Kerala, also known as "God's Own
Country" is one of the most popular tourism destinations
in India. It's tropical climate, beautiful palm-fringed
beaches with pristine stretches of sand, the serenity of
the backwaters and the clear blue Arabian Sea, make Kerala
one of the most beautiful destinations in India.
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Kumarakom
Kumarakom
Kumarakom: The village
of Kumarakom is a bunch of little islands on the Vembanad
Lake, and this small water world is part of the Kuttanad
region. The bird sanctuary at Kumarakom, which is spread across 14
acres is a favorite haunt of migratory birds and an
ornithologist's paradise. Egrets, darters, herons, teal,
waterfowl, cuckoo, wild duck and migratory birds like the
Siberian stork that live There in flocks are a fascination
for visitors.
The best way to watch the birds of the Kumarakom sanctuary
is a boat trip round the islands. An unbelievably beautiful
paradise of mangrove forests, emerald green paddy fields and
coconut groves interspersed with enchanting waterways and
canals adorned with while lillies - this is Kumarakom.
Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary:
A trip to Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary what you shouldn't miss.
The best time for this is between November and March,when a
range of migratory birds from Siberia make it their winter
home. Some of the species include the Snake bird, Little
Cormorant, Crow Pheasant, White-branded water Hen and Tree
pie. Occasionally you can catch the native kingfishers
setting the waters ablaze in a psychedelic flash of colours.
The night herons, the Golden-backed woodpeckers are added
delights.
At the
fourteen-acre bird sanctuary one can glimpse many a rare
bird – some of which, sadly, may not be around forever
Kettuvallams:
Kettuvallams are huge, tapering barges which were
traditionally used to cargo rice and other goods across
Kerala. It has a portion covered with bamboo and coir
serving as kitchen and rest rooms for the crew. These
boats are entirely built without the use of nails.
Planks of jack wood are woven together with coir ropes
and coated with a black resin made from boiled cashew
kernels.
Ilaveezhapoonchira: About 70 km from
Kumarakom, Kottayam district, central Kerala. Spread over
a thousand acres, this beautiful land locked by green
hillocks skirts the Kottayam district. The place gets its
name from the fact that there's not a single tree in the
vicinity and hence no leaf falls there (literally ila -
leaf; veezhuka - fall; chira - height). The verdant
landscape, punctuated by four gigantic hills named
Mankunnu, Kadayathoormala, Thanippara etc., each rising to
around 3200 feet, is ideal for trekking. During the
monsoon when the valley gets filled up to form a scenic
lake, Ilaveezhapoonchira unveils yet another beautiful
slice of God's Own Country. This is also one of the best
places in Kerala to enjoy both the sunrise and sunset.
Q S T and R Block Kayal:
Situated in Kuttanad popularly known as the rice bowl of
Kerala, QST & R Block Kayals (backwaters) remind the
visitor of the famous dikes of Holland.A striking
example of the indigenous agricultural engineering
know-how, here cultivation and habitation are made
possible at four to ten feet below the sea level. For
this purpose extensive land has been reclaimed from the
backwaters and is protected by dikes built around it.A
leisurely cruise along the canals here is a memorable
experience. Kuttanad is the most beautiful backwaters
region of Kerala. It is here that most of the snake boat
races are
conducted and a majority of
the rice boat & houseboat cruises are scheduled. Keralas
network of navigable backwaters stretches to over 900km.
These serene waterways are fringed by palm grove and paddy
fields and offer a striking spectacle of the rustic life.
Getting there:Kumarakom QST & R
Block Kayals are accessible by boat from Alappuzha (1.30 hrs
by motor boat and 30 minutes by speedboat.) Pathiramanal
(Backwater): This little island on the backwaters is a
favourite haunt of hundreds of rare migratory birds from
different parts of the world. The island is accessible only
by boat.
