Enjoy Visual Delights Par Excellence With Kerala Backwater Tours

By Author: Vijay Joshi
Total Articles: 35
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Kerala is a verdant piece of land blessed by lush green vegetation nestled between Western Ghats and Arabian Sea. It is located in the southwestern part of India. Dubbed God’s own country, Kerala is endowed with bounties of nature galore which makes it one of the more favorite tourism spots.

Pristine beaches, breathtaking hill stations, laid back backwaters, rich and suave art forms – the gifts Kerala hold in its bag are numerous. Out of which, backwaters is an exclusive Kerala phenomenon. It is a complex network of manmade and natural canals and inlets, estuaries of over forty rivers and five lakes. Local folk used this as transportation means before bridges, ferries and roads. Besides that, they depended on Backwaters for means of sustenance like agriculture and fishing. In the contemporary era also the backwaters is playing the economic role to perfection. Kerala Backwater tours are now a money spinning proposition.

Shores and Backwaters together make for fascinating setting. Shore of Backwaters are marked by abodes, emerald flora and lush green paddy fields, fishing nets and various activities of life. ...
... Backwaters are lined by water flowers mostly water lilies. A cruise through backwaters savoring these sights is a remarkable episode, imminently unforgettable.

Alleppey, Kochi and Kollam are the epicenters of Kerala Backwater tours although Backwaters is all Kerala Phenomenon. Single most spot that will let you relish the Backwaters is Kumarakom. It is a tiny village thirteen kilometers away from Kottayam. The accommodation facilities and service available at hotels and resorts of Kumarakom are superlative. Apart from that there is the added attraction of Houseboats. Houseboat cruises are also possible from Kochi, Alleppey and Kollam.

Houseboats are modern day luxurious versions of “Kettuvallams” of yester years. “Kettuvallams “ were used to traffic rice and household items through Backwaters. They came with thatched roofs over wooden hulls to offer protection from elements of nature. Although the form remains the same, Houseboats are two to three storied affairs with one to five bedrooms. Apart from sleeping space they have dining space and a sit out open on all sides, from where visitors can behold the beauty that is Kerala Backwaters. A crew including a cook accompanies the guests and the menu is chiefly indigenous variety mostly local fish but always the taste of visitors prevails. The Houseboats are attached with generators and full time air condition is provided. Western style toilets are also attached. Although houseboats are motorized, it is run in a sluggish pace letting the tourists savor the fascinating landscape fully. The cruise in Kumarakom Houseboats will be with background of chirping of birds from nearby Bird Sanctuary.

A night spend with houseboat docked in Backwaters is a heavenly affair, especially if the night is moonlit. Far away, you could see boats as bright spots of light moving and abodes as distant spots of illumination. If you please, you can ask to switch off the electric lights and spend the time in lanterns alone to get a local feel. If you are lucky, you could behold the heartwarming sight of fireflies adorning the branches of trees in the shores, blinking eternally.

A cruise in Kumarakom Houseboats will be a blissful affair imminently unforgettable, especially if you are a honeymooner or nature enthusiast. As poets would say, “Behold the joy that is Kerala Backwaters.”

Vijay Joshi is an eminent travel analyst and writer giving information about Kerala Backwater tours.