The village of Kumarakom is a cluster of little islands on the Vembanad Lake, and this small water world is part of the Kuttanad region. The bird sanctuary here, which is spread across 14 acres is a favorite haunt of migratory birds and an ornithologist's paradise. An enchanting backwater destination, Kumarakom offers visitors many other leisure options. Boating and fishing facilities are available at Kumarakom.   Holiday packages on the houseboats, traditional Kettuvalloms, are an out-of-this-world experience at Kumarakom.

An unbelievably beautiful paradise of mangrove forests, emerald green paddy fields and coconut groves interspersed with enchanting waterways and canals adorned with while lillies - this is Kumarakom Kumarakom, located on the Southern coast of India enjoys a well-balanced tropical climate. Nature has composed its magic to perfection here. A million verdant coconut palms lining the rivers lean to examine its reflections on the glassy rivers. Everywhere, nature is at its best. Blooming forth in perfumes of flowers. In the riot of colours of multi-hued birds. In the fresh, succulent and bountiful freshwater fishes The local spring season emerges from August and coincides with the harvest festival of Onam.  The lowest and highest temperatures recorded are 16.10 C and 37.80 C. There is always a cool, fresh breeze, which makes even the warmest weather readily agreeable. The South West monsoon is from early June to early August. However, slight drizzles persist till early November. Average rainfall is 1100 mm per year. The peak tourist season is from November to March ConnectionsBy Air - From the Trivandrum International Airport it is a 171 Km (approximately 3 hours ride by road) to the Muhamma boat jetty By Rail - From Bombay, Madras or Bangalore, you can take a train to Kerala. The best place to alight is either Cochin or Kottayam (the nearest railhead to the resort, just 16 Km away by road). Kottayam links you to all major cities in Kerala and India with numerous trains plying this route daily. From Cochin, you could also take a south bound train via the Alleppey route ( enjoy picturesque scenery as the route flanks the backwaters and the sea on its way). Alight at Chertala for a short 14 Km ride to Kumarakom By Boat -If you have arrived at Trivandrum International Airport, come to Quilon by road or rail (takes just about one hour). From there, you can take the regular ferry service to Alleppey - a long and delightful ride on Kerala's backwaters. From Alleppey, it's just a short ride to Kumarakom.If you have arrived at Cochin International Airport, perhaps you might prefer a ride through the backwaters to Alleppey. There are many boats services offered at Cochin.

Kerala is known for its panoramic backwater stretches, lush green paddy fields, highlands and beaches. A major backwater stretch lies in Kottayam district, where a network of rivers and canals empty into the great expanse of water called the Vembanad Lake. Located at Kumarakom 16 km from Kottayam town, the Vembanad Lake, an enchanting picnic spot and a fast developing backwater tourism destination, offers boating, fishing and sight seeing experiences that are truly exhilarating.

Kottayam located at a distance of 76 kilometers from Kochi in Kerala, south India, is one of the most riveting backwater destinations in the state. The place and its surroundings make for a beautiful tourist attraction with its vistas of green hills, mangrove forests and coconut groves interposed with waterways, offering excellent opportunities for Aqua Tourism.

One can enjoy the rural sights, the abundant marine life, boat cruises and angling tours with the services and privileges offered by the innumerable tour operators and travel agencies in Kerala. A pleasure trip to Vembanad Lake gives you an opportunity to explore the rich flora and fauna that is supported by this enchanting water world. You are free to go canoeing, dingy sailing, catamaran riding and much more. The Vembanad Lake happens to be an important Aqua Tourism destination that entices tourists to its luxury picnic spots by the dozen. With the nearby Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary that is home to exotic water birds, a boat cruise at this breathtaking tourist attraction will leave you speechless with wonder and excitement.

Kumarakom is a serenely beautiful and scenic backwater destination, a charming peninsula jutting into the ever-effervescent Vembanad Lake that is dotted with plenty of traditional rice boats and canoes, leaving a scene that is immensely pleasing to the eye.

When nature is all you need to recuperate, Kumarakom is undoubtedly one of the most invigorating and fascinating places to unwind in Kerala. The slender coconut palms standing here, there and everywhere, its never ending paddy fields, meandering lagoons and backwaters and mangroves with nestling birds of a hundred varieties will all serve to calm and inspire your mind.

Pristinely beautiful Kumarakom is a charming emerald peninsula jutting into the picturesque Vembanad Lake dotted with innumerable traditional country rafts, boats and canoes. The fresh water of the lake flows into the mainland making a labyrinth of lagoons, canals and waterways.

