KUMARAKOM
Kumarakom is an emerald peninsula of paddy fields, meandering lagoons and backwaters that juts out into Lake Vembanad. Perhaps more famously knows as the Backwaters this area is unique being made up of labyrinth of canals and lakes that stretch between the capital Cochin and Quilon in the south. From the vastness of Lake Vembanad to the quiet streams just large enough for a canoe, the Backwaters form the arteries through which rural daily life calmly flows - children splashing in the water, women washing clothes at the water's edge, fishermen up to their necks in water digging out fish with their feet, rice barges transporting coconuts and rice (the staples of the Keralan diet) and, above all, an overriding sense of peace and tranquility that permeates every aspect of this stunning region. In addition Kumarakom has a wide variety of houseboats and is well known throughout the world for houseboat experience. The area is a birders paradise and the bird sanctuary here, which is spread across 14 acres is a favourite haunt of migratory birds which one can explore on a boat ride.