With 7,516 km coastline, India has oodles of gorgeous by-the-water sites. And while we love its beaches and islands, there's is something extra special about the backwaters dotting the Kerala state. The backwaters are a network of brackish lagoons lying adjacent to the Arabian Sea. A jigsaw of five lakes interlinked by numerous canals span nearly half of the state. The water is used for irrigation purposes. The sideways of these narrow water bodies are bedecked by lots of greenery lent by palm trees, shrubs, bushes and several leafy plants making it strikingly vivid scenery.
The narrow waterways crisscrossing through the villages and forests are very much enjoyed with houseboat rides. You can spend multiple days in houseboat gliding on the unruffled waters observing the distant local life and natural beauty. Find our picks below for the best backwaters of India to unwind in nature's glory.
Kumarakom is the most famous backwater destination in Kerala located around Vembanad Lake, the largest lake in Kerala. People come to enjoy the backwaters by enjoying rides on houseboats for many days. Other activities offered are boating, yachting and fishing. It also has a Bird Sanctuary owing to which you can easily spot beautiful and rare birds.
Often compared to the dikes of Holland, Kuttanad is another major backwater destination of Kerala. It is called the 'Rice bowl of Kerala' for its vast paddy fields. As you embark on a journey of its backwaters, be ready to witness eye-catching sights of white and red water lilies and the rare places where farming is done up to 10 ft. below the sea level, lowest in the country.
Enjoy the backwater cruise from Kottayam to Alappuzha for taking in unique and captivating nature views. The first pit stop on the route is at Pallom where you can see an age-old engineering marvel, Munroe Light House, erected by Col. Munroe in 1813. The expansive paddy fields and rubber plantations are other draws of the place that attract tourists.
It is a small town ringed by a mishmash of backwaters and narrow canals. It is frequently visited by foreigners who visit here to enjoy the mesmerizing views of water bodies. Also, it is an ideal place to take a peek at the rural life of Kerala. It is located 32 km from Kochin.
Officially called Alappuzha, it is still popular by its former name Alleppey. With a mishmash of beaches, lagoons, backwaters and canals, it is counted amongst most beautiful backwater destinations of India. Soak in its enchanting beauty with a houseboat cruise on the backwaters and gaze at the breathtaking scenery.
The backwater of Kozhikode, which is also known as Calicut, remains untouched from the tourist footfall. It makes it one of the pristine and unspoiled backwaters of the country to see in all its raw beauty. The hotspots of boating and cruising are Elathur, the Canoly Canal and the Kallayi River.
It is located in North Kerala and is recognized for rice cultivation, coir processing and picturesque landscape. It offers enthralling cruises in scenic Chandragiri and Valiyaparamba backwater stretch near Kavvayi Backwater.
Earlier known as Quilon, Kollam is the starting point of the backwater waterways. It is home to the most visited lake and backwater in the state, Ashtamudi Lake. The lake flaunting a beautiful shape of the palm is also called the gateway to the backwaters of Kerala. You will have plenty of options to enjoy a relaxing sojourn in luxury backwater resorts and enjoy houseboat cruises.
Kochi is undoubtedly one of the most sought after backwater destinations of India loved for its unique sights of nature. Opt for a houseboat cruise and see the captivating views of passing by hypnotizing landscape bedecked with lush greenery, migratory birds, local life in villages and more.
MarcoFrance1965
UNFORGETTABLE EXPERIENCE !
I just came back from a 12 days Rajasthan tour. It was just myself and my 14 year olde daughter. I found Caper surfing the web and had non suggestion from friends and had never read comments or reviews about it. Totally "blind-choice". I was very lucky. The organization was really excellent. The agent that followed us, Mr. Praveen Juyal did a great job. I decided our itinerary and he punctually gave me suggestions on the best management of my choices. The hotel choice was fine and confirmed expectations. We had tour guides in every site seeing location and they were all extremely professional, very punctual and really kind and polite.
But I must say that what made the trip even better was our driver; Mr. Deshraj.
One of those persons that you really wish you could meet once in your life. Not only an excellent driver but always helpful, respectful and friendly. He explained us many things about Indian life along the journey and sometimes stopped for short breaks in beautiful places on the road that were not even mentioned in the guide books. My only regret is that at the end of the trip I didn't have much money left and I left a tip probably not adeguate for the kind of service but I will definitely send him try to sort this maybe in a next trip. Thank you very much Caper and Deshraj.
Dreamer802943
A Memorable Trip
We recently concluded a 12 day driving tour of New Delhi, Agra and Rajasthan with Caper Travel. It was most enjoyable !! The logistics arrangements were excellent - from tour planning , hotel selection , vehicle condition to driver. Mr Alok handled the planning, and Mr Vikram was our Tempo driver throughout the journey. Mr Vikram was very helpful , accommodating and patient throughout the tour, despite long hours of driving on the roads ( not to mention India traffic}. We would not hesitate to recommend Caper to our fellow travellers who are thinking of visiting India. Thank You Caper !
goochie33, London, United Kingdom
Golden triangle goa and mumbia
Just come back from an amazing 2 week trip to India. First we done the golden triangle which we chose to do the train trip from Delhi to Agra a must you have to do if not just for the experience. All the cities were wonderful but be prepared to see lots of temple one seems to run into another but wow the taj was my highlight along with the Hindu temple in Delhi. The driving the cows the dogs are everywhere are all an experience. Goa was beautiful we stayed at the taj exotica. In mumbia we done a city tour and ended our trip in the taj for afternoon tea another must. It is a exhilarating trip but one I will never forget. From booking with Manika to all the drivers and guides they were always there to meet us from the airport and hotels on time. They really looked after us thank you all.
Aileen M
Wonderful trip
We have just returned from our first trip to India and we must say it was absolutely fascinating. The itinerary was first class and covered everything we could have wished for. On arrival we were met by a very nice rep and driver who took us to our hotel and sorted out the necessary paperwork with us. We had our driver Vishan for our time in the north and he was terrific, kept the vehicle spotless and kept us supplied with water. We then flew to the south of India and met up with our driver Suhdeer who again was very nice and very informative about things as we drove along. The guides we had on all our trips were excellent and again very informative.
The only down side to it all was that in our package we paid for the drivers accommodation, food and allowance only to find out that the drivers don’t receive this money and if they want accommodation they have to pay for it themselves. We ended up paying one of our drivers an amount for the nights that we had him for him to get somewhere to sleep and food as we were concerned that if he slept in his car he wouldn’t be rested enough to take on the next day driving for 4-5 hours.
All in all Caper Travel are excellent in their planning and can’t fault them for that.
Urquiola, New York City, New York
Caper travel
Recently traveled to India on a private guided tour with Caper Travel. Ms. Mumtaz Khan worked with me on arranging my itinerary.
She was always available to answer all my concerns immediately. On my arrival in Delhi I was welcome with warm smile at the airport by a young gentleman name Kapol Joshi . My experience with the company was amazing and I would highly recommend to anyone traveling to India.
I would also like to mention the personal attention I received at Amritsar by Aman Shara and his lovely wife who welcomed me and my son to their home
and soon to open their beautiful hotel.
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