Kumarakom: A Prominent Backwater Destination in Kerala

Kerala is globally known for its backwater destinations. There are several backwaters destinations in this beautiful Indian state. Alleppey, Kumarakom, Kasargod, Kollam, Kottayam, Fort Kochi, Kuttanad, Kozhikode, etc are some of very popular backwater regions of the state. Backwaters here are breathtakingly beautiful and blessed with exceptional nature beauty. Among all the backwater destinations of the state Kumarakom has distinct charm and is ideal point for starting backwater tours in Kerala, India.

Kumarakom is a village situated in Kottayam district of Kerala, India. It is globally famous as a prominent backwater destination of Kerala. It is cluster of small islands on the Vembanad Kayal. Vembanad Kayal is considered as the largest backwater in the state. Kumarakom is the part of Kuttanad region. It is breathtakingly beautiful and provides wonderful opportunity to start backwater and houseboat tours in the state. The azure backwaters of Vembanad Lake and the miraculous shades of green vegetarians like palm coconut trees, bushes, and leafy plants with eternal serenity of the place create a wonderful ambiance for an idyllic holiday destinations. Surly it will be a simply unforgettable and delightful experience of backwater Kerala.

Backwaters here in Kumarakom are amazing jumble of flickering waterways composed scenic lakes, channels, rivers, inlets, lagoons and canals. Lined with palm coconut trees and other leafy plants and bushes, Kumarakom backwater offers wonderful example of ecosystem. A houseboat trip over serene and azure Kumarakom backwaters also offers a glimpse into rural life styles of the state as the houseboat passes through the traditional villages situated alongside the backwaters. Kumarakom houseboat cruise also provides wonderful opportunity see several species of aquatic life, water birds and animals in and alongside the backwaters.

Kumarakom is an ideal destination for houseboat cruise in the state. It is also very popular among honeymoon couples. From all over the world tourists come here to enjoy the amazing charm of Kumarakom houseboat cruise over the tranquil and scenic backwaters. For honeymoon couplers it is the paradise and provides serene and romantic ambiance for honeymoon holidays. Houseboats here are luxury packed with air-conditioned bedrooms, modern kitchen and dining space.

A houseboat trip over the Kumarakom backwaters or Vembanad Lake also provides wonderful opportunity to famous to see Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary (also known as the Vembanad Bird Sanctuary). While exploring Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary on Kerala backwater tours one can see several species of birds including several migratory birds. Morning is the ideal for bird watching in Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary. Watching birds inside the bird sanctuary at Kumarakom is a delightful experience of lifetime.

There are several houseboat trip or cruise organizers at Kumarakom backwaters. They offer houseboat booking in Kerala, India. One can hire a traditional rice boat or luxury packed modern houseboat and enjoy houseboat tours over the breathtaking backwaters of the region. Kumarakom is also famous for ayurvedic resorts. It is dotted with several ayurvedic resorts offering ayurvedic treatment. Resorts offer excellent accommodation and they are also of great potential of Kumarakom backwater tourism. Well, get ready for Kumarakom tours in Kerala, India.

Kerala Beaches and Backwaters Tours

Beaches and backwaters are the prime attractions of Kerala, India tours. The beautiful Indian state of Kerala has some of finest beaches in the world. Beaches here are exceptionally beautiful and nature has blessed them uniquely. Tourists from all over the world visit Kerala beaches in quite large numbers. Beaches provide amazing sightseeing options as well as wonderful holiday options. Beaches are dotted with swaying palm coconut tress creating green and serene ambiance for memorable holiday. Beaches are ideal for swimming. There are several options to do on Kerala beaches, such as; swimming, sun bathing, beach volley ball, water fun, water sports, nature walk, river cruise, sunset watch, etc. You will surly love to enjoy these beach activities on your Kerala beach tours.

Beaches of the state are also known for Ayurveda and Yoga. There are several spa, yoga and ayurvedic treatment centers on the beaches of the state. Ayurvedic treatment resorts on the beaches are considered as the prime attractions of the Kerala tours and travel. Ayurvedic resorts of the state provide refreshing and mind relaxing holiday option. Today Kerala is globally name for its ayurvedic beach resorts among those tourists who want to get rejuvenated and revitalized as well as sightseeing and memorable holiday. Today Ayurveda – the Indian ancient treatment system – is at its boom. And people willing to get refreshed their mind and blow embark on ayurveda tours in Kerala from all over the world. There are several hotels and resorts that are widely acclaimed for ayurvedic treatment and massage therapy as well as wonderful stay & holiday options. They are also known for excellent accommodation.

