It is really Romantic at Backwater – Kerala Backwater,
Kerala, India :-
Kerala's backwaters is the most popular tourist attraction
of Kerala. The palm-fringed, tranquil backwaters were once just the state's
trade highways. Kerala is her backwaters and lakes. They have dictated her
history, shaped her present and promise a future by virtue of offering
incomparable beauty and unique experiences.
The state's palm-fringed backwaters are inland lakes
connected by a network of canals. With 41 west-flowing rivers, the backwaters
stretch to almost 1,900 kilometers. The backwater routes date back over the
centuries and have been long used for all transportation needs, in particular
trade in coconut, rubber, rice and spices. Today, these waterways link remote
villages and islands to the mainland and nerve centers of the coastal area.
The most interesting area in the backwaters is the Kuttanad
region, called the rice bowl of Kerala. The area is probably the only place in
the continent where farming is done below sea level, using a system of dykes
and bunds.
The largest backwater stretch is the Vembanad Lake, which
opens out into the sea at the Kochi port and flows through three
districts-Alappuzha, Kottayam and Kochi. The Ashtamudi Lake has eight 'arms'
covering a major portion of Kollam district in the south, and is the second
largest lake in the state.
Alappuzha is one of the major centers for backwater boat
trips. The intricate network of canals through this town has earned it the
sobriquet "The Venice of the East". Small but long country boats are
the taxies of the water. The coir workers present an interesting sight as they
soak coconut fiber in pools, beat them and wind the strands on long spindles
stretched between an endless lines of coconut trees.
Alleppey (Alappuzha) is prominent on the tourist trail as it
is one of the major centers for backwater boat trips. With Arabian sea on the
west, Alappuzha has a large network of lakes, lagoons and several freshwater
rivers intersections. Alappuzha has grown in importance as a backwater tourist
center, attracting several thousands of foreign tourists every year who come
here to enjoy the serene marine beauty of the state. Boat races, houseboat
holidays, beaches, marine products and coir industry are some of the
major attractions offered by Alappuzha.
Boat Races - It is held in the months of August and
September when the earth is moist and rain-drenched and the glorious backwaters
overflows. Hundreds of men and women gather on the banks to witness a
spectacular view especially, the Snake Boat Races.
Kumarakom is situated 15 km from Kottayam, on National
Highway (NH) 47 between Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum) and Kochi (Cochin).
Kumarakom is a cluster of little islands located on the banks of the famous
Vembanad Lake. The Vembanad Lake displys an intricate and enchantingly
beautiful web of majestic canals, streams and distributaries. The gorgeous
green of the fringed palms beautifully contrast with the ripple in the blue
waters. The water ways of Kumarakom is now a big attraction for tourist.
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