Alleppey, officially Alappuzha and known as the Venice of the East, is the gateway to Kerala's celebrated backwaters — a 900-kilometer network of lakes, rivers, and canals that form one of the most en...
Alleppey
Venice of the East
Kerala, India
4.8
HouseboatsBackwatersCanals
backwaters
Duration: 2–4 Days
Budget/day: ₹2,500 – ₹10,000
Best season: Oct – Mar
Altitude: 3 m
Nearest airport: Cochin International Airport (75 km)
Nearest railway: Alleppey (Alappuzha) Railway Station (3 km)
Best places to visit in Alleppey
Things to do in Alleppey
- No photoAccommodation / LeisureView full guide
Overnight (24 hours) to 3 nights
Houseboat Stay
Drift through Kerala's legendary backwaters on a traditional Kettuvallam (rice boat) converted into a luxury floating villa — complete with air-conditioned bedrooms, sun decks, full kitchen, and onboard cooks serving freshly prepared Kerala cuisine. Glide through palm-fringed canals, past paddy fields, fishing villages, and the vast Vembanad Lake.
- No photoSightseeing / NatureView full guide
2–8 hours depending on route
Backwater Cruise
Take a public ferry or chartered motorboat cruise through Alleppey's 1,500 km network of interlinking canals, rivers, and lakes — gliding past toddy-tappers climbing coconut palms, women washing clothes on canal steps, Chinese fishing nets (cheena vala), and tiny church steeples rising above the palms.
- No photoNature / CulturalView full guide
1–3 hours
Canoe Ride
Paddle or be paddled through narrow village canals inaccessible to motorboats — wooden canoes allow intimate exploration of remote backwater villages, traditional boat-builders' yards, paddy farms, and toddy shops along quiet waterways that feel worlds away from tourist traffic.
Best Time to Visit and Weather Info
Best time: October to March
Monsoon (Jun–Sep) fills the backwaters — beautiful but houseboat operations may be affected. Nehru Trophy Boat Race (Aug) is a major event.
Winter
Best Time ⭐Oct – Mar
22°C – 32°C
Best for houseboat cruises — calm backwaters, lush green banks, and pleasant temperatures.
- Book houseboat (kettuvallam) 2–3 weeks ahead
- Opt for overnight stays on the houseboat
Nehru Trophy Season
Festive 🎉Aug
26°C – 30°C
The famous Nehru Trophy Snake Boat Race on Punnamada Lake — a spectacular event.
- Book tickets for Nehru Trophy months in advance
- Accommodation fills up early
How to Reach
✈️By Air
Airport: Cochin International Airport (75 km)
Duration: ~2 hrs
Cab or KSRTC bus from Cochin. Direct resort transfer available for houseboat guests.
Taxi: ₹1,500 – ₹2,200
Airlines: IndiGo, Air India, SpiceJet
🚂By Train
Station: Alappuzha Railway Station
Well-connected. Trains from Thiruvananthapuram, Ernakulam, and beyond.
- Sabari Express — Ernakulam (1.5 hrs)
- Jan Shatabdi — Thiruvananthapuram (3 hrs)
🚌By Road
KSRTC and private buses from Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram, and Kottayam.
- Kochi (Ernakulam): 55 km, 1.5 hrs via NH-66
- Thiruvananthapuram: 145 km, 3 hrs via NH-66
- Kottayam: 40 km, 1 hr via SH-11
Itineraries
Local Food
Alleppey is famous for its backwater cuisine — fresh-water fish, duck curries, and traditional Kerala sadya meals.
Kuttanadan Duck Curry
Spiced duck curry from the backwater region — a local delicacy served in village homestays.
Where: Raheem Residency, Alleppey
₹200 – ₹350
Karimeen (Pearl Spot) Pollichathu
The pearl spot fish of the backwaters, banana-leaf wrapped and cooked in spices — legendary.
Where: Thaff Restaurant, Alleppey
₹220 – ₹380
Alleppey Fish Curry
Tangy raw mango and coconut-based fish curry with Kerala rice — the quintessential meal.
Where: Local restaurants near boat jetty
₹120 – ₹200
Payasam
Kerala rice pudding — coconut milk, jaggery, and rice or vermicelli — served at every home and temple.
