Directory
Photo via Wikimediaforest
Kerala backwaters
India
“Houseboats gliding through emerald canals, coconut palms and slow-cooked seafood.”
- 1Kumarakom Bird Sanctuarynature14-acre wetland reserve draws migratory Siberian storks Oct–Feb; wooden pathways let you observe egrets at dawn.
- 2Pathiramanal IslandnatureOval island reachable only by canoe; 91 bird species recorded, plus wild orchids flowering March–May.
- 3St. Mary's Forane Church ChampakulamreligiousBuilt 1550, hosts the Moolam boat race every July with 100-ft snake boats crewed by 120 rowers each.
- 4Krishnapuram Palacehistoric18th-century palace in Kayamkulam shelters a 49-sq-m mural of Gajendra Moksham, Kerala's largest single panel.
- 5Alumkadavu Boat Building YardslandmarkArtisans hand-carve kettuvallams using coconut-fiber rope and jackwood planks; watch assembly without nails.
- 6Mannarasala Sree Nagaraja TemplereligiousForest shrine with 30,000 serpent idols; childless couples tie cradles to trees seeking blessings from priestess.