Alleppey, the beautiful and magical district of Kerala bursting with diversity, people, colors, breathtaking nature, and wildlife, is one of the most frequented tourist spots. To explore the true natural beauty of this place, tourists avail houseboat ride through the palm-fringed backwaters. The mind-soothing visuals of villages including coir-making and rice fields on the backwater banks will enthrall your mind. Nature’s bounties that you can experience in Alleppey are abundant. As the canals are interconnected with the Alleppey backwaters, you can get more glimpses of normal people’s lives, city life, and paddy fields sitting in your boat. You can communicate with them throughout the rove. In Kerala, Alleppey is the only place that has paddy fields low to sea level. Coconut palm groves, plantain trees, and mango trees on the banks of the lake which are leaning to catch their replicas on the lake contribute matchless greenery to this backwater expedition. Sunset views and moonlight at the night are other levels of beauty. Traveling along the beautiful lake banks encircled by green vegetation is enough to amaze you. If your visit is on Onam days, you can witness the popular boat race. In the list of main tourist spots, Alleppey belongs to one of the top three positions. Backwater cruise’s either the starting point or ending point is this town which is prominent for its coir industry. Years ago, this town was the trade center of Kerala because of the network of canals. Through the inter-connected backwaters, you can go to Kochi also which is located near Alleppey. Above 2000 houseboats are presently plying in Alleppey as part of tourism. Because of this reason, Alleppey got the name “Venice of the East”.
Alleppey Houseboats are the new form of kettuvallams which were the main transportation source through the water network system of Kerala. Rice and spices after harvesting were transported in these kettuvallams with wooden hulls and covered by roof covers. After years, it became quarters of royal families. Lately, they were converted into the form of houseboats for lodging tourists. These floating cottages have become the favorites of everyone across the world. You can choose Kerala tour package from us to explore this fascinating place with bucolic charm in a houseboat.
Houseboats are big in size and spacious inside. Considering the foreign tourists, a generator is there to provide the amenities of luxurious hotels. The interiors are designed by rich architects. Luxurious houseboats are fully air-conditioned and there is a fully-furnished kitchen in every houseboat. Bedrooms with attached bathrooms and balconies, a dining area, and a living room are there inside a houseboat. The windows allow cross ventilation. For providing grand views of the landscape, three sides are opened.
The exterior is almost similar in all houseboats. During the time of food serving and at night, they will halt. For providing smooth travel, these motorized boats are running slowly. For getting a rural feel, tourists prefer lanterns to electric lights during nighttime. Alleppy houseboat cost can be changed according to the type of houseboat – deluxe, premium, luxury, and super luxury. You can choose from them according to your budget and purpose. The cost of a simple houseboat with basic facilities is below 5000 INR in peak season. And also you can opt for a day cruise to lower the cost.
A day cruise is also an inexplicable experience. You can reach out to Urtripadvisor – one of the Best House Boat providers for booking a houseboat cruise at a reasonable rate.
Before planning your expedition in houseboats, you need to understand that these boats are safe to travel. They are big in size and traditional-looking in appearance. For your kids, this will be a wonderful adventure. During the daytime and evening, you get to see the lake views.
You can also play games with your kids and other members of the family. Thus you can spend an undisturbed day with your family. Up to 10 people can easily sleep in these houseboats. Other than you and your family, there will be a captain, a steward, and a cook to take care of all of you. The other members of your houseboat company who are trained will be there inside the boat throughout the voyage. However, they won’t interfere with your privacy. Fire extinguishers and life jackets are always there. There are shown the code of conduct to be followed for safety inside these boats, which includes the dos and don’ts. Always follow the instructions of the crew members. An alarm is present in every boat. On pressing it, the information will be passed to the police station which is near your location. Cleanliness is to be maintained by all the crew members and the tourists. Proper facilities for fuel storage and a detector for carbon monoxide are present inside these boats. The crew members inside the houseboat are professionals to provide you excellent services with pleasant behavior. You can share your opinions about your food menus; can ask for the history of the particular location and its illustrations, and other doubts about your tour. One of the crew members is a professional chef. And there is a fully functional and live kitchen in every houseboat. No matter if you are a vegetarian or non-vegetarian, they will serve food in order to satisfy your taste buds. For your information, we can say that every houseboat buys vegetables and provisions every day in accordance with their booking. So, the guests get the chance to choose their menu when they book a houseboat stay. Italian and Chinese are also available if you request them in advance. However, a houseboat ride cannot be completed without its native delicacies. As we all know seafood in Alleppey is famous among foreign tourists also. Karimeen which is a freshwater fish is popular in Alleppey.
You should try native preparation of this fish.
House boating can be included in your honeymoon trip to get a different feel with your partner. It offers a kind of mesmerizing pleasure while spending time with your soulmate relishing the natural beauty. During the daytime and evening, you get to see the lake views.
We, Urtripadvisor have many Kerala Honeymoon Packages including houseboat cruises from which you can select one according to your budget. The slow-moving houseboats will offer plenty of happy and unforgettable moments with your partner in the midst of the water. Overnight stay in a houseboat floating down in the lake can create the next level of feel which is entirely different from the daytime. Undoubtedly we can say that Alleppey is the best honeymoon destination in Kerala.
