Kumarakom is a location of fascinating insights and attractions. The natural friendliness of the Kerala is best extracted through a luxurious cruise the backwaters of Virgin Kerala villages.It is a cluster of little islands on the Vembanad Lake in Kerala.Tucked away at the southern tip of peninsular India, sandwiched between the Western Ghats and the Arabian Sea, is a piece of tropical paradise called Kerala. The National Geographic Traveler has listed it among the top ten must see destinations on earth. Kerala, as the cliché goes, is God’s own country; and Kumarakom is its sanctum sanctorum.

Seemingly afloat on the placid waters of the Vembanad Lake, Kumarakom is a quaint little hamlet of tiny islands about 85 kilometers from Cochin International Airport.

Relish nature’s glory on wings with the world-famous sanctuary at Kumarakom.Taste a touch of rustic Kerala village life with the R-Block and Kainagiri, small islands on the Vembanad Lake. Witness farming of a different kind, farming below water level. Dip your toes in the warmth of the sand stretches of Pathiramanal.

Serene beauty of Kerala Backwaters is best enjoyed here. Take a pensive moment before the Buddha statue dating back to 300BC at Karumadikuttom or at the equally ancient St. Kuriakose Church. Savourstrokes of brilliant traditional architecture at the famous temples of Ambalappuzha or partake in the crafting of Kerala’s renowned ‘Snake Boats’ at Chempakkulam. Or just be Fascinated with women expertly fishing with their mere bare hands. And the million other fascinations that Kerala is known for around the world.

The placid waters of the Vembanad Lake, Kumarakom is a quaint little hamlet of tiny islands

Environment : Kumarakom is home to a wide variety of flora and fauna. Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary is a noted bird sanctuary where many species of migratory birds visit. The Vembanad Lake, the largest backwater in Kerala, is habitat for many marine and freshwater fish species and it teems with ‘Karimeen’ (Pearl Spotted Fish), shrimp (chemmeen in the local language) and prawns. The bird sanctuary extends over 14 acres (57,000 m²), and came into existence following preservation efforts from the government. It is a major tourist attraction.

Economy : Agriculture, fishing and tourism are the major economic activities. The place has expanses of mangrove forests, paddy fields and coconut groves. This rich agricultural environment is mainly irrigated using interspersed waterways and canals of the Meenachil river. Kumarakom’s perfectly balanced tropical climate is conducive to cultivation.

Tourism : There are several activities for visitors, depending on how much time, money and local language skills they have.The Bird Sanctuary can be visited by canoes, which can be arranged with local fishermen at the entrance to the sanctuary. A two-hour rowing canoe trip may cost about INR 200-250, and is best undertaken in the evening or early morning to avoid the afternoon sun. House boats or speed boats can cover longer distances but cost more to hire.

Houseboat at Kumarakom Lake

Houseboats : Embark on a voyage of dreams in our exquisitely built houseboat. Surrender your senses to the pastoral beauty of Kumarakom, one of God’s own country’s renowned picture-book locales and be inspired by the timeless glory of the Vembanad Lake.

Experience the simple joys of life amidst the delicate embrace of mists, enhanced by the pleasant harmony of singing birds. Green stretches of paddy fields surround the rustic charm of tiny islands fringed with long rows of swaying coconut trees, as time seems to stand still while you drift along.

Strongly built as per every rule and norm of tradition, held together by coir ropes without a nail in sight, the houseboat redefines luxury with its shining wooden floors and luxurious amenities. Moreover, immerse in the amazing, never-ending, display of nature’s magical performances on the sundeck. Holiday with a differance.

With cool air-conditioning even in the dining-room, yet fully glass-fronted to offer the view in all its glory! Each houseboat has spacious rooms furnished in ethnic style that bespeaks higher levels of comfort.The elegant interiors are enhanced with impeccable luxury and every modern amenity at the tip of one’s finger.

South Indian Cuisine

Two experienced boatmen navigate you through tranquil stretches of Kerala’s favourite backwaters. A personal chef well-versed in tantalizing Kerala delicacies and seafood delights will be at your beck and call with choicest gourmet delights.

Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary : Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary (also known as Vembanad Bird Sanctuary) is situated at Kumarakom in Kottayam district in the Indian state of Kerala, on the banks of Vembanad Lake. Set in the Kerala Backwaters the bird sanctuary is an ornithologist’s paradise and a favourite haunt of migratory birds.

History : Developed in a rubber plantation as a bird sanctuary by an Englishman, the sanctuary was formerly known as Baker’s Estate.

A Resort at Kumarakom

Geography : The sanctuary is spread over 14 acres on the southern bank of the Kavanar River.It has well laid out paths for moving around within the sanctuary. Beyond the sanctuary one can take a boat ride in Vembanad Lake or along the Kavanar River.

Kumarakom is 14 km (8.7 mi) from Kottayam. State Highway No. 1 leads to Kochi and Thiruvanthapuram in opposite directions. Kochi International Airport at Nedumbassery is 106 km (66 mi) from Kumarakom.

Neighbouring areas such as Kaipuzha Muttu, Pathirmanal, Narakathara, Thollairam Kayal, and Poothanpandi Kayal are also good locations for spotting birds.

