Backwaters of Kerala
One of the most memorable experiences for travelers in Kerala is a boat journey on the backwaters of Kerala. Kerala Backwaters are a chain of lagoons and lakes lying parallel to the Arabian Sea coast of Kerala state in southern India. The network includes five large lakes linked by a number of canals, both manmade and natural, fed by more than 38 rivers, and extending virtually half the length of Kerala state. The backwaters were formed by the action of waves and shore currents creating low barrier islands across the mouths of the many rivers flowing down from the Western Ghats range. This extraordinary maze of rivers, lakes, canals and estuaries is lined with dense tropical greenery, and reveals a Keralia lifestyle that is totally hidden from the road. Boats are the only way to explore this area, billed as Kaleidoscope Kerala, where views change around every bend; narrow tree covered canals open into dazzling vistas of paddy fields, and through the trees can be seen churches, mosques and temples, and small farms and villages which remain almost untouched by the modern world. Roads do cross this area but are almost entirely linked by manually operated ferries rather than bridges. Kingfishers, cormorants and fish eagles compete with fisherman in rowing boats for the dwindling fish population.