Rubber Plantations in Kerala

As you travel across the green landscape of God's Own Country on Kerala tours, with Kerala Backwater you're sure to see acres of land covered with Rubber plantations. These green zones are a beautiful sight for the visiting tourists in Kerala and are also a vital part of the economy of Kerala.
Kerala is the leader in rubber production among the states of India. The rubber plantations are also opening their doors to tourists on Kerala tours who would like to see, a traditional way of life and experience a stay in a rural retreat. The quiet, green, environment of the rubber plantations of Kerala are a fascinating eco tourism option among Kerala tours with Kerala Backwater.
Stay at a traditional farmhouse in a rubber plantation in Kerala on eco tourism vacations and tours of Kerala with Kerala Backwater. Enjoy the hospitality of the plantations, go for nature walks and observe the birds, butterflies and squirrels amidst the plants in the rubber plantations in Kerala.
The rubber plant is not a native plant of India. Dutch colonialists who also cultivated rubber in their plantations in Indonesia introduced the rubber plant to Kerala, India, because of its similar tropical climate. The Rubber plant (its botanical name is Havea brasiliensis) produces sticky, white latex that is collected and processed to produce natural rubber. A rubber plant has to grow for about seven years before it can be tapped on a regular basis. A rubber tree can be productive for over 20 years. Rubber trees are characterized by their straight trunks and smooth green leaves. The rubber is harvested by rubber tappers who make a long curving cut on the outer bark of the trunk of the rubber tree. The latex from within the tree seeps to the surface of the cut and trickles down the cut into a container, tied to the tree by the rubber tapper. Every morning the rubber tapper empties the cup tied to each tree, in the area of the plantation that he works in. After a few days he will make another cut just above or below the first cut, thus extracting more latex from the rubber tree. Eventually after about 20 years the rubber tree will stop producing latex, upon which a new tree is planted in its place.
Apart from rubber trees other plants grown alongside include spices, areca nut and cashew. You can see the local farmers and plantation workers tending and harvesting the crops on rubber plantations in Kerala, while on nature tours in Kerala with Kerala Backwater.

Kerala Flora and Fauna

Vegetation and animal life of a region form part of the present environment, and they depend on the equilibrium existing amongst the soils, climate, landforms and morphological processes operating in nature today. Physiography is one of the factors which controls the distribution of plant and animal life. The geographical situation, the position of the mountain ranges, the innumerable streams, rivulets, and rivers ensuring a perfect drainage etc., have made Kerala one of the richest types of moist tropical evergreen forest which hold an impressive array of plant and animal life. Kerala with 28.8 per cent of her area under forests comes next to Assam which has the largest area under forests.

The evergreen forests are distributed all over the State, and they grow even up to 1372 m elevation on the Western Ghats. At lower elevation, however, this type merges imperceptibly into the tropical semi-evergreen forests, which is an intermediate type between the wet Evergreen and the Moist Deciduous forests. At higher elevation the wet Evergreen merge into Shola forests and they in turn pass on to mountain grassy lands (lyppan. 1960). Dry type forest are limited to the portions -in the leeward side of the Ghats, and the two main dry localities in the State are the Walayar and Anjanad Valleys in north Kerala.

Five types of forests which are the products of variation in topography, soil and rainfall, have been identified in Kerala (Innes, 1951). They constitute the Deciduous forests of the plains, Evergreen forests of the Ghat slopes, Evergreen Shola forests, Bamboo forests of the Wynad, and the Deciduous forests of the Wynad and Attappadi valley. The Deciduous forests occur along the plains and lower Ghat slope extending upto the hill sides up to 457 m above M.S.L. They are also found along the river banks. The Evergreen forests of the Ghat slopes are seen on the western and eastern slopes of the Western Ghats right from foot hills upto 1220 m a.s.l. The forest growth is magnificent where the rainfall is very heavy, and in some places the rainfall exceeds 7500 mm. The trees are evergreen with abundance of epiphytic orchides, mosses, ferns, rattans, tree ferns, climbing ferns and creepers.

