Kumarakom Lake Resort Kochi – Kerela India

I know I always start a blog by saying a particular region or country is either my favourite or one of my favourites and this declaration of love is so true for India. As the marketing campaign says ‘Incredible India” – they have captured in two words the essence of this nation. From the places you will visit, the people you will meet and the food you will enjoy, every visit will leave wanting to come back and explore more.

For this visit I stayed at Kumarakom Lake Resort which is in the district of Kottayam in the state of Kerala. The serene backwaters and quiet calm were just what I was looking for. This 25 acre property rests on the side of Lake Vembanad which is very popular for Backwater Houseboat Cruises, Bird Watching Tours and Ayurveda Spa’s.

Our flight arrived very late into Kochi, allow 1.5 hours to 2 hours depending on traffic so by the time we arrived at our accommodation it was nearly 1 am. To our surprise the night duty staff welcomed us warmly, the check in was seamless and friendly. After a great night’s sleep in one of the Meandering Pool Villa’s I awoke to the sounds of birds and water. These lovely rooms are nestled on the 250 m long pool that winds its way around rooms, so you can literally walk out of your room and plop yourself straight into the wonderful water which I certainly did enjoy. The room has the largest bathroom I have ever seen, literally covering the same floor space as the bedroom.

After a nourishing hot breakfast and wander around the grounds we booked a Backwater cruise for a couple of hours. To our surprise my friend and I have the entire vessel to ourselves! We felt like royalty who incidentally have stayed in house. That is the Royal Highnesses, Charles Prince of Wales, and Camilla Duchess of Cornwall no less. This 2 hour tour which ended up being 3 (but who was in a hurry anyway right) took us through canals and onto the gorgeous Lake Vembanad.

Prolific bird life and for avid bird watchers not doing only the tour but visiting the local Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary is a must do. The sanctuary itself is spread over 14 hectares and right on the banks of the Lake Vembanad. The lake itself is the largest fresh water lake in Kerela and see’s thousands of migratory birds, visit its waterways from as far as Siberia and the Himalayas. The highlight for our cruise was seeing Kingfishers in the wild, such a beautiful sight and something I will never forget. Our guide also pointed out to us Cormorants, Herons, and Water Ducks.

Your vessel moves slowly giving you time to just take everything in. The lush green landscape and blue sky make for an amazing backdrop. Moving through the canals to see rice paddies, teams of families working together, going past houses with people doing their everyday chores dare I say it, gave us a birds eye view into how life is in this precious area.

If you have never seen the locals fishing and the nets used this is a sight to behold. On our return from our tour it was time for lunch and we got to enjoy the abundance of amazing marine life from the lake such as fresh prawns and fish. Curries made with coconut milk were so flavoursome. I love the connection locals have to the water, landscape, fishing and living off the land.

Kumarakom was declared as a Special Tourism Zone by the Government of Kerala in 2005 and is currently a major Responsible Tourism destination of the State, please refer to the attached link at the end of my blog for more information on this.

Heading into Kochi for a trade show I really did not have time to get out and about and enjoy this city. Unfortunately, a large monsoon had swept through so were quite restricted to staying in house. The hotel itself we stayed was just lovely. Our departure was via coaches in a 6 hour drive from Kochi to Combitore as the airport was closed in Kochi. Throughout this, our amazing Industry Events organisers took great care of everyone ensuring we were all safe and arranged transportation for us. Monsoons season is biannual in Kerela, flooding and road closures were regular at our time of travel but please ensure you check before booking. That said from an Ayurveda aspect the atmosphere remains dust free so this is perfect for ensuring your pores are open and receptive to the herbal oils and therapy. I can recommend my treatment at Kumarakom. The spa itself was welcoming and I found the whole experience very relaxing.

Originally, I started to write about my India adventure trying to include every region I visited in one blog …. I know right, what mindless twit thought that was a great idea. So I hope you enjoyed the read on my thoughts of Kumarakom in the stunning state of Kerala and stay tuned for the Delhi and Agra component in a separate blog.

For great local tourism information

https://india.embassy.gov.au/ndli/infocnslr.html

https://www.incredibleindia.org/content/incredible-india-v2/en.html

https://www.kumarakomlakeresort.in/

For information on Responsible Tourism in the Kumarakom region.

https://www.keralatourism.org/responsible-tourism/destination/kumarakom/1

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