Kerala Back Waters

"The God's Own Country" or "The Land of Coco Trees"

A pleasant place to escape from the madding crowds of the cities and towns, Kerala Backwaters are Nice place to cruise on the rivers with an opportunity to see the local village life of Kerala. Kerala, a land of great natural beauty possess many rivers, which glide across the plains to merge their waters with the Arabian sea. Kerala's centuries-old, palm fringed Kerala backwaters stretch over 1900 kms. These backwaters are the prominent feature of a holiday in Kerala. Hear the soothing sound of water rippling alongside your houseboat, as you drift on a Kerala backwater. Feel completely relaxed as you enter a world of serenity and natural beauty in Kerala. See the green countryside, swaying palm trees, emerald rice fields and children waving from the banks of the backwaters of Kerala, India, as you sail on traditional Ketuvalloms or houseboats, on a Kerala backwater. Be transported to a paradise where land, sea and sky, come together in a union of elements.

One of the most memorable experiences for travellers in India - even those on the lowest of budgets - is the opportunity to take a boat journey on the backwaters of Kerala. Immortalized as the setting for Arundhati Roy's Booker-prize-winning novel The God of Small Things, the area known as Kuttanad stretches for 75km from Kollam in the south to Kochi in the north, sandwiched between the sea and the hills. This bewildering labyrinth of shimmering waterways, composed of lakes, canals, rivers and rivulets, is lined with dense tropical greenery, and preserves rural Keralan lifestyles that are completely hidden from the road.

Views change from narrow canals and dense vegetation to open vistas and dazzling green paddy fields. Homes, farms, churches, mosques and temples can be glimpsed among the trees, and every so often you might catch the blue flash of a kingfisher, or the green of a parakeet. Pallas fishing eagles cruise above the water looking for prey and cormorants perch on logs to dry their wings. Daily life continues both on the water and the palm-fringed shorelines. Families subsist on tiny pockets of land, with just enough room for a simple house, yard and boat, and bathe and wash their clothes - sometimes their buffaloes, too - at the water's edge. Powered both by gondolier-like boatmen with poles and by sail, kettu vallams glide past laden with heavyweight cargoes, and fishermen work from rowing boats or operate massive Chinese nets on the shore.

Coconut trees at improbable angles form shady canopies, and occasionally you pass under simple curved bridges. Here and there, basic drawbridges can be raised on ropes, but major bridges are few and far between; most people rely on boatmen to ferry them across the water to connect with roads and bus services, a constant criss-crossing of the waters from dawn until dusk (a way of life beautifully represented in the visually stunning film Piravi, by Keralan director Shaji). Poles sticking out of the water indicate dangerous shallows.

The African moss that often carpets the surface of the narrower waterways may look attractive, but it is actually a menace to small craft traffic and starves underwater life of light. It is also a symptom of the many serious ecological problems currently affecting the region, whose population density ranges from between two and four times that of other coastal areas in southwest India. This has put growing pressure on land, and hence a greater reliance on fertilizers, which eventually work their way into the water causing the build up of moss. Illegal land reclamation, however, poses the single greatest threat to this fragile ecosystem. In a little over a century, the total area of water in Kuttanad has been reduced by two-thirds, while mangrove swamps and fish stocks have been decimated by pollution and the spread of towns and villages around the edges of the backwater region. Unfortunately, tourism is now adding to the problem, as the barely perceptible film of oil from motorized ferries and houseboats spreads through the waters. This kills yet more fish and the number of bird species found in the region has been reduced by over fifty percent to under one hundred. Some of the tourist agencies are trying to lessen the impact by introducing more eco-friendly vessels and you can always play your part by asking for one.

