Difference Between Canoeing Tour & Kayaking tour offered Kerala Kayaking
I would like to share my findings about canoeing tour OR village Tours offers some touts, Guides, Home stays and Resorts at Alleppey
Before start the kayaking tour i seen lots travelers choose canoe boat ( panting boat with Roof, see the Images) to visit small canal . When a traveler point of view they think boat looks small so it goes to small canals .
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| canoe boat |
Alleppey Backwaters of very long and beautiful .Small canal are located in Inland waterways not near to alleppey towns and boat goes slowly . I don't think so it cover much more.
I seen 3 group of people are doing this tour starting from three different locations .Home stays, resorts & hotels , touts,guides are connected this peoples . I am going to gives names to A, B,C . So it easy to explain how these three group do the canoe tour to backwaters
Canoeing Village Tour Plan of "A "
This people are starting trip near to Keraleeyam lake resort , place named thottathode bridge 2 km away from Nehru Trophy Finishing Point . Basically the do 5 hrs canoe trip , some packages name village tour that means the give lunch and little time walk and chavara church visit .
Their Tour Routes For 5 HRS TRIP
I made a map and WHITE Marked their cruise routes. They start from Keraleeyam lake resort opposite jetty and paddle in SNDP Thode ( Thode means canal) even houseboat will goes through SNDP Thode then stop for drinks break . again start paddle to Panakal thode ( Houseboat can't goes this canal) then reach Kainkary then paddle to one of the beautiful canal named Umpikaran Thode ( Goes only Half portion ) then end at Society thode .
after the paddle again to Panakal thode and SNDP Thode then reaches near to Keraleeyam Lake resort . That 80 % place are repeat visited . Cover only One small canal named UMPIKARAN Thode but only half portion.
Some lonely planet recommended home stay are main sellers of this packages. Same Tour itinerary they give by giving different name " Village Tour" . It is 8 hrs trip same route additional thing add is walk to church for 1 hrs , food served any home ( average food)
See the Route Map ( 80 % Route repeat visit)
Canoeing Village Tour Plan of "A "
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| Route Map 80% place Repeat visit |
Canoeing Village Tour Plan of "B "
Only two difference they start the trip from Nehru Trophy finishing poinT and didn't go to SNDP Canal .
Their tour plan named village tour starts 10:00 Am with breakfast and lunch and drop clients in 4:00 Pm Government ferry boat .
See the Map of " B"
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85 % Repeat visit and didn't cover any more
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Canoeing Village Tour Plan of "C " ( Their Tour Named Village Tours )
Lots of touts ,Guides and some touts has rented home stay are marketing the travelers to this tour
Description about their tours :- The trip starts 8:00 Am from boat jetty . Meet Rowing man ( village Guy) from alleppey boat jetty , he takes one village at Meenapally lake . Because to Avoid big Canal and busy tourist part . After breakfast do canoe tour to small narrow canal in the backwaters and tea with villagers and lunch at village house, Village walking, church visit , swimming also include
Conclusion : Here all boats cruise around in alleppey nobody going to real village life in the backwater.
My finding about this tour
1) Traveler are covering a very small area .
2) They give village walk only to spoil the time nothing more interesting
3) cover only 2 canal and 1 big lake thats it
4) 95% repeat visit
Route maps :-
Tour start from alleppey Government Boat ferry station . Travelers enter the boat at 8:45 Am boat with one rower man assist you. Ferry boat start journey through Nehru Trophy Finishing point , vilikumarakumaram thode to reach minnappally lake . Reach village house at 9:30 Am then breakfast . after breakfast start walk to small canal to take canoe . Anyways trip starts 10:30 Am . Paddling in small canal named minappally canal then reach muttel bridge paddle towards left then reach Socity thode and one finish canal stop for vilage walk . Now time almost 11:30 Am walk to chavara church then back at boat paddle again at 1:00 O' clock reach panakal thode ending for Tea the back to minapally canal again back to same house .Lunch their after 4:30 Pm one ferry boat goes to alleppey enter that boat then reach ferry station again .
95 % place are Repeat visit
Kindly see the Map
White color : Motor boat Route
White color dots : Walks
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| 95 % Repeat visit |
Touts, Guides , Some Home stays Opinion About Kayaking
A) kayaking trip starts from alleppey, its going through around in alleppey big canals . village tour not in a big canals
B) It is dangerous
C) One of my clients went kayaking tour but they are not at all happy
D) It is expensive and hard to do
Conclusion
I request travelers please don't believe the words to Touts, guides and some home stay before take backwater tour kindly check the route map of the particular trip
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