Alleppey Alappuzha Travel Guide

Alleppey India is the perfect base for exploring the beautiful Kerala backwaters, one of the top exotic vacations.

The town is big enough to have plenty of sights to see and interesting cultural experiences….plus it is where many of the backwater boat trips begin and end.

The backwaters are called the Venice of the East because of the many canals and rivers that cover a very large area along the coastline of Kerala India.

Our family has been here two times, most recently for the wedding of our daughter. The last trip was around New Year’s which is a great time to visit. The weather is good and there are many festivals going on.

We were able to experience a Hindu Temple Festival and also the Alleppey Beach Festival……both fascinating cultural experiences! Another popular time to visit is August during the annual Snake Boat Festival. The monsoons begin in May and last through July.

On our first visit we rented an Alappuzha houseboat to cruise the backwaters. This was a very interesting and unique experience! Although it is quite expensive, I would recommend this even if it is only for one night.

On our second visit to this area, my son-in-law arranged for the rental of a boat for our small group and we spent the day cruising the backwaters. Check out this video of our backwaters boat trip. This was quite inexpensive and the wonderful part of this experience is that we could go on some of the smaller canals and watch life along the river "up close". The houseboats cannot travel on these smaller canals. If you don?t want to splurge on a houseboat (or even if you do), this option is perfect.

The cheapest way to experience the backwaters is to travel like the locals and take the water taxis…you can make this either a long or short ride as they cover a large portion of the backwaters.

Besides the wedding (or course!), the highlight of our trip was a homestay at Kait’s Home which is set on the backwaters. I have traveled to all parts of the world and this experience was one of the most unique and the setting….the most idyllic, tropical paradise I have seen. Check out my separate page on this absolutely beautiful, exotic, culturally unique place to stay.

Alappuzha Sights to See

• Arthunkal Catholic Church - pilgrimage church known for St. Sebastian miracles
• Town Beach – fly a kite or enjoy a sunset on this beautiful beach on the Arabian Sea
• Mullackal, the main street – shop for beautiful fabrics and local handicrafts
• Walk along the backwaters and experience life along the river
• Ride an Auto-Rickshaw - one of my favorites!!
• Kidangaparampu Hindu Temple
• Bird Sanctuary
• St. Mary’s Church , Champakulam (near Kait’s Home) - St. Mary's Church is believed to be one of the seven established by St. Thomas, the apostle.

Alleppey Backwater Hotels

• Hotel Royale Park - This is where we stayed for my daughter’s wedding. It is a great location in the center of town. The rooms are fine and the food in the restaurant is good and cheap.
• Kayaloram Heritage Lake Resort - a beautiful setting on Vembanad Lake, this Ayurveda resort is a great place to experience the benefits of the oldest known treatment method known to the world…. pamper yourself, relax, and rejuvenate. My daughter and nephew experienced the unique “mud treatment” and massage here.

This complete list of Alleppey Alappuzha Kerala hotels includes detailed information, photos and reviews on a variety of places to stay in the area including hotels, resorts, ayurvedic spas and more.

Kerala Home Stays

• Kait's Home - Check out my separate page on this fantastic Kerala homestay and the best place to stay on the Alleppey backwaters!

Check out reviews and rates for all Alleppey accommodations.

Side Trips

• Thekkady - we took a one night trip to this hill country area of tea plantations and the Periyar Tiger Reserve. It is a nail biting, all day drive on narrow roads that cling to the mountain sides. The Tiger Reserve itself is a pretty area with a boat trip on the lake in early AM that might yield some animal sightings (we didn’t see much, but it was a pretty ride). The area is interesting in that it’s climate is cool and the people and scenery are unique and quite different from the Alappuzha area. Only do this trip if you have a fair amount of time.
• Munnar - spice and tea plantations cover the mountainsides of this beautiful area. We didn’t make it here, but it would make a nice couple day trip on either side of your Alleppey getaway.
• Cochin - this city is quite interesting with many sights to see. I will be adding a page on it in the future.