Alappuzha Backwaters
Also called the Venice of the East,
Alappuzha is among the most beautiful districts in God's own country Kerala.
The Alappuzha backwaters and the floating houseboats that are known as
Kettuvalloms attract the tourists to the district in hordes. The place is
also famous for the snake boat races that are held every year during the
Onam festival. The Kuttanad region of Alappuzha is known among the people as
the “rice bowl of Kerala”. It is the only place where farming is
done below sea level.
Fast Facts
- District : Alappuzha
- State : Kerala
- Other names : Alleppey
- Location : The distance between Alappuzha to Calicut is
187 km, to Connanore 369 km, Cochin 65 km and to Trivandrum is 159
km away.
- Journey Time : The time taken while going from Alappuzha
to Calicut takes about 5 hrs, 9 hrs to reach Connanore, 1 and 1/2
hrs to reach Cochin and 4 hrs to reach Trivandrum, respectively.
- Route from Kollam : If you are going from Kollam to
Alappuzha, you'll have to travel on a national highway via
Kayankulam, Haripad and Ambalapulai.
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Feature Attraction
Pathiramanal
It is a small island in the Alappuzha backwaters, which is a bird watcher's
delight as well as you can see several rare migratory birds here. It is
surrounded by the Vembanad lake and you can reach here only by a boat. The
place is just right for a break if you are on a long backwater cruise. The
legend associated with the place says that once a young Brahmin dived into
the Vembanad lake to perform his evening ablutions and at that very moment,
the water gave way and an island was formed there which is now known as the
Pathiramanal island.
Accommodation
- Rainbow Cruises – 4 Star
- Punnamada – 4 Star
- Coir Village Lake Resort – 4 Star
- The Marari Beach – 3 Star
- Hotel Arcadia Regency – 3 Star
- Kayaloram Lake Resort - 3 Star
When to go
The best months to visit the Alappuzha backwaters are from August to March.
How to get there
The nearest airport from Alappuzha is the Cochin International Airport
which is about 64 km away. The Thiruvananthapuram airport is about 159 km
away. The place also has excellent road and rail network with all the major
towns and cities in India. A boat service also links Alappuzha through the
backwaters to Quilon, Changanacherry, Kumarakom, Cochin and Chengannor among
other places.
Other Attractions
» Punnamada Kayal
It is the place where the annual Nehru Trophy Boat Race takes place in the
month of August – September. The long boats used in the race can
accommodate 100 to 120 people.
» Ambalapuzha
It is a Hindu pilgrimage which is 14 km away from Alappuzha which is also
famous for the milk offering Palpayasam offered to the presiding deity at
the temple.
» Arthunkal Palli
Located about 33 km away from Alappuzha, the place is famous for the St
Andrews church which was established by the Portuguese missionaries.
