The most exciting experience on the backwaters of Kerala for visitors is the Kettuvallam (or traditional rice boat). In a land as water bound as Kerala it wouldn't be an unusual sight, but for a visitor to God's Own Country a houseboat gliding along the vast green expanse of the backwaters is a unique, tranquil spectacle in the world.
The backwater cruise through the narrow canals that cress-cross a typical Kerala Village, rich with green paddy fields and verdant coconut trees and is a thrilling experience. The boat cruise takes you to small islets tucked away amidst those waters where you get glimpses of village at the best of its serenity and innocence Watch the village folk make the golden fiber called coir from coconut husk and transform it into various coir products. Rustling coconut groves abound. So stop over to drink calm fresh coconut water and watch the toddy-tapper tap at work. You can see birds like kingfishers, crowv pheasants, cormorants, drogues, wood pecker, Bee-eater, kites etc.
Showcasing a unique heritage The Kettuvallams (houseboats) of Kerala are giant country crafts, measuring up to 110 feet in length. It took great skill and meticulousness to construct these giants by tying huge planks of jack wood together, without the use of a single nail. Today, these goods carriers have been adapted to make the luxurious furnished houseboat. A Kettuvallam usually has one or two bath attached bedrooms, an open lounge, deck, kitchenette and a crew comprising oarsmen, a cook and guide.
The lagoons acted as link between interior landmasses and the sea, taking the role of highways. There is a different Kerala along these backwaters. Throbbing with its unique; culture. The routes along these backwaters are always breath-taking green, the skyline vanishing with a line of coconut trees on the banks. Life arounds: cultural festivals, the shrines, churches and mosques, the commercial life, the farmlands and sea, all different scenes but memorized together to make a unique whole
