Backwaters of Kerala

The Kerala Backwaters are brackish lagoons  and lakes which are formed  by the action of the waves  and the shore currents. Small  small low barrier islands are formed at the mouth of that many rivers  flowing down from the western ghats range of mountains.
The network of canals include five different large lakes, namely, Ashtamudi kayal, Vembanattu kayal, Sasthamkotta Lake, Akkulam lake, and Pookot Lake and the rainfed rivers of Kerala.

The Backwaters of Kerala are a net work of interconnected collection of canals,  rivers, lakes and inlets like a labyrinthine system which are sometimes compared to the American Bayou. In the midst of these interconnected canals and lakes, a number of towns and cities have formed and serve as the starting and the ending points of the backwater cruises. The National Highway No 3 from Kollam to Kottappuram was established running parellel to the coast line of the Arabian coast  for about 205 kilometers, facilitates both the cargo movement and the backwater tourism

There are many rivers which form the backwaters of Kerala, in the state of Kerala. All of these rivers except three,  flows to the west  in to the sea. All of them emerge from the western ghats and flows to the Arabian Sea. These rivers of Kerala are rain fed  and non perennial, are found only during the monsoons and at other times they are just streams.
The three rivers which flow out of Kerala towards east are Kabini in the the state of Karnataka and Bhavani and Pambar in the the state of Tamilnadu.

The important rivers and their length out of these 49 rivers in Kerala are
Valapattanam - 110 kilometers
Chaliar - 130 kilometers
Kadalundipuzha - 130 kilometers
Bharathapuzha - 209 kilometers
Chalakudy river - 130 kilometers
Periyar - 244 kilometers
Pamba - 176 kilometers
Achankoil - 128 kilometers
Kalladayar - 121 kilometers
Kallada river - 121 kilometers
Muvattupuzha river - 121 kilometers
Meenachil river - 78 kilometers
Ithikkara river - 56 kilometers
Neyyar river- 56 kilometers

How ro reach the Backwaters of Kerala 

You can reach any of these backwater location by reaching the concerned towns or cities closer to them.
You can find accommodations asper your taste in these towns as  most of these towns are important cities in Kerala.