Sundown on the Backwaters Could anything be more peaceful? Tourist boats bask in the late afternoon sun on Vembanad Lake and the Kavan River in Kerala, South India.
The heat; the soft chug of the motor; the sun glinting in the hazy sky and off the water; it was one of those iconic ‘Pinch me!’ moments.
I was finally on the backwaters of Kerala in south-western India.
The backwaters are a network of more than 900 km (560 mi) of waterways, stretching north-south on the Malabar Coast, between the Arabian Sea and the Western Ghats. Comprising five large lakes and several brackish lagoons linked by canals – both man made and natural – this interconnected network of waters is fed by 38 rivers whose names depend on the map you are reading. The freshwater from these rivers meets the saltwater from the Arabian Sea, making for a unique and rich ecosystem.
I had travelled down the mountains from the Cardamom Hills in the Western Ghats (see: In India’s Spice Garden) to the small hamlet of Kavanattinkara in Kottayam district with a small group. From there, a boat transported us the short distance up Vembanad Lake to our CGH Earth Coconut Lagoon resort.
This beautiful boutique resort is conscious of the local heritage: the cottages set amongst the luxuriant coconut groves were built from the remnants of relocated and reassembled old mansions – tharavads – that were once the family homes of local nobility.
The resort – which is located between the lake and a river (sometimes identified as the Kavan River) – is also environmentally aware. The lush lands around Vembanad Lake are included in a list of wetlands of international importance, and are a sanctuary for a huge variety of bird life. CoconutLagoon is doing its best to protect the surrounding natural environment through a variety of measures.
We arrived at the resort early enough to enjoy an afternoon cruise on the waters of the lake and river before our magnificent South-Indian dinner and bedding down in rooms fit for royalty.
Come for a magical boat trip:
View from the Bus : In the Western Ghats We were in our bus early, and the mists were still in the trees as we drove west from Idukki and down out of the mountains. (iPhone12Pro)
Picking Tea I was thrilled to spot my first tea-pickers! The bus stopped briefly to allow us a quick look, but the women were a long way up the terraced hill.
Palm Trees from the Bus The Western Ghats are lush and fertile, with a huge range of plants growing. (iPhone12Pro)
Rubber Plantation We made another quick stop for the benefit of those who had never seen rubber trees.
Dockside in Kumarakom We spent the middle of our day in transit, at lunch, and visiting our guide’s home, before finally swapping our bus for a river-transport in Kumarakom Village on Vembanad Lake.
Rippled Waters It was wonderful watching the the life on the shore …
A Boat on the Backwaters … as we chugged up the lake.
Shikaras on the Backwaters The backwaters are known for their houseboats – which we would be boarding the next day – but shikaras: covered, open-sided wooden boats like those found on Dal Lake in Kashmir, are also common.
Welcome When we landed at Coconut Lagoon – which is only accessible by water – we were greeted with scented bindi paste and flowers.
Backwater Boat Late afternoon we had the opportunity for a shikara ride through the water hyacinth (Pontederia crassipes) and the water lilies (Nymphaeaceae) on the backwaters.
Golden Hour on the Kavan River When we looked towards the lowering sun, the light changed and silhouetted the other boats on the water. (iPhone12Pro)
Lilies on the River The water lilies (Nymphaeaceae) have closed for the day.
Tourist Boats The water is almost choked with water hyacinth (Pontederia crassipes), a free-floating perennial originally from South America. One of the fastest-growing plants known, it is now found on every continent except Antarctica. (iPhone12Pro)
Twilight Facing into the late afternoon sun casts a golden glow on the waters. (iPhone12Pro)
Backwater Houseboats Kerala houseboats come in different shapes and sizes, …
Large Houseboat … but they are closed in, with bedrooms, ensuites, a kitchen, and communal living spaces.
Chasing Sunset The tourist shikaras and houseboats are all out on the lake to watch the sun drop in the afternoon sky.
Sundown The colours of the afternoon changed dramatically, depending on which way we looked.
Watching Sunset
Red Sun – Black Bird There is a beautiful calm on the water, as the sun turns red …
Birds on the Wing … and birds swoop and circle overhead.
