Tamil Nadu travel update: Now travellers can enjoy boat ride to Kurusadai island in Gulf of Mannar

In a bid to boost tourism, the government of Tamil Nadu has announced plans to start a boat ride to Kurusadai island, which is one of the 21 islands in the Gulf of Mannar. The island is all about corals, sea creatures and natural beauty.

One can easily spot aquatic animals such as sea cucumber, sea urchins and crabs here. The coastal flora and fauna is simply incredible here. If you are lucky, you can also see humpback dolphins en route to the island which is spread over 168 acres.
Talking to TOI, Mandapam range officer G Venkatesh said, "Travelling to the islands in a marine national park is a serious offence that attracts strong punishment. But, in a first of its kind in the country, this initiative has been taken up by the forest department for the benefit of tourists and local fishermen community".

The officer further said that their main motive is to educate and create awareness about the significance of the islands and the marine ecosystem.
As per reports, boating can be done between 7 AM and 2 PM only. But boating could be stopped in case of unfavourable climatic conditions and dangerous waves. The round-trip will last 90 minutes and the jetty will leave from Kunthukal, which is nearly 10 km from Rameswaram town.

The boating trip has the approval of the wildlife management plan and is operated by the eco-tourism federation based on the island. The community has villagers of Chinnapalam and Kunthukal villages.
The island is also a hub of migratory birds, making it a paradise for avifauna lovers and photography enthusiasts.