Ahead of the Christmas-New Year celebrations, the Idukki, Cheruthoni dams are open to public from Thursday. Open till January 10 from 9am to 5pm, the entry fee for adults is Rs 25 and children Rs 10.
Idukki dam is India’s first arch dam and it is made of concrete. It has no shutters. When the water level in Idukki dam rises above the stipulated level, the excess water is spilled out through Cheruthoni dam.
This dam has five shutters. Cheruthoni dam, ranked among the hundred tallest dams in the world, is a gravity dam.
How to reach
The road in front of the Parmavil Kolumban Samadhi will take one to the entrance of the Cheruthoni dam. After viewing the Cheruthoni dam, visitors can walk over to the Idukki dam and take the Idukki dam entrance to exit. Otherwise, visitors can come back to the Cheruthoni dam and take the road next to the medical college to reach Cheruthoni town.
Nearest railway station: Kottayam (109 km)
Nearest airport: Cochin International Airport (99 km)
Restrictions
Electronic gadgets like camera, mobile phone and other devices won't be allowed to be taken inside the dam. These can be kept at the cloakroom at the entrance.
Buggies
Visitors can take advantage of the three buggy cars provided by KSEB's hydel tourism wing. Twelve people can travel in one car by paying Rs 50 per person.
Visitors can also club the Hillview Park of the District Tourism Promotion council next the Idukki dam to their itinerary. It provides breath-taking views of the Idukki lake and the dams. Boating facility is also available.
Places to visit nearby
5 things to buy
Flavored Tea - On return trip, remember to check the company outlets of tea plantations - they offer varieties of flavored tea powder, which are not available in the open market.
Tea leaves – They also offer tea leaves
*Essential oils, spices, herbs in bottle, and honey
*Homemade chocolates
Wooden spatulas and ladles, memorabilia and toys
(*Buy from government's direct or reputed shops to avoid picking up spurious items)
Food to try and avoid
Various vegetables brined - You can buy them from the smallest wayside shops
Vegetable stews and curries – The vegetables used will be garden fresh
Meat items – Kerala parotta and beef/chicken/duck is a must try combination for non-vegetarians.
If someone offers to get you meat of wild animals, say 'No thanks' as it is illegal.
Avoid seafood – at 1,900 m above sea level, getting fresh fish could be near to impossible. However, you could chance upon some freshwater bounty as the area is home to plenty of water bodies.
Tea and coffee – the best option is to taste the tea from outlets of tea plantations before ordering for the flavor.
5 things to try
Photowalks & trekking, Boating, Paragliding, Rock climbing, Camping
