[v&v]

Paradise Poovar island resort has 14 odd floating cottages and 50 odd land cottage. We opted for land cottage as we were expecting rain, if it rains you will be stranded in the cottage as the distance between floating cottage to
reception is around 300 odd meters also i am not comfortable with floating idea.
They have a large Ayurveda Village, with all facilities. Activites we did is beach visit, Cruse along the island on the traditional boat which took around 2 hrs and costed 300 per person. Apart form these one can visit TVM, kovalam etc. Facilities are good and food is average.

[v&v]

This was the best experience we had. Never sad on a small boat. Initially it was scary as the waves were rough. later we got used to it. This was the most enjoying part of it.

[laluks]

Amazing. That's the samll "kothumbu vallam", since it looks like a "kothumbu" from the coconut tree

[StarVegabond]

Hey v&v, amazing photos, reminded me of my two trips to Cochhin, first while on my honeymoon, we had done the famous Kollam - Alleppy - Kochi backwater trip, then i followed up two years later with a business conference in Kochhi for my company where we took all my colleagues and business partners for a 4 day trip.

unfortunately for the first trip i only had a film camera and hence have only the prints, the second trip i have some videos again mini DV cassets.
tonight i intend to go through the same

We want to go to Kerala again either this year or next, this time on a road trip, i will use your log as guidance.

[v&v]

Originally Posted by laluks

Amazing. That's the samll "kothumbu vallam", since it looks like a "kothumbu" from the coconut tree

Yaa it was small. we had option for motorised and this one. We were told motorised boat wont go for a full circle of the island. Hence we opted for the small Vallam. We throughly enjoyed it.

Originally Posted by StarVegabond

Hey v&v, amazing photos, reminded me of my two trips to Cochhin, first while on my honeymoon, we had done the famous Kollam - Alleppy - Kochi backwater trip, then i followed up two years later with a business conference in Kochhi for my company where we took all my colleagues and business partners for a 4 day trip.

unfortunately for the first trip i only had a film camera and hence have only the prints, the second trip i have some videos again mini DV cassets.
tonight i intend to go through the same

We want to go to Kerala again either this year or next, this time on a road trip, i will use your log as guidance.

Thanks StarVegabond. Its a treat for photography. Backwaters you have lots of subject to shoot. Even we would like to repeat backwaters holiday again.

[v&v]

more photos of our poovar island cruse.

[Soccerfan]

Originally Posted by laluks

Amazing. That's the samll "kothumbu vallam", since it looks like a "kothumbu" from the coconut tree

lalu , that is not a kothumbu vallam. its a small one but not the kothumbu. kothumbu vallam is just wide enough for one person and it doesnt have the wooden planks for seating in the middle

[laluks]

Originally Posted by Soccerfan

lalu , that is not a kothumbu vallam. its a small one but not the kothumbu. kothumbu vallam is just wide enough for one person and it doesnt have the wooden planks for seating in the middle

still smaller one - you are right.

[v&v]

Poovar island resort stay summary -
Good Cottage, Good ambiance, Large open area. Ideal for leisurely vacation. Only connection is via boat. No much activity except beach which is very rough. Of course places around TVM can be visited by staying here. Food is average and pricey. Buffet meal is @ 450 per person.


Beach view from the resort. Backwaters merging with sea.

[v&v]

Club mahindra resort is around 12 km after kollam town. One has to drive around 6 Km inside from Vetutara on NH47. Nice calm resort to chill out. We were able to get one night here. The resort is just on the banks of ashtamudi lake. This is the second largest lake after Vembanad lake. its spread around 61 sq kms.

Activity planned
1. Sun set view on speed boat.
2. Night trekking to near village to see Chinese fishing net and catching prawns
3. Enjoy Fun dining at there floating restaurant.

[cool_dube]

Hi V&V,

Nice log and good snaps. Since I would be visiting both these resorts later this year, I have a few queries. Request you to please take some time and answer these:

a. I understand that Poovar Island Resort is approachable only by boat. Since I will be driving down, I enquired about parking facilities and was told that the resort has its own parking facility at the boat jetty with 24x7 security. I believe you too drove down. Did you use their parking facility? If yes, how would you rate it?

b. I believe the Club Mahindra Ashtamudi resort is approachable by road and one can drive right up. Is that correct?

c. I have booked floating cottages at both resorts but since you did not use one, not sure if you can provide any feedback

d. How similar/different are these resorts since both are more or less backwater retreats. I have planned 2 nights/3 days each for both resorts. Since you have seen both, would this 3+3 days be an overdose?

e. If I were to cut short my trip for various reasons, which of the two resorts would you recommend?

Thanks for your time...
Rahul

[LongDrive lover]

v&v, Amazing pics: Kerala at its best. You sure must have had fantastic vacations. Looking for more pics..

[lejhoom]

V&V,
Very beautiful photos. Looking at those photos with water everywhere gives a huge respite from the heat here in Hyderabad.

Why don't those boat guys arrange for some safety jackets like the one your kids wear in the speed boat? I am really surprised at the attitude of most of these boatmen plying country boats. They seem to be under the impression that everything is under control!

[adityadeva]

Thank you very much for the photographs,

your trip around poovar lake in a vallam(country boat) has filled me with the nostalgic memories of my childhood. I had those trips around Alappuzha.In Those days people in and around Alleppey were used to water transport, some times it was a necessity. Now a days nobody rows a country boat except for sand miners and fishermen. Thank you once more.

[sumeet007]

Originally Posted by lejhoom

V&V,
Very beautiful photos. Looking at those photos with water everywhere gives a huge respite from the heat here in Hyderabad.

Why don't those boat guys arrange for some safety jackets like the one your kids wear in the speed boat? I am really surprised at the attitude of most of these boatmen plying country boats. They seem to be under the impression that everything is under control!

Agree there completely.
Remembered a trip we did recently (4 families) stayed in a huge house boat for a day, next day were in a resort (Ilona).
From there we went looking for the govt. run boat ride in the kumarakom bird sanctuary, unfortunately none was available that day and hence went on foot inside the sanctuary, where we came across a couple of elderly boatmen with the small narrow boats(where you sit single file), and they offered a ride around, as the canal there looked innocuous, without a thought we filled the boats with ourselves and small children. in a few short minutes the boats came up and close to the vembanad lake with undulating waves, when we really feared the stability of these delicate boats, asked them to return back hastily and realized the danger later as none had any form of life jackets, etc.