Kerala

Kerala's backwaters form a network of interconnected lakes, canals, rivers and deltas along the state's 580-kilometre coastline. This intricate watery landscape, fed by 44 rivers descending from the Western Ghats, stretches from the far north near Kozhikode down to the southern tip at Thiruvananthapuram. The largest and most visited stretch lies around Alappuzha and Kottayam, where broad lagoons and lakes are joined by narrow canal channels winding through coconut groves and paddy fields.

The Western Ghats

The Western Ghats run parallel to Kerala's coast, rising steeply from the coastal plain to form a mountain chain that acts as a biodiversity boundary. The range is recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with sections in Kerala including the Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary and the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve. Montane forests at higher elevations, known as shola grasslands, shelter endemic plant and bird species found nowhere else. The contrast between these cool, misty highlands and the warm humid coast creates markedly different landscapes within a relatively small area.

Water and Greenery

Kerala receives some of the heaviest rainfall in India, concentrated during two monsoon seasons that replenish its rivers, waterfalls and rice paddies. Athirappilly Falls, located in the Chalakudy River area, drops through forested rocky gorge. Further north, the backwaters near Kumarakom and Ashtamudi Lake offer the most extensive wetland scenery, with waterbirds including kingfishers, cormorants and herons common along the canal banks. The Periyar River and its reservoir provide drinking water to much of the region and support populations of Asian elephants that move through the surrounding forest.

Vegetation and Agriculture

The lowlands between coast and hills are heavily cultivated, with rice paddies the dominant crop in the wetter southern districts. Spice plantations—cardamom, pepper, cinnamon and nutmeg—grow in the mid-elevations of the Western Ghats and have shaped Kerala's trade history for centuries. Cashew processing along the coast adds another layer to the agricultural landscape. These cultivated areas, framed by palm trees and interrupted by waterways, give the backwater regions their particular visual character, where the boundary between natural and farmed land is fluid.