Kumarakom is on the eastern side of the Vembanad backwaters; the obvious half-day trips are to its larger neighbours. Kottayam, 16 km inland, has a busy market town and a couple of important Syrian Christian churches. Alappuzha — Alleppey — is a 90-minute drive around the southern end of the lake and the bigger, more chaotic backwater base. The hill country around Munnar is too far for a comfortable day trip — better to combine the lake and the hills in a longer Kerala itinerary.
