One of the most beautiful places in God’s Own Country, Kumarakom is the verdant green village on the banks of Vembanad Lake in Kerala’s backwaters. Kumarakom is surrounded by rich green forests and numerous flowing lakes, canals, and beautiful backwaters. This natural bounty invites several migratory birds that can be spotted in the magnificent Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary.
Apart from it being a place gifted with natural beauty, culturally too the place has lots to offer. The place is laced with holy pilgrimage sites like temples, churches, museums, and mosques. This mesmerizing landscape dotted with forests, hills, rivers, Ghats, and the sea draws hundreds of travellers around the year.
Every birdwatcher’s paradise is the famous Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary, which stands very close to the spectacular Kerala Backwaters. The sanctuary is located in Kottayam District and spreads on a sprawling 14 acres of land. It is one of the most loved birdwatching spots, famous for the migratory birds that flock here especially the Siberian Storks and Kingfisher. Other birds you can expect to see are waterfowls, water duck, cuckoo, flycatchers, wood beetles, etc.
Inside the sanctuary, you can avail boat rides, and a ten-minute ride from the sanctuary will take you to Pathiramal Island, which is another beautiful site to visit.
Entry fee: INR 50 to INR 100
Days and timings: Open all days from morning 6:00 am till evening at 6:00 pm.
Address: Kavanattinkara, Kumarakom, Kerala 686563
One of the most exhilarating places to see in India is the gorgeous Aruvikkuzhi Waterfall. The gorgeous fall is encircled by rich rubber plantations making it an ideal picnic spot and is also great for hiking and trekking. You can hear the roaring waterfall from afar; the place has a very rustic and serene charm to it and hence is very popular amongst nature lovers and photographers. It is known to be one of the best waterfall’s in India.
If you are a trekking enthusiast, try to trek to the waterfall’s top. You will reach St Mary’s Church once you reach the top. St Mary’s is a very important religious site in the area and is frequented by tourists all round the year.
Entry fee: No charges
Days and timings: Open all days from morning 6:00 am till 7:00 pm at night.
Address: Oravakkal Koorali Road, Kerala 686503
Vembanad Lake is another popular tourist attraction in Kumarakom as it forms the converging point of ten rivers and is a beautiful freshwater lake. The lake offers splendid views of the backwaters amidst coconut trees and mangrove forests, great for some memorable Instagram moments.
To enjoy the place in totality you can rent a houseboat to explore the blue lake and enjoy delicious local cuisine, or simply go for a boat ride. The peace and tranquillity this place can offer are unmatched and priceless.
The popular Nehru Trophy Boat Race is hosted in the Vembanad Lake every year in the month of August attracting many tourists and locals alike. The place witnesses maximum footfall during this time. Visit Vembanad Lake to enjoy a nice afternoon or have a small picnic.
Entry fee: Free. Prices are applicable for activities.
Days and timings: Open all days from morning 10:00 am until 6:00 pm.
Address: Vembanad Lake, Kumarakom, Kerala
Kumarakom Beach is a happening spot in the area. It is both serene and also great for adventure junkies. You can either sit and enjoy a tranquil sunset or get going with water sports such as boating, windsurfing, water skiing, parasailing, etc.
Being one of the most fun but peaceful places with so many activities to spruce up your holiday spirit, Kumarakom Beach has plenty of good resorts and eateries serving delicacies of all sorts.
Entry fee: None
Days and timings: All days of the week from morning 12:00 till 12:00 in the night.
Address: Kumarakom Beach, Kumarakom, Kottayam, Kerala, 686563, India
One of the best places to visit in Kumarakom is its exhilarating stretch of backwaters. The backwaters singlehandedly contribute to 60% of Kerala’s tourism income. The Kumarakom Backwaters are ideal for a getaway as it soothes your senses with its tranquil beauty and charm, the blue waters and boathouse cruises.
Explore the backwaters by renting out a boathouse and sail toward the horizons amidst the lush green mangrove and coconut groves especially during the sunsets. The backwaters are home to a diverse variety of flora and fauna. The exclusive variety of kumarakom karimeen fish, tiger prawns, crabs, prawns, and many more. The place is also popular among tourists for bird watching. The backwaters grow vitally green with the monsoon rains as it transforms into the most fertile lands nourishing the trees and shrubs.
Entry fee: None. Expenses apply to houseboats and other activities.
Days and timings: All days of the week from morning 10:00 am till 6:00 pm in the evening.
Address: Kumarakom Vembanad Lake, Kumarakom, Kerala
Vagamon is a charming hill station that will mesmerize you through its green velvety stretches of grass and beguiling hills. The place is not only special for its scenic beauty and soothing calm atmosphere, but it is also a great spot for trekking and many other adventure activities.
The Vagamon forest is an artificial man-made forest made during the British era, also offering breathtaking views of the valley surrounded by green mountains.