Evergreen Shola forests are noted on all the higher slopes of the Ghats including the Brahmagiri range and also in the highest parts of the Attappadi valley between the altitude of 1067 and 1829 m.a.s.l. Fern and mosses are abundant in these forests but the orchids are poorly represented. Families such as Myrtaceae, Lauraceae, and Styracaceae are dominant. Luxuriant growth of Arundinaria Wightiana Ness, Reed bamboo in this forest is significant. Bamboo forests are found in the marroco belt lying east of the Ghat where the rainfall ranges from 1500 to 2500 mm. The forest stretches from the foot of the Nilgiris on the south to the Brahmagiri on the north. The most dominant species is Bambusa arundinacea wild which is the common bamboo still widely used by tribes for various pur¬poses in their day to day life. The uncultivated swampy lands are dominated by Pandanus Odoratissimus Roxb, Melastoma malabaricum, Linn, and Ligodium. Deciduous forests are found in the Wynad plateau and in the lower portion of Attappadi valley.

Some of the important cultivated crops in Kerala come under certain types of cereals, pulses, oil seed crops, miscellane¬ous crops, ugars, condiments and species, fibre crops and narcotics. Oryza sative Lmn, Rice is the most important cereal crop which is being cultivated in almost all parts of Kerala.

Cocos nucifere Linn, Coconut grows luxuriously in all districts except Palghat where Borassus-fiabellifer Linn, Palmera grows most. Coconut growth is profuse in the coastal region and in the Midlands, and it is the most important among all the oil seed crops and fibre crops in the State.
Artocarpus integrifolia Linn. f., lack, plavu, Mangifera indica Linn, Mango tree, Mavu; Anacardium occidentala Linn, Cashew tree, Parankimavu; Musa sapizntum Linn, Banana, Vazha; Monihot Utllissima Pohl, Tapioca, Ivlarakizhangu; Ipomoea batatas Linn, sweet potato, Mathura Kizhangu and Yams, kachil are some of the important miscellaneous food crops cultivated in the state. Saecharum sp. sugarcane, karimbu is being cultivated in ceitain parts Kerala has been very famous for her condimens and spices since earlier times. Piparnigrum Linn, Pepper, kurumulaku; Zingiber officianalis Rose, Ginger, Inchi; Curcuma longa Linn, Turmeric; puli; and Allium cepa Linn, Onion, Ulli are some of the very important amongst them. Areca catechu Linn, Aracanut, Adakkamarum is one of the important narcotics extensively cultivated all over Kerala.

The forest and hilly regions of Kerala still abound with a large variety of fauna even though the advance of cultivation and deforestation driving them much interior to the forests. Some of the important animals still thrive in the interior forests include Panthera tigris Linnaeus, Tiger, Kaduva; Melursus ussinus shaw, sloth Bear, karadi; Pauthera pardus Linnacus, Leopardi, pu1i; and Elephas nzaximus Linnaeus, Indian Ele¬phant, Ana Boss ganrus H. Smith, Gur, Kattu Pottu is common in north Wynad and Nilambur. Sus cristalus Wagner, will Boar, Kattupanni; Hemitragus hylocrius Oglilby, Nilgiri Tahr, Kattadu; Felis chaus Guldenstaedt, Jungle cat, Kattu poocha; and Cuon alpinns Pallas, Indian wild dog, chennai are seen in interior and foot hilts of the Western ghats in north Kerala. Kattadu is commonly found on the slapes of the Kundaha, the hills surrounding the Attappadi valley and in the sides of the Palghat gap.

Among the Squirrels Ratufu indica Erxluben, Indian Giant squirrels or Malabar squirrels, Annan are generally found in north Kerala. Other types in Kerala include Ratufa macronra Penuant, Grizzlad, Indian squirrel and Funambulus suflineatus Waterhouse, Dusky stripped squirrel. Cervus nuicolor Keer, sambar, Kalaman is the largest of the deer tribe. Axis axis Erxleben, chital, Pulliman is abundant especially in the Nilambur forests. Tragulus meminna Erxleben, Mouse-deer, Kezhaman is widely distributed.

