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Explore Kumarakom
Positioned 14 kms from Kottyam and around Kuttanad region lies
Kumarakom popularly known as the rice bowl of Kerala. A huddle
of tiny islets on the Vembanad Lake, Kumarakom is a pictorial,
unsoiled village. Undoubtedly the most invigorating, fascinating
paradise in Kerala, God's own country. Kumarakom’s charming
emerald peninsula jutting into the ever-effervescent Vembanad
Lake takes you into the heart of the scenic lake where you'll
come across plenty of traditional country crafts, boats and canoes.
The fresh water of the lake runs into the mainland making a labyrinth
of lagoons, brooks, canals and waterways. The backwater houses
a variety of species of both fauna and flora. They are rich with
marine life namely the exclusive 'Kumarakom Karimeen' (pearl spotted
fish), Konju (tiger prawns), Njandu (crabs), Chemeen (prawns)
and many more. The slender coconut palms standing here, there
and everywhere, it’s never ending paddy fields, meandering
lagoons and backwaters, mangroves nesting birds of a hundred varieties
can peacefully calm and invigorate your mind with renewed inspiration
for your vocation and life. That is the pristine beauty of Kumarakom. |
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VEMBANADU LAKE
Vembanad lake is at the heart of Kerala Backwaters tourism with
hundreds of Kettuvallam [Houseboats] crisscrossing it and numerous
resorts nestling on its banks. The Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary is
located on the east coast of the lake. The lake is famous for
its scenic beauty and has become a major tourist attraction.
Vembanad lake is India's longest lake, besides being the largest
lake in Kerala. It is also the second largest in India after The
Chilka lake in Orissa. The Vembanad lake covers an area of 205sq
km and is bordered by Allepey, Kottayam and Ernakulam districts.
It lies at sea level and is separated from the Arabian Sea by
a narrow barrier island. Several rivers flow into the lake, including
the Achankovil, Manimala, Meenachil, Muvattupuzha, Pamba &
Periyar. The lake surrounds the islands of Pathiramanal, Pallipuram
and Perumbalam. It is approximately 96km long and 10km wide.
The Vembanad lake is also Asia's largest freshwater lake, having
a depth of 3-8 meters. A unique characteristic of the lake is
the location of the Thanneermukkom Salt Water Barrier. The Thannermukkom
Salt Water Barrier was constructed as a part of the Kuttanad Develoment
Scheme to prevent tidal action and intrusion of salt water into
the Kuttanad low lands. Incidentally it is the largest mud regulator
in India. The barrier has been a boon to the farmers of Kuttanad
- where the farm land happens to be below Sea level. |
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VISIT TO R-BLOCK
R-Block is a typical Kuttanadu farm land where cultivation is
done on land lying 2.5metres below the sea level. R-Block is one
of the biggest man made islands on the Vemband lake. A walk through
the 110 acre plantation is an experience both enjoyable and refreshing.
Here, one can see the coconut, vanilla, arecanut, mango, tamarind,
plantain and cocoa plantations and also witness the coconut plucking
procedures. |
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CLIMATE
The temperature in summers ranges between 34.2°C to 22.6°C.
Winter temperature ranges between 18 °C to 35 °C. The
ideal time to visit the park is between June to August. For those,
desirous of watching the migratory birds, November to February
is the best time. |
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LANGUAGE
The main language of Kerala is Malayalam. Besides Malayalam,
English is also spoken and understood by the mainstream of the
inhabitants, as are Hindi and Tamil. |
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GETTING THERE
Kumarakom in Kerala, South India is just a few miles (16 km)
from the nearest city, Kottayam. As entry point to India; you
can fly to Mumbai (Bombay) or Chennai (Madras). There are daily
flights to Kerala where, as entry points, you have a choice of
three international airports - Kochi (Cochin), Kozhikode (Calicut)
and Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum). |
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By Road
From the Cochin International Airport it is an 85 Km delightful
ride by road to the Muhamma boat Jetty. From the Trivandrum International
Airport it is a 175 Km (approximately 3.30 hours ride by road)
to the Muhamma boat jetty. From the Calicut International Airport
it is 180 Km ride to Muhamma. |
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By Rail
From Bombay, Madras or Bangalore, you can take a train to Kerala.
The best place to alight is either Cochin or Kottayam (the nearest
railhead, just 16 Km away by road). Kottayam links you to all
major cities in Kerala and India with numerous trains plying this
route daily. From Cochin, you could also take a south bound train
via the Alleppey route (enjoy picturesque scenery as the route
flanks the backwaters and the sea on its way). Alight at Chertala
for a short 14 Km ride to Kumarakom. |
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By Water
If you have arrived at Trivandrum International Airport, come
to Quilon by road or rail (takes just about one hour). From there,
you can take the regular ferry service to Alleppey - a long and
delightful ride on Kerala's backwaters. From Alleppey, it's just
a short ride to Kumarakom.If you have arrived at Cochin International
Airport, perhaps you might prefer a ride through the backwaters
to Alleppey. There are many boat services offered at Kochi. |
