Kuttanad, the ‘Rice Bowl of Kerala’, is often visited for its overrated touristic activities, such as houseboat cruises, Punnamada lake tours, motorboat rides, and cultural village tours.
Since we go only for underrated and thrilling trips, we did our usual. Consulted Visit to Kerala and went for an adventurous sport. Kayaking Kuttanad!
Want to know more about our kayaking experience? Continue reading.
Kayaking in Kuttanad – An Overview
Kuttanad is also known as the ‘Netherlands of India’ for the below-sea-level rice farming. This place is lined with calm, narrow waterways, paddy fields, and quiet canals. The quiet canals are the kayaking routes. While kayaking, you can watch the raw beauty of Kuttanad’s village life. These routes are mostly untouched by houseboats, so you can paddle through slowly and relaxed.
Why Choose Kayaking Over Houseboats in Kuttanad?
Houseboats can only show you the village life and surroundings from a distance. Houseboat rides come with crowds and engine noise. Due to the size, you can’t explore the narrow and shallow waterways. Also, they are operated by professional drivers.
Kayaking has advantages that are directly opposite to these. The canoe-like boat, the kayak, glides on the water. This gives you a direct view of village life. Since you are the one paddling, you get to decide which hidden pocket you want to explore. Kayaks don’t need an engine, so the ride won’t be very noisy.
Where Do You Kayak in Kuttanad?
The typical points are Punnamada Lake, Palluruthy, Chennamkary, and Kainakary. These points have access to village canals that give a peaceful and close experience of the Kuttanad backwaters.
These mirror-like waters take you to village canals, paddy fields, and traditional irrigation channels.
How to Reach Kuttanad for Kayaking
By road, you can reach in 2 hours and 14 minutes (78.2 km). If you’re coming from outside Kerala or India via flights, and this is one of your holiday plans, then Cochin International Airport is your nearest airport. If you are choosing the train, then the nearest railway station is Alappuzha Railway Station (ALLP) and Changanassery Railway Station.
There are different time durations to reach Kuttanad backwaters, and the starting points for Kayaking from Alleppey:
- Kuttanad – 45 minutes
- Kainakary – 41 minutes
- Champakulam – 24 minutes
- Nedumudy – 19 minutes
- Pallathuruthy – 14 minutes
What the Kayaking Experience Feels Like
Kayaking is cruising over water on a kayak. Using a canoe-like boat and paddling with a double-bladed paddle makes it different from regular boating.
Kayaking in Kuttanad is a therapeutic water activity. You need only two things to enjoy kayaking: slow and steady paddling. We were a group of five friends who took five individual kayaks, and none of us knew the basics of kayaking. Along with our comical singing and paddling, we enjoyed the sights of authentic village life.
Sunset Kayaking in Kuttanad
4 pm to 6.30 pm is the best time slot for sunset kayaking Kuttanad. It is the sky’s golden glow during that hour that makes it appealing for kayaking.
Our time slot was 4-6, which was a good choice. We saw the colour transitions in the sky, its beautiful reflection on the water, and the sun taking its dip into the cotton-like clouds.
Another advantage is the cool weather. Compared to the morning slots, the weather in the early evening slots is much cooler.
Best Time to Go Kayaking in Kuttanad
November to March is a calm, tourist-friendly time. Early winter mornings give a mist-covered visual experience. During these months, the temperatures come around 20°C to 30°C.
As for the time of day, both morning and evening are ideal for kayaking.
5.30 am – 8.30 am is the morning trip timing. Fresh air, dreamy-like misty surroundings, and the first sunlight colours in the sky are nature’s visual displays. Along with that, you can experience Kuttanad’s village life. Only a few groups would go for this timing, so you might experience the beauty of the cool, fresh Kuttanad backwaters.
4:30 pm – 7:30 pm is the evening trip timing. Warm water and soft breeze are the weather conditions during this time. These could be rushing hours, as people usually prefer this slot for kayaking and houseboat trips.
Safety and Basic Guidelines
Life jackets, pre-activity briefings, beginner-friendly environment, guide support, instructions, and weather checks are the basic safety measures taken.
Combining Kayaking with a Houseboat Stay
Kayaking is not the only activity you could do in a day. You could include a houseboat trip or a stay on your 2-day trip to Alleppey. A houseboat is a relaxed and laid-back cruise, whereas kayaking is an activity that needs your physical input. Your paddling and your sightseeing go together there.
If you’re coming to Kuttanad for a leisurely vacation, a houseboat is the best choice. There are 5 bedroom houseboat in Alleppey that could work best for family and group vacations. Visit to Kerala offers affordable Alleppey houseboat day 1 packages for short trips.
If you are doing a solo trip, a couple trip, or looking for fun activities on a friend’s trip, just like us, then kayaking is perfect. Along with that, you should be someone who loves nature and physical activities.
Safety Guidelines & Travel Tips
Life jackets, pre-activity briefings, beginner-friendly environment, guide support, instructions, and weather checks are the basic safety measures taken.
The tips required in your checklist are:
- Comfortable clothes and footwear
- Essentials like water, snacks, medicines, and a charger
- Sunscreen, sunglasses, cap or hat
- Extra bags to avoid littering in public spaces
From our experience in Kuttanad, we understand that Kayaking Kuttanad is an underrated activity that needs attention. The word ‘kayaking’ will bring the extreme or white-water kayaking we usually see on social media. But kayaking in Kuttanad is a therapeutic water sport that gives you an eye-level view of Kuttanad’s daily life.
If you are coming to Alleppey for another occasion or a trip that goes beyond a day, you definitely have to check out kayaking!
