Kumarakom

Today, Kumarakom stands for exquisite backwater activities. One can enjoy a beautiful on a cruise or a houseboat while sailing from Alleppey to Kumarakom. You can spend an entire evening and night by on a houseboat. The beautiful locations that you will witness, once you are on the houseboat, will make a trip to Kumarakom memorable. There are some fishing and canoeing options too. The most exciting sport that can be witnessed in Kumarakom is the snake-boat race, which is a way of celebrating Onam, uniquely, in August and September. Large crowds of tourists throng the site to witness the amazing spectacle.

The proper development of Kumarakom as we see it today started off with the efforts of an English farmer, Alfred George Baker, who claimed around 500 acres of land in this area and developed his property too. Due, to his efforts Kumarakom could rise to its true potential as a tourist spot. Later, when the property of the Bakers went into ruin, it was redeemed to its original grandeur by the Taj Group.

If you are a nature enthusiast then visiting the Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary is a must. This sanctuary was also developed by Alfred George Baker. It is spread across 14 kilometres and stands for the lush greenery that it provides and the migratory birds like Waterfowl, Teal, Cuckoo, Egret, Heron, Owl, Brahminy Kite, Flycatcher, Lark, Parrot and the Siberian Stork that flock in and around this sanctuary. The fact that Kumarakom is covered with green paddy fields and coconut groves ensure that it remains a home for these migratory birds. Also, it is said, that the beautiful Vembanad Lake is home to around 150 different types of marine beings. Perhaps, the best part about Kumarakom, are its Mangrove forests. There are many species in these forests like Bruguiera Gymnorrhiza, Hebiseus Taeliatious, etcetera.

The cuisine here is largely Syrian Christian in style which also influences the food culture. You can find Appam- a rice bread, Kappa (tapioca), Karimeen- a very exotic fresh water fish, and other seafood such as shrimps, prawns, crabs and squids that are famous in Kumarakom. If you're adventurous enough, you can try the frog legs, donkey stew and crane fry are also available in more local areas and outlets. At the same time, there are a number of options available for vegetarians as well.
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Day 1: After reaching Kumarakom, one can freshen up and then leave to witness the backwaters of Kumarakom and the Vembanad lake, located at the same place, and spend a few hours there along with the boats in the day time. The place is beautiful to visit during the day and thus is an alluring sight. After the visit, drive down to about 40 minutes of the journey to the beautiful Pathiramal Island to spend the rest of your day.

Day 2: Start in the morning and travel down to the beach, which will be a beautiful sight in the early morning hours. After 45 minutes long drive, you can reach the famous bird sanctuary, which can be roamed around for about 1 hour or more. In the remaining time, visit The Bay Island Driftwood Museum, located at a mere distance of 1.5 km from the Bird Sanctuary.

Day 3: Start early to travel down to the Aruvikkuzhi falls, as they might be a beautiful sight in the early hours of the day, cool and refreshing. In the remaining time, you can plan on visiting Juma masjid, which might be an ideal pick to bring an end to this trip. Also, in the remaining time, roam around the streets of Kumarakom to shop for a few souveniers.