A Kerala Dance Back on land after dark, we were treated to some traditional Kerala dances, … (iPhone12Pro)
Musicians in the Dining Room … and a lot of food and music. (iPhone12Pro)
As far as introductions to the backwaters of Kerala go, it couldn’t have been more perfect! I went to sleep peacefully – full and happy – among the coconut groves.
Island in the Inlet They call it the Butze Rapids Trail, but the water in Morse Basin was glassy calm when I walked around Butze Point, just outside Prince Rupert in Canada’s western province of British Columbia (BC).
There are few things I find more restorative than a walk in green woods with a waterway nearby. And, there are no shortage of walks through the lush, wet, woods in British Columbia (BC) in the Canadian West!
On this particular late-spring day, I was staying in Prince Rupert, a small port city on BC’s northwest coast. I had arrived there by BC Ferry, via their 16 hour service up the deep and sheltered waterways of the Inside Passage from Port Hardy (see: Up Canada’s Inside Passage). After catching up on sleep – we had arrived into Prince Rupert very late at night – and carrying out domestic tasks around town, like laundry and groceries, I was ready for some recreational walking.
I was spoiled for choice: Prince Rupert is nicknamed the Rainforest City. As Canada’s wettest municipality, it is surrounded by plenty of wet woods, criss-crossed with trails.
The Butze Rapids Trail is an easy 5.1 km (3.17 m) circuit around Butze Point. There are plenty of signs to help you identify the various plants along the way, but I can no longer remember which of the conifers are western red cedars (Thuja plicata), and which are yellow cedars (Callitropsis nootkatensis). Both cedars are found here; both were of great importance to the original inhabitants in this region, and both are still commercially valuable. Sitka spruce (Picoa sitchensis), Pacific silver fir (Abies amabilis), and shore pine (Pinus contorta var. contorta) all thrive here as well – and all seemed to be draped in mosses and lichens in every shade of green.
The walk is close to water on three sides. One reviewer (see: Visit Prince Rupert) recommends checking the tide tables to take advantage of the rapids – but my time was limited, so I took what came!
Join me:
Greens The walking track itself is beautifully maintained. The surrounds at the start of the track, however, are a bit haphazard and scruffy. The range of greens in the landscape – from blue through yellow and brown – can play havoc with the camera’s white balance.
Western Skunk Cabbage – Lysichiton Americanus The ground either side of the path is lush and green. At one point I passed a patch of skunk cabbage. Fortunately, these are not in bloom, and the leaves don’t emit as much skunky odour as the flowers do.
Nature’s Artworks The sculptural forms that the tree trunks make never cease to amaze me.
Wolf Notice This gave me pause! As much as I love to see wild creatures, I’m not sure how I would cope with a wolf (or bear) if I met one. (iPhone12Pro)
Mossy Stumps More sculptural forms adorn the path.
A Chip-Covered Path This is typical temperate rainforest, with layers of lush foliage at ground level, and tall trees rising to the sun. The ground is soft and silent underfoot.
Old Man’s Beard – Usnea Longissima This slow-growing lichen prefers environments with low levels of air pollution. It hangs on the branches of conifer trees …
Mossy Trunk … and – along with other lichens and mosses – adorns their trunks.
Tangled Roots and Branches Sections of the forest are a gnarling, twisting mass of roots and branches, …
Layers of Woods … while in other parts, the trunks rise straight and tall as the trees reach for sunlight.
A Curve in the Path The forest opens up, giving views over young growth either side of the path, and through to the snow-covered mountains in the distance.
Colourful Pine Needles We might call them evergreens, but shore pines (Pinus contorta) lose some of their old needles in early summer. The tree reclaims the nutrition in the chlorophyll before casting the needles off – causing the needles to change colour before they drop.
Male Pine Cones Shore pines have typical woody female cones with seeds in them; these are the short-lived, pollen-bearing male cones, with their elongated “candles.”
“Butze Rapids” It was close enough to slack tide, so it wasn’t very dramatic when I reached the point where the reversing tides through Fern Passage around Kaien Island cause regular rapids.
Mossy Fingers The shapes of the fallen trees, and the richness of their moist, mossy coverings, keep catching my eye.
