa famille pour les bons petits déjeuners

A wonderful and quiet place of a great family. delicious food and excellent service. I will come again.

What a fantastic stay with Vijeesh and his family. Such a relaxed atmosphere with incredible food and very special canoe and kayak trips by Vijeesh and his father. The only place to stay on Munroe Island.

Fantastiskt ställe! Så fint emottagande och så fina aktiviteter. Fantastisk mat och en plats att mötas.

Un de nos meilleurs souvenirs de vacances, ambiance sympa, déjeuner délicieux et chambre très charmante. La famille qui vous accueille est aux petits soins pour passer un beau séjour

Rien

I had a wonderful stay with Vijeesh and his family and will definitely come back. Everything was really perfect: the activities were phenomenous and the food was absolutely delicious. Thank you so much for everything!

Honestly the whole thing was blissful. Incredible vibe, beautiful and clean room with a v comfy bed and stunning home cook food. Not to mention the canoe ride and sunrise boat trip that vajeesh (i’m sorry if spelling wrong) took us on. He was wonderful and very funny. Honestly would recommend anyone stay here!

Die Unterkunft war unglaublich schön, mit vielen Pflsnzen umgeben und super sauber. Die Gastgeber waren überaus freundlich und stets hilfsbereit. Das Essen war super lecker und ich habe sogar wegen meiner Panchakarma Kur ayurvedisches Essen bekommen. Einer meiner schönsten Aufenthalte in Indien. Vielen Dank für alles und vor allem für die Flexibilität

Es gibt’s was es nicht gab..

très très bon repas. Superbes excursions. Merci beaucoup !

They just cancelled my stay because of overbooking. They only informed me a day before, which could've disrupted my whole plan. Really unprofessional behaviour.

Beautiful location, very helpful and friendly hosts, great food

I’ve traveled across the world and stayed at a lot of different places, and this is by far one of the best ones. The location was perfect, the food amazing and the rooms quiet and very clean. But best of all was the atmosphere, the host vijeesh was incredible kind and funny, his canoe and kayak tours was as well amazing. It honestly felt more like a home than a hotel. I can’t recommend this place enough, and If we ever go to India again, we’ll go come back.

Nothing! Everything was perfect

Der Gastgeber war sehr bemüht und hat alles möglich gemacht. Sunrisetour war lohnenswert. Landestypisches Essen. Entspannte Atmosphäre.

L’accueil chaleureux de toute la famille, les repas préparés avec amour, la sortie kayak au coucher du soleil, l’ambiance familiale avec les autres voyageurs, le hamac devant la chambre. Merci pour tout, je recommande vivement cet endroit !

La musique en permanence du temple à côté mais ce n’est pas de la faute de la guesthouse (et il y avait une célébration spéciale lors de mon séjour)

Exceptional from start to finish, incredible location (very easy to get to via train), Vijeesh was the host of all hosts, from making sure we had a room we wanted, to checking on us because our train was delayed - just went above and beyond! The food was incredible, the atmosphere was very calm and relaxed but there was always something to do if you wanted to. Just the best place to stay! I would recommend to anyone staying.

That it made our next stay not as good as we had such a good time at Munroe!

Very personal stay in a beautifully clean room with a lovely communal area for meeting other guests . Vijesh was always on hand to offer advice and help and even helped to sort returning some of the clothes that I left behind ! Food was always delicious and thoroughly enjoyed both our boat and canoe trips , thank you

Nil

Excellent atmosphere created by the host Vijeesh and his family. Our room was one of the new ones at the top and the sunlight was gorgeous. It was super peaceful, friendly and fun place to hang out for 4 days.

Nothing

Beautiful, spacious rooms, surrounded by nature. Cozy common area that invites the guests to connect. Vijeesh and his family are so nice and really care for every guest.

Where to begin! Vijeesh and his family are the most wonderful hosts in this lovely location on this beautiful backwaters island. We had our best food in Kerala cooked everyday by Vijeesh’s mum and enjoyed sunset kayaking, birdwatching and swimming, and sunrise canoeing. The two nights we spent here were our most treasured experience of our trip and we only regret not booking for 3!

Nothing!

Super sympathischer Gastgeber, der die Gruppe zusammenbringt und sich für die Gäste interessiert. Er bietet tolle Touren mit dem Kanu und Kajak an, das gemeinsame Essen ist frisch zubereitet und sehr lecker. Das Zimmer ist sauber und modern, es fühlt sich sicher an.

