I’ve known for a long time that I had to visit Alleppy (new name Alpuzha). Kerala is such a special place with its eco-friendly vibe, fresh air, rivers, sea, mountains, tea gardens, rain, the Periyar River, and a rich culture that has captured my heart since 1985 when I first visited the quiet and secluded area of Idukki.
I recall that my first trip to South India was to Kerala in 1985. When I arrived in Erankulam, I went to the DOT (now BSNL) office and was surprised to see all the staff wearing lungis. It was a delightful shock for me. Fast forward to recent years, and while I’ve noticed some clear cultural shifts in Kerala, the traditions and discipline observed in the temples remain unchanged. This is the legacy that the Cheras, Pandyas, and Cholas have bestowed upon the people of Kerala.
Back in 1985, I was staying in Idduki at the one and only Saint George Lodge during an official trip.
My meals for two months were just Kerala Paratha and black grams curry. Eventually, I switched to brown rice and sambhar with a bit of fish. I would take the bus down to Painav village for microwave installations. The bus ride went through thick jungles, past the Idduki arch dam, and by small houses in the jungle, where everyone seemed to love growing flowers and banana plants. I often saw little girls walking to school, and I thought that’s probably why Kerala has the highest literacy rate. It rained a lot. I witnessed the sunsets and sunrises in the Periyar region many times. Every day, I climbed the hill for microwave installations and ran back in the evening as darkness fell over the jungle.
Those were the days I spent in Kerala.
I’ve been to Kerala a few more times since then, like Thekkadi and Munnar, those earlier experiences in Kerala did resonate with my soul the same way. Oh, the beautiful Kerala.
Now, in 2025, I’ve planned another trip to Guruvayur, Thrissur, Athirapalli, and Allepy by train.
In Alleppy, there are several spots to explore and get a feel for the local ecology. Nearby, you can check out the paddy fields in Kuttahad, R-Block, the Nehru Trophy snake boat point, Alappuzha beach, and the Revi Karunakaran memorial museum. If you’re up for a bit of a drive by car or auto, you can visit Pathiramanel Island (15 km away), Arthungal Church (25 km), and Krishnapuram Palace (15 km).
Location
Alappuzha (also known as Alleppey) is a coastal town and the administrative headquarters of Alappuzha district, situated in the state of Kerala, southern India, facing the Lakshadweep Sea and nestled between the sea and the scenic Vembanad Lake.
Our journey
We took a train from Bengaluru to Thrissur, arriving at 6:30 AM. We spent a few hours in Thrissur, refreshing ourselves at the National Tourist Home for 3 hours before checking out three temples.
At 3 PM, we hopped on a government bus to Guruvayur, which took about an hour since it’s only 28 KM away. We stayed at a hotel in Guruvayur and explored the Marine Aquarium and Chavakkad Beach.
The next day, at 9:30 AM, we grabbed a taxi to Athirapalli, where we visited three waterfalls and returned to Guruvayur by 6:30 PM. The following day, we checked out three famous temples in Guruvayur and then took a government bus to Alleppey, which was a 5.5-hour journey.
Where to stay
We stayed in KTDC (Kerala Tourism Dev Corporation) Ripple Land Hotel, which can be booked only online. It is run by the state tourism department. It is in midtown and 3 KM from the railway station and 1.5 KM from the bus stand. There are many hotels and stay homes in Allepy.
The booking link is KTDC Hotel.
Expenditure
The whole trip cost Rs. 36,000 with 5N stay and taxi trip from Guruvaur ro Athirapalli waterfalls
Let me tell you about my experiences in Alleppy.
People refer to Alleppy as the Venice of the East, but honestly, that’s not quite accurate. There are significant differences between Alleppy and Venice.
Venice is a much more polished destination, with narrower backwaters and a more glamorous appearance, featuring many medieval streets, churches, a glass industry, and several historical buildings. The houses along the shore there are submerged in water, which is not the case in Alleppy.