Bird Watching : The main attractions are local birds like the waterfowl, cuckoo, owl, egret, heron, cormorant, moorhen, darter, Brahminy kite and the duck, as well as the migratory Siberian crane. Parrot, teal, lark, flycatcher, and other birds are seen here during their respective migratory seasons. Some of the migratory birds come from the Himalayas, and a few from far away Siberia.

Dawn is the ideal time for bird watching when the birds prepare to leave their forest homes and fly over the lake. An early morning trek, well before sunrise, is recommended for avid bird watchers.

The WWF-India organised a two-day bird watching programme in 2008 at Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary in connection with World Wetlands Day.Kerala Tourism Development Corporation, which owns the largest chain of hotels in Kerala, including a resort at Kumarakom, has plans to introduce guided bird watching trails and to open an interpretation centre.

Nearby Attractions : There is a driftwood museum at Chakranpadi, Pathiramanal approachable by boat,and imaginary Ayemenem of Arundhati Roy’s The God of Small Things is set in the area.

Modes of Access : One can access Kumarakom by many means:

• By Air: via Cochin International Airport and the Trivandrum International Airport.
• By Rail: via Kottayam By boat: From Muhamma (near Alappuzha) to Kumarakom Jetty.
• By Road:(16 kilometres) Buses and taxis are easily available at all times of the day from Kottayam.

Boats Anchored in a Resort

God of Small Things : Arundhati Roy’s The God of Small Things is set in Ayemenem or Aymanam village, which adjoins Kumarakom. The explosive success of this novel has given some added touristic impetus to this area. The Taj Garden Retreat hotel complex is centered around a building that is called “History House” in the novel; it was built by British missionary Alfred George Baker, whom the locals called “Kari Saipu” (possibly an elided form of “Baker Sahib”), as in the novel. Four generations of Bakers lived in the house until 1962, speaking Malayalam, and even wearing the mundu. The Baker Memorial School, Kottayam, was started by a daughter of this family in 1925. The Baker family’s house is in ruins in the novel, as it was in reality before was developed into a hotel and has been restored by the Taj group. The Ayemenem house, where Arundhati Roy spent part of her childhood (like the twins in the story), can also be visited in the village, which can be reached by boat along the Meenachil river that figures prominently in the story.

Small Boat in the Backwaters

Kerala has over 900 km of interconnected waterways, rivers, lakes and inlets that make up the Kerala backwaters. In the midst of this beautiful landscape there are a number of towns and cities, which are the starting and end points of backwater cruises.National Waterway No. 3 from Kollam to Kottapuram, covers a distance of 205 km and runs almost parallel to the coast line of southern Kerala facilitating both cargo movement and backwater tourism.

The backwaters have a unique ecosystem – freshwater from the rivers meets the seawater from the Arabian Sea. In certain areas, such as the Vembanad Kayal, where a barrage has been built near Kumarakom, salt water from the sea is prevented from entering the deep inside, keeping the fresh water intact. Such fresh water is extensively used for irrigation purposes.

HouseBoat in the Backwaters

Many unique species of aquatic life including crabs, frogs and mudskippers, water birds such as terns, kingfishers, darters and cormorants, and animals such as otters and turtles live in and alongside the backwaters. Palm trees, pandanus shrubs, various leafy plants and bushes grow alongside the backwaters, providing a green hue to the surrounding landscape.

Vembanad Kayal is the largest of the lakes, covering an area of 200 km², and bordered by Alappuzha (Alleppey), Kottayam, and Ernakulam districts. The port of Kochi (Cochin) is located at the lake’s outlet to the Arabian Sea. Alleppey, “Venice of the East”, has a large network of canals that meander through the town. Vembanad is India’s longest lake.

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Lakeside View

Lakeside View

Lake Sunset

Houseboat

Lake Sunset

Houseboat

Houseboat

Lake Sunset

Boat Jetty

Houseboat

Lake Shore

Houseboat

Connected by artificial canals, the backwaters form an economical means of transport, and a large local trade is carried on by inland navigation. Fishing, along with fish curing is an important industry.

Kerala backwaters have been used for centuries by the local people for transportation, fishing and agriculture. It has supported the efforts of the local people to earn a livelihood. In more recent times, agricultural efforts have been strengthened with reclamation of some backwater lands for rice growing, particularly in the Kuttanad area. Boat making has been a traditional craft, so has been the coir industry.

Paddy fields in the Kuttanad region at a level lower than that of water in the canalKuttanad is crisscrossed with waterways that run alongside extensive paddy fields, as well as fields of cassava, banana and yam. A unique feature of Kuttanad is that many of these fields are below sea level and are surrounded by earthen embankments. The crops are grown on the low-lying ground and irrigated with fresh water from canal and waterways connected to Vembanad lake. The area is similar to the dikes of the Netherlands where land has been reclaimed from the sea and crops are grown.

Vembanad Kol Wetland and Ashtamudi Wetland were included in the list of wetlands of international importance, as defined by the Ramsar Convention for the conservation and sustainable utilization of wetlands.

Kumarakom, which was a sleepy town for years, has been transformed into a busy tourist destination with plush resorts around the Vembanad Kayal and the backwaters.

A Resort At Kumarakom

Houseboat at Kumarakom

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