The backwater houses a variety of species of both flora and fauna. It’s rich in marine life especially the exclusive kumarakom karimeen or pearl spotted fish, konju or tiger prawns, njandu or crabs, chemmeen or prawns and many more. As and when the monsoon winds bring rain to the shores of Vembanad Lake, Kumarakom gets transformed into a rich fertile land. The streams and lagoons break their banks to nourish the shrubs that sprout from every available space. The place is renowned for its mangrove shores and the bird sanctuary.

Kumarakom is well-equipped with a range of luxury and budget resorts with unique leisure options like ayurveda massage, yoga, meditation, swimming, fishing and boating. The adventurous could indulge in water sports such as wind sailing and water skiing. You could even take a canoe out into the quiet lake, and armed with a fishing rod, catch your own supper. The local spring season emerges from August and coincides with the harvest ferstival of Onam when locals enjoy in festivities and tourism blooms.

Kumarakom slumbers on the banks of the famous Vembanad Lake. The Vembanad Lake with its majestic canals, streams and distributaries along its banks weave an intricate and enchantingly beautiful web. The gorgeous green of the fringed palms ripple in the blue waters and blend into wavelets. The whole atmosphere spells peace, bliss and tranquillity.

The entire state of Kerala is blessed with plenty of rivers and the resources of many are still untapped. The waterways of Kerala play a main role in the economy of the state, links remote villages and islands with the main land. The water ways provide a cheap and economical mode of transport. It is an incredibly different experience to cruise in the backwaters in country boats, absorbing the beauty of Kerala villages. The scenery flashes up vivid contrasts of breath-taking greens and deep blues. Boat rides, houseboat cruises and holiday packages are available for tourists at nominal rates. The serene lake comes alive during Onam with a spectacular water regatta-the snake boat races. It is indeed amazing to watch oarsmen, at least a hundred in one boat, slice their way through the waters to the rhythm of their own full throated singing.

Kumarakom on Lake Vembanad , with its unparalleled boating, fishing and sightseeing facilities, makes a picturesque holiday spot in the backwaters of Kerala. The Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary nearby which houses exotic birds and plants is a beautiful green spot and an orthithologist's paradise. Tourists can take a cruise along the lake to catch glimpses of the birds. It is an ideal spot to spend the summer with ducks, cuckoos, Siberian storks, egrets, darters, herons and teals and many more rare and migratory birds. The ideally located Kumarakom is a picture perfect village and an attractive tourist destination.

Bordered by the lofty Western Ghats on the east, the Vembanad Lake and the paddy fields of Kuttanad on the west, Kottayam is a land of unique characterestics.

Panaromic backwater stretches, lush paddy fields, highlands, extensive rubber plantations and the total literacy level achieved by the people have given this district the title: The land of letters, latex and lakes. A voyage towards the north of Alappuzha, about 10 Kms from Kottayam, will bring you to this rich green, sleepy little village of Kumarakom on the Vembanad Lake.

======================

Background Kumarakom is situated on the banks of the Vembanad Kayal (backwater), 10 km. west of the Kottayam District Head Quarters in Kerala. Located between 9o37’ N and 76o25’E, the Kumarakom panchayat is bounded by Kavanar and Aimanam panchayat in the north, Kottayam - Alappuzha Canal in the south, Thiruvarppu panchayat in East and Vembanad Kayal in the west. It has an area of 51.67 sq. km. of which 24.13 sq. km. is Vembanad Kayal, 15.04 sq. km. is land and 12.50 sq. km. is Paddy fields. Kumarakom has a bird sanctuary home to 91species of local and 50 species of migratory birds. Prof. K. K. Neelakandan, renowned ornithologist reported thousands of Night Herons, Darters and Cormorants breeding in the mangrove forests of Kumarakom in 1970s and early 80s. Kumarakom also has a number of mangrove species, of which three are reported only from Kumarakom. The mangrove forests are also the feeding and breeding grounds for numerous species of fish. Blessed with backwaters and pristine environs, Kumarakom is known for its Kayal, Kuil and Karimeen (Lake, Bird and Fish). Kumarakom, a backwater tourism hub is gaining strategic place in on the tourist map due to its natural charm and aesthetic beauty. Tourism development in Kumarakom started with the lease of KTDC land in the bird sanctuary area to Taj Kerala Resorts Limited in the 1989. Tourism has developed rapidly in the area hence Prime Minister A B Vajpayee’s visit in 2000 December and his popular ‘Musings from Kumarakom’ has created much hype among tourists in this otherwise calm village. Kumarakom panchayat at present has 8 big resorts contributing to 580 beds and creating direct employment opportunities for 740 people and indirect employment opportunities for 324 others. There are 7 small resorts and more than 20 lodges and home-stay facilities contributing to another 100 beds. The panchayat is earning 20 lakhs per year as tax from the industry and it claims that tourism industry’s revenue comes to around 30 crores per year in this small destination.1[1] The arrival of tourism industry was well received by the local people initially with the land value increasing many folds in the potential areas for tourism ventures. Local farmers offered their agricultural lands and paddy fields for tourism construction at exorbitant prices. Although the conversion of land reduced the agricultural yield and employment, the temporary employment opportunities in the construction sector and relatively higher wages earned, made the local workers happy. But all was not well in the years to come. Meagre employment gains The employment opportunity in the tourism sector was not favourable to the local community with 80% of the regular employees in big hotels appointed from outside Kumarakom. A study conducted by EQUATIONS in 2000, “Women’s participation in tourism development” revealed that most of the labourers lost their traditional occupations. Women and agricultural labourers displaced from the lands converted for tourism could not be compensated with alternative jobs. The contract labourers appointed by the tourism industry did not have job security and were terminated at any time without assigning any reason. Although these workers are eligible for minimum wages, they are paid at much lower rates. The clustering of the resorts on the banks of Vembanad Kayal denied access to local people involved in fishing and shell collection to the kayal. The increased number of speedboats, motor boats and house boats plying as part of the tourism development has resulted in the damage of fishing nets of the community bathe in the Vembanad kayal.  Tourist resorts have even gone to the extent of privatising and appropriation of kayal and use it to promote their business without due regard to the regulations placed by the panchayat. The natural banks of kayal, once covered with thick mangrove forests are now replaced by granite walls to get an uninterrupted vision of kayal from their property. The felling of mangrove forests has completely destroyed the breeding grounds of fish resulting in the diminishing of number in fish. The fish species – Half beak (Hemir amphus) that were abundant in the lake have now reduced substantially threatening the livelihood of fishermen dependent on this catch.  