Morse Basin Waterways that may look like rivers and lakes are often inlets off the Pacific. This landscape is ruggedly punctuated by deep indentations – one of the reasons that First Nations peoples traditionally relied on their canoes. Even today, ferries and barges are an essential part of everyday transport.
Tidal Coast Terminals In these working waterways, businesses dot the shoreline.
Aging Stumps Back in the shadowy-cool of the forest, more uniquely shaped stumps play host to moss, lichens, and new growth.
Seaweed These are salinated, ocean waters, so seaweeds and sea creatures abound in the rockpools that line the shore.
New Growth – Old Stump In the damp shadows, mosses and new plants find nourishment in rotting wood.
Patterned Tree Trunk
Through the Branches The path skirts back close to Morse Inlet, and I can see the water through the trees.
Cairns on the Shore
A Stump through the Trees I think faeries might live here in these old cedar hollows.
Mosses and Plants on a Tree Trunk There’s a magical miniature landscape all around me, and it’s a joy to walk through.
These BC woods are a joy – and I always feel better after a short walk through them!
Orthodox Dome It’s no surprise that the Cyclades are at risk of being ‘loved to death’ – they truly are a paradise! The sky was cloudless the whole time I was there, and I lost count of the classic blue and white churches on the landscape.
It was one of those ‘pinch-me’ moments.
I was finally getting to visit those magical Greek islands that we all know from photographs: islands with endless blue skies and dusty green olive groves; towns with winding cobbled streets and the buildings all whitewashed with blue trim; a landscape with small blue-domed Orthodox churches everywhere you look.
One of the great joys of writing this blog is that I get to re-live these special moments many times over: when I travel and take the pictures, when I later review and edit the photos, and when I finally shape them into a collection and story.
This set, from the tiny little town of Parikia, in the Greek Cyclades, has been a great pleasure to revisit.
Although small – only 4500 people – Parikia is the administrative capital of Paros – and the island’s biggest population centre. It is the busiest settlement on the island, but has retained its traditional flavour and typical Cycladic architecture, with narrow cobbled walkways between whitewashed buildings, all decorated with bright blue trim and colourful plants.
I was travelling with a small group and a guide from Intrepid; we had landed back in Athens the day before (see: Postcards from Athens) and had a week of island-hopping ahead of us.
Join me on our first stop:
Athens Port at Piraeus It was an early start: it was well before 7am, and we were checked out of our Athens hotel and ready to board for our three and a half hour ferry crossing to Paros.
Wind Farm on Agios Georgios On the way to Paros in the Cyclades, we pass Agios Georgios, the largest uninhabited island in the Saronic Islands.
Arriving on Paros I can barely contain myself! I’ve been waiting all my life for this, and it looks perfect!!
Ready for Island Time Our resort on Krios Beach just outside of Parikia is truly magnificent. (iPhone12Pro)
Welcome to Paros! How perfect is this! Cocktails and a view over the harbour. (iPhone12Pro)
A Modern Aphrodite Late afternoon, our little group gathered together for a walking tour of Parikia. This beautiful sculpture – about which I could find no information – was the first thing that caught my eye.
Cobbled Street Parikia is a charming town, with the narrow cobbled laneways …
Blue Door and Shutters … and the blue and white houses typical of settlements in the Cyclades.
White Walls – Blue Doors Every winding laneway; every lopsided, asymmetrical building, is a treat!
Rectangular Tower on the Frankish Castle Built in 1260 CE by the Venetian Duke of Naxos, this castle used building materials recovered from ancient buildings that were scattered around the city.
Pigeon in the Tower We didn’t stop long, and the narrow streets surrounding what remains of the old castle meant I didn’t get a good perspective on it. So, I focussed my attention on the well-worn stones and the roosting birds.
Sweeping For the locals, of course, it is just another day, …
Saint Constantine Panoramic Church … but for me, every corner is a new delight!
Flag on the Church Built in the 1600s, this Cycladic-style church is dedicated to Agios Konstantinos – Saint Constantine. One of the most important religious buildings on the island, it is also architecturally significant, incorporating elements of the earlier Byzantine and Ancient Greek structures that once stood here.