Beaches of the state are also known to host several activities. Playing with gentle surf, swimming, sunset watching, playing with golden sands, lazily relaxing under the palm coconut trees, nature walk, sightseeing, river cruise, enjoying beach volley ball, etc are some of popular beach activities. You will too love to enjoy these thrilling activities on our beach tours in Kerala, India. You will also love to enjoy delicious sea food while exploring Kerala’s exquisite beaches. There are several food joints serving mouth watering sea foods, and traditional cuisine of the state. Some of popular beaches of the state are Kovalam, Alleppey, Bekal Beach, Fort Kochi, Varkala, Beypore, Kappad, etc. Well, you are looking for a beach destination to celebrate your holiday in memorable holiday Kerala’s beaches are just right for your. Explore Kerala’s exquisite beaches that are known for great scenic beauty and serenity.

Apart from beaches, backwaters of the state have also widely acclamation. Backwaters are breathtakingly beautiful and worth exploring. They are excellent example of ecosystem. They are naturally blessed and their shorelines are dotted with palm coconut trees, traditional village, ancient temples, modern cities, and rich flora and fauna. Backwaters of the state have a prime positing in every tour package in Kerala, India.

Backwaters of the state can be best explored by hiring a traditional rice boat or modern luxury packed houseboat. One can hire a houseboat for short period or long period with several houseboat curies operators dotted on the backwater destinations of the state. Kerala house boat tour over the tranquil and scenic backwaters is also very popular among honeymoon tours. Enjoying houseboat stay is the ideal way to enjoy Kerala honeymoon tour. Not only backwaters or houseboats, in fact, entire Kerala is an ideal destination of honeymoon holidays and honeymoon couples from all over the world prefer Kerala as their honeymoon holidays. Celebrating honeymoon in Kerala is simply unforgettable.

There are several Kerala tour packages available in the market making enable you to explore Kerala beaches and backwaters in more and more convenient ways. Apart from beaches and backwaters; verdant hill stations, wildlife sanctuaries, various plantations, temples, forts, palaces etc are also very popular attractions of Kerala package tours. When you will travel to Kerala you will know why the state is known as “God’s Own Country”.

Kerala – The Nature lovers’ dreamland

Kerala situated at the southern tip of India shored on the bank of Arabian Sea enjoys one of the most favorable weather attracting the tourist with its exotic beauty and lush green vegetation. One of the major tourist attractions of India has now been the favourite haunt of the tourist not only from country but winning the heart from all over the world. Lashed with colossal natural beauty, palm fringed beaches and the lush green forest munificently Sprinkled with gurgling waterfalls, once makes the visitors to think about the magnificent creation of the lord and Gods’ blessed Kerala. Enjoy being with Kerala with its palm fringed beaches trying out something different within the place .Every step you take in Kerala has meaning for you to enjoy . Check in with the most beautiful moment being in Kerala , Sailing in the backwater with the most beautiful canoe\traditionally built Houseboat. Taste the lip smacking cuisine dipped in the coconut oil, one of the typical than rest of the places of India.

You dream and Kerala tour packages fulfills your dreams. So get the best these holidays with the exotic beauty of the
Kerala - God’s own country.Kerela with the enchanting lovely beaches and the mesmerizing view of the exotic environment has won over the heart of the couples. It has become the paradise among the couples to enjoy their golden time to share some remarkable moment all through their life. The sizzling backwater riding among the serene beauty of Kerala, Skiing in the lovely beaches gives some thrilling golden moments to add being together. Walk in the low-flying clouds in the hills dotted with the flowers giving you the perfumed moments to enjoy the Kerala tours,. The panoramic view of the long stretching golden beaches, the sun kissed water along the shore will not halt you to elope together to enjoy the nature. The paradise of the couples gives many more arenas to spent time with the glittering profound surroundings of Kerala. The magical therapy massage with the natural herbs has some splendor experienced to add in your life. Lot more golden places lies in Kerala to give a Midas touch to your life once you explore this beautiful Kerala.

