Kuttanad cashes in on cycle tourism

ALAPPUZHA: Cycling expeditions are gaining momentum in Kuttanad with many foreign tourists flocking to the region to enjoy its natural beauty as well as experience its unique village life.  Tour operators offer special packages to the tourists and take them for trips through narrow roads along the banks of backwaters, beside lagoons and  areas covered  with  coconut palms. It was in 2013, a small cycling facility was introduced in Kuttanad by a tour operator,  Binu Joseph.

He says   tourists cycled  their way  to the interiors of Kuttanad for the first time and rested under the cool shade of coconut trees. “Kuttanad  is an unexplored place where one can go swimming, cycling and cruising,”  he adds. “Last season,  50 couples utilised the facility.  The 11-hour package  through the villages of  Pallathuruthy, Kidangara, Chakulathukavu, Edathva and  Kavalam costs  '3000-5000 per couple. The tourists will have lunch at  hygienic toddy shops,” he says.

Recently,  a UK couple Michael Brockmann and Tara Jowers, who conducted a cycling tour of  Kuttanad were amazed by the slow pace of life in the villages and the   simple lives of the people. “Cycling to Kuttanad is one of the most enjoyable experiences  and an ideal way to spend a holiday as the entire area is tranquil and filled with greenery,” the tourists said.

In November last year, the National Geographic Channel filed a  report titled, “Free-wheeling India: Kerala by bike,”  saying that Kerala was  one of the best places to embark on bicycle journey as it had India's most diverse  and changing landscapes. According to an international cyclist Peter Bluck, who made a journey in 2013 throughout Kerala, autumn’s cooler days allow visitors to go through Kerala by bicycle or bike.