Alappuzha

With an overwhelming presence of water in the form of canals and backwaters, the district of Alappuzha has a distinct lifestyle owing to the presence of these water bodies. The region has in store, some of the picturesque natural settings in Kerala. Interspersed with vast stretches of paddy fields, avenues of coconut trees, islets and villages, Alappuzha is also famous for coir making and coir-based industries. Historically, Alappuzha was once an important trading center and was popular among foreign traders as the ‘Venice of the East.’ Renowned for its any boat races, Alappuzha also has beautiful stretched fishing villages and is also one of the few places in the world, where farming is done below sea level.

The Backwaters - Houseboat cruise

The houseboats you find in the backwaters of Alappuzha are in fact a reworked version of the Kettuvallams of olden times. Kettuvallam is a Malayalam word, ‘Kettu’, refers to dwelling structures and ‘Vallom’ means boat. In the olden days, kettuvallam or boat with thatched roof that covers over wooden hulls was used to carry tons of rice and spices.

Alappuzha beach

The beach is a famous picnic spot with a children’s park and boating facilities. The old lighthouse and 140 year old pier which extends into the sea is an amazing view. The pier was built by Hugh Crawford in 1862.

Pathiramanal

According to mythology a young brahmin dived into the Vembanad lake to perform his evening ablutions and the water made way for land to rise from below, thus creating the enchanting island of Pathiramanal (sands of midnight). This little island on the backwaters is a favourite haunt of hundreds of rare migratory birds from different parts of the world.