Akkulam lake is a body of backwater in the most immediate vicinity of the Trivandrum city. Predictably it is much less spectacular than the mighty Vembanad or the Ashtamudi backwaters but then that is what you can get in Trivandrum! Most of the dry season it is extensively covered by thick water hyacinths. It flows under the Akkulam bridge and opens out into the Veli lake shortly before flowing out into the Arabian Sea. Kerala Tourism in its wisdom has made a tiny tourist spot on the banks of the Lake which houses a non functional boating facility, a childrens park, a remarkably clean swimming pool and a restaurant with mysterious opening hours. The Akkulam Lake has significant bird activity most conspicuously the Easter Great Egret (
Ardea alba modesta). Some of the snaps while this bird was foraging!
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| An Eastern Great Egret foraging in the hyacinth infested Akkulam |
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| Two Egrets in the Akkulam |
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| An Egret with brownish plumage well camouflaged in the hyacinth |
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