Sand Of Midnight

പാതിരാമണൽ

PathiramanalSand of Midnight, the island in Vembanad Lake

Ten acres of palms and roosting birds in the middle of Vembanad Lake. No road, no residents, only boats, water and the light.

Find a boatDirections to our jettyWhere to stay
10 acresUninhabited island in the lake
91 + 50Resident and migratory bird species
6 am – 6 pmVisiting hours
20+ boatsHouseboats, speedboats, kayaks and shikaras

On the water

Boats on the lake

Our luxury and standard houseboats, speedboat, kayaks, slow boat and shikara, all bookable by phone. Tap a boat to see its photos and full details.

20+boats in our fleetHouseboats, speedboats, kayaks and shikaras. Below are a few of them.

The Sand Of Midnight standard

  • Hygiene firstClean, well-kept boats
  • Professional crewOn board to look after you
  • Wi-Fi on boardStay connected on the lake
  • Air-conditionedCool, comfortable cabins
Royal Queen Roxxlana, a two-deck houseboat, lit up in gold at dusk beside tall grass on the shore
Luxury houseboat · 6 cabins

Royal Queen Roxxlana

Meals included
Two options on board · tap to see each
From₹35,000Premium · day cruise
  • Welcome drink, lunch and evening snacks
  • Ask us for everything included in the Premium option
From₹40,000Overnight cruise

Overnight: check-in 11:00 am, check-out 11:00 am the next day.

Overnight charges vary by season. Call for the rate on your dates.

  • 6 luxury air-conditioned cabins
  • Overnight: breakfast, lunch and dinner
  • Menu planned around what you like
  • Luxury service from the crew on board

A two-deck houseboat with a thatched roof, a glass-fronted upper deck and warm lighting throughout. Inside are air-conditioned cabins, bathrooms with glass showers, a dining hall, a buffet counter and a lounge.

  • CabinsSix air-conditioned cabins, with double beds and windows onto the lake.
  • BathroomsGlass shower, wall-hung toilet and a lit mirror.
  • DiningMeals served at a long table with sofas and a buffet counter.
  • LoungeLeather sofas beside lake-view windows.

Pathiramanal is a favourite stop for houseboats on Vembanad Lake. Ask the crew to include the island and to time it for the morning.

Enquiries and booking
Phone+91 79022 98152
Call
Phone 2+91 77365 06799
Call
Emailsandofmidnight@gmail.com
Write
Send a full enquiry

Photo gallery

A yellow two-deck houseboat on the lake under a blue sky
Green Symphony · Standard houseboat · 2 bedrooms

Green Symphony Standard, 2 bedrooms

A yellow two-deck houseboat with two bedrooms, good for couples and small families, with an open upper deck for watching the lake go by.

  • BedroomsTwo, with double beds and feature walls.
  • DeckAn open upper deck with seating.
  • InteriorWooden floors and a lit corridor to the rooms.
Limited time offer
From₹15,000₹12,000Day cruise

✦ Limited time offer Only for Sand Of Midnight customers.

Call for overnight rates and dates.

Call to bookEmail +91 79022 98152 · +91 77365 06799

Bedrooms and corridor

6 photos
A bedroom with a double bed, a lit padded headboard, curtains and an air-conditioner
Bedroom with a lit headboard
A bedroom with a double bed, blue headboard panels and an air-conditioner
Bedroom with blue panels
A bedroom with a double bed, a dark blue cover and a teal feature wall
Bedroom with a teal wall
A bedroom with marble-look walls and dark wooden doors
Bedroom doors
A bedroom with a double bed, marble-look walls and curtains
Bedroom with marble walls
A lit corridor with a polished wooden floor leading to the rooms
Corridor
Our standard houseboat, yellow with a two-level thatched roof, on the open lake under a blue sky
Green Symphony · Standard houseboat

Green Symphony Standard

A traditional Kerala houseboat with comfortable cabins and meals cooked on board. A relaxed way to cruise Vembanad Lake and stop at Pathiramanal, at a lower price than the luxury boat.

Limited time offer
From₹15,000₹8,500Day cruise

Limited time offer, only for Sand Of Midnight customers.

From₹25,000Overnight cruise

Air-conditioned cabins, a dining hall and a shaded upper deck. Call for meals and dates.

