Things to do in Kumarakom
And where to stay, the best time to visit, what a day costs, and the traps to skip.
Best time to visit Kumarakom
• a note or something on ✦ an occasion worth the trip
Main season with the most pleasant weather, roughly 18 to 32 degrees, and the calmest lake for cruising.
Peak birding with migratory birds in the sanctuary, and peak resort and houseboat prices.
Hot season up to about 37 degrees: sightsee early and late, expect softer prices and strong sunsets.
Monsoon: heavy rain, greenest landscape, Ayurveda season and discounts, with possible cruise limits and local flooding.
What's on
- Onam August-September, dates vary
Kerala's biggest festival, with sadhya feasts, flower carpets and boat races across the backwaters.
- Kumarakom Boat Race for Sree Narayana Guru Jayanthi Festival period, dates vary
Snake boat racing on the waters at Kumarakom in the broader Onam festival period.
- Nehru Trophy Boat Race August, usually second Saturday
Held on Punnamada Lake at Alleppey, not in Kumarakom, and feasible as a day trip from Kumarakom.
- Vaikom Ashtami November-December
The great festival of Vaikom Mahadeva Temple, with night rituals, processions and large crowds at Vaikom.
Best things to do in Kumarakom
Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary
Small wooded sanctuary on Vembanad Lake, best at dawn in winter when migratory birds join herons and kingfishers.
Vembanad Lake
Kerala's largest lake and Kumarakom's front yard, made for sunrise and sunset cruises rather than swimming.
Bay Island Driftwood Museum
A small collector run museum of driftwood sculptures shaped by water, and Kumarakom's best rainy hour stop.
Pathiramanal Island
A boat only island in Vembanad Lake for paths, trees and birdlife, best reached early by private boat.
Thazhathangady Juma Masjid
An ancient wooden mosque in Kerala style on the Kottayam road, a working place of worship to visit respectfully.
Aymanam Village
The God of Small Things village of lanes, canals and paddy edges, best explored slowly on foot or by bicycle.
Coconut Lagoon Ayurveda Centre
Doctor led Ayurveda at Coconut Lagoon, from single massages to 7 and 14 day Panchakarma programmes.
Where to stay in Kumarakom
Kavanattinkara and Kumarakom North lake road
resort stays, birding and boat access
The main resort strip by the bird sanctuary and boat jetty, home to the flagship, heritage and state run resorts.
Illikkalam and Cheepunkal village lanes
budget, independent and canoe based stays
Quieter village lanes south of the resort strip with lakeside cottages, home style food and local boat operators.
Best restaurants in Kumarakom
Ettukettu Specialty Restaurant
The splurge resort restaurant in a grand Ettukettu building at Kumarakom Lake Resort, best for Kerala dishes.
Tharavadu Family Restaurant
Kumarakom's toddy shop institution for Karimeen Pollichathu, duck curry, kappa and fresh toddy on the main road.
Kilikkoodu Toddy Shop and Family Restaurant
A large toddy shop style family restaurant known for marinated fish fry, duck mappas, pork and appam.
Dubai Hotel & Restaurant Kumarakom
A small local restaurant for banana leaf meals and pearl spot fish at prices people who live here pay.
Outdoor things to do in Kumarakom
Kumarakom Houseboats
A private kettuvallam overnight on Vembanad Lake, priced per boat with crew and meals, anchored overnight.
Shikara Boat Ride
A small canopied motor boat hired by the hour that reaches narrow canals a houseboat cannot enter.
Canoe Kerala
Guided sunrise canoeing through narrow Cheepunkal canals at eye level with fishing, farming and coir making.
Aruvikkuzhi Waterfalls
A stepped waterfall in rubber plantation country, best during and just after monsoon rain, for a morning picnic stop.
Vaikom Mahadeva Temple
One of Kerala's oldest Shiva temples at Vaikom, a major excursion for its courtyard and Vaikom Ashtami festival.
Thanneermukkom Bund
The saltwater barrier across Vembanad Lake that explains Kuttanad farming below sea level in one drive across.
Best hotels in Kumarakom
Kumarakom Lake Resort
The flagship heritage villa resort on the lake, with a meandering pool, spa and the Ettukettu restaurant.
Coconut Lagoon
A heritage CGH Earth resort reached by boat, with canal cut grounds, a large pool and a serious Ayurveda centre.
Backwater Ripples
A full service mid range lakeside resort with pool and spa at about half to two thirds of flagship prices.
KTDC Waterscapes
State run cottages on stilts over sanctuary canals, the strongest mid range base for birders in Kumarakom.
Illikkalam Lakeside Cottages
Simple lakeside cottages with home style food and local boat prices, sharing the same lake as the big resorts.
Is Kumarakom expensive? What a day costs
| Budget | ₹4,500 a person |
|---|---|
| Classic | ₹11,000 a person |
| Splurge | ₹28,000 a person |
A day of food, drink, sights and getting around, before the room
What to book ahead
- Pathiramanal Island: a few days ahead
- Coconut Lagoon Ayurveda Centre: weeks ahead
- Kumarakom Houseboats: weeks ahead
- Canoe Kerala: a few days ahead
- Kumarakom Lake Resort: weeks ahead
- Coconut Lagoon: weeks ahead
- Backwater Ripples: a few days ahead
- KTDC Waterscapes: weeks ahead
- Book flagship resorts, KTDC Waterscapes and reputable houseboats weeks ahead for December to February.
- For houseboats get the exact boat, KIV number, boarding jetty, route, air conditioning hours and total price in writing.
- Book multi-day Ayurveda programmes, not just the room, especially for monsoon season stays.
Is Kumarakom safe?
- Use licensed boats, wear the life jacket provided and do not cruise in monsoon squalls.
- Use repellent and cover up at dawn and dusk, when mosquitoes are worst and birding is best.
- Emergency services in India are on 112 and full hospital services are in Kottayam.
Kumarakom travel tips: tourist traps to skip
- Houseboat photo catalogues are shared across operators, so the boat you see may not be the boat you board.
- Resort desk boat quotes can be several times the Kumarakom jetty price for the same shikara hours.
- Houseboat seafood extras are often charged by weight: agree the price first.
- Do not compare an Alleppey budget boat price with a Kumarakom premium boat price as if they were the same product.
Getting around Kumarakom: public transport and more
- Kumarakom has no station or airport: use Kottayam Railway Station about 16 km away, then 30 to 45 minutes by taxi, auto or bus.
- Cochin International Airport is roughly 74 to 85 km away, about 2 to 2.5 hours by pre-booked taxi.
- Kumarakom is spread along the lake road: use resort taxis, autos at Kavanattinkara and the jetty, bicycles and boats.
- The Muhamma to Kumarakom ferry is the slow local water link, but do not build a tight connection on it.
Who Kumarakom suits
| Solo travellers | Good |
|---|---|
| Groups of friends | Good |
| Couples | Great |
| Bachelor parties | Not ideal |
| Families | Good |
| Bachelorette parties | Not ideal |
Make Kumarakom your trip
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