A forest day on the Kollam–Shenkottai road: Punalur's old suspension bridge, Thenmala's eco-tourism zones and deer park, and the milky Palaruvi waterfall near Aryankavu.
Highlights: Butterfly park, Palaruvi Falls, Punalur bridge, Deer park
Itinerary
7:00 AM — Pickup Kollam Junction station · Kollam KSRTC bus station · Trivandrum Airport (on request) (Airport pickup on request)
8:15 AM — Punalur suspension bridge A short stop at the 1877 bridge over the Kallada river. Breakfast in Punalur, own expense.
9:30 AM — Thenmala eco-tourism Butterfly park, elevated forest walkway, suspension bridge and the deer rehabilitation centre. (Tickets own expense)
1:00 PM — Palaruvi Waterfalls Lunch at Thenmala first, own expense; then the 300-ft 'river of milk' near Aryankavu. (Forest entry · open till 4 PM)
3:45 PM — Thenmala dam Views over the Parappar reservoir on the way back.
6:30 PM — Drop-off Kollam Junction, KSRTC bus station, or your own stop in the city
Good to know
🎫 Tickets: Eco-tourism zones sell separate tickets or packages at the counter. Timings can change — we re-confirm before your trip.
💧 Palaruvi: Forest department entry, open about 8 AM–4 PM; best after the monsoon. Bathing only where staff allow; closed in very heavy rain.
🌳 Forest rules: No plastic, no feeding animals. Elephants sometimes cross near Aryankavu — everyone stays inside if we stop.
🛣️ The drive: About 1 h 45 each way on NH 744 via Kottarakkara and Punalur. Lorries to Tamil Nadu use this road — we drive steady, not fast.
