Kumarakom - Backwater luxury

Connect with nature - CHECK


Now it was time for some indulgence! Which meant checking into Backwater Ripples, Sunset cruise, Speed boat tour, and ofcourse rest and recuperation... re-energizing ourselves before we head back home.

Backwater Ripples

Getting to Backwater Ripples from Vagamon:
Thanks to my Google Navigator which lost signal as we were driving back, we took a wrong turn and started heading north rather than going west. This caused a slight delay in our travel but then we were able to turn back before we were completely lost, thanks to my husband's natural navigational skills. He decided that the sun was not where it was supposed to be, so the route I was telling him was not correct!

Once checking in to Backwater Ripples, we decided to rest for sometime - I was very thankful for that! The imaginary Swedish Memsahib and her lover who were killed in that cottage (the characters from the spooky story that I heard in Vagamon) had made sure I don't close my eyes for too long the previous night. I couldn't be more thankful to get some sleep! But the best part of all this was, I really love this sleep; the kind which you crave for, the feeling a desert traveler would get after hallucinating about water and then finally finding an oasis, water would taste like ambrosia to him. A perfect analogy for that moment when I put my head down on that pillow! And then I slept... like a baby! A power nap was all I needed to get back into form.

Things to do:
Rejuvenate at the ayurvedic spa, go on a sunset cruise, cool down at the swimming pool, or just relax on the hammock with a book...

We decided to go on the sunset cruise, a nice way to relax. The cruise is for almost 45 minutes starting at 5:30pm and we are in the middle of the lake when the sun sets. On a clear day you can see the sun setting at the horizon. After the cruise, we cycled around the resort for sometime, played some table tennis, caroms and then decided to call it a night.

But if you are looking for something which rushes your adrenaline then you can go for the speed boat ride. Its real fun, the speed boat can go from 50 to 150 kmph in a few seconds. They will take you from Kumarakom to Allapuzha crossing the Vembanad lake and would take you through the various canals, some narrow ones too.

A old woman fishing outside her house for her lunch

A fisherman pulling out his catch as we cross him on our speed boat...

The speed boat ride lasts for almost 2 hours and you get a complete tour of the Kuttanad area, the Nehru Stadium where the annual snake boat race happens, the narrow canals of Allapuzha, small backwater villages and then back to Kumarakom.
 
Once we got back, we decided to check out and head back home. Before leaving, we lazed around some more time near the lotus pond and hammock. We really didn't want to leave this place behind but our holiday was coming to an end and we had to get back to reality.

Overall the Kerala holiday was a huge hit, a very lazy and rejuvenating one and we all came back refreshed and ready to get back to work!

Vagamon Heights... mystical... meadows... mists...

House boats - CHECK

Next stop - Vagamon! After breakfast on the houseboat, we hit the road again. The plan was to reach Vagamon for lunch. Never heard about this place? Now that is the reason why this place is so beautiful, so pristine and a real feast to your eyes.

Reaching Vagamon:

"Life is not about the destination, but about the journey."  

This is so apt for our travel too to Vagamon. As you drive through the Rubber plantations and estates, Rubber trees hovering over us, not too many cars on the road, a couple of men talking and walking unhurriedly, sun light fights its way in between the trees, you realize that life is good! 

As you start climbing up, you can see the scenery changing right in front of your eyes. Tall trees slowly start to disappear and area becomes more mountainous and hilly. Roads become narrow with sharper curves and you can smell the mist in the air. 

You will find a number of small water falls as you drive further up towards Vagamon. The weather is as dynamic as it gets, clear skies one minute and all of a sudden clouds set in making the entire scene gloomy and misty.

Reaching Vagamon Heights (VH):

Google's navigator was of great help here. We were able to find "Vagamon Heights" without much of a hassle. Vagamon Heights has great reviews on Tripadvisor, when we are checking out places to stay in vagamon this was one of the top finds.

The people at VH are extremely efficient, whether it was replying to my query through email or confirming booking. We had booked the Woodside cottage which comes with 2 bedrooms and its a little away from the main office and kitchen. A true hideout if you want to escape from your crazy hectic life and reconnect with nature (including leech attack... so come prepared). 