As you float on a Kerala backwater, the beauty of the serene waterways and quaint inlets and creeks along the coast of Kerala will enchant you. Experience an unforgettable journey, along the tranquil backwaters of Kerala, India. It is an incredible experience to sail down these soothing waters in a house boat and comprehend the unusual aspects of Kerala life. Kerala's unique houseboats, also known as Kettuvalloms helps the tourist in discovering the enchanting backwaters and lively villages of Kerala on a houseboat cruise. Few of the popular backwater destinations are:

Kumarakom Backwaters: Kumarakom is a cluster of little islands located on the banks of the famous Vembanad Lake. The Vembanad Lake displays an intricate and enchantingly beautiful web of majestic canals, streams and distributaries. The gorgeous green of the fringed palms beautifully contrast with the ripple in the blue waters. The water ways of Kumarakom is now a big attraction for tourist.

Kollam Backwaters: Known as the entry and exit point of the backwaters of Kerala, Kollam is situated 71 km to the north of Thiruvananthapuram. It is one of the oldest ports of the Malabar coast and was once the center of international spice trade, especially known for its marine and cashew industries. It is also the largest producer of cashew in the state.

Alleppy Backwaters,Trivandrum backwaters: The extensive backwaters of Trivandrum provide the picturesque view of a paradise. The intricate lagoons, lakes, canals and rivers are lined up along the dense tropical vegetation of Trivandrum. The backwaters form a specially attractive and economically valuable feature of Kerala. The biggest backwater is the Vembabad lake, some 200 sq kilometers in area, which opens out into the Arabian Sea at Cochin port.

Alleppy backwaters: Alappuzha ia prominent on the tourist trail as it is one of the major centers for backwater boat trips. With Arabian sea on the west, Alappuzha has a large network of lakes, lagoons and several freshwater rivers intersections. Alappuzha has grown in importance as a backwater tourist center, attracting several thousands of foreign tourists every year who come here to enjoy the serene marine beauty of the state. Boat races, houseboat holidays, beaches, marine products and coir industry are some of the major attractions offered by Alappuzha. Under its former appellation of Alleppey, ALAPPUZHA, roughly midway between Kollam (85km south) and Kochi (64km north) was one of the best-known ports along the Malabar coast. Contemporary tourist literature is fond of referring to the town as "Venice of the East", but while it may be full of interconnecting canals, there the resemblance ends. Alappuzha has a bustling, messy centre of ramshackle wood and corrugated iron-roofed houses, although some suburban parts are quiet and leafy. The town is chiefly significant in the coir industry, which accounts for much of the traffic on its sludgy waterways. The town is prominent on the tourist trail as one of the major centres for backwater boat trips, served by ferries to and from Kollam and Kottayam. Most visitors stay just one night, catching a boat or bus out early the next morning. A commendable time-killing walk takes you about 1km northeast of the centre to the lakeside, shaded under a canopy of palm trees. Alappuzha really comes alive on the second Saturday of August, in the depths of the rainy season, when it serves as the venue for one of Kerala's major spectacles - the Nehru Trophy snakeboat race. This event, first held in 1952, is based on the traditional Keralan enthusiasm for racing magnificently decorated longboats, with raised rears designed to resemble the hood of a cobra. More than enthusiastically powered by up to 150 singing and shouting oarsmen, scores of boats take part, and Alappuzha is packed with thousands of spectators. Similar races can be seen at Aranmula, and at Champakulam, 16km by ferry from Alappuzha.

Kerala House Boats
Kerala's unique houseboats, also known as Kettuvalloms helps the tourist in discovering the fascinating backwaters and lively villages of Kerala on a houseboat cruise. The Kettuvalloms (houseboats) of Kerala are giant country crafts, measuring up to 80 feet in length. Thus, these extravagant houseboats takes you along a vast network of lagoons, lakes, rivers and canals and provide you excellent facilities of inland navigation. Apart from excellent outlook, these houseboats are extremely eco-friendly, as it is made of of bamboo poles, coconut fiber, ropes, bamboo mats, carpets etc.The houseboats have all the creature comforts of a good hotel including furnished bedrooms, modern toilets, cozy living rooms, a kitchen and even a balcony for angling. Parts of the curved roof of wood or plaited palm open out to provide shade and allow uninterrupted views. Whenever you will wish, the houseboat stops to let you photograph some of the most scenic points or slowed it's pace where the scenery was more beautiful.

