Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Kerala Backwaters,Houseboats,kettuvallom, Jalotsavam, kerala tourism, tourism in kerala, Backwaters of Kerala,kerala tourism guide, Backwaters


One of the most memorable experience for the tourist visiting Kerala(Kerala Tourism) is the opportunity to enjoy the backwaters of Kerala on a house boat (Kettuvallam). The boats cross shallow palm -fringed lakes studded with cantilevered Chinese fishing nets and cruise along the narrow shady canals. On the way one can see the real Kerala village life. Alappuzha or Alleppey is an important tourist centre in Kerala because of its amazing backwaters. A number of boat races are conducted every year.

Houseboats called `kettuvallom’ in the local language meaning `knotted boat’, the modern day houseboat is a reincarnation of the traditional canoe used to transport items of daily home use from the mainland to homes cut away by the winding waterways known as `backwaters’.

The term backwaters are used to denote a network of canals and waterways stretching two hundred kilometers from Kollam in the south through Alleppey and Kumarakom in Central Kerala up to Kodungaloor.

Cochin - Queen of the Arabian Sea
Kochi is group of islands on Lake Vemabanad, which opens out into the Arabian Sea. Some of the islands are Bolgatty, Vypeen, Gundu and Vallarpadam. The main tourist attraction of Kochi is visiting these islands on the local ferries. Kochi is well known for one of the finest natural harbours in the world. The ancestral rulers of cochin with their cosmopolitan outlook, traded goods as well as knowledge with visitors from far off lands and latter Chinese, Arabs, Dutch, British and Portuguese followed the sea route to cochin.

Unexplored and unspoiled are the Backwaters Tourism of Kozhikode, which holds great promises of enchanting holiday options. Elathur, the canal and the River Kallai are favourite haunts for boating. Kadlundi, with its beautiful bird sanctuary is a charming site. Korapuzha, the venue of the Korapuzha Jalotsavam is fast becoming a popular water sport destination.

Valiyaparamba 30 kms from Bekal, this is perhaps the most scenic backwater stretch in Kerala. Fed by four rivers and dotted with a cute little island, four rivers and dotted with a cute little island, Valiyaparamba is fest turning into a much favoured backwater resort that offers enchanting boat cruises.

This is the one of the places in the world where farming is done below sea level (1.5 -2 metres below sea level). Inland waterways that flow above the land level is an amazing feature of this land. Kuttanad is the heart of the Backwaters Holidays in Kerala. This beautiful countryside with its waterways also has a rich crop of banana, Cassava and yam.

These regions are wonders of the agricultural engineering skills of Kerala and remind the tourist of the famous dikes of Holland. Extensive areas of land have been reclaimed from the Backwaters Holidays and are protected by dikes built around. A leisurely cruise along the canals that surround these kayals is a memorable experience.

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