Back Waters of Kerala, the best tourism of India

 Backwaters - Lakes that are formed when the sea water collects closer to the beach by the to and fro motion of waves from the sea. These not only form lakes - whcih are fresh water lakes, but also form low barrier islands which are natural beauty. The manmade and natural backwaters help in and water flowing back into the land mass. Though these are formed by the motion of waves, these backwaters have either little or no current.  

Pic from Indian Holiday

In Kerala there are lots of backwater lakes and they are called as Kayals. The land in and around these Kayals are rich in flora and fauna. Backwaters in Kerala are a network of 1500km of canals that are both natural and manmade. There are 38 rivers and 5 big lakes in this network.  

The  backwaters of Kerala are either stretch of canals and lagoons and lakes that are located parallel to the coast of Arabian sea. These backwaters are the major tourist attractions of Kerala state and is one of the kind in the entire world. Cruising in these backwater is a wonderful experienceand they are safe even for the solo travellers. The house boats have crews to help the travellers.  Apart from the cruise, these backwaters also attract tourists for the annual Snake Boat race held between the months of June and September. Swimming is prohibited in most backwaters as they are not safe due to the incoming water into these.

Apart from the tourism support these back waters also form an economical means of transport and are helpful in local trades as they are easy to navigate than land. The industry that surrounds the back water are fishing and fish curing. Agriculture also thrive and survive around these backwaters. 

Different back water destinations in Kerala, India. 

Alleppey Backwaters.

Kozhikode Backwaters.

Kuttanad Backwaters.

Ashtamudi Backwaters.

Thrissur Backwaters.

Kavvayi Backwater.

Padanna Backwaters.

Sasthamkotta Backwaters.

Alappuzha ( Alleppey ) - Venice of the East

 Alleppey, the hub of Kerala backwaters was rightly proclaimed as the Venice of the East by Lord Curzon.

It is also one of oldest planned cities in the country along  with the distinction of being judged the cleanest town in the country by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) in the year 2016. 

Teeming with hundreds of canals, lagoons, lakes and the backwaters, Alleppey ( Alappuzha ) is one of the most visited tourist destinations not only in the state but also the country. 

The uniqueness of the Backwaters is that they run parallel to the Arabian sea coast and its unparalleled and unmatched natural beauty lures millions of visitors every year. 

The Backwaters are what intice the visitors to partake in leisurely glides in a variety of houseboats ranging from the budget friendly ones to those having top class amenities that include beautiful and stately air conditioned bedrooms, living rooms, rooftops, kitchens for self cooking the local seafood fare, if so inclined. The tourism built around this place is mind boggling and includes every luxury imaginable and that too in what can rightly be described as nature's gift to a state that is already bursting with beauty in spades. 

 

Here is some more information to help the visitor while choosing Alleppey for a visit -

District - Alappuzha

State - Kerala 

When to visit - Winter months from October onwards till the month of February

How to reach - 

1. By road -

National Highway, both NH 47 and NH 66 which connect Panvel - Kanyakumari passes through the city. 

8 State Highways connect it to the rest of the state and the country.

2. By Railways - 

Ernakulam - Kayamkulam Coastal Railway Line connects Alleppey Railway Station to major cities in the state and the country such as Amritsar,Bangalore, Bokaro, Coimbatore, Cochin, Chandigarh, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kozhikode, Kollam, Mangalore, Mumbai, Trivandrum among others

3. By Airways - 

1. Cochin International Airport, at a distance of 78 kms

2. Thiruvananthapuram Airport, at a distance of 159 kms

3. Calicut Airport, at a distance of 236 kms

4. By Waterways

SWTD boat jetty which connects the village to places that include Chengannur,

Changanassery, Kochi, Kolla m, Kumarakom, Kottayam 

Alleppey is Famous for - 

Alleppey Lighthouse and Museum

Backwater Cruises 

Houseboat Cruises 

137 year old pier 

Alleppey Beach

Marine products and Seafood

Largest lake in the country, Vembanad

Snake Boat Races that include the prestigious Nehru Trophy Boat Race 

Places to stay - 

House boats, village home stays, budget hotels, high end resorts and hotels 

Things To Do -

Cycling,Trekking and Walking along the Marari Beach and the Backwaters

River Rafting 

Beach Combing 

Watching the Scenic Sunsets 

Photography

Climbing the 105 steps of the Lighthouse 

Visiting the Alleppey Museum 

Going for a One - day tour of the town

Ferry rides to the nearby places 

Houseboat Cruises

Ocean view meals 

Savor the village home lunches that include non veg, veg and fresh seafood options 

Drink Toddy, Coconut - Rum 

Cook seafood in the guest house and houseboat kitchens 

Leisurely walk to the village market and the village center

Partake in adventure sports like Kayaking, Canoeing, Camping, Boating 

Get the very famous Ayurvedic treatments for a number of ailments 

Relax and rejuvenate with authentic kerala massages

Picture sources - wikipedia 

www.keralatourism.org