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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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).
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.
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.
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.
