Vembanad Lake

Vembanad Lake is the longest lake in India and the largest in Kerala, stretching about 96 km from Alappuzha in the south to Azhikode in the north across three districts. The lake is the heart of the Kerala backwater ecosystem and is designated a Ramsar Wetland of International Importance. It supports an extraordinary diversity of fish, birds, and aquatic life and sustains the livelihoods of thousands of fishing and farming families along its shores. The lake also contains the remarkable Kuttanad region where farming is done below sea level, one of the few places in the world where this occurs. The Thanneermukkom bund across the lake separates the saline southern portion from the freshwater northern portion. Vembanad provides the setting for most houseboat cruises departing from Alappuzha and Kumarakom.