Where: Any local restaurant
₹50 – ₹80
Houseboat meals are included in most packages — the onboard cook prepares fresh Kerala food throughout the cruise.
FAQs
- Alleppey (Alappuzha) is the Venice of the East — famous for its backwater houseboat cruises, scenic Punnamada Lake, the Nehru Trophy Boat Race, and its network of canals and lagoons.
Best Places Similar
Marari
Marari, a tranquil fishing village on Kerala's coast between Kochi and Alleppey (Alappuzha), is home to one of India's most pristine and uncrowded beaches — a long, flat stretch of powdery white sand backed by casuarina groves and coconut palms, where the only disturbance is the gentle lapping of the Arabian Sea. Unlike the more tourist-heavy beaches of Kovalam, Marari retains the authentic character of a Kerala fishing village, with traditional wooden boats drawn up on the sand and local fishermen mending their nets. Eco-friendly beach resorts offering authentic Kerala cuisine, Ayurvedic treatments, and yoga retreats make Marari a perfect slow-travel destination.
Varkala
Varkala, perched on dramatic red laterite cliffs above the Arabian Sea in Kerala, is unlike any other beach destination in India — a bohemian clifftop promenade of yoga centers, Ayurvedic treatment centers, seafood restaurants, and beach boutiques overlooking the strikingly beautiful Papanasam Beach below. According to Hindu belief, a dip in the Papanasam Beach's waters washes away sins, and the ancient Janardhanaswamy Temple overlooking the sea adds deep spiritual significance to this natural paradise. Varkala's unique clifftop character, the mesmerizing Arabian Sea sunsets, and the availability of traditional Kerala Ayurveda make it one of South India's most distinctive beach destinations.
Kovalam
Kovalam, a crescent-shaped beach town on Kerala's Thiruvananthapuram coast, is one of South India's most celebrated beach destinations, famed for its trio of palm-lined beaches — Lighthouse Beach, Hawa Beach, and Samudra Beach — each offering a distinct character from vibrant and bustling to quiet and serene. The iconic red-and-white striped lighthouse on the headland between Lighthouse and Hawa Beach is the symbol of Kovalam and offers panoramic views of the coastline. World-class Ayurvedic treatment centers, fresh seafood restaurants, sunset boat rides, and the proximity to the cultural riches of Thiruvananthapuram make Kovalam the ideal Kerala beach holiday destination.
Nearby destinations
Marari
12 km · Marari, a tranquil fishing village on Kerala's coast between Kochi and Alleppey (Alappuzha), is home to one of India's most pristine and uncrowded beaches — a long, flat stretch of powdery white sand backed by casuarina groves and coconut palms, where the only disturbance is the gentle lapping of the Arabian Sea. Unlike the more tourist-heavy beaches of Kovalam, Marari retains the authentic character of a Kerala fishing village, with traditional wooden boats drawn up on the sand and local fishermen mending their nets. Eco-friendly beach resorts offering authentic Kerala cuisine, Ayurvedic treatments, and yoga retreats make Marari a perfect slow-travel destination.
Sabarimala
82 km · Sabarimala, nestled in the forested hills of the Western Ghats in Kerala, is one of the largest Hindu pilgrimage sites in the world and the abode of Lord Ayyappa — a deity embodying dharma, celibacy, and universal brotherhood. The annual pilgrimage season from November to January sees millions of devotees, clad in traditional black attire, undertaking the challenging 5-kilometer trek through dense jungle to reach the hilltop shrine. The journey to Sabarimala is as much a physical and spiritual ordeal as it is an act of devotion, passing through the sacred 18 golden steps before reaching the temple.
Varkala
94 km · Varkala, perched on dramatic red laterite cliffs above the Arabian Sea in Kerala, is unlike any other beach destination in India — a bohemian clifftop promenade of yoga centers, Ayurvedic treatment centers, seafood restaurants, and beach boutiques overlooking the strikingly beautiful Papanasam Beach below. According to Hindu belief, a dip in the Papanasam Beach's waters washes away sins, and the ancient Janardhanaswamy Temple overlooking the sea adds deep spiritual significance to this natural paradise. Varkala's unique clifftop character, the mesmerizing Arabian Sea sunsets, and the availability of traditional Kerala Ayurveda make it one of South India's most distinctive beach destinations.