Tiled Cross Saint Constantine is a beautiful little church. Sitting at the town’s highest point, it has views down the hill and over the Bay of Parikia.
Blue, White, and Bougainvillea Could it be more perfect? I can’t stop smiling.
Still Life Found : Bicycle
Local Beauty I don’t know how I managed to make this fuzzy! But, she was so lovely, I had to include her anyway.
Bougainvillea and Shadows Light dances off the white walls, …
Marble Stairs … and the narrow stairs and laneways …
Grape Leaves … lead off in all directions.
Panagia Ekatondapiliani The last stop on our walking tour of Parikia was the Monastery and Church of Panagia Ekatontapiliani, considered to be one of the best-preserved Paleo-Christian monuments in Greece. Founded in the early 4th century CE and added to in the 6th century, the complex goes by many names. Panagiais a favourite Greek title of Mary Mother of God. Ekatontapiliani is commonly translated as the “Church with a Hundred Doors”. According to legend, the church was built with 99 visible doors, and one secret door which will open when the Orthodox church reclaims the Hagia Sofia in Constantinople.
Holy Shrine of the Virgin Mary Ekatontapyliani The interior is dark, and ornately beautiful. According to one story, Saint Helene built the church to give thanks to the Virgin Mary for a successful trip to the Holy Land. The alternate version is that Helene’s son, Constantine the Great, built it on her behalf after her death.
I couldn’t believe my good fortune: I had waited so long to get here, and so far, the Greek islands were living up to the hype.
Parikia was everything I could hope for in a Cycladic town – and we still had the rest of the island to explore!
Walkers on the Pambula River White sands, blue skies and sapphire waters – it really is hard to beat the Far South Coast of New South Wales, Australia, for beautiful places to explore!
Not thirty minutes north – or south – of my home, I can be in Beowa National Park.
This 8,900 ha (22,000 acres) park was established in 1971, and consists of two coastal sections running north-south alongside the South Pacific Ocean, on either side of Twofold Bay and the town of Eden. It was originally called Ben Boyd National Park, for a sometimes-resident Scots entrepreneur Benjamin Boyd (1801-1851). His complicated history included blackbirding cheap labour. After extensive community consultation, in 2022 the park was renamed Beowa, which means ‘orca’ or ‘killer whale’ in local Thaua language.
It is a park I have visited often (eg: Haycock Point; Short Walks; The Pinnacles), but usually only when someone else suggests it, or I have the excuse of out-of town visitors.
The walk pictured here was organised by my local branch of the National Parks Association of NSW. We found parking near Pambula Beach, and followed the beach and rocks around the corner to the mouth of Pambula River and up into magnificent coastal bushland.
Join us:
Coastal Waters It’s a beautiful summer day on the Sapphire Coast. Our walk starts near the south end of Pambula Beach.
Pambula Beach It’s a steep climb up to the trail – as you can see from the view back down over the beach behind us. That is probably what give the otherwise-easy walk its Grade 4 listing.
Coastal Cliffs We are looking out over Merimbula Bay and the South Pacific Ocean; next stop: New Zealand.
Crashing Waves I love watching the waves on the rocky outcrops.
Paddle Board This is where the river meets the sea, and rip currents are not uncommon here. Haycock Point – on the other side from us – protects the estuarine river mouth from weather coming up from the south.
Memorial Bench This is a community park: we haven’t yet reached the actual National Park boundary. Whale watching – and just water-watching – is popular here.
Rocks Below Unlike the the sandstone common around here, the dark, red ironstone stands up against the waves.
People on the Beach A makeshift staircase leads down to the beach near the mouth of the river.
“Jiguma Walking Track” Our track stays high over the water below …
Over Merimbula Bay … and allows us occasional views through the trees.
Sea Kayak
Into the Pambula River The red rocks – rich in iron oxide – stand out against the blue waters.
Patterns and Colours I find the patterns and shapes endlessly fascinating.
Wading in the Pambula River
Sweet Pittosporum (Pittosporum Undulatum) on the Edge Our path takes us back uphill to follow the river, where we are finally in the National Park. The river waters below us are clear, …
Through the Trees … and the colours everywhere are incredible!