The houseboats of today are used for leisure trips, but in old days, these Kettuvalloms were used for commercial purpose. The original Kettuvalloms were used to carry tonnes of rice and spices from Kuttanad to the Kochi port. But due to the large influx of modern day transport facilities, these houseboat revived themselves as a luxurious entity.The tourist are also given personalized information regarding the process of crafting these beautiful boats. You can visit coir factories to view the coir making process used as an essential component of the houseboat. Apart from this, view the local villagers fishing, tapping toddy and making rice along the strips of land lined with coconut trees.

Routes and Practicalities
There are numerous backwater routes to choose from, on vessels ranging from local ferries, through chauffeur-driven speedboats offered by the KTDC, to customized kettu vallam and rice boat cruises. The most popular excursion is the full-day journey between Kollam and Alappuzha. All sorts of private hustlers offer their services, but the principal boats are run on alternate days by the Alleppey Tourism Development Co-op (ATDC) and the District Tourism Promotion Council (DTPC). The double-decker boats leave from both Kollam and Alappuzha daily, departing at 10.30am (10am check-in); tickets cost Rs300 and can be bought in advance or on the day, at the ATDC/DTPC counters, other agents and some hotels. Both companies make three stops during the 8hr journey, including one for lunch, and another at the renowned Mata Amritanandamayi Mission at Amritapuri, around three hours north of Kollam. Foreigners are welcome to stay at the ashram (0476/289 6399, www.amritapuri.org), which is the home of the renowned female guru, Shri Amritanandamayi Devi, known as the "hugging Mama" because she gives each of her visitors and devotees a big, power-imparting hug during the daily darshan sessions. The Rs150 a night includes a basic room in the startling high-rise block and simple meals.

Although it is by far the most popular backwater trip, many tourists find the Alappuzha-Kollam route too long and at times uncomfortable, with crowded decks and intense sun. There's also something faintly embarrassing about being cooped up with a crowd of fellow tourists madly photographing any signs of life on the water or canal banks, while gangs of kids scamper alongside the boat screaming "one pen, one pen". You can sidestep the tourist scene completely by catching local ferries. These are a lot slower and more crowded, but you'll gain a more intimate experience of life on the backwaters. The trip from Alappuzha to Kottayam (5 daily; Rs10) is particularly recommended. The first ferry leaves at 7.30am; arrive early to get a good place with uninterrupted views. There are also numerous daily ferries that ply routes between local villages, allowing you to hop on and off as you like. The scenery on these routes is often more varied than between Alappuzha and Kollam, beginning with open lagoons and winding up on narrow canals through densely populated coconut groves and islands; furthermore the tickets cost a fraction of the tourist boats. Whichever boat you opt for, take a sun hat and plenty of water. Check the departure times in advance, as these can vary from year to year.

Although backwater life may seem idyllic, there have been recent reports of theft, especially during the night when the crew sleep on land and windows are left open - so take care of your belongings at all times; lock them away if possible, or at the very least, keep them away from the windows. Also insist your boat is not moored near one with a generator that may run all night. Groups of up to ten people can charter a kettu vallam moored at Karunagapalli for a day's cruise on the backwaters. Boats have comfortable cane chairs and a raised central platform where passengers can laze on cushions; there are bathrooms on board plus food and drinks are available. Whether powered by local gondoliers or by sail, the trip is as quiet and restful as you could possibly want. Starting at Rs4000 for the day, including lunch, the luxury is well worth it.

If you are planning to visit Kerala, you can refer the Kerala Cities / Towns Accommodation Guides given below.

• Alleppey
• Angamali
• Arattupuzha
• Changanacherry
• Chottanikara
• Devikulam
• Guruvayur
• Kalady
• Kannur
• Kochi
• Kodungallur
• Kollam
• Kottayam
• Kovalam
• Kozhikode
• Kumarakom
• Lakkidi
• Malampuzha
• Munnar
• Nelliyampathy
• Palakkad
• Periyar
• Sabarimala
• Sulthan bathery
• Thalassery
• Thekkady
• Thenmala
• Thiruvananthapuram
• Thrissur
• Vagamon

Its really God's Own country.