The bouncy Kerala has the most traditional way to make her people to enjoy being in the place. The time has changed a lot and would be continuing forever but Kerala’s beauty is still the same with mint fresh and the lovely perfumed peppery wind. Enjoying Kerala tour packages along the countryside gives magical charm and you will get glued with the lovely green paddy fields tossing their head in the air .The sweet thrill songs of the birds from the hill top make you go singing along with them. The people carrying out there daily life in the traditional way is the fabulous way to enjoy countryside of the God’s own country. Blessed with the natural landscape Kerala has fixed its place in the Couples heart and the nature lovers’.

Kerala Backwaters Tours Onboard Houseboat

Kerala, also known as the God’s Own Country, is one of the most charming and captivating states of India. It is widely acclaimed tourist destinations. Tourists from all over the world visit this picturesque state of India. There are numerous attractions in this state. Beaches, backwaters, hill station, monuments, etc are names to few. You will know better about Kerala and its different places of tourist interest when you will visit this state. Surly, visiting Kerala will never fail to entice you.

What makes Kerala a globally famous tourist destination? There are numerous factors and attractions in this state which make it one of the prime destinations on the horizon of world tourism. Basically there are two major factors that make the state a global tourism destination – unique cultural features and unique geographical features. Beaches, backwaters, hill stations, etc are prime attractions that deserve the attention of tourists from all over the world. When we think about Kerala tourism the first thing strikes in our mind its beautiful sun kissed beaches that are nature blessed and able to captivate you.

Undoubtedly beaches of the state are perhaps the most sought after attractions of the state. But scenic backwaters of the state are also very popular among tourists from all over the world. Exploring backwater destinations of the state provides real charm of travel and tourism in the state. Kerala backwater tours are widely popular among tourists. Backwater tours in the state provide amazing sightseeing. One can visit several attractions of tourist interest such as traditional villages, modern cities, ancient temples, forts, palace, churches, ayurvedic treatment resorts, spa centers, paddy fields, hills, beaches, etc. In fact, backwater tours in the state provide you complete travel and tourism experience.

There are several backwater destinations in the state. Alleppey, Kumarakom and Fort Kochi are names to few. The most popular way to experience the charm of scenic backwaters is cruising over the placid water of the scenic backwaters. Cruising in the scenic backwater is simply a delightful experience mixed up with excellent houseboat experience, traditional cuisine,amazing sightseeing and serenity. houseboats in kerala of Kerala provide excellent accommodation with all modern amenities in the unique world of water, serenity and wonderment. No anywhere in the world one can find such wonderful holiday options as Kerala provides.

A houseboat cruise over the placid backwaters take you into the totally different world – the world of wonderment, the world of serenity and the world of exceptional nature beauty. One can see several species of aquatic life and water birds living in and alongside the backwaters on board the house boat cruise. One can see excellent view of sunset from the deck of the house boat. One can explore traditional villages of the state and get insight of culture and tradition of the state. One can explore lush paddy fields. So, cruising over the placid backwaters is always a delightful experience. There are several houseboat kerala in the state that make you enable to explore backwaters of the state in more and more convenient ways. Well, embark on cruise of houseboat Kerala India. I bet you are going to treasure a delightful experience of lifetime.

Alleppey Houseboats Adding More Charm to Kerala’s Breathtaking Backwaters

Kerala – God’s Own Country – is one of the most beautiful states of India. It is globally famous as one of the most popular travel destinations of India. It is its unique cultural and geographical features that make it internationally famous travel destination. Truly it is a traveler’s paradise.

Monuments, fairs and festivals, temples, traditional villages, etc show the rich culture and traditions of the state. Verdant hill stations, beautiful beaches, breathtaking backwaters with numerous house boats, wildlife parks & sanctuaries rich in their flora and fauna, etc show the rich wealth of nature in the state. Nature has blessed Kerala’s each destination uniquely and create serene ambiance for memorable Indian holidays. Lush greenery and scenic landscapes are the very essence of Kerala, South India. Be sure that travel and tourism in this beautiful state will always please you and your family.