In Alleppy, the backwaters are much wider, and you don’t have to navigate through houses to peek into their kitchens like you do in Venice.
However, Alleppy offers a more natural, tranquil, and peaceful sea, with no bridges—just backwaters gently touching the residential shore houses, hotels, restaurants, and palm trees.
We asked the KTDC hotel staff to help us find a boat for exploring the backwaters. Although we went through KTDC, it seems they have connections with private boat operators. We arranged for a boat ride at Rs.800 per hour for three hours, with a minimum booking of two hours.
The boat was decent-sized and reserved just for us.
These backwaters are essentially small canals that weave into the mainland. The experience is nice, though not particularly enchanting, yet people are willing to pay between 19K and 30K for a night on the
water. There are a few notable spots the boatman was supposed to show us, but due to a language
barrier, he didn’t point them out. These are definitely some spots we should ask the boatman to show us in person.
It’s a tidy little town, but there aren’t many standout places to check out besides the backwaters. Plus, it’s raining a lot since it’s July. Still, there’s something really special about walking in the rain, half-soaked, with an umbrella and raincoat. It doesn’t bother us too much, even if there are a few inconveniences; it takes us back to our childhood.
So, like I mentioned, there aren’t really many attractions in Alleppey. We just asked our auto driver to take us to Alappuzha Beach despite the rain.
The beach was pretty deserted, probably because of the rainy season. We snapped a photo of the beach, and in the background, we spotted a huge lighthouse. I’m not sure if it’s still operational, but we saw a few enthusiastic people at the top. It must have around 100 wooden steps. We didn’t want to venture inside with the rain pouring down. But it was amazing to see that lighthouse with the cloudy sea on one side and lush greenery all around it.
I noticed something really special in Kerala this time. You won’t see any garbage in the busy markets or tourist spots. Plus, shopkeepers don’t hand out items in plastic bags; they use newspaper or paper bags instead. It looks like this practice is taken very seriously.
We returned to the hotel in the evening and savored some onion pakoda and tea while watching the rain from the restaurant. The restaurant staff even played Hindi songs for us at their counter.
The next day, we had a train to catch at 7:30 PM back to Bengaluru. So, we decided to visit the local market and check out the Revi Karunakaran Memorial Museum right in the heart of town. This museum is
only 1.5 KM away from our hotel. Honestly, the market in Alleppy isn’t that impressive, and the shops are pretty spread out, making it hard to walk around and explore. But the museum? It was absolutely incredible. I’ve only seen such a valuable collection of 150-year-old artifacts at the Metro Museum in New York. The entry fee is Rs. 300, but it’s totally worth it. Seriously worth it.
One of the World’s largest private Swarovski crystal collections, a stunning 45,000-crystal falcon, a coffee bean grinding mill, a crane, exquisite porcelain & jade artifacts, Tanjore paintings, and an epic mural. All these were collected as gifts during business trips to various countries. There’s even a Kerala room showcasing terracotta floors and carved teak ceilings, highlighting the region’s culture and craftsmanship, plus a vintage 1947/48 Buick Super car owned by the family and a 24-carat gold-plated Chinese tea set.
These exhibits are truly jaw-dropping. We spent about two hours exploring the museum. In my opinion, it definitely deserves to be recognized as a UNESCO heritage site. Photography is not allowed inside.
Epilogue
Alleppy is well-known for its backwaters. Boating here is a lovely experience and feels unique since there aren’t any mangrove forests in these waters. The entire area is peaceful. A day is usually enough to explore Alleppy, but if you’re interested in visiting an island and the Revi Karunakaran museum, you might want to stay an extra day. You can visit Pathiramanel Island (15 km away), Arthungal Church (25 km), and Krishnapuram Palace (15 km). It’s definitely a place you shouldn’t miss, and you can also check out the beaches in Kochi, which are only about a 1.5-hour trip from here. Just a heads up, people can be a bit straightforward, and you might find that English is a bit of a challenge.
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