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Kerala Backwaters |
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The cruise
along the palm fringed waterways of Kerala in a luxury
houseboat is the most enchanting holiday experience in India
today. The beautiful backwaters are the very essence of Kerala
and have become the biggest tourist attraction all over India.
It's an intricate network of innumerable lagoons, lakes,
canals, estuaries and deltas of 44 rivers that drain into the
Arabian Sea and make up the 900 km backwater network of Kerala
which is navigable. The backwaters of Kerala, meandering
inland lakes networked by the canals stretch to over 1900 kms.
The boat trips across these tranquil stretches is a unique
experience in Kerala. A cruise on the lovely backwaters is a
must for every visitor coming to Kerala. Water
crafts traveling at a leisurely pace along narrow shady canals
and palm fringed lakes provides a close-up view of ancient
Chinese fishing nets, water lilies, lush paddy fields, coir
villages, rustic homes, temples and coconut groves, which were
preserved through the ages and completely hidden from the
road. It is indeed a first hand introduction to the sublime
scenic beauty of the Kerala countryside. The largest backwater
stretch in Kerala is the Vembanad Lake which flows through
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Alleppey or
Alappuzha and Kottayam and opens out into the sea at the Kochi
port. The Ashtamudi Lake, literally meaning having eight arms
which covers a major portion of Kollam district in the south,
is the second largest backwater stretch and is considered as
the gateway to the magnificent backwaters of Kerala. The most
popular backwater tour is from Kolllam. The eight hours trip between Kollam and |
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Alleppey
or Alappuzha is the longest backwater cruise in Kerala.
Thiruvallam, the serene backwater stretch, enroute to
Kovalam is famous for its canoe rides. The backwaters
mainly cover four districts of Kerala Kollam, Alappuzha
or Alleppey, Kottayam and Kochi. Some of the famous
backwaters in Kerala are in Kollam, Alleppey or
Alappuzha, Trivandrum or Thiruvananthapuram and
Kumarakom. The Vembanad Lake is located at Kumarakom,
about 16 kms. from Kottayam and a famous backwater
tourist destination. The Kumarakom Tourist village
offers houseboat cruises and holiday packages. |
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Kettuvallom
Kettuvalloms or ‘boat with knots’, are the traditional giant
country crafts of Kerala, which are about 80 feet in length.
It took great skill and meticulousness to construct these
giants by tying huge planks of jack wood together with the
coir rope and then coated with black resin made from boiled
cashew nut shells. Not a single nail is used in the making of
Kettuvalloms. These boats were earlier used for transport and
cargo. Today, these boats have been converted into exotic and
luxuriously furnished houseboats, the most exciting tourism
product in India for leisure trips. These houseboats have all
the comforts of good hotels and are becoming very popular
among tourists. The Kettuvallom usually has one or two bath
attached bedrooms, an open lounge, deck, kitchenette and a
crew comprising of oarsmen, cook and guide. Come and check
into the houseboat for the most amazing experience of your
life. |
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Along
the Kerala Backwaters
Tender Coconut
Fresh, sweet tender coconut is the most popular beverage
in Kerala. 100% natural, it is most nourishing. Sweet
toddy or madhurakallu is another beverage extracted from
the coconut palm.
Resorts
There are quite a few resorts along the backwaters which
also offer houseboat cruises. Many of them are heritage
homes, the traditional family mansions of Kerala. |
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Food
The backwater delicacies form a cuisine by themselves. There
are a few halting points where you can enjoy the cuisine.
Jetty
Highways and railways are generally located away from the
waterside. These can be accessed from the jetties by bus, taxi
or auto rickshaws.
Ayurveda
Kerala's ancient Ayurvedic regimens are offered by many of the
backwater resorts. |
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Snake
boat races
The boat races of Kerala are exciting events that bring
to life the tranquil backwaters. 16-20 snake boats
manned by 125 oarsmen and a team of singers participate
i each event. Snake boat races are usually held during
the Onam festival.
Sanctuaries and picnic spots
The extensive water bodies support a wide range of
birds. Kumarakom and Kadalundi are favorite haunts of
migratory birds. The backwaters are also excellent for
picnics.
Coir village |
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The coir making
is a primary occupation of the backwater folk. Entire villages
engaged in the coir manufacture can be seen along the
waterside. |
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Kathakali
Cultural evenings are arranged at several spots along
the backwaters by resorts and houseboat operators.
Kathakali is the classical dance drama of Kerala and
favorite among the tourists.
Boat building
At places like Alumkadavu you can watch the houseboat
and snake boats in the making. These traditional
houseboats are made by tying together huge planks of
wood.
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Churches, Temples, Mosques
Kerala has some
of the oldest churches in the world, dating from the time St.
Thomas, the Apostle arrived here in 70 AD. Many of these can
be seen along the backwaters in Kerala. The temples are also
common along the backwater trail. Both the Dravidian gopuram
style and tiled Kerala style temples can be seen. The
centuries old monuments on the waterside form picturesque
sight. |
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Backwaters
in Kerala
Backwaters in Alleppey || Backwaters in Cochin || Backwaters
in Kasaragod || Backwaters in Kollam || Backwaters in Kottayam
|| Backwaters in Kozhikode || Backwaters in Kumarakom ||
Backwaters in Trivandrum |
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