1

Hotel Waterscapes of the Kerala Tourism Development Corporation (KTDC) is situated very near the bird sanctuary and mangrove forests. The two mangrove swamps on the northwest corner of the KTDC complex were the only breeding ground for Night Herons in Kerala in the 80s. The clearance of trees in the entrance area of the complex has ensured the vanishing of one third of bird population in the last decade. The attack on the mangroves by KTDC still continues as the mangroves at the bird sanctuary have been drastically cut in February 2004 for easy visibility of birds for tourists. The Taj Group had placed bright lights in the hotel to avoid birds coming to their property. The flocks of migrant ducks and teals that came in thousands to the lakes have disappeared with the tourists enjoying their flight by chasing them in speedboats. The bird census conducted in the area periodically has clearly shown the impact of tourism development on bird population. The survey conducted in 10 selected areas of Kumarakom featured 36,498 birds in 1993, 22,195 birds in 2001 and 13,274 birds in 2002.2[2] The waste from hotels including human excreta from houseboats are dumped into the lake. The total coliform count in the lake is much higher than the maximum prescribed value. The number of coliform in 100 ml of lake water is 1500 to the permissible limit of 500 maximum/100 ml for ecologically sensitive and contact water sports. The irony is that tourism has contributed nothing in improving the infrastructure development or the development of service and productive sectors in Kumarakom. A socio-economic survey conducted by EQUATIONS in 20003[3] among 139 households of the village, 62 responded that tourism has had no contribution in improving road/transport, 87 responded ‘NO’ to the availability of water, 90 responded ‘NO’ to the availability of electricity, 80 responded ‘NO’ to the availability of Sewerage & Drainage and 99 responded ‘NO’ to the availability of employment for the question – “Has tourism contributed in improving of the following?”.  The local groups and other civil society organisation raised concerns on the impacts of tourism through an innovative approach Kudumba Yogam (family meetings) with the discussions at the level on individuals in the community. The panchayat felt the increasing adverse effects of burgeoning tourism in their area and have decided to conduct periodic surveys and planned for a tourism development plan for Kumarakom in 1997.  GIS Mapping of Kumarakom was done in 2000. As part of this project, a detail database was prepared on the biophysical and socio economic status of the panchayat. In addition, information related to the existing tourism infra-structure in the panchayat, perception and attitude of the people working in the traditional sector and details on tourism industry are collected and compiled. Attitude towards the present trend of tourism development in the region and how far this has fostered development of the region was also analysed. Also, an enquiry was done among the tourism industry people to know their opinion towards the way the tourism development is taking place in the region. As an outcome of the study, a Status Report on Kumarakom and maps on administrative boundary, land use pattern, assets/infrastructure, house distribution, settlement cluster, water resource, tourism infrastructure, facilities in the bird sanctuary of Kumarakom panchayat were prepared in July 2002. The maps effectively presented the clustering of resorts along the banks of Vembanad Kayal.  Since the panchayat came across so many issues with the unplanned tourism development in the region, the panchayat felt the need for capping as well as regulating tourism development within the panchayat. A Technical Session on the Powers and Functions of the panchayat devolved as per the Kerala Panchayat Raj Act under the broad mandate of the 73rd Amendment of the Constitution that can be used for the proper regulation of tourism was conducted for the panchayat Members on 29th August 2002. Motivated by the knowledge on the Powers and Functions of the panchayat, the members came up with a People’s Charter and Draft Guidelines on Sustainable Tourism for Kumarakom. The People’s Charter and Draft Guidelines has demanded for the preparation of a Master Plan for tourism development within the panchayat and has put up regulations on new constructions tourism activities and utilisation of common resources. The Charter also insists the tourism industry to ensure direct and indirect employment opportunities for the local people and to contribute to the projects of priority for the well being of the community and conservation of the environment, in the backdrop of overall socio-economic development of the region. A thrust has been given to the concepts of social obligations of tourism industry and its corporate accountability. The Charter also demands the creation of an expert committee to look into the conceptualisation, planning, implementation and monitoring of tourism development within the Kumarakom panchayat. 

