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Backwater kayaking · Kovalam, Kerala
Backwater and Mangrove Kayaking Near Kovalam
Guided backwater and mangrove kayaking near Kovalam costs ₹699 per person, booked directly through Cruoo. You paddle calm, sheltered water the whole way, never open sea, which is why it works for first-timers, families, and couples.
The route runs a gentle 5 km through mangrove channels and open backwater to a quiet beach. You slip past tangled mangrove roots, cross wide stretches dotted with lotus, and watch herons, kingfishers, and cormorants working the banks. Nothing is rushed. There is time to stop paddling, let the boat drift, and take the place in. This is the real Kerala backwater, without the tour-desk markup.
A short drive north of Kovalam beach, the coast opens into calm channels, thick mangroves, and a river estuary, and this route paddles straight through them. Because the water stays still and sheltered from start to finish, you never fight current or waves, which is exactly what makes it beginner friendly. You get the quiet, close-up version of Kerala's backwaters that most Kovalam visitors never realise is sitting right next door.
Paddle quiet mangrove channels at water level, closer to the birdlife than any motor boat gets you.
Cross open backwater dotted with lotus, a calm and photogenic stretch.
Watch resident and migratory birds — herons, kingfishers, and cormorants — feeding along the banks.
Land at a quiet beach for a short break before you paddle back.
The kayaking put-in sits just south of Kovalam, in the Vazhamuttom area off Kadathu Road, right at the water's edge. From Kovalam beach it is a short, straightforward drive.
Pull out from the beach area along Light House Road onto Vizhinjam Harbour Road.
Take a left onto the main Kazhakootam-Inchivila Bypass (NH 66) and head north. NH 66 carries you most of the way.
Peel off the highway into Vazhamuttom and weave down to Kadathu Road, which brings you right beside the water where the paddle begins.
Guided backwater and mangrove kayaking near Kovalam costs ₹699 per person through Cruoo. The usual rate for a comparable guided session runs around ₹1,000, so booking direct saves you about ₹300 a head.
Guided Kayaking Session (1.5 hrs)
Flat ₹699 per person, single or tandem — nothing extra to pay at the launch point.
Pick your date and a sunrise or sunset slot and check live availability.
Confirm and pay the fixed ₹699 per person by secure UPI or card.
Get instant confirmation and the exact GPS meeting point by message.
Turn up and paddle.
The beach on this route is a quiet stretch reached from the water, away from the main Kovalam crowds. You pull in partway through the trip for a short break on the sand before turning back.
Fit your life jacket and run through the short safety briefing before you set off.
The pace stays easy through the mangrove channels and across the lotus stretches, with time to stop, drift, and take it all in.
Because you arrive by kayak rather than by road, it stays calm and uncrowded even when the main beaches are full. It is the payoff at the far end of the paddle, and the reason this route feels different from a standard beach water sport.
The calmest and most scenic times to paddle are the sunrise slot soon after 6:00 AM and the evening slot before sunset, when the backwater is glassy and the birds are most active. Trips start through the day from 6:00 AM to 5:00 PM, so you can pick the light you want.
Cool air, still water, and the dawn chorus. The most atmospheric paddle of the day.
Golden light across the lotus and a slow paddle back as the sky changes — the favourite slot for couples.
This route is suitable for complete beginners, because the paddle stays on calm sheltered backwater the whole way.
No previous kayaking experience is needed.
Children aged five and above can join, seated in a tandem kayak with an adult, with life jackets provided for everyone.
The calm water makes it a safe first paddle for kids.
The sunset slot, the lotus stretches, and the quiet beach landing make this an easy, unhurried trip for two.
Book a tandem kayak and share the paddle.
You book straight from the verified local host who runs the trip, so the person you pay is the person on the water with you.
The price is published and fixed at ₹699, with no tour-desk commission stacked on top.
Your slot is confirmed the moment payment goes through — no waiting on a callback.
Cancel free of charge, so reserving your slot carries no risk.
Light cotton clothing you do not mind getting damp.
A cap, sunscreen, and sun protection.
Water-friendly footwear or sandals.
A dry bag or pouch for your phone.
Guided backwater and mangrove kayaking near Kovalam costs ₹699 per person when you book directly through Cruoo. The usual rate for a comparable guided session is around ₹1,000, so booking direct saves you about ₹300. The price covers the kayak, a life jacket, and the safety briefing.
Yes, this route is suitable for complete beginners. The paddle stays on calm, sheltered backwater rather than open sea, and there is a short safety briefing before you start. No previous experience is needed.
Yes, children aged five and above can join the kayaking trip. Younger paddlers sit in a tandem kayak with an adult, and life jackets are provided for everyone. The calm water makes it comfortable for families.
The trip lasts about 1.5 hours and covers a 5 km round trip. You paddle out through mangrove channels and open backwater to a quiet beach, then return to the start point.
Pick your date, choose sunrise or sunset, and confirm in under two minutes. Fixed ₹699 per person, instant confirmation, free cancellation.
Yes, you can book either a sunrise or a sunset slot. Trips start through the day between 6:00 AM and 5:00 PM, and the earliest and latest slots are the calmest and most scenic.
Yes. The route runs on calm, sheltered backwater, every paddler wears a life jacket, and the trip starts with a safety briefing. Because you are on still water rather than open sea, there is no surf to contend with.
The beach on this route is a quiet stretch reached from the water, away from the main Kovalam crowds. You stop there during the trip for a short break before paddling back.
Bring light cotton clothing, sun protection, water-friendly footwear, and a dry bag for your phone. The kayak, life jacket, and everything else you need on the water are provided.
Cruoo publishes one fixed price of ₹699 per person and connects you directly to the verified local host, with no middleman. Booking is confirmed instantly and cancellation is free.
