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Alleppey is the “Venice of the East”. With ‘water, water,
everywhere’ and crisscrossing canals as streets, only Gondolas are
missing. Immerse in this aqua town, where worries and troubles seem
to instantly wash away. Experience how humans adapt to a life in
water even as you partake the marvelous outpourings of nature.
Spending time in a houseboat could give a fresh perspective to
everything you have ever experienced!
How to get there
Air The nearest airport is at Cochin.
Rail Alleppey Railway Station is connected by rail with
Cochin and Trivandrum.
Road Well connected by road (NH-47)
Water Connected with Cochin (5 1/2 hrs), Quilon (8 hrs) and Kottayam
(2 1/2 hrs)
| Places to visit |
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Places
Backwaters
are defined as “a part of a river not reached by the
current, where the water is stagnant”, and the best of
Kerala Backwaters is here. A leisurely cruise around
Backwaters in and around Alleppey, affords a scintillating
view of the lapping still -waters, as well as the
surrounding over abundant greens and the birds and closely
knit humans living on the water side. Experience the life
style of people engaged in coir-making and prawn farming at
close quarters. You need houseboats, locally called
kettuvallam that are available on hire for the cruise. These
usually have 2 bedrooms and attached bathrooms and a routine
trip includes food cooked on board in the traditional Kerala
style.
The coruscating Aranmula snake-boat races are held
every year on the second Saturday of August. One of the most
exciting races as over a hundred oarsmen, slice through the
waters like a knife, the movement of the oars becomes
terrific as hundreds of oars on either sides, all blur into
one huge oar!
The unique crisscrossing net of canals and lagoons of
Alleppey also allure. Snaking on and out of the town, these
take you everywhere at an unhurried pace as you tilt and jar
from side to side. |
Eating out
Most eateries here are
vegetarian. Drink a lot of coconut water- besides quenching thirst
and boosting energy instantly, it is also readily available. Snack
on the freshly fried banana chips, from pepper flavoured to the
plain salted. A word of caution: food in Kerala has a very distinct
taste owing to it being cooked in coconut oil and with coconut.
Unique
Shopping
The coir
products and carpets are famous here. Alleppey is also famous for
its pepper, coconut oil, areca nut, cardamom, sugar, etc and there
are several spice markets. People usually would end up buying even
if it happens to be a small souvenir! |
