Kerala is a unique south Indian state with a labyrinthine web of canals, lagoons, lake and estuaries. Whenever we hear Kerala, our imagination places us in a houseboat in the famous backwaters, drinking coconut water and eating in a plantain leaf. In the backdrop are the tall coconut trees and lush green nature. Going on a houseboat cruise in the backwaters of Kerala is a dream which requires little effort to make it a reality. Kerala Backwaters being the largest freshwater source for Kerala are a rich bed of marine flora and fauna that also embodies a variety of boating options.
Let’s ease your task and list the best backwaters destinations in Kerala that are too beautiful to be missed:
Alappuzha
Often likened to Venice, Alappuzha, also known as Alleppey, in central Kerala, is the most popular entry point into the backwaters around Vembanad Lake. There’s a pretty beach with an old pier and lighthouse, but the real draw is the network of canals which can be explored on luxury houseboats, speedboats and ferries.
Alappuzha is at its festive best during the Nehru Boat Snake Boat Race, generally held on the second Saturday of August every year. The regatta takes place on the Punnamada Lake, and also features ceremonial processions and magnificent floats. The highlight of the event is the synchronised rowing of traditional 30-metre-long snake-boats or ‘chudan valloms’, which have a raised prow resembling a snake.
Kumarakom
Part of the Kuttanad region, picturesque Kumarakom is an archipelago scattered on the eastern edge of the Vembanad Lake. This area’s natural splendour and way of life were vividly described in Arundhati Roy’s Man Booker Prize-winning, ‘The God of Small Things’. Kumarakom has a string of luxury resorts including the Coconut Lagoon, Kumarakom Lake Resort and Vivanta by Taj – Kumarakom, located right on the backwaters and guests can rove about the canals on boating and fishing trips. The 14-acre Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary is an ornithologist’s paradise and home to egrets, darters, herons, herons, waterfowls and kingfishers. The sanctuary also welcomes seasonal guests including the elusive Siberian stork, between the months of November and May.
Kollam
The backwaters around Kozhikode are also not as touristy and consequently much less crowded. Houseboats can be hired at the pier near the Purrakkattiri Bridge on the Ullery-Perambra road, 10 kilometres outside Kozhikode. The prettiest routes wind along the Canoly Canal, Kallai River and Elathur. An excursion to the scenic Kadalundi Bird Sanctuary, set amidst hillocks and by an estuary, is highly recommended. The sanctuary comprises of a group of small isles where the Kadalundi River meets the Arabian Sea, and is home to over 100 species of native birds and 60 kinds of migratory birds.
Kozhikode
Less-known than the backwaters of central Kerala, the backwaters around Kozhikode are also not as touristy and consequently much less crowded. Houseboats can be hired at the pier near the Purrakkattiri Bridge on the Ullery-Perambra road, 10 kilometres outside Kozhikode. The prettiest routes wind along the Canoly Canal, Kallai River and Elathur. An excursion to the scenic Kadalundi Bird Sanctuary, set amidst hillocks and by an estuary, is highly recommended. The sanctuary comprises of a group of small isles where the Kadalundi River meets the Arabian Sea, and is home to over 100 species of native birds and 60 kinds of migratory birds.
Valiyaparamba
The northern backwaters in Valiyaparamba are the quietest of the lot. Around 30 kilometres away from Bekal, Valiyaparamba is located in the Kasaragod district of north Kerala. Fed by four rivers, this sprawling backwater has several small and scenic islands. For a short visit, take a Kerala State Water Transport Development ferry from Kotti near the town of Payyannur, towards Ayitti Jetty.
The comfortably furnished Bekal Boat Stay offers one of the few overnight houseboat trips to the area.
You can also stay at the Valiyaparamba Retreat, which has two rooms and two bungalows sandwiched between a pristine beach and the backwaters. It is located 15 kilometres north of the town of Payyannur, and also organises excursions on motor boats and country canoes.