Kumarakom (Kottayam) Kerala

Best of the Lagoons and Backwaters !! Luxurious House Boats !! Ayurveda !! Welcome to Kumarakom, 'a cluster of little islands'.

Kumarakom is another major tourist spot that attracts people from all over the world. It is a picturesque village and is well known for the Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary. Kumarakom is blest with Vembanad Lake, the largest backwater stretch of Kerala. Kumarakom is one of the most beautiful villages of the world and is very popular for fishing. This spot is rich in mangrove forests and coconut groves. Its tropical climate is conducive to good crop production and attracting migratory birds.

Kumarakom is located at the Southern coast of India, in Kottayam district of Kerala.

Attractions

Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary is the major attraction in Kumarakom. It is a paradise for ornithologists and the favourite spot for migratory birds. You can see a wide category of migratory birds like the Siberian stork, egret, darter, heron, teal, woodpecker, skylark, crane, water hen and parrots in Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary.

The sanctuary is located alongside the Vembanad Lake. This is the largest backwater of Kerala and works like a channel between the Arabian Sea and Kochi Port. It covers an area of 200 km². It is a major ecological resource too and its banks are covered with lush green mangrove forests and paddy fields.

Another centre of attraction is Pathiramanal. This is a famous island spread on 10 acre area. It is a habitat for rare species of migratory birds from different parts of the world.

The best way to visit Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary and the marvelous backwaters is by Houseboats. Kumarakom houseboats take you to a distinctive journey in water and provide a wonderful opportunity to explore backwater attractions including the bird sanctuary.

Kumarakom is among those destinations in Kerala that provide the best Ayurvedic treatments. It has several resorts that offer world class Ayurvedic facilities, spas & massage facilities.

Climate & Best Time To Visit

Being close to the sea, Kumarakom has a moderate climate. Though it rains heavily during June-August due to the south-west monsoon, Kumarakom enjoys tropical climate throughout the year. The temperature varies from 16 to 38 degrees. Most tourists visit Kumarakom during November-March.

Flora And Fauna

The village comprises of a huge variety of flora & fauna. The fauna category consists dense & deep greens with medicinal herbs. Mangrove forests cover most of the area of Kumarakom. Green paddy fields and coconut grooves are used by migratory birds as their habitat.

The bird sanctuary is spread over an expanse of 14 acres on the southern bank of the Kavanar River. The main attractions of the bird sanctuary are native birds like waterfowl, cuckoo, owl, egret, heron, cormorant, moorhen, darter, brahminy kite and the duck. Besides, tourists visit this place for the migratory Siberian crane, parrot, teal, lark, flycatcher etc. Several birds come to this spot from Himalayas, after monsoon, and some from Siberia.

Shopping

Kumarakom is famous for its lake, backwaters and natural greenery and not so much a shopping destination. You can find traditional items of Kerala, including handicrafts, in Kumarakom. The villagers are skilled in making handcrafted gift items, like lampshades, ear-rings, brass lamps, kathakali masks etc. form coconut shells, tree barks, leaves and other sea items.

How To Reach

This marvelous village is just 15 km from Kottayam. Commuting to & fro is very smooth from all the major cities of Kerala.

Via Air: The nearest airport from Kumarakom is at Cochin (70 kms). Another airport is Trivandrum, which is 170 km from Kumarakom.

Via Rail: Kottayam (15 km) is the nearest railway station.

Via Road: Kottayam is the main centre which is linked with all the major cities in India through State and National Highways.

Kumarakom offers one more mode of transport- Boats. You can get a boat easily from Muhamma, near Alappuzha/alleppey, to reach Kumarakom.