Undoubtedly, Kerala’s beaches, hill stations, temples, and traditional villages and modern cites are prime attractions of the state but breathtaking backwaters also have their own importance to boost up tourism in the state. Backwater Kerala tour provides wonderful opportunity for amazing sightseeing in the state. This fascinating tour covers beaches, scenic landscapes, green paddy fields, traditional villages and some of modern cities. Surly Kerala backwater tours will be a delightful tour experience in the state. There are several breathtaking backwater destinations in the state. Some of most popular backwater destinations of the state are Fort Kochi, Vembanad Lake, Kumarakom, Kollam, Kozhikode, Kuttanad, Kottayam, Trivandrum, Thiruvallam, Alleppey (Alappuzha), etc. These destinations have globally fame and deserve the attentions of tourists from all over the world. They are famous among nature lovers, adventure seekers, nature lovers and of course honeymoon couples.



The breathtakingly beautiful backwaters of the state can be best explored a houseboat cruise over the serene water of waterways, lakes and lagoons. Waterways, rivers, lakes, lagoons, canals, rivulet, etc team up together and form vast network of backwater Kerala. A houseboat trip over the tranquil water of the breathtaking backwaters provides wonderful opportunity to see the amazing charm of nature. It provides amazing tourism options wit exceptional nature beauty. Alleppey, also known as the Alappuzha, is one of the most important backwater destinations of the state. It is dotted with several houseboats and houseboat tour operators. Alleppey is an ideal destination to start Kerala houseboats tours. Kerala houseboats are made up of wood, bamboo poles and eco friendly materials and no single nail is used in them.

Kerala houseboat cruise tours are also very popular among honeymoon couples. An kerala houseboat cruise over the tranquil waterways provides honeymoon couples a wonderful and romantic holiday ambiance. Houseboats in Alleppey are outfitted with modern amenities providing luxurious ambiance for family holidays and honeymoon holidays. A houseboat trip in Alleppey and around the Alleppey provides wonderful opportunity to know about the lifestyle of Alleppey and traditional villages. It provides nature abundant sightseeing opportunity. Well if you too want to enjoy the real charm of backwaters of the state, start your houseboat tours in Alleppey and treasure a life time experience.

Marvelous tourists attraction – Yoga & Ayurveda Tour

Kerala also known as God’s own country, the name itself is one and the same with heavenly experience and to see this heavenly place all you have to do is bunch your bags and head straight away to Kerala south India. Kerala is a place of multiple opportunities of which you can select the ones that interest you the most and design your own package for your Kerala tour. You can come to Kerala for various reasons and the best part is that you will find various tour packages here catering to your different needs, some of the famous tours are honeymoon tour, backwater tour, beach tour, ayurveda tour, best of Kerala South India Tourism, wildlife tour, South India Temples etc. some valuable informations are given below about tourists attraction.

Tourist Attractions - Kerala Backwaters, Beaches in South India, Hill Stations in South India, Wildlife in South India, South India Monuments, South India Temples.

Places to Visit: Chennai - Mahabalipuram - Kanchipuram - Pondicherry - Swami Malai - Tanjore - Tirchy - Madurai - Rameshwaram - Kodaikanal - Kanya Kumari - Kovalam - Periyar - Kottaym - Alleppey - Ooty - Coonoor - Mysore - Srirangapatnam - Hassan - Belur - Bangalore – Sravanbelgola.

South India Beaches - Alappuzha Beach, Kovalam Beach, Kanyakumari Beach, Malpe Beach, Varkala Beach, Marina Beach, Mahabalipuram Beach, Maravanthe Beach.

South India Temples - Badami Cave Temples, Uruvayoor Temple, ISKCON Temples, Jagannath Temple, Kailash Temple, Lepakshi Temple, Lingaraja Temple, Meenakshi Temple.

Kerala Backwaters - Kottayam Backwaters, Alleppey Backwaters, Thottappally Backwaters, Kumarakom Backwaters, Kasargod Backwaters, Alumkadavu Backwaters, Kidangara Backwaters, Mankotta Backwaters.

Hill Stations – Kodaikanal, Munnar, Nilgiri Hills, Ooty, Coonoor, Mudumalai, Red Hills, Yelagiri.

Visit to Kerala – God’s Own Country

A visit to Kerala, God’s Own Country, reveals tourists that the entire state is dotted with lots of fascinating destinations with lots of fascinating attractions. Historical monuments, art & architecture, temples, religious sites, churches, breathtaking beaches, beautiful backwaters, rich culture & tradition, exotic wildlife with rich flora & fauna, superb natural beauty, mouthwatering cuisine, verdant hill stations, tea, spice & rubber plantations, lovely lakes, gushing waterfalls, lush green landscapes, etc are prime attractions of a visit to Kerala, God’s Own Country. One must enjoy houseboat cruise on scenic backwaters of the state. It is one of the most popular activities to be enjoyed in this fascinating south Indian state.