Alleppey Back Water
Alleppey is renowned for its backwater scenery. A ride in a houseboat with aquatic plants and flowers on one side and endless paddy fields on the other side with a cool breeze is an inevitable thing during your Alleppey tour. The view of shimmering waters in the moonlight is splendid to watch at night. Our Kerala Honeymoon Packages render houseboat stay to spend quality time with your better-half in isolation. You can enjoy the happiest days of your life in the serenity of Punnamada Lake. Resorts and hotels with backwater frontage are in this Venice of East to get to know the feel of a backwater. As there is no current in this tranquil part of the river, many leisure activities – boat cruising, fishing, and canoe rides – are possible by which the inner beauties and serenity of this place can be exposed to tourists as a way to enhance Alleppey tourism. The main points that differentiate the backwaters from rivers are the shallowness and very slow water flow. In monsoon months, please try to keep raincoats to keep you dry in rain. In other months, keep swimsuits, sunglasses, sunscreen, and headgear to enjoy backwaters to the fullest. Other than these backwaters, Alappuzha has beaches – Alappuzha, Punnapra, and Marari and rivers – Manimala, Pamba, and Achankovil and Lakes – Vembanad and Kayamkulam and numerous canals. An island named Alappuzha is also famous for its coir trading which is one of the main incomes of this district. The boat race in August month held in the lake of Alappuzha at the time of the Onam festival is world famous. For encouraging the oarsmen and witnessing the beauty and spirit of this race, tourists come here. Cruising around Punnamada lake is a serene experience that you can enjoy at any time of the year, but the snake boat race can change the tranquil mood of this lake into a fierce mood. The majority of Kerala Tour Packages take you to this fantastic place to refresh yourself from a chaotic life.
Best Place to visit in Alleppey:
Ambalappuzha temple: This Lord Krishna temple is highly recommended for its architectural work and its roof is made with red tiles. The taste of rice pudding which is a religious offering from this divine place is famous among local people and is made with coconut milk.
St. Mary’s church is a pilgrim center from where you can get an idea about the lifestyle of Christians in Kerala and their culture. St. Sebastian’s and St. Mary’s Feasts are two festivals held in this church. Rock inscriptions, artifacts, and architecture are some of the engrossing aspects of this church among tourists who are interested in architectural designs.
Arthunkal Church and Mullakkal Rajeshwari Temple are important religious landmarks of Alleppey.
Pathiramanal island is a famous bird-watching center that is adorned with natural exquisite beauty and is surrounded by Vembanad lake. You can see seldom birds and plants at this spot. The boat is the only transportation available to this island.
Revi Karunakaran Museum exhibits glassworks, sculptures, porcelain, ivory, and paintings. These are private collections. You cannot take pictures of them.
Kuttanad is famous for its rice fields which are extended over a large area, with rivers and streams in between these fields. There are two kinds of polders – Kayal nilams and Padashekaram.
Padashekaram is naturally built polders because of sediment deposition.
Coir museum showcases products that tell the history of the coir industry in Alleppey.
Pandavas para is a picnic spot that has rock structures of this spot and an ancient temple. This is the landmark of the Alleppey district. The rock inside this spot was the residence of Pandavas.
Karumadi is the Buddhist pilgrimage in Alleppey where the deity is karumadi – the statue of Buddha got from the stream. Because of its color, this statue got its name. People from worldwide come here to seek blessings.
Krishnapuram Palace shows the architectural brilliance of Kerala. This palace has a mural painting which is the biggest one in all-over Kerala.
Lighthouse which was built in 1862 is included among the oldest structures. This is a symbol of the longstanding history of trading because it had seen many ups and downs of Kerala’s trade history. The museum inside this lighthouse showcases the old-world equipment and Kerala’s trade history. For navigational aid, the lighthouse was built. The equipment used in this lighthouse has been replaced by new updated equipment but this is not an automatic lighthouse. This is opposite Alleppey beach. The museum is open on all days of the week except Monday. Panoramic views from the lighthouse top are stunning. A suitable dress should be worn because you need to climb a metal ladder to reach the top. 30 meters is the height of this lighthouse.
Alleppey beach – With its alluring charm, this beach is famous. The presence of a pier allows travelers to stroll over the waves.
Marrarikulam beach – This secluded beach is not crowded and is suitable for swimming.
Thottapally beach – Because of the presence of zircon content, the beach has black-colored sands.
Andhakaranazhi beach is not familiar to travelers. A church and lighthouse give extra beauty to this unspoiled beach.
Cherai beach is suitable for swimming and sunbathing. Dolphins are present here.
How to reach Alleppey:
The International airport in Kochi is the nearest airport from where you can take any cabs or rikshaws or buses either to reach Alappuzha. Alleppey railway station is there in the city from where you can go to major cities inside and outside of Kerala. Bus services are also available to reach Alappuzha from outside of Kerala.
You can book your tickets online and offline.
Where to stay in Alleppey:
Resorts and hotels are available here to stay on your Alleppey tour with prices ranging from low to high according to the amenities they provided, which have ayurvedic therapies. Keraleeyam lake, the World Backwaters, and Green palace are some of the famous resorts in Alleppy with good amenities. A homestay is a good option here for solo woman travelers for their safety and comfort at a low cost. Sambar, rasam, and fish recipes should be tried during your stay at Alleppey.
Breakfast dishes include idli, upma, dosa, and poori. Vada, baji, and bonda are some of the snacks in Kerala.