Call to bookEmail +91 79022 98152 · +91 77365 06799

Cabins and decks

5 photos
An air-conditioned cabin with a double bed, a painted blossom wall and a large window
Cabin with a painted blossom wall
A cabin with a carved wooden ceiling, a round backlit headboard and a window
Cabin with a carved wooden ceiling
A dining hall with a white table, wooden chairs and window seats along both sides
Dining hall
A shaded upper deck with a woven roof, wicker chairs and cushioned seating
Upper deck
A corridor with a wooden ceiling and windows leading to the cabins
Corridor to the cabins
A two-deck houseboat with a woven roof on the lake under a blue sky
Green Symphony · Standard houseboat · 3 bedrooms

Green Symphony Standard, 3 bedrooms

A two-deck houseboat for families and small groups. The lower deck has a lounge with sofas and a dining table, and the upper deck has a shaded seating area looking over the lake.

  • BedroomsThree, with double beds and lit headboards.
  • LoungeSofas, a dining table and cushioned seats along the rails.
  • BathroomsTiled bathrooms and a wash area by the corridor.
  • DeckA covered upper deck with chairs and sofas.
Limited time offer
From₹20,000₹17,000Day cruise

✦ Limited time offer Only for Sand Of Midnight customers.

Call for overnight rates and dates.

Call to bookEmail +91 79022 98152 · +91 77365 06799

Bedrooms, lounge and decks

10 photos
A lounge with a blue striped sofa and a dining table under a decorated ceiling
Lounge and dining
Cushioned seats along the deck rail beside the lounge
Seats along the rail
A bedroom with a double bed and a lit, padded headboard
Bedroom with a lit headboard
A bedroom with a double bed, a blue headboard, curtains and an air-conditioner
Bedroom with air-conditioning
A wash basin on a long counter with patterned tiles, beside the corridor
Wash area
A covered upper deck with a glass table and bench seating
Upper deck
A shaded upper-deck lounge with a woven roof, sofas and chairs
Upper-deck lounge
A bathroom with a wash basin, toilet and blue floor tiles
Bathroom
A bathroom with leaf-pattern tiles, a wash basin and a mirror
Second bathroom
A corridor with a wooden ceiling and windows onto the water
Corridor
Our premium two-deck houseboat, yellow with a long upper deck, on the lake under a blue sky with white clouds
Green Symphony · Premium houseboat · 6 bedrooms

Green Symphony Premium

A large two-deck houseboat with six bedrooms, each with a double bed. Downstairs is a lounge with sofas. Upstairs is a long dining hall with seating along both sides, and an open deck looking over the water.

  • BedroomsSix, with double beds, feature walls and lit ceilings.
  • DiningA long upper-deck dining hall with a serving counter.
  • LoungeSofas and a coffee table on the lower deck.
  • DeckA covered open deck with seating.
From₹27,000Premium houseboat

Good for families and larger groups. Call for the rate on your dates.

Call to bookEmail +91 79022 98152 · +91 77365 06799

Bedrooms, lounge and decks

9 photos
A lounge with blue striped sofas, a coffee table and a decorated feature wall
Lounge
A bedroom with a double bed, a lattice headboard, patterned walls and a window
Bedroom with a lattice headboard
A bedroom with a double bed, marble-look walls and a glowing gold ceiling light
Bedroom with a gold-lit ceiling
A bedroom with a padded headboard, marble-look walls and a gold-lit ceiling
Bedroom with marble walls
A long dining table with wicker chairs and windows on both sides
Dining hall
The long dining table on the upper deck, with a serving counter at the far end
Upper-deck dining
A corridor with a wooden floor, panelled walls and warm lighting
Corridor to the bedrooms
Glass doors opening from the upper hall onto the open deck
Doors to the open deck
A covered open deck with a sofa and a view over the jetty
Open deck
A group in yellow life jackets cheering on a fast white and orange ride boat, spray flying
Speedboat · up to 8 people

Speedboat

The quickest way across Vembanad Lake. From Alappuzha, a speedboat reaches the Pathiramanal area in about 30 minutes, where a slower motorboat takes about 1.5 hours.

Limited time offer
₹1,500₹1,000Speedboat ride · up to 8 people

Limited time offer, only for Sand Of Midnight customers.

  • Up to 8 people per boat
  • Boat drifting adventure
  • Visit to Pathiramanal island
  • Drop and pickup at the island included

Call for the pick-up point and timings.

Call to bookEmail +91 79022 98152 · +91 77365 06799
Three kayakers in orange life jackets paddling toward the setting sun on calm, golden water
Kayaking · by the hour

Kayak

Paddle the calm edges of Vembanad Lake and the narrow village canals, at sunrise or any time of day.

Best value · 2.5 hours
From₹300Per hour · per person
₹6002.5 hours of kayaking · per person

Save ₹150 on 2.5 hours compared with the hourly rate.

