Things to do in Kumbalangi & Thoppumpady

Kumbalangi is an island village south of Fort Kochi, ringed by backwaters and more than a hundred Chinese fishing nets. Kerala chose it as a model tourism village in 2003, and homestays, canoe rides and crab-farm visits are the main draw. From March to April the backwaters here are known for kavaru, the bioluminescence that glows when the water is disturbed on dark nights. Resorts on the Kumbalangi–Perumpadappu road host pool parties and DJ nights, which appear in the city's party listings. Thoppumpady and Palluruthy, on the way in from Ernakulam, have the fishing harbour, old cinemas and church feasts. A cab is the practical way to get here.