Among the lesser denizens of the jungles monkeys and lemurs are well represented in the Ghat forests. Presbytis johni Fischer, Nilgiri langur, Karin Kurangu: Macaca radiata Geoffroy, Macaque, Vella kurangu, and Loris malabaricus Wroughton, slender Loris, Kuthitevangu are common in the forests. Canis anrens Linnaens, Jackal, Kurukan is a familiar animal rearing over hilly scrubs and low country. Herpestes edwardsi Geoffrey, Indian Grey Mangoose, Kiri is the commonest mangoose found all over the forests and foot hills.

A number of varieties of birds are seen throughout Kerala, and some of them commonly found include Pavo cristatus Linnacus, common Peafowl, Myle; Psittacula cyanocephala Linuacus, Parakeet, Thatta; Gracula religiosa Linnacus, Hill¬Myna, Kattu Myna; Acidotheres tristis Linnaeus, common Myna, Myna; Motacilla maderaspalensis Linnaceus, wood packer, Maramkotthi; Athena brama Temminck, Spotted owlet, Munga; Milvus migraus Boddaert, Pariahkite, Parunthu; Corvus splendeus vieillot, Hougecrow, kakka: Corvus macrorhynchos Wagler, Jungle-crow, Bali-kakka; hrcruius mrrcrocercus Vieillot, king crow, kakka keel, Eudyr,cn,is scolopaceus Linnaeus, Keel; Centropus sineusis Stepheus, Coucal, Uppan; and Motacilla maderaspalensis Gamelin, Waglail, Kokku.

Kerala is rich in fresh water and marine-water fishes. The rivers and back-waters are full of various types of fresh-water fishes. The long coast line of Kerala is a source of different kinds of marine fishes. The people in Kerala generally use varieties of marine and fresh-water fishes. Some of the commonly used fresh water fishes include Etroplus suratensis Bloch, Chromides, karimeen; Ophicephalus marulius Ham, Murrels, Bral; Etropliis maculatus cuv & val, chromides, Pallathi; Alacrone seenghala sykes, cat-fis i, Karatta; Arius dussun2ieri cuv and Val, cat-fish Thedu;--Wallago attu Bleeker. Cat-fish, Attu-vala; D7ugil carinatus cuv & val, Mugil Junna: Mugil belarzak Bleeker, Mugil, Mala; and Mugil cephalus Linn, Mugil, Tirutha.

The marine fishes which are generally used by the people are Thynnus thunnina cuv & val, Tunny-fish, Ayila; Pseudo¬sciaena Coitor Ham, Jewfishes, kora; Engraulis indicus V. Hassett, Clupea, Netholi, Chirocentrus dorab Forsk, Clupea, Muliuva!a; Clupea ilish Ham, Clupea, Paluva; Dussumieria acuta Cuv & val, clupea, chala; Sardinella longiceps cuv & cal, clupca, Nallamathi; Carcharias gangetious Blyth, Shask, Sravu; Late,; Calcarifer Gunther, Sea perches, chempalli; Lactarius deticatulus cuv & val, white fish, Parava; stromateoides cine¬reus Bleeker, Silver promfret Avoli; Sillago sihama Ripp. Sandwhitmg, Mural; Dorosoma nasus Bleeker. Clupea Noonah; and Trygon zugei Mull & Heule, whip Rays, Threndi etc.

Kerala Houseboats

Kerala Houseboats (Riceboats) or kettuvallam are country boats that were used in the early days for the transport of goods from the isolated interior villages of Kerala Backwater area to the towns like Alleppey, Kollam, Cochin and Kottayam. With the advent of roads, bridges and ferry services, gradually the kettuvalloms went off the scene. Now these kettuvalloms are back again as a major tourist attraction as a modern moving boat house that is kerala houseboats .





