Backwaters of Kerala

As some of the famous backwaters in Kerala start from the town (Alappuzha) where we were staying, we planned to take a boat ride through the backwaters. Backwaters are streams, ponds, and lakes that are all connected with each other but they are not connected with the ocean/sea. So the water here is stagnant and is fresh. The backwaters run almost half the length of Kerala state. Alappuzha is famous for farming rice using the water from backwaters. For this reason, this region is called the Rice Bowl of Kerala. Alappuzha backwaters are popular tourist destinations in Kerala. There are various options available to enjoy them ranging from a private boat, tourist boat, to a house boat, where you can rent the entire boat and sleep on it overnight.

We wanted to explore the area like the locals do. There are many small areas and villages along backwaters that are not reachable by road or by train. So boats are the only option to get to these villages. We thought it would be wonderful to explore the backwaters on a local transportation boat. On the recommendation of our host, we took the public transportation boat from Alappuzha to Kottayam. It was about 2 1/2 hour boat ride through the backwaters for Rs.19 (€0,25) per person. We took the same boat back for another 3 hours to get back to Alappuzha the same day.

It was a wonderful experience for us to see the locals getting on and getting off the boats and the way people were living along the water. There were entire villages built along the backwaters where people were going about their lives, washing clothes, sitting and chatting, cleaning their dishes, strolling, transporting stuff, and just the regular day to day activities. It was like we were in a movie theatre on a boat with all the culture and people projected on it. We loved the ride and we recommend this to anyone who wants to explore the backwaters of Kerala for cheap and like a local.