White Sand
Stairs through the Trees It’s an out-and-back track: after we reach the beach, we turn around and climb back up the hill.
Strange Fungus A colourful fungus – scarlet bracket (Pycnoporus coccineus) I think – gives me an excuse to stop and catch my breath.
Tidal River Mouth With the tide coming in, the shoreline narrows and we could lose some of our path back around to Merimbula Bay.
Fisherman on the Edge The estuarine waters are fairly sheltered and safe, making them a good place for fishing …
Splash! … as long as you are prepared to get wet!
Goanna on the Move When we arrive at the carpark, a mid-sized monitor lizard makes its way back into the scrub.
This short and relatively-easy walk is so delightful – and so close to home – that I can’t believe I haven’t done it before.
Jackfruit (Artocarpus Heterophyllus) in the Jungle The Cardamom Hills in Kerala are named for the spice that grows there – alongside other and exotic spices and a range of popular Asian fruit. Jackfruit has been cultivated in India for between 3000 to 6000 years. The fresh fruit is found in food markets across Southeast Asia, and the wood is valued by Hindu and Buddhist carvers.
The Cardamom Hills of Kerala.
The name is as heady as the rich array of exotic spices and fruits that grow there, and the wild animals that hide out in the jungle expanses.
The Cardamom Hills form the highest part of Western Ghats, a range of mountains and hills that run north – south through western India. The Western Ghats are older than the Himalaya, and so special that they have been USESCO-listed for their influence on Indian weather patterns, and for the biodiversity and the sheer number of endemic plants and animal that live there.
The importance of these hills have long been recognised. By royal proclamation under the Kingdom of Travancore in April 1822, the Cardamom Hills were declared a special administrative area. This was to promote cardamom cultivation and to support the cardamom farmers. Today, the lands come under the State Government of Kerala, but there are ongoing disputes about land use between the Forest Department and the Revenue Department.
The small group I was travelling with had driven westward, up into the hills from Madurai in Tamil Nadu (see: West out ot Madurai). Our afternoon itinerary included a visit to a spice plantation and a boat ride through a tiger reserve.
You’d be forgiven for thinking the latter would have been the high point. After all, boating through a national park – the Periyar National Park – which advertises itself as the Best managed Tiger Reserve in India, sounds pretty spectacular.
Unfortunately, the boat ride was an exercise in frustration and discomfort, which I’ll elaborate on later, while the visit to the spice garden (Ravi’s Spice Garden) was an absolute delight.
Still, the both provided a great introduction into some of what Kerala – which has long been on my wish-list – has to offer.
Guide in Ravi’s Spice Garden Our guide to the beautiful organic garden was a lovely man – and well versed in the plants growing there and their uses in Ayurvedic medicine. Today, the ancient Indian medical system, known as Ayurveda, is subject to modern scientific scrutiny and taught at local universities.
Cacao Pod The cacao tree (Theobroma cacao) originates from South America, but is now grown in various tropical regions – to the benefit of all of us who love chocolate!
Cloves Cloves (Syzygium aromaticum, syn. Eugenia aromatica) are the aromatic dried flower buds of a tree in the myrtle family. Long used in Western and Ayurvedic medicine, clove flowers start out pale, gradually turn green, then a bright red when they are ready for harvest.
Passionfruit Leaves Passionfruit (Passiflora) is a native of Brazil and southern South America and was introduced into Europe by Spanish Christian missionaries. Since the 15th century, the flowers have been associated with the Passion of Jesus in Christian theology. The leaves and roots are poisonous, but have a long history of use in Native American healing practices.
Nutmeg on the Tree The evergreen Myristica fragrans tree is another magical plant: …
Nutmeg Pod … the fragrant spice nutmeg it is named for is ground from the seed, while mace (no relation to the defense spray) is made from the seed covering.
Green Cardamom The flower of the herbaceous cardamom plant is beautifully delicate, like a small orchid. A member of the ginger family, Elettaria cardamomum, or true cardamom, is native to these forests.
