Umbikkaram Alias Kuttamangalam Narrow Canal Cruise

A small and beautiful narrow canal in Kainakari village of Aleppey.  As we mentioned earlier, Kainakari is one of the most beautiful villages in Aleppey where you can experience most of the paddy fields, villages and narrow canals.  The main attraction is narrow canal having a width of 15-20ft flows amid local villages and paddy fields close to Alleppey houseboat boarding locations called Finishing Point, Starting Point and Punnamada jetty. 

Why Kuttamangalam Canal Cruise:

Aleppey is a travelers’ paradise because of many big and small criss-cross canals, local villages, and green paddy fields.  To see the beautify, one need to travel inside the Aleppey by any means of water transport.  If you are hiring a houseboat or shikkara, it will only cruise through medium or big canals or canals which have a width of minimum 20mtrs.  Due to few reasons like – narrow canal width of 20ft, both sides many local villagers’ homes and paddy fields, experiencing local village activities and bird watching, an open boat cruise through this canal for an hour will have a memorable experience of Aleppey backwater.  Summarily, this canal cruise gives you more than what you are expecting from your Aleppey backwater trip.  Being close to Aleppey main area like Finishing point or Rajeev jetty where most of the tourist come to board a houseboat or shikkara, this canal cruise during your Aleppey trip is highly recommended.   

Highlights of Kuttamangalam Narrow Canal:

• Narrow canal having a maximum width of 15-20ft, which flows amid villages and paddy fields in Aleppey Kainakari village.  
• Only open country boat or boat without a cover can cruise through this canal due to many less elevated cross bridges.
• Though there are many narrow canals in Kainakari village, this is the best and scenic cruise close to Aleppey main land where most of the tourist come for houseboats or motor boats or shikkara cruise.  
• Many local people are staying both sides of this canal and it flows amid paddy fields and local villages.  
• Experience paddy fields, village life, different varieties of birds like kingfisher, parrot etc during your trip. 

How to Reach and Book this tour?

This canal is located a little inside of Aleppey and access, as on today, is only by any means of water transport.  Means, you need to come to Kuttamangalam either by local ferry or private shikkara or houseboat or speed boat.  Below are the details.

• Option 1:  Book a shikkara from Aleppey jetty and come to Kuttamangalam Canal, hire another open boat for an hour and then return back to Aleppey main land by the same shikkara.  We have a similar trip available – Book a 3hr shikkara cruise with Kuttamangalam canal.
• Option 2: If you are staying in a houseboat, check whether your houseboat is cruising through Pamba River.  Most of the houseboat’s and shikkara cruise through Pamba river irrespective of different boarding points in Aleppey.  In that case ask the boat man for this canal cruise.  Book an hour open boat cruise at Kuttamangalam canal.
• Option 3: Board a local ferry from Aleppey Boat jetty, deboard at Cherukayal Boat Jetty, then look for an open boat who provide this Kuttamangalam canal cruise.  Ferry take minimum 1hr 15mins to reach this place.  All ferries from Aleppey to  Kanakari or Kavalam, go via this Jetty.

Fact Sheet:

Tariff:

The average price of an hour-long trip in an open country boat for two adults is Rs. 1000 plus taxes.

Best Time for this Trip.

• Morning before 11 a.m. or afternoon 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Things to Carry:

• Sunglasses, head caps, etc., are recommended.
• 1 bottle of mineral water – if required.
• Wearing trousers and slippers is recommended.