Whatever your preference be in sightseeing, Vagamon has it all. Today it is very popular among tourists and locals alike for adventure tourism. Major attractions of Vagamon are trekking, hiking, paragliding, rock climbing, etc. Paragliding through the refreshing scenery and hiking on the Vagamon pine forests are very popular activities among travellers. Many travellers also go cycling among the pine trees.
Vagamon hosts an International Paragliding Festival every year that attracts tourists from all over the country in huge numbers.
Entry fee: None
Days and timings: All days from morning 6:00 am until 6:00 pm in the evening.
Address: Vagamon, Idukki, Kerala
Bay Island Driftwood Museum is one of its kind and hence one of the most popular places to visit in Kumarakom. The museum displays a unique form of art made on driftwood or wood that is retrieved from the water. The museum showcases such sophisticated and intricate woodwork carvings.
The mastermind behind this museum is a local school teacher, Mr. Raji Punnose. Today this unique form of art is appreciated all over the world and remains significant as very few artisans in the world practice it.
Entry Fee: Requires a pass
Days and timings: Tuesday to Sunday; from morning 10:00 am to 5:00 pm in the evening from Tuesday to Saturday; Sunday timings are 11:30 am till evening 5:00 pm.
Address: Chakranpadi, Vayitharamattom, Kumarakom, Kerala 686563
The magnificent and majestic Jatayu Rock is situated in the extensive Jatayu Park, spread over a sprawling 65 acres of land. As the name indicates, Jatayu Rock derives its name from the famous character of Jatayu of the Indian epic Ramayana. Today it is the world’s largest bird sculpture.
The significance of this place lies in the belief that Jatayu had fallen from the sky in this very spot after a duel with Ravana as Jatayu strived to save Sita who was abducted by Ravana. The statue is also carved to resemble Jatayu in a fallen pose.
The vast sculpted rock sits inside the Jatayu Nature Park that came into existence in 2016. The place also has a 6D theatre and a digital museum at its base. The idea was conceived by a famous Malayalam film director and it took seven years to finish this magnanimous project.
You can also take part in several adventure activities in the park such as rock climbing, rifle shooting, archery, etc. or take a tour around with cable cars.
Entry fee: INR 400
Days and timings: All days from morning 10:00 am till 4:00 pm in the afternoon.
Address: Jatayu Earth’s Center, Jatayu Nature Park Road, Jatayu Junction, Chadayamangalam (PO), Kollam, Kerala, India.
The island of Pathiramanal is one of the most visited places in Kumarakom. This place has enthralled everyone with its scenic beauty and for hosting rare migratory birds.
The small island is situated in Muhamma in Alappuzha. You can rent a boat from the Kayippuram jetty to take you through the green stretches of land and water. More than 150 species of birds, both local and migratory, flock here thereby making it a hotbed for birdwatchers and nature lovers. The mystic green and cool ambience of the place makes it a must-visit spot undoubtedly.
Entry fee: None
Days and timings: All days from sunrise to sunset
Address: 4 kilometres from Kumarakom.
This famous bund was constructed for preventing harmful tidal activity and salt infiltration. It is built on the largest lake of Kerala, the Vembanad Lake. The bund is one of the most famous places to see in the town, as it is also the largest mud regulator in our country.
The barrier separates one side of the lake from another; therefore, one part has brackish water while the other contains fresh water. The waters also have two different colour gradients- green and blue. This saltwater barrier also conjoins the district of Kottayam with Alapuzzha.
The scenic beauty of the place is also unparalleled with a perfect blend of blue-green water and distant green trees. You may drive down the road to get the best views of the place or take a boat on rent and navigate through the waters.
Entry fee: None
Days and timings: All days from 12:00 pm to 6:00 pm
Address: Vembanad Lake, Kerala
If you love antiques, a must-visit destination for you is the Kumarakom Craft Museum. The museum displays a wide range of antiques such as paintings, decoration items, woodwork, sacred figurines, enormous handcrafted Kathalaki dance masks, and several such items that are close to the culture and traditional art forms of Kerala.
The museum also has a shop for buying crafts made by local artists or purchase antiques.
Entry fee: Free for kids, INR 100 for adults
Days and timings: All days of the week from morning 10:00 am till 5:00 pm in the evening.
Address: Old Curiosity Shop Kumarakom, Kottayam, Kerala 686563
Excited by the marvellous and beautiful places in the list? Do not miss out on any of these during your visit to Kumarakom. Although you can visit all around the year, the best time is considered between August and September, the time of Kerala’s national festival, Onam when you can witness some beautiful traditional dances and snake boat racing competitions.
Although the epitome of natural beauty, Kumarakom also has numerous religious sites- temples, churches, and mosques. The most famous ones are Juma Masjid, St Mary’s Church, Vaikom Shiva Temple, and many more. While you enjoy sightseeing, visit one of Kerala’s popular toddy shops for local drinks and delicacies experience.
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