Kerala is known for its panoramic backwater stretches, lush green paddy fields, highlands and beaches. A major backwater stretch lies in Kottayam district, where a network of rivers and canals empty into the great expanse of water called the Vembanad Lake. Located at Kumarakom 16 km from Kottayam town, the Vembanad Lake, an enchanting picnic spot and a fast developing backwater tourism destination, offers boating, fishing and sight seeing experiences that are truly exhilarating.
Kumarakom is a serenely beautiful and scenic backwater destination, a charming peninsula jutting into the ever-effervescent Vembanad Lake that is dotted with plenty of traditional rice boats and canoes, leaving a scene that is immensely pleasing to the eye.
When nature is all you need to recuperate, Kumarakom is undoubtedly one of the most invigorating and fascinating places to unwind in Kerala. The slender coconut palms standing here, there and everywhere, its never ending paddy fields, meandering lagoons and backwaters and mangroves with nestling birds of a hundred varieties will all serve to calm and inspire your mind.
The backwater houses a variety of species of both flora and fauna. It’s rich in marine life especially the exclusive kumarakom karimeen or pearl spotted fish, konju or tiger prawns, njandu or crabs, chemmeen or prawns and many more. As and when the monsoon winds bring rain to the shores of Vembanad Lake, Kumarakom gets transformed into a rich fertile land. The streams and lagoons break their banks to nourish the shrubs that sprout from every available space. The place is renowned for its mangrove shores and the bird sanctuary.
Kumarakom is well-equipped with a range of luxury and budget resorts with unique leisure options like ayurveda massage, yoga, meditation, swimming, fishing and boating. The adventurous could indulge in water sports such as wind sailing and water skiing. You could even take a canoe out into the quiet lake, and armed with a fishing rod, catch your own supper. The local spring season emerges from August and coincides with the harvest ferstival of Onam when locals enjoy in festivities and tourism blooms.
