Kasargod Backwaters

The geographic affluence of Kasargod Backwaters justifies the expression, "God's own country". The very mention of Kasargod conjures up images of azure backwaters dotted with islands, coconut pal groves, dense foliage, luxurious houseboats, and lazily drifting rice barges.

Kasargod is on the Kozhikode-Mangalore-Mumbai railway route, 46 km from Valiyaparamba. There are day cruises on motorboats for the busy traveler although the ideal way to experience the slow pace of life in Kerala is aboard the 'Kettuvallam' [houseboat]. Visitors to the region maintain that cruising the length of the backwaters in a houseboat is an idyllic window from which to observe a different world.

A cruise down Chandragiri River and at Valiyaparamba are memorable experiences. Chandragiri is renowned for the seventeenth century fort erected by Sivappa Nayak of Bednore, who later built a chain of forts. Chandragiri Fort offers a magnificent view of the river and the Arabian Sea, and is a vantage point to gaze at the sunset. Tourist attractions include a daily sound and light show, which recounts the saga of the Vijayanagar Empire.

Valiyaparamba is fed by four rivers and speckled with a small island. It is a popular backwater resort that offers enchanting cruises. Although Valiyaparamba is a tourist trail, there is a dearth of locals. Except for the people accompanying the visitor, there is nobody around. The shoreline is virtually uninhabited, except for a few local birds or an exploratory boating party stopping off for fishing or an escorted trek. At most, visitors might come across thatched huts erected by a pastoral community, beneath coconut and palm trees bristling with dense foliage. Or the rare cottage with coconut husks piled frugally to one side.

The slice of aquatic paradise sweetens the deal for swimmers. The few visitors who have experienced the depths of Kasargod Backwaters have been known to get poetic about the color and clarity of the tranquil waters and lazing around in shallow depressions eroded along the shoreline.

Kasargod and its surrounding villages are renowned for their paddy fields and coir processing industry. Here, one can see coconut husks being flattened into fiber, to facilitate the production of attractive doormats and other coir products.

Kasargod Backwaters offers sparse lodging facilities. To camp, tourists will require official permission, best secured by a local guide. And, should they desire something other than absolute tropical paradise, fishing, trekking through the lush foliage, bird watching, and getting acquainted with locals, will provide perspective.

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