This was a beautiful place to stay, made even better by the incredible hosting. From the moment I arrived, I felt welcomed and looked after. It’s a place I’ll always recommend to friends and would happily return to in the future. I would love to come back for a month just to learn how to cook from Vijeesh's mum. A true highlight of my month in India.

Helpful family with Vijeesh helping us out for everything including a boat ride and his mother with wonderful meals. Couldn't have asked for better location and a nicer space

This place was simply exceptional. It was for me, as for many others the highlight of this trip, I have bever felt so instantly at home and welcomed as at this marvellous homestay. I can’t recommend it enough! Beautifull rooms, the best Keralan food you’ll ever have all set in the beautiful lush tropical forest of Munroe island. A must visit!!

What we liked the most was the canoe ride and kayaking with vijeesh. Vijeesh is so kind and treats you like family. He showed us all around the village and introduced us to his friends, it was a very authentic experience of village life and it felt like we were the only tourists in the village! Such a hidden gem.

We loved everything, even extended for one more night.

Accoglienza incredibile, gentilezza e disponibilità estrema, cucina familiare ottima. Era come stare in famiglia

The perfect getaway in the Munroe island backwaters. The family is just amazing and the kayak and canoe trip were incredible. The food was really good as well. We highly recommend to stay with Vijeesh and his family.

Vijeesh is the most amazing host. He took us on an unforgettable sunset boat trip and a walking tour of the village. He has such warm and funny personality. We actually got to spend time with the entire family over our time in Munroe Island, which was so special. The food was wonderful.

Nothing. The rooms are simple but comfortable.

Jiveesh is the best person we met in India. Best place to stay in whole of Kerala

Nice clean room and good facilities. Common area is shaded by trees, lovely and cool. Dinner was very tasty! Also the after boat trip we did with them was relaxing and we had a great one night stay

Vijeesh and family were very welcoming. Such amazing hosts, we ate all 3 meals with the family and fellow travellers. Vijeesh took us out on the Kayak for the sunset trip which was breathtaking and his farther took us to the sunrise on the traditional canoe We could not recommend this homestay enough

Nothing. Everything was perfect 👌

Vijeesh and his family are great hosts. They make you feel extremely welcome and we thoroughly enjoyed our stay. Each meal that we had there was home cooked, different every time and delicious. The sunrise canoe trip and sunset kayaking are must do activities. The rooms are clean and comfortable with all the basic amenities you need. Vijeesh creates a great family/friendly atmosphere between the guests and the communal area is a good place for everyone to hang out and get to know each other. The fact that there was a temple festival on where we were there was the icing on the cake. Such a great experience.

The food was excellent home cooked local dishes throughout our stay. Vijeesh is a brilliant host.

Wonderful stay in Munroe Island, Vijeesh and his family where very nice and helpful, the sunrise boat ride is magical. Thank you!

This was my second time staying with Vijeesh and his lovely family- so much fun once again! Would highly recommend the sunset canoe trip - amazing!

We LOVED our stay, felt very at home and looked after. We ate all meals because they were so delicious and all different. The tours were brilliant and so much fun. Vijeesh also took us to the temple and to watch his niece at her dancing class which we loved. Had a good laugh with the others who were also staying. Definitely could of stayed longer.

Wow what a fabulous stay we did the sunrise mangrove trip and the sunset it was out of this world! Vigeesh was an amazing host and his sister, niece, mum and dad were delightful and produced amazing food. Highly recommend!! Angie and Neil Devonish

Nothing!!!!

Vijeesh and his family are making this stay unforgettable. We ended up having breakfast, lunch and dinner during our whole stay at the homestay because the food was great, and it was very pleasant to share it with people from different countries, share our experiences and chill on the terrace. We also went for the canoe tour at sunset and sunrise, a walk in the village and a bike tour. We highly recommend that place if you want a real but chill backwaters experience.

Absolutely nothing

Brilliant stay in a beautiful location. Vijeesh was the perfect host.

Nothing!

The location was amazing, staff were great, and the experience of kayaking on the Munroe island backwaters was breathtaking. The food was so homely and tasty. We also got to go to their daughter’s dance class the whole family really made us feel at home.

The kayaking and food was extra charge which wasn’t made obvious, and there were some ants in the room, but really just small things that had a small impact on our stay.

There's a beautiful family feel about this homestay, which is set up like a hostel with communual relaxation and dining spaces. Vajeesh and his family do a fabulous job of making sure exploring the island is as varied and adventurous as you feel like. The meals are beautiful and elegantly presented. Canoe rides at sunrise and sunset are a must. A really special memory will be Vajeesh's dad picking us up from the roadside in a canoe!

