Kumarakom on Vembanad Lake

Kumarakom lies on the shores of Vembanad Lake and is a cluster of small islands. Vembanad Lake is Kerala’s largest freshwater lake. The lakeshore and island group give the place a clear geographical profile; birdlife, boating, and history reveal other facets of the destination. To help orient your trip, it is worth considering these nature and culture themes as distinct reasons for choosing Kumarakom.

Lake, islands, and boating

Boating facilities are available in Kumarakom. Check locally before planning your trip to find out which options are currently available. Across the wider destination of Kottayam, numerous rivers and canals drain into Vembanad Lake, which is emerging as a destination for backwater tourism. Houseboats and motorboats can be hired in Kottayam for birdwatching trips on the lake.

Backwater tourism in the wider Kottayam destination includes traditional Kettuvallam cargo boats, which have been converted into cruise boats and houseboats. These boats have a kitchen, toilets, bathrooms, and seating areas. Choosing a hotel in Kumarakom and planning a boat outing in Kottayam remain two separate decisions.

Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary

Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary is also known as Vembanad Bird Sanctuary and is considered India’s first scientifically established and maintained bird sanctuary. Its origins date back to 1847, when Alfred George Baker began reclaiming wetlands near Vembanad Lake. The area was previously known as Bakers’ Estate. At this destination, today’s geographical orientation around the lake meets the landscape’s documented history.

In the wider Kottayam destination, the sanctuary covers 14 acres on the shores of Vembanad Lake. It is home to 91 native bird species and 50 migratory species. The area and species figures complement the historical context with an overview of the sanctuary’s size and birdlife.

Culture and local history

There are around eleven historically significant temples in and around Kumarakom. This approximate number refers to the town and its surroundings, not Kumarakom alone. The village’s history also includes the story of Jacobites from Kumarakom who visited churches in Kottayam in the early decades of the 19th century and wanted to build a church in their own village.

Another attraction is located right in the village: Bay Island Driftwood Museum is in Kumarakom, in Kottayam district. It displays a unique collection of driftwood objects of high artistic value, as well as root sculptures in a variety of forms and designs. The island and lake landscape, the bird sanctuary, and a specific art collection thus stand alongside one another as different aspects of the place.

When searching for hotels in Kumarakom, these distinctions can help guide your choice of destination: Depending on your interests, you may focus on the location on Vembanad Lake, the Bird Sanctuary, boating, or local history. As you plan your trip, you can distinguish Kumarakom’s local highlights from additional offerings and attractions in the wider destination of Kottayam.

Discover more destinations: Ettumanoor, Anthiyalam, Arpookara, Vaikom, Puthuppally, Muppaikad, Manimala, Pala

See the overview of the wider destination: Kottayam.