But the catch here is that to get to the cottage you need to drive down in a Jeep (yup, Toyota Etios won't be able to make it in there). So you park your car near the office and then climb into one of their "Go-Over-All-Terrain" vehicle (basically a jeep, a very old one). A good ride if you like amusement parks, not so good for people having back problems. But then the ride feels worth while, when you get down and you see the cottage placed amidst the dense estate.

Path leading to the cottage from the main entrance

Took this photograph as we rattled our way towards the cottage in the old jeep!

So typically you are cut off from civilization, the cottage is nestled amidst thick forest-like vegetation. They did mention that there weren't any wild animals around but then the place as such can give you the creeps. The cottage as such was a very cozy place. With 2 bedrooms with en suite bathrooms, a small kitchenette and a small terrace and a sit out. Kitchenette which is more like a counter, is stocked with an electric kettle and everything required to make tea and coffee (at least for a week). Breakfast/Lunch and Dinner has to be brought in from the main kitchen which is near the main office. The catch is, there is no telephone connection in the cottage. So the way it works is that you tell them the time you want your next meal and the meal would be delivered at that time. 

The cottage is furnished with comfortable couches and a dining table, bathrooms also comes with modern fixtures and yup you don't have to worry about hot water. The cottage also comes with candles and matches and this you would need a lot in the night, as electricity is not your best friend. And if you are going here, don't forget to take a few things with you:

• Odomos - to save yourself from mosquitoes
• Rock salt/matches - to save yourself from leeches
• Torchlight - to save yourself from darkness ;)

Once we settled down, we took time to take it all in and started exploring the place. Absolute greenery all around, the chill breeze, extremely pure air, as you breathe it in you feel so fresh and energetic. You feel the oxygen content in your body going up and you start feeling "ALIVE"!

The best part of this place is the climate, the way it changes from one minute to another. At one moment, it might be extremely clear and bright and then just in a flash of a second, it could become all misty and the clouds would float in and you wouldn't even be able to see in front of you.

Sudden onset of rain and mist

What better way to enjoy a weather like this one, than having hot pakoras with hot tea! That was exactly what we did, sitting outside on the patio and watching the rain and the scenery we hogged on some very nice pakoras. Once the rains stopped, I wanted to go and take some photographs and that is how I invited some leeches onto me. Thankfully my jeans saved me from getting my blood sucked!

I love this photograph, even though its not very sharp... its an handheld shot and had to keep a slow shutter speed since the light wasn't enough with the rains and the trees hovering over!

The night was the most interesting part of our stay, most of the time we were in darkness with absolutely no sound other than our voices, and ofcourse that of insects. Looking outside you would see pitch darkness except for the light from the cottage and the ghostly shadows of the swaying trees. Beyond the first few trees all you can see is darkness. If your imagination can go wild, please don't listen to ghost stories in this place. I am telling you from experience. I was told a very small ghost story, the story had exactly 5 sentences, but my imagination was good enough to bring it to life. That is when I completely realized "Your eyes sees what you want to see" concept could be true. A small movement of a curtain or the hanging light fixture in the bedroom was enough to spook me. I was awake the entire night making up more stories from the base story that I had heard. I can laugh about it right now but it was totally scary then!

The next morning after breakfast we decided to explore the place for sometime and then check out. There was a small hillock close by that you can trek up and you would find yourself at a vantage point, a place from which you can get 360 degree view of Vagamon. 

Path leading the way up the hillock

The scenery from the View point on top of the hillock

With the photo session complete at the view point, we decided to check out and get on back to civilization. Overall the experience in Vagamon was very very unique, even getting scared at night was an experience I would cherish. They say that "Green color cools you down" and that was exactly our state of mind when we left this place.

Near the main office

An in-house lake where you can go fishing and boating if you are not scared of leeches :)

Once we got back onto the road, we backtracked and headed towards Kottayyam. The ride back into civilization was also equally picturesque and beautiful.

