About

Vembanad Lake situated in the southwest coast of India, in the state of kerala. Vembanad lake also called Vembanad Kayal or Vembanad Kol. (it is known as Punnamada Lake in Kuttanad, Kochi Lake in Kochi.) is the longest lake in India, and the largest lake in the state of Kerala. It is also counted as one of the largest lakes in India. Spanning several districts in the state of Kerala, The lake, an enchanting picnic spot, and a fast developing backwater tourism destination provide boating, fishing and sightseeing experiences that are truly exhilarating.  It is part of an extensive wetland system with the largest source of surface water. A number of rivers flow into the lake making it deep and vast. The lake is divided into 2 halves by a saltwater barrier and you can see the difference between the brackish and fresh water. It was constructed to prevent intrusion of seawater. Just cruising along the lake can make your trip worthwhile, as you can see parts of 3 districts which surround the lake. The famous Kumarakom tourist village is on the eastern coast of the lake, the bird sanctuary can also be seen nearby. If you want to spend a couple of days, hire the services of a houseboat and spend a day each on the 3 islands in the lake where you can dine and stay the night. Pathiramanal, a dreamer’s paradise is one such. The serene lake comes alive during Onam with a spectacular water regatta - the snake boat races. It is indeed amazing to watch oarsmen, at least a hundred in one boat, slice their way through the waters to the fast rhythm of their own full-throated singing. The Nehru Trophy Boat Race is conducted in a portion of the lake. High levels of pollution have been noticed at certain hotspots of the Vembanad backwaters. Government of India has identified the Vembanad wetland under National Wetlands Conservation Programme. The Vembanad wetland system covers an area of over 2033.02 km²  thereby making it the largest wetland system in India. 

Tips

•  The migratory birds arrive at the lake from November to Feb, so it's the best time to visit.
• You don’t really need guides for visiting the lake. The boatmen here can also tell you a lot about the lake
  

Timings