Backwaters of Kerala

There are 34 backwaters in Kerala. Of these, 27 are situated along the western coast, either adjacent to or parallel to the sea; this group includes both those that remain connected to the sea and those that connect to it only during the monsoon season. Seven inland water bodies are also classified as backwaters. Vembanad Lake, which spans the districts of Alappuzha, Kottayam, and Ernakulam, is the largest backwater in Kerala; Pathiramanal Island is located within this lake. Sasthamkotta Lake is the largest freshwater lake in Kerala. Ashtamudi, Sasthamkotta, and Vembanad lakes have been included in the Ramsar list.