The major tourist destinations of the state are Trivandrum – the Capital City, Cochin, Kovalam, Kozhikode, Varkala, Bekal Fort, Thirussur, Munnar, Wayanad, Palakkad, Alleppey, Kollam, Kannur, Thekkady, Kumarakom, etc. These destinations are considered as must visit destinations of a visit to God’s Own Country. Also these destinations play a major role in the boost tourism in the state. If these destinations are avoided then nothing is Kerala, and nothing are Kerala tour packages

Trivandrum one of the most stunning cities of India treasures lots of attractions to offer tourists. Aaranmula Boat Race, Neyyar Dam, Trivandrum Observatory, Padmanabhaswamy Temple, Sri Chitra Art Gallery, Shanghumukhuam Bach, Kuthriramalika Palace Museum, Zoological Park, etc are must visit attractions of Trivandrum tours and travel in God’s Own Country. Tourists get wonderful opportunity to see painting, art collections, and oriental arts at Shri Chitra Art Gallery. Trivandrum is also a base to visit Kovalam and Varkala.

Kovalam and Varkala are globally famous beach destinations of Kerala, God’s Own Country. There are several world class beach resorts and hotels on the pristine beaches of Kovalam and Varkala. There are also Ayurvedic Resorts & Spa Centres on the beaches of Kovalam and Varkala. Beaches are safe for swimming and celebrating wonderful holidays. Lots of activities can be enjoyed on the beaches of Kovalam and Varkala.

Munnar, Wayanad and Palakkad are predominant hill stations of Kerala, South India. No one think complete tours and travel in the state without visiting pristine hill stations of the state. These spectacular hill stations are blessed with exceptional nature beauty and picture-perfect landscapes. Ambiance at these hill towns is peaceful and serene. That’s why these destinations are more popular among honeymooners or newly wedded couples. Truly romantic these destinations are.

Alleppey, Fort Kochi, Kumarakom, Kollam, etc are predominant backwater destinations of the state. These destinations are widely famous for backwater tourism and luxurious houseboat tours on the scenic palm fringed waterways. Houseboats offer tourists wonderful holiday experience and amazing tourism opportunity. Houseboats offer accommodation like luxurious hotels. For honeymoon couples houseboat tours would be mesmerizing experience for lifetime as they get sheer romantic ambiance in the lap of nature on board houseboat cruise.

Thekkady region of the state is famous for wildlife sanctuaries and spice gardens. Periyar National Park, Periyar Tiger Trail, Periyar Lake, etc are prime attractions of Thekkady region. The herd of elephants can be seen in Thekkady, Kerala, South India.

In fact, there are lots of attractions and places of tourist interest in the state. So, travel to this state should be made in planned ways otherwise tourists may be chaos what to do and what to not. I think, to explore the attractions of this beautiful Indian state tourists should travel to this state on Kerala package tours. A well prepared Kerala tour package makes enable tourists to explore the important places of the state in more and more convenient ways.

Visit to Kerala – God’s Own Country

A visit to Kerala, God’s Own Country, reveals tourists that the entire state is dotted with lots of fascinating destinations with lots of fascinating attractions.

Historical monuments, art & architecture, temples, religious sites, churches, breathtaking beaches, beautiful backwaters, rich culture & tradition, exotic wildlife with rich flora & fauna, superb natural beauty, mouthwatering cuisine, verdant hill stations, tea, spice & rubber plantations, lovely lakes, gushing waterfalls, lush green landscapes, etc are prime attractions of a visit to Kerala, God’s Own Country.

One must enjoy houseboat cruise on scenic backwaters of the state. It is one of the most popular activities to be enjoyed in this fascinating south Indian state.


The major tourist destinations of the state are Trivandrum – the Capital City, Cochin, Kovalam, Kozhikode, Varkala, Bekal Fort, Thirussur, Munnar, Wayanad, Palakkad, Alleppey, Kollam, Kannur, Thekkady, Kumarakom, etc.