Again a hand-held shot with slow shutter speed in order to capture the flowing water

On reaching Kottayyam we stopped for lunch and then started to think what to do! Decided we had one more day and thought this time we should splurge and do something luxurious. And thus, our next stop - Kumarakom!

Vagamon - mystical... meadows... mists...

One day at Kuttanad... Venice of the east...

"Inner Peace... Inner Peace... Inner Peace..." remember this dialog from Kung fu panda 2? Ever tried it out? Has it ever worked?

Now imagine this... clear blue skies, calm waters, swans swimming, birds chirping, a soft breeze caressing you as you cruise through the backwaters of Allapuzha towards the Vembanad Lake in your house boat. "Inner peace" finds you without you looking for it!

CUT!!!

Scene 2: Now go back to your day right now. Most probably you are in office, have a deadline but frustrated and taking a break. Where would you want to be?

Guess I have given enough reason for you to go on reading my post.

On 8th October, 2012 we decided to make an early start so that we reach Allapuzha by lunch time. So we started driving north from Trivandrum, took NH1, crossed Vattapara - Pirappancode - Vayakkal - Adoor - Chengannur - Thiruvalla - Changanassery, took left and went on the Allapuzha-Chenganassery Highway and finally reached "Muthoot River Escapes" around 12pm. (Route Map)

We had booked a 2-bedroom houseboat, after checking in we set sail towards the Vembanad Lake. We had taken a single night package, which included all meals and also a boat ride into a small village in Kuttanad.

*Interesting Fact* The backwaters of Kerala is a misnomer, they are not formed by the sea flowing back into the land but are formed by rivers which are flowing towards the sea.

Our Houseboat

Muthoot River Escapes...

Our Houseboat being steered, as we head toward Vembanad Lake

Everyday life in Kuttanad

Another photograph depicting the daily life here in Kuttanad. Fresh fish and other produce being taken to the local village to be sold.

With all meals included, the house boat comes with a crew of 5. This includes an in-house chef and others for steering, cleaning and maintaining the houseboat. Its a custom made menu based on our preferences. And if you a non-vegetarian don't forget to try the Fish Fry. If you want to try your hand at fishing then go for it, but don't ask your chef to wait for your catch. Sorry to break your heart but it might not work out!

 They dock the Houseboat for lunch, a meal which would be quite memorable. Away from all the hustle and bustle of the city, all you can hear is the trees swaying because of the breeze and the occasional sound of some bird chirping. Another sound which you would definitely hear is your munching and slurping on some very delicious Kerala food!

Houseboat building

 Once lunch is done we are back on track to cruise through the various canals of Kuttanad. The Government has set a rule that the houseboats are not allowed beyond 5pm in order to enable fishermen to go about with their business without any hindrance. So around 3pm, we docked and took a smaller boat to go see a small backwater village. A village which cannot be reached by road. A village where people have to depend on their boats for every since need in life. It seems very surreal to see a place like this. The calmness and the laid back nature of the place is very different from what we had seen in life! 

The night on the houseboat is altogether a different experience. The pitch darkness outside with only light coming from the other house boats or the occasional light coming from the local fisherman's boat. A nice way to catch up with the other members of your family, with no internet, mobile network and television to interrupt you. Get a drink or two, stare into darkness and discuss philosophy... question what you are doing in life... and see the big picture!

All houseboats docked for the night

Kerala Road Trip

What better way to see a place rather than drive around? Want to have a relaxed holiday at your own pace... take your car out... your GPS (even a HTC Desire HD with Google Navigator works)... a stuffed picnic basket... an iPod with good music... and people you love...

We started our kerala road trip from Thiruvananthapuram and our tentative itinerary was:

• 1 night in the Boat House, Alleppey
• 2 nights in an unique and pristine hill station - Vagamon (haven't heard about it, its fine I too hadn't till a few days before when I looked it up while planning the trip)

But there was a small change in the program and we made it 1 night at Vagamon and 1 night in Kumarakom.

A full rounded experience of Kerala, from back waters to hill stations to resorts; a week well spent in God's own country.