Kerala houseboats size vary from, about to 95 feet feet in length and a width of around 13 feet to in the middle for one bedroom houseboat and , big houseboats with up 107 feet long and up to 19 feet wide. The materials that go into the making are all local and Eco friendly bamboo poles, coconut fiber ropes, bamboo mats, coir carpets etc. The main wood used is "Anjili". Kerala house boats have fully furnished single double triple and five bedrooms with sundeck, private balcony with comfortable chairs, kitchen and toilet with WC. In addition there is also separate rest room.



Houseboats in Kerala have a three member crew - a chef, driver & cabin assistants. The cuisine is traditional Kerala flavor with the local specialties; delicious local fish. There are single bedroom houseboats for two people and two bedroom houseboats for four people and 3 bedroom houseboat for 6, and 5 bedroom houseboat for 10 People.The spectacular beauty of Kerala's backwaters needs no introduction.



A Kerala Houseboats cruise along the palm-fringed waterways of Kerala in luxury houseboats is the most enchanting holiday experience in India today. In this world of simple pleasures, you will skim past ancient Chinese fishing nets, water lilies, lush paddy fields, coir villages, rustic homes, temples and coconut groves. A guided tour down the backwaters would provide you with a complete and most enchanting experience on the back waters of Kerala and will also reveal to you some interesting facts about the life of local village people. This month's lens view takes you to the backwater stretch of the Vembanad, where one can go for a leisurely cruise on a multi deck boat, allowing you enjoy the scenic backwater life.

Visit Allapuzha - Kumarakom

Alappuzha also known as Alleppey, is a town in Alappuzha District of Kerala state of southern India. A town with picturesque canals, backwaters, beaches, and lagoons, it was described as the List of places known as Venice of the East by Lord Curzon. It is the administrative headquarters of Alappuzha District. Alleppey has a wonderful past. Though the present town owes its existence to the sagacious Diwan Raja Kesavadas in the second half of 18th century, district of Alappuzha figures in classical Literature.



Kuttanad, the rice bowl of Kerala with the unending stretch of paddy fields, small streams and canals with lush green coconut palms , was well known even from the early periods of the Sangam age. History says Alappuzha had trade relations with ancient Greece and Rome in B.C and in the Middle Ages, as well as with other parts of India.

Most important backwater regions are Alleppey, Kumarakom, Kottayam & Kollam. Vembanad lake is the biggest fresh water lakes in Asia, covering an area of 200 sq km, and touched Alappuzha (Alleppey), Kottayam, and Ernakulam / Cochin districts. This exclusive backwater destination situated on the banks of the Vembanad lake is considered the gateway to the backwaters. Alleppey/Alappuzha, populary known as " Venice of the East" has a network of canals that meander through the town. Boating across these soothing stretches is an experience exclusive to Kerala.



The backwaters act as a vital waterway for the transport of goods, people and their produce are often the only link between isolated villages and crowded towns. In Kerala, the total expanse of backwater stretches over 1500 kms, with a network of 44 rivers, lagoons and lakes from north to south. Alleppey which forms the main part of this network has the peculiar geographical feature of having the water in level with the land. This gives the advantage of getting a closer look at the village life on shore while on a backwater ride. Throughout the coastal areas of Kerala backwaters are endless stretches of lakes, lagoons and ponds connected by a network of canals. A huge expanse of estuaries formed by 41 west-flowing rivers, the backwaters stretch to over 1,000 miles.

The Kerala backwater routes date back over the centuries and have been long used for all transportation needs, in particular trade in coconut, rubber, price and spices. Today, these waterways link remote villages and islands to the mainland and nerve centers of the coastal area. They also form an ideal highway for the thatched roof houseboats of Kerala, a colorful and unique navy of floating hotel suites, suitable for cruising the backwaters in sybaritic decadence.Alappuzha or Alleppey is also home to Kuttanad, The rice bowl of kerala, one of the very few places in the world where farming is done below sea level. Kuttanad is the most beautiful backwaters region of Kerala. It is here that most of the snake boat races are conducted and a majority of the rice boat & houseboat cruises are scheduled.