JudyMartha
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| Mon Jun 25, 2007 3:15 pm The Serene Backwaters of Kerala |
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Most Kerala Tour packages include a houseboat cruise through the serene backwaters of Alappuzha. Kerala enjoys unique geographical features that have made it one of the most sought-after tourist destinations in Asia. Alappuzha is famous in the Kerala Tour package for its boat races, houseboats, coir products, fish and lakes. Alappuzha remains prominent o the tourist trial of Kerala as one of the major centers for backwater boat trips.
Alappuzha is also known as the ‘Venice of the East’ as it was here that traders from across the seven seas came in search of black gold and souvenirs. This was once the busiest coast south of Mumbai, and its canals and backwaters helped in the passage of cargo. The lighthouse and the pier helped the boats ferry across, facilitating trade in their own way. Today the 1000feet long pier at Alappuzha beach, built in 1862 by Captain Hugh Crawford is a mere skeleton of its past.
Alappuzha’s beauty is not merely in its backwaters, but in the man-made islands amidst the waters. Mud walls hedge these islands, a haven for migratory birds with paddy fields inundated with muddy water throughout the year. |
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