Whenever anyone thinks of backwaters, Kerala comes to their mind and rightly so because Kerala is home to country's gorgeous backwaters.
There are two places in Kerala for an awesome backwater experience : Kochi and Alleppey.
I started my journey from Kochi. From the Kochi airport, I took a bus to reach Fort Kochi. Fort Kochi is the best area to stay if you're visiting Kochi. Here you will find many tour operators offering various backwater tours.
I participated in the tour that was arranged by the hostel where I was staying. The tour costed me 850 INR and it included lunch as well as transportation to and fro from the hostel.
The tour started at 8 am. We reached the site where the tour starts at around 8:40 am. We were around 16 people so two boats were arranged. As soon as the tour started I was blown away by the beauty and calmness of the backwaters.
It was so peaceful. There were some amazing birds and there were small house and farms on both sides of the Canal. Sometimes our boat used to pass under a small bridge over the water.
Our first stop was at a private farm. Here our guide showed us the production of some spices and also told us about some trees. It was quite informative. The farm was really beautiful and calm. There were a few huts of the workers and farmers who worked there. It almost felt like traveling back to simpler times. And to top it all off, the farm also had a great view of the backwaters as well.
After exploring the farm, we headed off to the place where lunch was supposed to be served. This time the journey was through some really dense trees. I also noticed that there were a few more houses and people on this side.
We reached the site for lunch at around 1 pm. Authentic Kerala was food was served and it was delicious.
After the lunch we chilled for sometime and enjoyed the view of the backwaters. On our return journey the boats were more comfortable. They had proper chairs and a roof as well.
I was feeling really tired so I decided to listen to some music. Eventually I fell asleep. It was one of the best sleeps I ever had. After the tour ended we reached the same spot where the tour started. I reached back to my hostel at around 5 pm.
The next day I traveled to Alleppey. Alleppey is also called as "the Venice of India". I took the morning train from Ernakulam station to Alleppey. I reached Alleppey at around 10 am. Here also you will find many tour operators offering various backwater tours. Along with the backwaters, Alleppey is also famous for houseboats. You can rent a houseboat and spend a night in it. As I was alone I wasn't able to afford a houseboat. So I opted for the day tour through backwaters. This time as well I booked the tour through my hostel. It costed 1,000 INR and it included breakfast, lunch and transportation. The tour was next day so on first day I just chilled at the beach.
The next day tour started at around 8:40 am. We reached the site by 9 am. First we were taken to the breakfast site through a public boat taxi. I saw local people traveling to their work though these taxis. So I thought that this tour isn't going to be as calm as the one in Kochi. We reached the breakfast site at around 9:30 am. They served us idlis along with sambar.
After the breakfast, the tour started. Unlike the previous tour there weren't any stops here. I also noticed there were a few shops. I also noticed many more boats and also houseboats.
Although the tour followed the same pattern as that in Kochi, the views and the vibes were very different. Here instead of small houses and huts, there were proper houses and people used the boats and boat taxis to travel more often.
Coincidentally the lunch had the same menu. After the lunch we were even offered tea and snacks. The tour ended at around 4:30 pm.
Although both the tours were similar, I would recommend both doing both of them. Sure it feels same when I write about them but you will know the difference once you try both.