₹650Sunrise kayaking · 2 hours · per person · starts 5:30 am
Call to bookEmail

+91 79022 98152 · +91 77365 06799 · sandofmidnight@gmail.com

Kayaking photos

5 photos
Kayaks and a speedboat heading across calm water toward Pathiramanal island at dusk
Kayaks heading for Pathiramanal at dusk
Two guests in life jackets paddling red and yellow kayaks under mangrove trees
Through the mangroves
Three guests in life jackets in kayaks on the lake, with a houseboat behind them
Sunrise ride with guests
A group of friends in kayaks resting together on the lake
Friends on the lake
Colourful kayaks and paddles waiting at the water's edge in the morning sun
Kayaks at the jetty
A shikara with a thatched canopy cruising on the lake at sunset, with coconut palms behind
Shikara and slow boat

Slow boat and shikara

An unhurried ride along the lake shore and the narrow canals, in a slow motorboat or a canopied shikara. Good for families, photographs and watching birds close to the water.

From₹800Slow boat
₹850Shikara · up to 4 people

Call for timings and the route.

Call to bookEmail +91 79022 98152 · +91 77365 06799

Shikara and slow boat

3 photos
A slow boat with a thatched roof, wooden railings and life rings cruising on calm water
Slow boat on the open lake
Two guests with arms raised at the bow of a shikara on the lake
Shikara ride on Vembanad
A guest sitting at the bow of a boat on a green village canal lined with palms
Through the village canals

Where our boats go

Beyond the island

Pathiramanal is just the start. Our houseboats, speedboat, kayaks and shikaras also take you to toddy shops, traditional Kerala food, village canals and the best spots on Vembanad Lake. Tell us what you would like to see and we will plan the route.

Aerial view of Pathiramanal island, green and round, in the blue lake

Pathiramanal Island

The island of midnight sands: palms, quiet paths and birds, in the middle of Vembanad Lake.

Two bottles of fresh toddy with glasses, squid fry, fish fry, beef and tapioca on a stone ledge

Toddy shops

Lakeside toddy shops serving Kerala food, from karimeen fry to kappa and fish curry. Toddy is for adults only.

A table of Kerala dishes around a clay pot centrepiece, with appam and a clay pot of toddy
നാടൻ ഭക്ഷണം

A Taste of Kerala

Traditional Kerala food, cooked the way it is along the backwaters and served fresh on your boat or at a lakeside toddy shop.

  • Karimeen pollichathuPearl spot in banana leaf
  • Duck roastKuttanad style
  • Beef frySlow-roasted, coconut slices
  • Fish curryRed, with kudampuli
  • KappaTapioca, the toddy-shop classic
  • AppamSoft lace-edged rice pancakes
Plan a food trip
A kayaker paddling a narrow canal lined with green trees

Village canals

Narrow green canals past homes, coconut groves and paddy fields, best by kayak or shikara.

Kayakers on the lake at sunset with golden reflections

Sunset on Vembanad

Golden evenings on the open lake, with the sun dropping behind the palms.

Pink water lilies on the water at the bow of a boat

Water lilies

Pink water lilies along the lake edge, best seen in the morning light.

A two-deck houseboat on the calm open lake

The open lake

Long, calm stretches of Vembanad Lake, Kerala's largest lake, for a slow houseboat cruise.

Plan my trip
Royal Queen Roxxlana glowing at dusk with a speedboat alongside, seen through the leaves

Signature package

The complete Alleppey tour

One booking for your whole trip: a night on a houseboat, kayaking, a speedboat ride and a full tour of Alleppey’s sights. We arrange the transport to every stop and look after every detail.

  • 1 night on a houseboatSpend the night on Vembanad Lake
  • KayakingPaddle the quiet village canals
  • Speedboat rideAcross Vembanad Lake to Pathiramanal island
  • Full Alleppey sightseeingWe take you to the places listed below
  • Airport and station pickupCochin International Airport or Cherthala station
  • Kerala foodTraditional meals and a toddy shop stop

Alleppey sightseeing

  • Alappuzha Beach
  • Alappuzha Lighthouse
  • Marari Beach
  • Pathiramanal Island
  • Kuttanad paddy fields
  • Punnamada Lake
  • Krishnapuram Palace
  • Ambalappuzha Sri Krishna Temple
  • St. Andrew’s Basilica, Arthunkal
  • Revi Karunakaran Museum

We arrange your transport to every stop.

PriceTailor-madeTell us your dates, group size and budget
Plan my trip Call us

Beyond the lake

Road trips across Kerala

Our own car for pickups, and tour packages to Munnar, Vagamon and anywhere in Kerala. Tap a card for details.

Our white Toyota Innova at the airport
Our car · Toyota Innova

Toyota Innova

Our own white Toyota Innova, for airport and railway station pickups and for road trips to Munnar, Vagamon and anywhere in Kerala.

