Vembanad Lake - വേമ്പനാട് ലാകെ

Co-ordinates 9.583333, 76.416667 Nearby Cities Vembanad Lake,Kochi Location Vembanad Lake State Kerala Wikipedia Links http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vembanattu http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vembanad_Lake Other Langauge Names Hindi: वेमबानाद झील Malayalam: വേമ്പനാട് ലാകെ

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Kumarakom is part of Kerala's rice bowl, the Kuttanad region and is ideal for backwater cruises A beautiful backwater spot within hailing distance of Kumarakom is the 14-acre bird sanctuary on the eastern banks of the Vembanad Lake. The sanctuary named after the village is a favorite haunt of migratory birds. There are egrets, darters, herons, teals, waterfowls, cuckoos, wild ducks and Siberian storks. The best way to watch the birds in the Kumarakom sanctuary is a boat trip round the islands.

A boat ride into the countryside can offer a close look at the life in the villages. There are fishermen in their small boats looking for fish while the women, neck-deep in water, search for the shy but tasty Karimeen fish with their feet Or you could stay awake at night when fishermen glide over the dark waters with a flaming torch in their left hand and a net in their right. The fish, attracted by the light, are scooped up in the net.

One of Asia's largest freshwater lakes, the Vembanad Kayal, as it is locally known, is a giant reservoir and a major ecological resource. The dense vegetation on its banks is a wonderful sight. The boats that ply on the lake vary from the large cargo carriers with mat-roofs to the houseboats.