Discover the magical backwaters of Kerala

Imagine this: the boatman skillfully navigates the canoe as it glides down the river. Crystals of water dance in the air with each tug on the oars. Occasionally, a light spray hits your face – invigorating and refreshing. Palm trees line the banks on either side, peeping through the early morning mist.

Metres away from the boat, a cormorant darts into the water. Several minutes later, it gracefully resurfaces, a mullet fluttering between its hook-tipped beak.

In a place known as God's Own Country, the pristine backwaters are forgotten by time. Kerala is worlds apart from the frenetic pace of life in the rest of the country. And no visit here is complete without experiencing the Great Backwaters.

Sometimes compared to the American bayous, the backwaters are a 900-km-long labyrinthine system of rivers, canals, and lakes dotted by numerous large and tiny islands. They were formed by the action of waves and coastal currents at the mouth of the 44 rivers that tumble into the Arabian Sea from the western ghats. Here you experience a unique ecosystem of flora, fauna and human co-habitation. A symbiotic dance going back thousands of years.

Each of the 34 lakes in these backwaters is a hot spot for naturalists, ornithologists and amateur bird lovers. Crabs, frogs and mudskippers, water birds such as terns, kingfishers, darters and cormorants, and animals like otters and turtles are found in abundance.

The mangroves that border the eastern banks of the Vembanad Lake, the largest lake in southern India, are home to various endemic and exotic species of birds. The eight-armed Ashtamudi Lake is the second longest lake in Kerala and shelters several endangered marine species. The best time to experience avian and aquatic life here is