2

3

Developmental and conservation goals are the anchoring principles for the enforcement of Charter by all stakeholders concerned. On 23rd April 2003, the panchayat called for a meeting of the tourism industry and others concerned on tourism to initiate discussion on the People’s Charter and Draft Guidelines to make the process more democratic. The representatives of the tourism industry, who attended the meeting, generally have consented to the contents of the Charter.  To engage in tourism development with a monitoring role and set future broad development paradigm, the panchayat created a Functional Committee on Tourism as per Section 163 (1) of the Kerala Panchayat Raj Act, which allows the panchayat to form functional committees on different subjects. The Act also allows the panchayat to nominate expert members from different field who are interested in the public welfare. The Kumarakom Grama panchayat formulated the Functional Committee on Tourism in the subsequent meeting of the panchayat committee held on 22.04.2004. The Chairperson and Secretary of the Committee would be the President and Secretary of the Kumarakom Grama panchayat respectively. The other members of the Committee include all panchayat Members, Tourism Expert, District Town Planning Officer, Environmentalist, Economist, Local NGOs and representatives from the Tourism Industry. This committee would look into the implementation of Peoples Charter and community based tourism initiatives. The first meeting of the Functional Committee approved the Peoples Charter and had discussions on the preparations of Master Plan on land use for tourism purpose, the conservation of bird sanctuary, plastic waste disposal in Kayal by the tourists. The Committee also decided to function as a monitoring cell on tourism. The Functional Committee got dissolved with the new panchayat assuming office and the new committee is yet to be reconstituted. The most important development after that was the creation of a sustainable tourism forum outside the Functional Committee frame work to monitor and engage with issues on tourism development. This forum protested against the panchayat’s move to reclaim the backwaters for creating parking space for the tourist vehicles. The panchayat had to finally withdraw from its decision. The forum also took initiative to hold meetings with the Forest Department to declare the bird sanctuary area as a community conserve. The local panchayats have passed resolution on this and have sent the copies to the Forest Department for their consideration. There has been a notable change in the bird count in the Kumarakom region in the last two years. The surveys conducted in the 10 selected areas featured 24,326 birds in 2004 and 21,688 in 2003, compared to 13,274 birds in 2002. The forum could also mobilise the political parties by proactively raising the concerns on tourism with them. It is interesting to note that even the political parties and the grama panchayat have shown interests in taking up tourism issues after the formation of Functional Committee on Tourism. The Communist Party of India (Marxist) in its local conference in 2004 demanded for 30% reservation for jobs to the local people in tourism sector. The Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) was able to close down illegal massage parlours in the area. They also organised a human chain to create environmental awareness against various issues including the Vembanad lake encroachment and pollution, mechanical sand mining and filling of paddy fields. The grama panchayat issued stop memo to the resort group which violated the building rules norms and constructed a building few inches from the backwater There have been other developments on regulating tourism since. The Kerala Government has enacted the Kerala Tourism (Conservation and Preservation of Areas) Act, 2005 in February 2005. By the Act, the government can declare any area which have or likely to have the importance of tourism within the State as “Special Tourism Zone” (STZ) and form centralized committees that could decide on the tourism development within the STZ. Kumarakom has been already declared as a STZ and the act could be used as a tool to usurp the powers of panchayats and make the Functional Committees constituted as per the Kerala Panchayat Raj Act unfunctional. The grama panchayat has already voiced their concerns that the Act is violating the spirit of 73 rd and 74th Constitutional Amendment Act and declared that they would not allow the state government to strip their powers that easily. The fight for democratization of tourism continues here.