The King of Spices. Black pepper (Piper nigrum) has grown here forever, and has been used in Indian cooking and medicine since at least 2000 BCE. Somehow, it made its way to Egypt, where black peppercorns were stuffed into the nostrils of Ramesses II as part of his mummification around 1213 BCE. At times across history, pepper was so valuable that it was used as collateral or even currency. Today, it is in every kitchen and accounts for one-fifth of the world’s spice trade.
In the Jungle The display garden that we walk through is beautifully wild, making every new plant feel like a discovery.
Cinnamon Buds Cinnamon, another ubiquitous spice, has been popular since time immemorial. The spice is scraped from the inner bark of several Cinnamomum tree species (eg: Shaving Cinnamon, North Sumatra).
Thekkadi or Periyar Lake Some time later, after spice shopping and a local lunch, we were overlooking the boat ramps on Periyar Lake. This lake was formed in 1895, when the Mullaperiyar Dam was built across the west-flowing Periyar River. Today it is the heart of the Periyar Tiger Reserve.
National Parks Sign Posts We were waiting for our tour boats. This signpost indicates the distance to some well-known reserves, and I was pleased to note that I gone looking for tigers in Royal Chitwan National Park in Nepal, and had actually seen three in one day in Ranthambore NP in Rajasthan.
State Flowers of India Information signs on the waterfront illustrate the many state flowers, birds, and animals around India.
Tour Boats on Thekkadi Lake It would seem that all the tour boats are coming back at once!
Bonnet Macaque (Macaca Radiata) Cheeky monkeys have their eyes out for anyone with unguarded food.
Bundled Up and Bundled In Observing how passengers are forced to wear bulky, unwieldy live vests, and are wedged in tightly together, I realise that unless I’m lucky enough to get a seat at the edge, I’m not going to have much of a view!
Cormorant in the Heat-Haze When our turn comes, we are told where to sit (and no, I didn’t get an edge), and instructed not to stand up or move around. The life vests are not optional; they are hot and incredibly uncomfortable.
Nilgai (Boselaphus Tragocamelus) Any pictures I got were over the heads of people, with my 70-200 ml lens at full zoom. I was thrilled to see this large antelope at the water’s edge …
Butting Heads … and even more excited to see two stags locking horns. They were quite a distance away, so I’m glad they are more-or-less in focus!
The Samudra Some of the boats are double-deckerd, but clearly those passengers are also seated, and wearing their jackets.
Elephant Dreaming We didn’t see any of the 40+ tigers rumoured to be in the reserve, but we got a vague glimpse of some of the hundreds of elephants that live there. They moved through the forest like a dream – and it took me a while to realise I wasn’t just imagining things! I think those are sambar (Rusa unicolor) in the front.
Dead Tree The lake is quite lovely – and if I hadn’t been so hot and squashed I would have really enjoyed it!
Stags Locking Antlers It must be the season for it! A pair of sambar deer (Rusa unicolor) are locked in battle …
Stand Off! Eventually, the sambar stags unlock antlers and just face off. I’m not clear who won?
A Suggestion of a Langur Monkey We could hear the monkeys – but they stayed mostly hidden.
Cormorant on Watch
Not all the Boats Come Home Two abandoned boats make me wonder if that is why we have to wear those horrid vests?
Dinner Music in the Spice Village Our beautiful accommodation in a nearby resort was truly a balm after the boat ride! There, in a reimagined tribal village set in a spice garden we got to sample southern cuisine, flavoured with the spices we had seen earlier. (iPhone12Pro)
Although I was frustrated by my experience on the boat in the animal reserve, I had plenty of new spices and an Ayurvedic recipe to get my blood pressure back down.
- Performing the Ganga Aarti from Dasaswamedh Ghat, Varanasi
- Buddha Head from Shwedagon Pagoda, Myanmar
- Harry Clarke Window from Dingle, Ireland
- Novice Monk Shwe Yan Pyay Monastery, Myanmar
Packets of 10 for $AU50.
Or - pick any photo from my Flickr or Wanders blog photos.
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
As far as introductions to the backwaters of Kerala go, it couldn’t have been more perfect! I went to sleep peacefully – full and happy – among the coconut groves.
