This is a small town located on the shores of Vembanad lake, 14 km from Kottayam. At Kumarakom you could sail on the backwaters in rented houseboats, poled by local oarsmen. These boats are furnished with a living room, a bed room, bath and also a sports ramp, a private sit-out for the passengers. You can also indulge in water sports like wind sailing and waterskiing. And the most important thing one must sample straight from the chef's kitchen is Karimeen (the tasty fresh water fish) and Toddy (the local wine).

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Kollam

A charming old port city off the Malabar coast, Kollam (Quilon) is situated on the banks of the Ashtamudi lake. Kollam is an inviting gateway to Kerala's backwaters and was once the centre of the International Spice Trade. The 8 hour boat ride between Kollam and Allappuzha is the longest and the most enchanting ways of experiencing Kerala's backwaters. Shorter cruises can be made in the larger comforts of the house boats to villages like as Alumkadavu as your launch base.