Kerala, God's Own Country is slot in between the Arabian Sea on the west and the Western Ghats on the east. The tourists from the globe over come to Kerala since of the palm fringed beaches, rivers, breathtaking backwaters, paddy fields, spice plantations, coconut canopies, ever green tropical forests and the sweet common people.
Sailing by the side of the backwaters of Kerala is a perfect way to find the real Kerala. The serene backwaters that stretch for over 1500 km are covered with wavering palm trees. The backwaters are the important part of the people’s life in Kerala both in terms of wealth as well as lifestyle. They are also used for moving of people and products between villages as well as towns. The boats used are termed as "Kettuvalloms" i.e. stitched boats because the boats are built by stitching coconut ropes together with wooden boards. Across the state of Kerala, the backwaters consist of various rivers, canals, lagoons and lakes.
Coconut trees, marshy groves, deep canals, long boats and shallow lakes are the methodically planned backwater cruises. The facilities and the simplicity of the entire holiday make it a deluxe holiday in India. Backwater tourism in Kerala has really become popular among Indian as well as the foreign tourists.
The mild rhythm of the boat journey improves the magic of the backwaters. Life can be enjoyed at leisurely pace. The influential coconut canopies make the heart of the tourists swing too. Viewing the sun go down, savouring the fresh seafood and being entirely relaxed to the soul makes the holiday cruise on the Indian backwaters of Kerala an unparallel incident. Consecutively to endorse backwater tourism without losing out of the authentic feel of the houseboat traditional meals are served on banana leaves that include several dishes and fruits. The backwater cuisine, which include scrumptious fresh fish like pearl spotted fish, crabs, barramundi, mussels and prawns are finger licking food.
The tourists are left enthralled by the serenity of the backwaters while riding the Houseboats; it's the most exotic and new way to explore the beauty of the backwaters. Beautiful Houseboats that float on the backwaters are the enhanced adaptation of the Kettuvalloms. The regularly visited tourist destinations along with the backwaters in Kerala include Kovalam, Alappuzha, Allepey, Kottayam and Ernakulam.
The nature lovers will also get the chance to visit Periyar or the Thekkady Wildlife Sanctuary. The trip through the sanctuary will disclose the bounty of wildlife in Kerala including the wild elephants, spotted dear, bison, Nilgiri Wood Pigeons etc. The other place for the nature lover is the Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary that boats of both local as well as migratory birds. The appeals amongst the variety of species of birds comprise the water duck, teals, larks, egret, and the Siberian cranes. The best time for backwater cruising in India falls between the months of October and March. Travellers are advised to carry cotton casuals on their backwater holidays due to weather conditions. The boat-cruises, canal-rides and houseboat stays indicate all tourists seeking solace in the lap of nature.
