Alleppey (Alappuzha) Backwaters – Complete Travel Guide

Why Visit Alleppey?

Alleppey, also known as Alappuzha, is a coastal district of Kerala famous for its enchanting network of lakes, lagoons, narrow canals, rivers, and coconut palms. These natural elements combine with lush paddy fields, peaceful village life, birdwatching, kayaking, and vibrant local culture to create an unforgettable travel experience.

Historical Background:

Alleppey and nearby areas were low-lying wetlands, part of the expansive Vembanad Lake stretching from Ashtamudi Lake in Quilon to Kochi. In 1832, the Maharaja of Travancore began reclaiming these wetlands to meet the growing demand for rice. By 1984, approximately 2,300 hectares were converted into fertile paddy fields.

This area, now known as Kuttanad, is often called the “Rice Bowl of Kerala.” Here, you can also see birds like kingfishers, egrets, and herons during boat rides, making it a paradise for bird lovers. Alleppey, being a coastal district one side of Alleppey is beautiful canals and rivers and other side is the Arabian Sea which is Alleppey beach.

Alleppey is a coastal town where one side is the Arabian Sea and other side completely covered by rivers and canals which is known as Alleppey backwaters. There are many big and small canals. Both sides of these crisscrossed canals and rivers are beautiful lagoons, green paddy fields, coconut palms, local village homes which are not available in any other part of the world. Local people live on the banks of these canals and these canals and rivers are part of their daily life. Road access to these villages which are surrounded by small canals and rivers are limited. Therefore, most of the local people are depend on water transport ie small rice boats or country boats/motor boats to move from one place to another place. Still in some part of the village, one can see moving small country boat sells ethnic items to the villagers who are living on the banks of canals and rivers. All these make Alleppey a major tourist attraction place.

Also, many tourists enjoy village walk tours, traditional Kerala meals at local homes, and try fresh toddy (local palm drink) and seafood at small canal-side shacks. Some villages also show live coir-making or fishing techniques using Chinese fishing nets. Another important attraction of Alleppey is the famous and exciting water sport called snake boat race is organized at different canals in Alleppey which attracts the largest crowd from all over the world. Alleppey backwaters with houseboats will be a best combination for the spending leisure time.

Things to Do in Alleppey Backwaters:

• Enjoy houseboat cruises across scenic canals and lagoons
• Try kayaking during sunrise or sunset at Kainakary and Punnamada Lake
• Go for a village walk and explore traditional coir-making and fishing
• Taste fresh seafood and toddy at local shacks
• Watch kingfishers, egrets, herons, and other birds

What to See or How to Explore Alleppey Backwaters?

Many of the guests used to ask this question more frequently. The main attraction of Alleppey is small and big canals, lagoons, green paddy fields, small country boats selling ethnic items – a verity of birds from Kingfisher, sea grate, eagle etc. all these makes Alleppey backwaters an an unforgettable experience.

To experience this, one need to make an Alleppey trip through the small canals and rivers. To make a trip through canals and rivers, one need to use any means of water transport like houseboat, wooden country boat – as generally called shikkara, speed boat, motor boat etc.

Visit of Alleppey backwaters is not possible by road transport. These days, many tourists also enjoy kayaking in the morning or evening, especially around Kainakary and Punnamada lake area. It gives more peaceful and close experience of nature and local life.

How Long Does It Take to See Alleppey Backwaters?

The Alleppey backwaters are extended to approx 300 sq km. To visit most beautiful places in Aleppey backwaters which include the scenic place like Kuttanad, Kainakery canals, minimum 2 days in a houseboat is required.  But short trip of 3-4 hrs in small canals is also possible to see the glimpse of Alleppey canals. You can also try 3–4 hour Shikkara ride or Kerala Government ferry boat which costs very low and goes through narrow canals and villages. If you want to enjoy sunset and sunrise on lake, then 1 or 2 night houseboat trip is best.

There are different options available to do a trip in the backwaters:

Houseboat Experience: Most attractive and relaxing way of exploring Alleppey backwaters is by Houseboat. Houseboat provides a bed room, attached bath room, an open deck, a kitchen and 2 or 3 service man at the disposal of the guests. A 2 ni 3 days trip in houseboat can cover most beautiful canals of Alleppey. An advance booking is definitely required.  Read our below article to know more about houseboat and booking procedure. Today’s houseboats are made from wood, bamboo, and coir. Earlier these were used for rice transport and now turned into floating rooms with eco-friendly design. Some houseboats even have upper decks and Wi-Fi.

