Kerala Backwaters, India

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They call Kerala 'God's own country' and it is truly a blessed land. It not only boasts tropical forests, beautiful backwaters, successful fishing and tourist industries, but also one of the most literate and prosperous populations in India. The backwaters in Kerala are a series of interconnected waterways, rivers, lakes and inlets along the coast. These areas are of such impressive beauty that they cannot be compared to anywhere else in the world. The backwaters are sometimes called 'The Venice of the East' as people live and work on the banks of the waterways and get around by boat. Backwater cruises on houseboats are possibly one of the most luxurious activities tourists can indulge in while in India. These are conducted on board spectacular 'Kettuvalam' boats which were traditionally used for transporting rice. The boats have been converted in recent years to accommodate tourists and now vary in size and design depending on the extent of luxury required. Most of the houseboats have en suite bedrooms with air conditioning or electric fans, a comfortable deck and a kitchen. The boats naturally come with two or three staff to navigate and prepare fresh food for the guests whilst on board.

Our houseboat was called 'Goodwill II' and was made entirely of bamboo and coconut rope. There were two en suite bedrooms which contained the best showers we had so far seen on our journey through India. A big bowl of plump mangoes and bananas served as the centre piece on the table on deck. We had brought along a stock of reading material, but found we could not keep our eyes off the scenery as we floated along. There are no words to describe the lush green colours and the sound of the nature. It is truly mesmerising. We were awoken from our daydreaming by one of the friendly staff who proceeded to serve us lunch; Keralalite rice, a vegetable soup called 'Samba', mixed vegetables with coconut, cabbage with coconut, poppadoms and fresh 'Pearl Spot' fish (Keralalite rice is the fattest rice ever and it accompanies almost every dish.) The food in Kerala is fantastic and the meals on board a houseboat are usually exquisite. The staff use fresh ingredients for all dishes and the smell of coconut and spices is in the air throughout the cruise.

As we cruised along the backwaters we sat on deck and watched the world revolving around us on land. The Keralalites that live on the backwaters have houses just a couple of metres away from the water's edge and it is fascinating to watch their lives going on as you float past. As ever in India, the women are a bustle of activity, all day long you can hear the ritual slapping of wet clothing on stone as the women wash their family's clothes. Each house has its own opening onto the water with two steps into it, allowing easy access. The families have their daily wash in the water and the women wash the clothes with wedges of soap, wringing the clothes and then slapping them down hard on a smooth rock to remove any stains. Pots and pans are cleaned with fresh ash (which removes all grease) and then rinsed in the water. Children, if not at school, linger around with their mothers or aunts or grandmothers playing with their friends and waving frantically at the tourists on the boats. The backwaters can get quite busy with houseboats but they still seem something of an excitement to the locals who have not yet grown oblivious to the tourists. They seem unfazed by foreigners' desires to see the beautiful place they live in.

One of our staff offered to take us for a walk and show us his village. We docked next to a prawn farm, and went to have a look around. It was one of the most tranquil and peaceful places I have ever been to. We picked up his four year old nephew on the way and then walked through his village down the palm tree path to the church. The church had been built in honour of a priest who was born in the village. He is now honoured almost as a saint. The Keralalite backwaters are full of churches, mostly large but simple buildings with huge crosses or images on and it is beautiful when you sometimes hear the church bells pealing calling everyone to mass and you see the families all perfectly turned out ready for worship. Most of the locals work as fishermen, farmers or on the houseboats, and theirs seems to be a peaceful and happy existence. If desired you can arrange to go and visit a coconut farm and see how the coconut is used to make rope. We had dinner on board our boat and then relaxed on deck watching the stars before being lulled to sleep by the gentle rocking of the boat.

In the morning we sipped our tea while watching a little girl who had introduced herself the previous evening as Sonia prepare for school in her riverside home. She had her morning bath in the river and slowly got ready for school, putting on her uniform and plaiting her hair, all on the water's edge stealing us a cheeky grin every now and then. When she was ready she waited outside her house with her mother until a fascinating 'school boat' arrived to take her to school. The name of the school was on the front of the boat and other little girls in uniform were already on board. We waved goodbye to Sonia as she went on her way while we tucked into our breakfast. Breakfast was couscous with banana, the best and most orange mangoes ever, pineapple slices, toast and omelettes. As we finished off our morning feast the houseboat started on its way back through the lakes and rivers. Our luxury cruise had come to an end, but something told me I would be back!

Some of the best destinations for backwater cruises in Kerala are between the Kerala backwater destinations of Cochin now called Kochi, Alappuzha, Kasargod, Kollam, Kottayam, Kozhikode, Kumarakom, Kuttanad, Thiruvallam and Thiruvananathapuram.

There are many different companies who organise houseboat cruises and all the houseboats are different. Make sure you know what you are getting before you pay. A night on board a houseboat with all food included varies in price depending on the time of the year, but expect to pay the same amount you would pay for a night in a five star hotel.

The best time to go is probably from November to February. If you are staying in Kerala you will probably find your hotel has an agreement with one of the houseboat companies and that they will be able to organise everything, including transport to the backwaters.

Also available are the cheaper half day cruises including lunch and a stop at a coconut farm, or Canoe boat cruises through the narrower waterways which provide a different perspective of the most magical area.

Cochin is a great place to stay. It is a delightful town seeped in colonial history and full of quality hotels and restaurants. Check out the many roof top restaurants serving fresh fish or the quaint coffee shops and bookshops in Fort Cochin. It takes a couple of hours by car from Cochin to the backwaters.
Cochin has a modern international airport with good connections to Delhi and Mumbai