Kumarakom

Kumarakom is an idyllic, peaceful world of shimmering backwaters, mangroves, and winding canals, which lies open-armed on the banks of the grand Vembanad Lake. These tiny islands, a part of the Kuttanad region, are like a fairy tale come true a serene, self-sufficient sphere in which nature is the one to rule.

It is located only 14 km from Kottayam and comprises a village spreading over approximately 51.67 sq. km, out of which almost half, i.e., the Vembanad Lake itself, covers its area. Its changeover to an up-and-coming housing area was through the eye of Mr. Alfred George Baker, whose love of nature and farmlands smoothly converted the area that was previously a desert of mudflats into one of the most picturesque landscapes of Kerala.

Nature’s Haven - The Bird Sanctuary

The major natural asset of Kumarakom is the Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary, which is spread over 14 hectares of green land. What could be easily imagined as the attempt by Baker to create a protective cover for the soil with the help of mangroves, turned, in time, into India’s first scientifically developed bird sanctuary.

Presently, more than 180 different kinds of birds, of which 90 are migratory, choose to live in this sanctuary. The sanctuary owes its existence to its distinctive weather, closeness to the lake, thriving mangroves, and, most of all, the plentiful insects that serve as food for its ecosystem.

Among the birds that live there are owls, cuckoos, egrets, woodpeckers, cormorants, moorhens, darters, and ducks. On the other hand, several migratory birds such as marsh harriers, teals, larks, Siberian cranes, bitterns, Brahminy kites, and many heron species also come to the sanctuary. The months from June to August are considered the most perfect to see this colourful gathering of birds.

Culinary Delights and Toddy Traditions

The visitor to Kumarakom must definitely taste its genuine Kerala cuisine along with the famous toddy, which is a traditional coconut palm beverage. Freshly tapping the toddy, which is locally named "Madhura Kallu," thus, is the best and the most refreshing way of having it. After fermentation, it acquires a sour flavor that goes very well with Kerala's hot dishes.

The local toddy shops are very attractive places in themselves where you can eat and drink. Their menus are full of local picks made more delicious with the addition of coconut milk and native spices. The preparation of duck and the cooking of the seafood are, if you like toddy, served along with them the great things that attract you towards the coastal region and make you fall in love with it all over again. Besides, food like Kallappam, which is made by mixing rice flour with sweet toddy, is the reflection of deeply rooted food traditions of the region.

A Journey Beyond Time

Kumarakom exudes this indefinable aura of tranquil timelessness. In fact, life here is of the slow and still water kind, very much like the backwaters themselves. As one sees boats slowly cutting their way through the narrow waterways that are lined with either palms or mangroves, one cannot but recognize that the quietness of the water is but a reflection of the peace of the earth.

It goes far beyond being a mere destination it is a mindset. Visitors to Kumarakom are granted the opportunity to stop what they are doing, take a deep breath, and feel the backing and harmony that is so typical of Kerala’s backwaters between mankind and nature.

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Contact Information

District Tourism Promotion Council (DTPC), Kodimatha P. O., Kottayam - 686013
+91 481 256 0479
info@dtpckottayam.com