Relaxing Trip to Kumarakom – Harmony at its Best
Being a sensible wanderer, I’ve always planned trips that suited best to my pocket. And when asked by family to plan a lifetime memorable trip, which was supposed to be different from routine weekend gateways, I booked for one of the Kerala Tour Packages. After enjoying enough of temples, festivities, lip smacking dishes and water sports – I asked my Kerala travel agent to take me to some tranquil destination. As I was seeking true peace and relaxation – I was transported to Kumarakom along with my family. We first arrived at Kottayam Railway Station, and hired a cab for rest of the distance to Kumarakom.
My journey in the heavenly village of Kumarakom started alongside the Vembanad Lake. The beauty of this small town of Kottayam District lies in three small islands in the Vembanad Lake. I was booked in a luxurious houseboat in Vembanad Lake in Kumarakom that took me to a rich variety of marine and freshwater fishes. After exploring the serene waterways in Kumarakom, now I understand the excitement of tourists going for angling, which is undoubtedly an amazing expedition.
Mangrove forests, green paddy fields and coconut palm trees dotted alongside the lake offered perfect ambiance for my relaxing holidays. My houseboat (traditional Kettuvallom) had well furnished bedroom, living / dining area, kitchen, sun deck and all the modern amenities.
On my second day in Kumarakom, I desired to plan a short visit to the picturesque Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary. I was told that the dense greens at Kumarakom serve as natural home for a wide variety of birds. Egrets, darters, herons, teal, waterfowl, cuckoo and endangered Siberian Cranes can be easily spotted here. But unluckily, as I was visiting the place in chilly summers, I could not click much of those colourful creatures.
While driving back to my houseboat, I enjoyed mouth-watering dosa, idli, rice & fish with coconut chutney at a restaurant. Lastly, I decided to spend a couple of hours in the market area where I found the best quality of gold and spices (cardamom, black pepper, nutmeg, turmeric and ginger). Overall, it was actually a rejuvenating trip that boosted me up to explore next destination in Kerala.