Rates on request
  • Airport pickup from Cochin International
  • Railway station pickup from Cherthala
  • Road trips to Munnar, Vagamon and across Kerala
  • Arranged around your arrival time

Pickup and trips on request. Additional charges may apply.

Call to bookEmail

Photos of our car

2 photos
Our white Toyota Innova waiting at the airport departures kerb
Waiting at the airport
Our white Toyota Innova pickup car in daylight
Our pickup car
Illustration of tea-covered hills under a crescent moon
Tour package · Munnar

Munnar

Tea-covered hills, misty mornings and winding mountain roads. We plan the trip with you and drive you there in our own car.

Rates on request
  • Travel in our Toyota Innova
  • Pickup from the airport, station or your stay
  • Route and dates planned with you
  • Add a houseboat day on Vembanad Lake

Tell us your dates and group size, and we will send you a plan and a quote.

Call to bookEmail
Vagamon hills with pine trees and a lake
Tour package · Vagamon

Vagamon

Rolling green meadows, pine forest and cool hill air in Idukki. We plan the trip with you and take you there in our own car.

Rates on request
  • Travel in our Toyota Innova
  • Pickup from the airport, station or your stay
  • Route and dates planned with you
  • Add a houseboat day on Vembanad Lake

Tell us your dates and group size, and we will send you a plan and a quote.

Call to bookEmail
Illustration of palm trees and a houseboat on the backwaters at sunset
Tour package · Kerala

Anywhere in Kerala

Beaches, hill stations, wildlife and backwaters. Tell us where you want to go in Kerala and we will plan the route, the timing and the drive.

Rates on request
  • Travel in our Toyota Innova
  • Pickup from the airport, station or your stay
  • A route planned around the places you choose
  • Start or end with a day on Vembanad Lake

Tell us your dates, group size and the places you want to see, and we will send you a plan and a quote.

Call to bookEmail

Place photos from Wikipedia and Wikimedia Commons, credited inside each card.

Reservations

Plan your time on the water

Tell us your dates and how many are travelling. We will suggest the right boat, plan your meals and confirm the rate for your season.

Phone+91 79022 98152
Call
Phone 2+91 77365 06799
Call
Emailsandofmidnight@gmail.com
Write
Instagram@sand_of_midnight
Follow
Meeting pointKayippuram Boat Jetty, Muhamma, AlappuzhaPickup from the airport and Cherthala station available on request. Additional charges may apply.
DirectionsOpen map

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WhatsApp or your email app opens with your enquiry already written. If neither opens, copy the enquiry and send it to +91 79022 98152.

Photographs

From the water

Kayaks, houseboats, speedboat rides and water lilies on Vembanad Lake. Tap a photo to see it full size.

A paddler in an orange kayak moving down a narrow shaded canal
Paddling a narrow canal under the trees
A two-deck thatched houseboat on calm open water, with crew and guests on deck and its reflection in the lake
A houseboat on the open lake
Two kayakers in life jackets on a hazy lake
Two kayakers in life jackets
A houseboat bedroom with a carved wooden ceiling and a lake-facing window
A houseboat cabin with a carved ceiling
A wood-floored corridor with a timber ceiling inside a houseboat
The corridor between cabins
A passenger service boat leaving a wake on a wide, calm lake under a golden cloudy sky, with a small wooded island on the horizon
A service boat crossing the lake
Bunches of pink water lilies tied to the bow of a red wooden boat, floating over a lake covered in lily pads under a stormy sky
Water lilies at the bow
Three kayakers in orange life jackets paddling toward the setting sun on calm, golden water
Kayaking into the sunset
A white speedboat with an outboard motor carrying passengers across blue-green water
Speedboat on open water
Two kayaks on the lake seen in a round, little-planet view with the green shore curving around them
Two kayaks, little-planet view

Guest stories

From our guests

Been out on the water with us? Tell other travellers how it went and add your photos. New reviews appear here after a quick check by our team.

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Your words and photos help other travellers choose their trip on Vembanad Lake.

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On Instagram

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@sand_of_midnight

Sunrise paddles, houseboat evenings and new offers on Vembanad Lake. Follow along, and tag us in your photos to be featured.

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The legend

A young Brahmin dived into the lake for his evening ablutions. The water parted, land rose from below, and Pathiramanal, the sands of midnight, was born.

Today it is a small green mound between the backwaters of Thaneermukkom and Kumarakom, in the Cherthala taluk. With little human interference, it has become a roosting place for water birds, mainly cormorants.