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It’s unusual for me to give a 10 but this place was exceptional. Nice rooms, excellent food, fantastic staff - very good activities sun rise and sunset boat tours and while we were there temple festivities.

I loved it all - I’d love to return.

Great hosts. Incredible food. The sunset and sunrise trips were one of our trip highlights, magical experience.

Morning and evening canoe trips - comes at extra cost of 800Rps pp per trip. One of our highlights in India!

Not much!

No hot water, problem with air fan.

Amazing shared spaces for hanging out and meeting people, good ability to do daily canoe trips on the backwaters or hire kayaks and bikes. You can do everything you would want on munroe island from here with very little effort. Backwaters trips on munroe show actual daily life for local people.

This is a very special place to stay - Vijeesh hosts group meals 3 times a day which creates a sociable atmosphere. The facilities were clean and modern. Vijeesh organised swimming, walks and boat trips for us. Munroe island feels like a real hidden gem in Kerala, we are very glad we went

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Vijeesh and his family are really kind and welcoming. The food, kayak and the sunrise boat tour were just amazing. We just felt like home and enjoyed our stay to the fullest.

Vijash and his family run this Fabulous homestay on Munroe island. We had a lovely big a/c room with private bathroom. There is a communal area where meals are served and/or just to chill with hammocks and comfy chairs. We went on the early evening sunset canoe trip - amazing just floating down the canals. Also got up at 5:00am for the sunrise canoe trip, spectacular. The food, wow... Absolutely delicious take on South Indian cuisine I can safely say that these was the best meals I've had in Kerala. Highly recommend this homestay.

Absolutely nothing this place was perfect

The perfect setting with superb hosts. Also a great opportunity to meet other travellers over the excellent breakfasts and dinner.

A place with a wonderful vibe. Sharing dinner with guests from around the world made Munroe backwaters Homestay very special. The sunrise canoe trip was magical. Highly recommended

the rooms are comfortable but basic

Beautiful homestay just a few steps away from the water. Our stay in Monroe Island was one of the highlights of our three weeks in India and definitely some of the best food we ate on our trip (cooked by Vijeesh’s very talented sister and mum) During our stay we done a sunrise and sunset canoe tour with Vijeesh both were fantastic and we felt very safe throughout. Vijeesh as a host was very knowledgeable, helpful and funny and we felt very welcomed by the family as soon as we arrived. Vijeesh and his family have made something really special with this homestay and I would 100% recommend to anyone.

Pretty & airy hangout space. Super close to the water which is great for swimming. Clean tidy rooms and good food.

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This is the most brilliant place to stay. We loved everything about it. In particular the host Vijeesh is the most superb guy and just a delight to have as your host. His whole family are lovely too. Thank you for such a fantastic stay. We will be back !!!

10 stars is not enough for this homestay! This was the best place we stayed in all of Kerala. Vijeesh and his family are so kind and knowledgeable about the area and make you feel like part of the family. The food for breakfast lunch and dinner was delicious, and always varied. We went on kayaking and canoe trips at sunset and sunrise with Vijeesh and his father, both were absolutley amazing and we learnt so much about munroe island from them. The rooms and communal areas are very clean and spacious.

Vijeesh runs one of the most welcoming guesthouses we've been to in our 2 months in India. He works very hard to make sure everyone is happy, that all guests feel welcome and that they interact with one another at family-style lunch and dinners, which are freshly home cooked by his Mum and sister - delicious home cooked Keralan food. Vijeesh also takes the time to explain each dish to us. We did both the sunset kayak and sunrise boat tours - both were excellent for wildlife spotting and both adventure and relaxation. Special credit must go to Vijeesh being the only person on the island whose boat can make it through the small backwater canals, plus he operates it with immense skill. He also avoids the touristy sites of the southern island viewpoint at sunrise (which we were grateful for) and gave us each a chance to punt the boat ourselves, which was great fun! The room and bathroom was clean and tidy, with two fans and the family ensured we had everything we needed during our stay. Lovely chill area too. We can't recommend this homestay enough, it's a 'must go to' on the island!