Motor Boat: Small and big type of motor boats can accommodate 10 to 100 people depending upon the size of the boat.  Most of the motor boats have a top floor also. It may cost approx Rs 700 – 1000 upto 8 adults per hour. No advance booking is required and most of the time a motor boat is available. Motor boat is available in all the main boat Jettys in Alleppey.

Shikkara:  A shikkara is powered by diesel or petrol Yamaha engine, can accommodate 2 to 8 adults depending upon the size of the boat.  It may cost Rs 700 – 900 per hour upto 8 adults.  This cost may go up if there is huge demand and less availability. No advance booking is required and most of the time a shikkara boats is available.  Since the country boats and Shikkara is small, those who are taking this should ensure that the driver is having a license and all other security precautions are available in the boat.  There are many accidents reported and all these accidents are due to inexperienced drivers. A shikkara boat can be hired from Rajeev Jetty at Alleppey.

Kayaking: Ideal for solo or small-group travelers who want a quiet, immersive experience. Popular in early mornings or evenings around Kainakary and Nedumudy.

Kerala Government Ferry Boats: These boats are operated by Govt of Kerala Water Transport Department, which run these boats to connect different islands for local people. This is a good option for those looking for low budget travel.  Most of the time one may not find seats due to local people traveling and some time there is no boat as per the schedule.  The service boats are available from Alleppey Boat Jetty – which is a walk able distance Alleppey Bus Stand. Below are the some of the routes tourist can avail which travels most of the narrow canals. It cost approx INR 40 per head for one way trip.

• Alleppey Jetty to Kainakary – in takes almost 2 hrs for a round trip.
• Alleppey to Kottayam – this is idle for those who are going to Thekkedy from Alleppey. Kottayam boat jetty is 1 kms from Kottayam bus stand.
• Alleppey to Kollam (Quilon) – this is idle for those who are going to Kovalam/Trivandrum from Alleppey.

The Port Authority of Kerala insists to have license to all these boats and do periodical inspection to renew the license. Still, those who take the service should ensure that they have proper life jackets and security precautions taken care of before hiring the boat.

Where to Stay in Alleppey:

Accommodation ranges from houseboats and homestays to resorts located by the canals. Many offer authentic village experiences, traditional meals, and even private canoe tours.

Best Time to Visit:

• November to February: Pleasant weather
• July to August: Monsoon season and snake boat race festivals

Attractions and Sightseeing Options in Alleppey:

• Overnight stay in Houseboat.
• Houseboat Day trip in Alleppey Backwaters.
• Backwater trip in motor boat / shikkara boat.
• Aleppey Beach.
• Alleppey Light House
• Alleppey – Kollam or Kollam – Alleppey motorboat backwater trip.
• Cheapest Backwater trip in Alleppey.
• Bicycle tour through villages of Alleppey.
• Krishnapuram Palace.
• Kuttanad

For active travelers, morning cycling through the villages is a good experience. You can stop at tea shops, talk to locals, see children going to school in boats and enjoy local snacks.

Other Local Alleppey Information:

Alleppey Taxi for local Travel:

Hiring a taxi in Alleppey is very easy. There are many agencies available who provide taxi service. Below are the places from where guest can hire a taxi.

• Alleppey Rly Station. A taxi stand is available inf.

Temples Around Alleppey:

• Ambalappuza Srikrishnaswamy Temple
• Mannarsala Nagaraja Temple
• Chakkulathu Kavu Devi Temple

Bicycle or Two Wheeler Rent in Alleppey:

There is no agency providing bicycle or two wheeler rent in Alleppey.  Some of the resorts have its own bicycle available for the staying guests.

Govt Tourist Information Centre in Alleppey:

District Tourism Promotional Council have an office in Rajeev Jetty, which is near to State Transport Bus Stand Alleppey.  DTPC does not operate any of the tour packages or motor boat etc and working as an information provider.

Wine Shops in Alleppey:

1st of every month is being observed as dry day in all Kerala and all the bars and Beverage outlets will not be open.

Night Clubs, Bar and Discotheque:

There is no Night clubs, Bar or Discotheque is available in Alleppey.

Additional Experiences:

• Ayurveda Spa and Yoga Centres
• Drug store, department store, super market, spice shop in Alleppey
• Bank and ATM in Alleppey
• Hospitals in Alleppey
• Vegetarian / Non Vegetarian Restaurants in Alleppey.
• Police Station
• Fire and Safety
• Shopping in Alleppey