In English
Sands of Night
Also called
Pathira Thoppu
Also called
Ananda Padmanabhan Thoppu
Lake
Vembanad
Panchayat
Muhamma

When to go

Choose your month

Migratory birds arrive in the cooler months. Tap a month to see what the island is like then.

Bar height shows how good the month is for birdwatching, based on published guidance for the island. Gold bars are the peak.

Then choose your hour

6:30 to 10 amBirds are most active and the light suits photography.

Late afternoonA second good window, and the island is calm toward evening.

Getting there

Three jetties, one island

Boats can be hired at the jetties below, or arranged through a resort that runs day tours or kayak trips. Agree the return time with your boatman before you leave.

From Muhamma

About 1.5 km by water

The nearest jetty, on the Alappuzha side of the lake. The shortest crossing, and the one closest to Kayippuram.

From Alappuzha

30 min speedboat · 1.5 h motorboat

A longer ride through the lake, which many visitors fold into a houseboat cruise.

From Kumarakom

About 5 km by water

Boats run from the Kumarakom jetty and the resorts there. Pairs well with the Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary.

Nearest railCherthala station, the closest to Muhamma and Kayippuram jetty. Alappuzha station is about 16 km away. We can pick you up from the station; additional charges may apply.
Nearest airportCochin International, about 85 km north of Alappuzha. We arrange airport pickup on request; additional charges may apply.
Tourist officeDTPC Alappuzha, Boat Jetty Road, 688011
Our white Toyota Innova waiting at the airport departures kerb
Waiting at the airport
Our white Toyota Innova pickup car in daylight
Our pickup car

Airport & station pickup

Your ride to the jetty

Arriving by air or rail? We pick you up in our white Toyota Innova from Cochin International Airport or Cherthala railway station and bring you straight to Kayippuram jetty, ready for the water.

  • Airport pickup
  • Railway station pickup
  • Arranged around your arrival time

Pickup is on request. Additional charges may apply.

Book a pickup

Base camp

Around Kayippuram

Kayippuram is a lakeside village in Muhamma, on the Alappuzha shore of Vembanad Lake. It is the closest mainland to Pathiramanal, and several lake resorts sit along its waterfront.

From here you can reach the island by boat, then spend the rest of the trip on the coast and in Alappuzha's temples, churches and museums. Ponnumthuruthu Island is also listed near the Kayippuram resorts.

Distances are from Muhamma and approximate

    Where to stay

    Stay by the lake

    Stay on the shore of Vembanad Lake, a short boat ride from Pathiramanal, with houseboats and speedboats picking you up at the resort jetty.

    Cyrus Resort from above: a lawn and tiled-roof buildings on the lake shore, with a jetty, a houseboat and a speedboat moored alongside
    Signature resort · on the lake

    Cyrus Resort

    A lakeside resort with its own jetty, a swimming pool, wide garden lawns and Kerala-style buildings with tiled roofs. Houseboats and speedboats can pick you up right at the resort.

    • RoomsRooms with double beds, wooden floors and balconies.
    • PoolAn outdoor swimming pool with loungers and umbrellas.
    • GardenLawns, garden seating and a pillared walkway.
    • JettyA private jetty on the lake for boat trips.

    Pair a stay with a houseboat, kayak or speedboat trip. Call for room rates and dates.

    Call to bookEmail +91 79022 98152 · +91 77365 06799

    Around the resort

    7 photos
    The resort's pool, garden lawn and two buildings lit up at dusk
    Pool and garden at dusk
    Loungers by the pool facing a lawn and a Kerala-style cottage with a tiled roof
    Lawn and cottage at dusk
    A white cottage with a sloping tiled roof and a garden table under the trees
    Garden cottage
    A long pillared walkway with a wooden roof and lanterns, beside a lawn
    Pillared walkway
    A room with a double bed, wooden floor, armchairs and a door to a balcony
    Room
    Guests in the swimming pool, with palms and garden umbrellas behind
    Swimming pool
    A wooden cottage with arched windows in a green garden of palms
    Cottage among the palms

    Birdwatching

    Your spotting list

    Fifteen species commonly recorded on the island. Tick them off as you go; your ticks stay on this device.

    0of 15 spotted

    Before you go

    Keep it quiet

    • Walk the islandIt is small enough to cross on foot. Wear comfortable shoes for the natural ground.
    • Bring what you needThere are no permanent residents or established facilities, so carry water and shade, and take your litter back.
    • Keep your distanceThe island is a roosting site. Stay on the paths, keep voices low and never disturb nests or wildlife.
    • Confirm on the dayReports differ on the entry fee, so check at the jetty. In the monsoon, ask your boatman whether the water levels allow a trip.
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