Backwaters in Kerala is a network of 1500 km of canals both manmade and natural, 38 rivers and 5 big lakes extending from one end of Kerala to the other.
The backwaters can be explored by hiring a boat for one or several days. If you go for more than a day, the boat usually comes with a navigator and a cook, which provide you with various facilities when exploring the backwaters While hill resorts and beaches can be found in other parts of India, the backwaters are unique to Kerala. Meandering through the coastal areas of Kerala is a 900 kilometers (560 miles) long intricate network of lagoons, lakes, canals, estuaries and deltas of several rivers that flow into the Arabian Sea.
The most beautiful and accessible part of the back waters is the Ernakulam area, where Cochin harbour is. The coast is dotted with numerous islands interconnected by ferries and bridges, adorning the Queen of the Arabian Sea like a necklace of pearls. The islands break the waves from the sea, thus ensuring that the back waters are calm and navigable. Among the islands, Wellingdon Island deserves special mention as it houses the Port of Cochin and the largest Naval presence in India: the Southern Naval Command.
There are both expensive and economical hotels available with harbour and backwater views, which provide accommodation facilities in Kerala.
PLACE TO VISIT
The backwaters flow through almost all the districts of Kerala -- Alappuzha, Thiruvananthapuram, Ernakulam, Kottayam, etc. Almost all the stretches have breathtaking views. Not to be missed are the Thiruvallam backwaters, Kumarakom (on Vembanad lake) and Kuttanad.
SLEEP
Many travellers stay on houseboats, but you can also find many resorts dotting the Backwaters. Most of these are converted ancestral homes where you can stay with the family and have a feel of the local culture and cuisine.
There are few homestays in the island of Kumbalangi, Bolghatty etc. But to see the ackwaters, you don't have to stay in any of the islands, there are hotels in mainland Ernakulam, from where you can go the islands, or backwaters.
HOW TO REACH
Ashtamudi ('eight hair') Lake and Vembanad Lake are the two most important gateways into this backwater network.
