Destinations Covered: Alleppey and KumarakamDuration: 02 Nights / 02 Days
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are the best way to see the glimpse of the rural life style of Kerala where natives still indulge in the traditional, outdated and laborious tasks of toddy tapping, fishing, coir-making industry and prawn farming and see the greenery and the rich avian life thriving in many of the lake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.
