It's an intricate network of innumerable lagoons, lakes, canals, estuaries and
the deltas of forty-four rivers that drain into the Arabian Sea. Over 900 km
of this labyrinthine waterworld is navigable. The largest backwater stretch
in Kerala is the
Vembanad lake which flows through three districts and
opens out into the sea at the Kochi port.
Thiruvananthapuram
Backwaters || Cochin
(Ernakulam, Kochi) Backwaters || Kozhikode
Backwaters || Kasaragod
Backwaters || Thiruvallam
Backwaters || Kollam
Backwaters || Alleppey
Backwaters || Kottayam
Backwaters || Kumarakom
Backwaters
The Ashtamudi Lake (literally, having eight arms), which covers a major
portion of Kollam district in the south, is the second largest and is considered
the gateway to the backwaters.
Showcasing a unique heritage The Kettuvalloms (houseboats) of Kerala are giant
country crafts, measuring up to 80 feet in length. It took great skill and meticulousness
to construct these giants by tying huge planks of jack wood together, without
the use of a single nail.
Today, these goods carriers have been adapted to make the most exciting tourism
product in India, the luxurious furnished houseboat. A kettuvallom usually has
one or two bath attached bedrooms, an open lounge, deck, kitchenette and a crew
comprising oarsmen, a cook and guide.