Nothing we would change

Second time visiting Returned after 7 years Perfect spot to see the mangroves Recommend both sunset and sunrise canoe rides. Vijesh so accommodating and welcoming as are the whole family The best food. Delicious South Indian dishes cooked by the mum Hope to return third time one day

Vijeesh and family have the most perfect home stay in the world here on Munroe island. The place is spotlessly clean with lovely quiet rooms and a nice chilled out common area. We were fed so well with the nicest food. Vijeesh offers some activities on the back waters for very very reasonable prices and I have to say that the sunrise canoe trip was one of the best things I have ever done in my life. Breathtaking. Staying here is worth the trip to Munroe island in its self.

Nothing

Vijeesh and his family are very welcoming and their hospitality is wonderful. Their home ie beautiful and located in the middle of the village so you can walk and see the whole village. The sunrise canoe tour was exceptional!! A must!

Nothing.

Vijeesh and his whole family are amazing hosts that will transform your stay. The food was never less than incredible and the canoe tours were magical. I couldn't recommend it highly enough.

There's nothing not to like.

I loved the layout of the property, my room felt really nice and tucked away with a private outdoor porch bit, but the communal area upstairs was so nice too, I loved how you could take all your meals at the property - food was delicious!!!! The family are lovely! The village walk and boat trip were great, I much preferred this stay as an experience over the more touristy house boat I did at Alleppey

Nothing!

Very homey feel to it. The meals were delicious. Vijeesh takes great care of us, and has a great sense of humour.

Would recommend this Homestay and munroe island to everyone visiting Kerala! Vijeesh made our time super fun even though we only stayed one night. Do not miss the sunset kayak trip and the sunrise boat trip, such a highlight of our Kerala trip. Munroe island is beautiful.

We really enjoyed the opportunity to stay with a warm, welcoming family. Vijeesh helped us see everyday life inside this small community - so much better than busier, touristy places up the coast. If you're interested in a calmer, more laid-back experience of the Kerala backwaters, we would recommend you stay with Vijeesh and his lovely family.

We loved the home cooked meals, the village walk, and sunrise sunset canoe tours with Vijeesh. Rooms were comfortable and clean. We enjoyed our stay!

Nothing

Such a great stay with Vijeesh and family. Lovely room with AC. Great trips- sunset and sunrise cruises. Also loved the walk we did with Vijeesh around the village. Food was delicious

We loved staying at Vijeesh’s homestay. His entire family was welcoming and provided delicious meals, interesting tours and entertainment (adorable niece performances). We truly enjoyed our canoeing through the canals at sunrise and sunset. Don’t miss this stop on your visit to Kerala.

Nothing we didn’t like.

Rooms are super clean. Very social place. And Vijeesh is one of the funniest and most caring host you can have. Great tours around the backwaters and food was amazing!!

Everything was so nice, and Vijeesh and his family was amazing and so welcoming! Big recommendation!

What a special time we had with Vijesh and his wonderful family at the homestay. I cannot recommend Munroe island and Vijesh’s home enough if you want a genuine authentic backwaters experience. The sunrise boat trip with Vijesh was one of the most memorable things we did in India as well as paddleboarding up the river and swimming in the backwaters. We ate the most delicious home cooked meals. The room was extremely comfortable and the communal spaces were very peaceful with hammocks included. We could do laundry as well which was really appreciated. Vijesh is a lovely person, great to talk to and we loved watching the snake boat races with him. He also helped organise a rickshaw when we had to leave. Going for walks around the home stay was a big highlight too. All in all this was a fantastic experience and we recommend to all!

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Lovely place for a couple of days. Idyllic and quiet. The location is very good: 1min from the river and away from the busy tourist spots. Spectacular sunrise and sunset tours by canoe and kayak. The host is a funny character. The food prepared by the family is delicious. Would recommend

Vijeesh and his family are very perceptive hosts, they understand the nuances of amazing hospitality and they offer a relaxed but thoughtful service. Their Homestay is a very special place, I loved my time there and I could not fault anything. The food was exceptional and the kayak and canoe tours were very memorable. I don’t think I ever give 10/10 but this place blew me away.

We really liked Vijesh's place. You're surrounded by beautiful nature and palm trees, close to the river and some small shops. Our highlight, besides the boat tour (they offer two options—sunset and sunrise tours), was definitely the delicious meal cooked by Vijesh's lovely mother. The room is spotlessly clean! We definitely recommend staying in this little paradise.

All good

This was my second stay at Munroe Island Backwater Homestay. The location is breathtaking, and is perfect for a relaxing trip. The staff are so kind, and the food is fantastic - there's always something different on the menu. I felt incredibly safe at the house, and would be more than comfortable visiting alone as a female!

Lovely family, great boat trips and tours. Food was great.

No Vijeesh and no bikes!