These destinations are considered as must visit destinations of a visit to God’s Own Country. Also these destinations play a major role in the boost tourism in the state. If these destinations are avoided then nothing is Kerala, and nothing are Kerala tour packages
. Trivandrum one of the most stunning cities of India treasures lots of attractions to offer tourists.

Aaranmula Boat Race, Neyyar Dam, Trivandrum Observatory, Padmanabhaswamy Temple, Sri Chitra Art Gallery, Shanghumukhuam Bach, Kuthriramalika Palace Museum, Zoological Park, etc are must visit attractions of Trivandrum tours and travel in God’s Own Country.

Tourists get wonderful opportunity to see painting, art collections, and oriental arts at Shri Chitra Art Gallery. Trivandrum is also a base to visit Kovalam and Varkala.
Kovalam and Varkala are globally famous beach destinations of Kerala, God’s Own Country.

There are several world class beach resorts and hotels on the pristine beaches of Kovalam and Varkala. There are also Ayurvedic Resorts & Spa Centres on the beaches of Kovalam and Varkala. Beaches are safe for swimming and celebrating wonderful holidays.

Lots of activities can be enjoyed on the beaches of Kovalam and Varkala.
Munnar, Wayanad and Palakkad are predominant hill stations of Kerala, South India. No one think complete tours and travel in the state without visiting pristine hill stations of the state. These spectacular hill stations are blessed with exceptional nature beauty and picture-perfect landscapes. Ambiance at these hill towns is peaceful and serene. That’s why these destinations are more popular among honeymooners or newly wedded couples.

Truly romantic these destinations are.
Alleppey, Fort Kochi, Kumarakom, Kollam, etc are predominant backwater destinations of the state. These destinations are widely famous for backwater tourism and luxurious houseboat tours on the scenic palm fringed waterways. Houseboats offer tourists wonderful holiday experience and amazing tourism opportunity.

Houseboats offer accommodation like luxurious hotels. For honeymoon couples houseboat tours would be mesmerizing experience for lifetime as they get sheer romantic ambiance in the lap of nature on board houseboat cruise.


Thekkady region of the state is famous for wildlife sanctuaries and spice gardens. Periyar National Park, Periyar Tiger Trail, Periyar Lake, etc are prime attractions of Thekkady region. The herd of elephants can be seen in Thekkady, Kerala, South India.


In fact, there are lots of attractions and places of tourist interest in the state. So, travel to this state should be made in planned ways otherwise tourists may be chaos what to do and what to not. I think, to explore the attractions of this beautiful Indian state tourists should travel to this state on Kerala package tours. A well prepared Kerala tour package makes enable tourists to explore the important places of the state in more and more convenient ways.

Now, go yachting on Kerala's backwaters

Kerala backwaters, famous for their scenic beauty, snake boat races and huge house boats, offer you something more these days — a leisure ride on yachts.


Cochin Opening Ceremony for the Volvo Ocean Race

The increasing popularity of leisure boating in the State has opened up new opportunities for tour managers to introduce yachts to attract as many tourists as possible, industry officials say.

"Spending a weekend on a boat, with a little fishing and barbeques on board, is slowly becoming an accepted norm these days," said Mathew Cherian, president of Nautilus Yachts, a Kochi-based yacht-manufacturing company with a boatyard in Thailand.


Ericsson 3 arrive in Cochin, India

He added that in Kerala, "any boat bigger than 30 feet with cabins would qualify as a yacht", while the super-yachts in the U.S. and Europe will be more than 50 feet in length and will cost millions.


Elephants in the Cochin Race Village during Pooram, a traditional Indian festival

Nautilus is building high-powered air-conditioned single cabin boats of 16 feet that cost Rs 10-20 lakh as well as ones costing more than Rs 2 crore with more cabins and electronic fish-finders.

Cherian said the demand for private high-speed boats was going up in Kerala as more and more Keralites were getting attracted to leisure boating. Moreover, the tourism authorities are taking steps to boost backwater tourism in the State.


Elephants travel to the Cochin Race Village for Pooram, a traditional Indian festival

The Kerala Tourism Development Corp has announced it will set up a 'marina' at the Bolghatty Isle in Kochi to solve the problem of parking of yachts and boats. A marina is a sheltered harbour where boats and yachts are kept in the water.


