Day 1: Pick up from Alleppey Finishing Point
Jetty at 1200 hours.
Alleppey - One of the best ports along Malabar Coast and an
important trade centre, Alleppey is known for a large network of inland
canals. A hub and a base for most of the backwaters and boat cruises,
has carved out quite a name for Alleppey and large number of tourists
visit the city every year. These backwater cruises are the best way to
see the glimpse of the rural life style of Kerala where natives still
indulge in the traditional, outdated and laborious tasks of toddy
tapping, fishing, coir-making industry and prawn farming and see the
greenery and the rich avian life thriving in many of the lake islands.
Kettuvallams, the old rice-barges or Kera;a has now been converted into
houseboats and are much popular with the tourists. Surprisingly, it is
hand-made and not even nails are used to make these boats. The slow
movement of the boats suit the purpose of leisurely enjoying the
colorful village scenery of the South. After breakfast, cruising through
Azhikkal Canal passing through Kuppapuram, Pallathuruthy, Swamy Canal,
Meenappally Kayal, Muttael Canal, Kainakary Church Canal, Vatta Kayal,
Venattukadu Canal, Aakkathara Canal and Paddy fields is
once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Cruise through Pallathuruthy, Karimpavalavu, and Pullangady and reach
Champakulam. The highlights of this waterlogged village are St. Mary
Forane Church of the 5th century with its mural paintings, 200-year-old
Champakulam Church, the famous snake boat known as Champakulam Chundan,
Kottaram temple and the oldest angadi or the market place known as
Kalloorkkadu angadi. Cruise continues through Nedumudy to reach
Munnattumugham for night stay.
Day 2: Cruise to Mancompu.
Take a leisurely walk through the village to visit the Bhagvathy
temple, one of the oldest temples near backwaters. Back to houseboat and
proceed to Pulincunnnu, visit a church and the local market. Cruise
towards Kavalam through Puthen Thodu, a good stretch of narrow canal.
Further cruise will be through big rivers with various paddy fields on
both sides, viz. Rajapuram, 6000, H-Block and R-Block.
Day 3
While breakfast is served, cruise through Vembanadu Lake to reach
Kumarakam at 1000 hours.
Kumarakom - 14 km from Kottayam, Kumarakom is situated on the
shores of Vembanad Lake in Kerala in the 'Kuttanad region' known as the
rice bowl of Kerala. A cluster of little islands on the Vembanad Lake,
the 14-acre bird sanctuary in Kumarakom is a favourite haunt of
migratory birds such as Egrets, Darters, Herons, Teals and Siberian
Storks. However, boat cruising in Kettuvallams, traditional houseboats
of Kerala, round the islands is the best way to spot them.




