Kerala Backwaters

Posted by nabeelshaukat on September 12th, 2010

Kerala, also known as God?s Own Country, is now a key tourism place for vacationers and tourists from all over the world. Kerala is eminent for its breathtaking beaches, bewitching backwaters, Ayurvedic parlors, resorts, Ayurvedic body message centre, rich flora and fauna, verdant hill stations, vibrant events and festivals, houseboat cruises, world famous boat race, historical and religious monuments, and vibrant art forms.  This gorgeous land never fails to tempt its visitors with its exceptional beauty. In fact, the beauty of this striking land is beyond written description, it can only be realized through a physical visit. It attracts visitors from all over the world for its captivating attractions.

The backwaters of Kerala are a network of interrelated canals, lakes and rivers, a complex system shaped by more than 900 km of waterways. There are several towns and cities in the mid of this landscape, which serve as the starting and ending points of backwater cruises. In your tour to Kerala, visiting the backwater destinations should be your priority.

In recent times, Kerala is getting global popularity for its incredible beauty and scenic backwaters, and these backwaters are lifeblood of Kerala. Tourists from all over the world visit Kerala to take pleasure from its picturesque backwaters. One can see several young aquatic life and creatures. So, if you love nature, and want to go for green tourism or echo tourism, then backwaters of Kerala should be the paramount choice for you.

There are several backwater destinations in Kerala.  Alleppey, Kochi, Kuttanad, Kollam, Kozhikode, Thiruvallam, Kumarakom, and Trivandrum are some of the most visited backwater destinations in Kerala. The detail about some of the backwater destinations is as follows.

Kochi:

Kochi, previously known as Cochin, is a port city in the state. It is famous for its backwaters, beaches, islands, natural harbor, historical monuments and colonial houses. Kochi is commercial capital of the state, and described as the Queen of the Arabian Sea. It has a bunch of islands, has many historic buildings, scenic backwaters, and many more things, so making it one of the most popular Kerala backwater destinations.  

Kollam:
Kollam is situated above 70 km from the capital of Kerala. It is an ancient seaport in the state, and situated on the banks of the Ashtamudi Lake. Kollam is acknowledged as the ?Gateway to Kerala?s Backwaters?. It offers tremendous backwater cruise to Alleppey, and many other backwater destinations of the state. Visitors have a wonderful opportunity to view the beauty of these backwaters by using different delightful houseboats. Furthermore, Kollam is one the best options available for newly married couples to enjoy their honeymoon.

Kozhikode:

Kozhikode is also known as Calicut, is one of the central destinations for backwater Kerala tourism. Visitors have opportunity to enjoy these backwaters with astonishing houseboats. They can use these houseboats to see the scenic and tranquil backwaters around Kozhikode. A backwater cruise helps you with exceptional ways to discover and enjoy the abundant nature beauty like lush forests, famous monuments, attractive countryside and exotic wildlife sanctuary.

Alleppey:

Alleppey is also known as the Venice of the east, and it is one of the most popular destinations for backwater tourism, and admired for it?s picturesque backwaters and houseboats floating on the peaceful backwaters. Most importantly the houseboats of Alleppey provide visitors a good chance to relish the rich charisma of backwaters in a suitable way. So, if you are going to visit one of the backwater destinations, then this one can be a fine option for you. Moreover, it is well-known for the Nehru Trophy Snake Boat race, which is organized every year. Large snake boats are used by the teams of rowers, competing for the trophy instituted by Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prim Minister of India. So, in a nut shell this is one of the backwater destinations that deserve to be visited in your visit to Kerala.

Kasargod:

Kasargod is a town in North Kerala, which is famous for the Valiyaparamba stretch of backwaters, an exceedingly attractive corridor along the shore of Kerala. If you want to go through the beauty of this backwater together with many other backwaters, then the best way is to for a good tour package, which should cover major backwater destinations.

Kumarakom:
Kumarakom is like an outstanding destination for the nature lovers, honeymooners and vacationers. It is located alongside the striking Vembanad Lake.  It provides the visitors with an excellent opportunity to get pleasure from the charm of backwater tourism, Ayurvedic resort stay, houseboat stay, and Kumarakom bird sanctuary visit. The scenic beauty, the Bird sanctuary, and the tourist resorts together with backwaters make Kumarakom one of the most wanted Kerala Backwater destinations.

Kottayam:

Kottayam is very famous for its beautiful hills, and charming backwaters on the seacoast. It is a romantic place for newly married couples to enjoy the unforgettable moments of their honeymoon preferably by using specially designed houseboats for honeymooners. Moreover, different crops like rubber are grown in Kottayam district.

Kuttanad:

Kuttanad is surrounded by lavish paddy fields, and it is known as the ?Ricebowl of Kerala?. A matchless feature of this green land is that the fields are beneath the sea level, and are barricaded from the neighboring backwaters. This is a place that must be visited by everyone who wishes to see the real beauty of Kerala backwaters.

There are many other backwater destinations other than those described above, and there is an extensive range of tour packages available to choose one from to visit these God gifted places in Kerala. While choosing your tour package, consider the one covering major backwater destinations of the state to enjoy the astonishing beauty of nature. There are many providers, offering you with the facility to visit almost all backwater destinations in Kerala.

In short, if you are going for a holiday trip to Kerala, then you should visit these backwater destinations at any cost together with taking pleasure of the houseboats, designed for various types of needs. So, your visit to Kerala is nothing without visiting these stunning backwater destinations.