Cherai beach is one of the most best kept secret in the district of Ernakulam. Just 25 Kilometers from Fort Cochin, Cherai is a small fishing village in the Vypin island. It is the most prominent among the series of beaches on the Vypin Island. One interesting fact about the beach is that there are backwaters very much close to the beach. In fact one could see the backwaters from the beach. It’s just a few meters away from the sea. Which means Cherai is a combination of backwaters and beaches. It’s a 5 kilometer stretch till Munambam, which is the other end of the beach where the backwater and the sea join and forms an estuary. Swimming is safe and there are life guards all around the place. There is a walkway built along the estuary, where the sun set could be best enjoyed with the foreground of the fishing boats moving in and out from the nearby fishing harbor. Once in a year, there is a Cherai beach festival happening on the beach and a kite festival is organized in the beginning of the year. Sun bathing is possible towards the less crowded parts of the beach. Small wooden fishing boats are common on the beach. The main beach is a bit crowded during evenings and weekends. Fish is abundantly available and exotic sea food is available in the restaurants and hotels nearby. There are all kinds of accommodation available at the beach and Cherai town which is three kilometers away from the beach.
Tourist walkway
Close to Cherai is Munambam, where the fishing harbor is located. The harbor is on the banks of the backwater and the boats move to the sea through the estuary. Along the estuary is the tourist walk way, which is the best place to spend the evenings watching the sunset. There are small kiosks operating close by where you can buy some eatables.
Chinese fishing nets
This peculiarly interesting method of fishing can only be seen in Kerala. These fixed installations on land with nets submerged in the water are mostly a backwater and river fishing method. Since Cherai has its own share of the backwaters, Chinese fishing nets are common. One could easily join the fishing process and experience the ancient Chinese way of fishing. The fish is sold then and there and is sold like hot cakes. The nets are submerged in the water for some time and with pulleys and ropes the nets are pulled up. The fish which got hooked up in the net is then collected.