The eastern portion of West Godavari district, where the river fans out into multiple channels approaching the Bay of Bengal, is a landscape of canals, palm groves, rice paddies, and river islands that rewards slow travel. Boat trips on the waterways are available from several points, particularly around Narsapur — a town at the heart of the lace-making industry that produces the distinctive Narsapur lace found in handicraft shops across India.
The backwaters here are less visited and less commercialised than the famous Kerala backwaters, which makes the experience more authentic but also less convenient. Local fishermen and farmers use the waterways daily; a morning or afternoon on the river will take you past stilted fishing platforms, river temples, and the occasional heron standing motionless in the shallows. The best time to visit is in the winter months, when the heat is manageable and migratory birds are present. Arrange boat trips through guesthouses in Narsapur or Bhimavaram.