A TV helicopter escorts PUMA Ocean Racing into Cochin, India

This will be the first ever marina in the country. Although Mumbai and Goa are the primary spots for yachts, there are no marinas at both places.

"With land prices riding high in Mumbai, it is not surprising," said Joe Nejedly, an expert in yacht manufacturing and owner of Praga Marine, based in Coimbatore.

A couple of real estate builders have already approached Nautilus Yachts to build marinas exclusively for its waterfront apartments in Kochi, Cherian said.

A new concept called fractional ownership — which means a group of people (normally between 5 and 10) collectively own a boat and share the expenses — is persuading more people to invest in yacht tourism.


Team Russia sails towards the finish of leg 2

A former MP from Kerala now has a 32-foot Bayliner, a seafood exporter cruises on a 42-foot Sea Ray, a tyre tycoon keeps a 32-foot Bayliner and the Taj Malabar at Fort Kochi owns a 55-foot Gulf Craft Ambassador.

According to industry estimates, the increasing popularity of leisure boating here will make India one of the favourite markets for yacht makers.

"Although the West has not set up a boatyard in India yet, they have started investing in publicity agents to boost demand for their products here," said Nejedly, who worked with the European parent company Praga Marine for 30 years before moving to Coimbatore.


Aerial shot of Ericsson 3 coming into Cochin, escorted by supporters

The British-born Nejedly has his boatyard in Aroor, a small village in south Kerala. "Now, I have to step up the quality of my boats to compete with rivals," he said.

He added that the government could help the industry by setting up buoys for inland navigation and clearing the waterways.

Tourism industry officials hope the stopover of crews participating in the Volvo Ocean Race 2008-09 in Kochi this week will increase the popularity of yacht tourism in the state.

Eight competing crews of the Volvo Ocean Race will arrive here Wednesday for a 10-day stopover.


The haul out area in the Cochin Race Village

The Volvo Ocean Race, which is also called the Everest of Sailing, is one of the most demanding and daring team sporting events held every four years.

The 2008 edition has 11 ocean legs, seven inshore races and Cochin Port is the only destination chosen in India.

The race began in Alicante, Spain, on October 4 and will cover a total of 39,325 nautical miles over nine months and end in July 2009 at St. Petersburg, Russia.

Kerala

Kerala is one of the ten 'Paradises Found' by the National Geographic Traveler, for its diverse geography and overwhelming greenery. It is a land much acclaimed for the contemporary nature of its cultural ethos, and much appreciated for the soothing, rejuvenating paradise that it is.



Geographically, Kerala is a narrow fertile strip on the southwest coast of India, sandwiched between the Lakshadweep Sea and the Western Ghats. The Western Ghats with their dense forests and extensive ridges have sheltered Kerala from many mainland invaders and the long coastline has encouraged maritime contact with the outside world - a contact that has resulted in an interesting blend of cultures.



Kerala is a state on the Malabar Coast of southwestern India. To its east and northeast, Kerala borders Tamil Nadu and Karnataka respectively; to its west and south lie Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean with the islands of Lakshadweep and the Maldives, respectively. Kerala envelops Mahé, a coastal exclave of Pondicherry. Kerala is one of the four states in South India.



First settled in the 10th century BCE by speakers of P cxroto-South Dravidian, Kerala was influenced by the Mauryan Empire. Later, the Cheran kingdom and feudal Namboothiri Brahminical city-states became major powers in the region. Early contact with overseas lands culminated in struggles between colonial and native powers. Finally, the States Reorganisation Act of November 1, 1956 elevated Kerala to statehood. Social reforms enacted in the late 19th century by Cochin and Travancore were expanded upon by post-Independence governments, making Kerala among the Third World's longest-lived, healthiest, most gender-equitable, and most literate regions. However, Kerala's suicide, alcoholism and unemployment rates rank among India's highest.



The etymology of Kerala is widely disputed, and is a matter of conjecture. It may derive from Sanskrit keralam, means 'the land added on', with reference to its mythical and geographical origins. Another prevailing theory states that it is an imperfect Malayalam portmanteau that fuses kera ('coconut palm tree') and alam ('land' or 'location' or 'abode of' ).



Natives of Kerala—Keralites—thus refer to their land as Keralam. The most reliable theory is that the name is originated from the phrase chera alam (Land of the Chera). Kerala's tourism industry, among others, also use the phrase God's own country.