The ‘Venice of the East’, as Alappuzha is fondly known as, is a beautiful place and indescribable by words. The mesmerizing backwaters, the picturesque canals, beaches, stretches of paddy fields and brackish lagoons are what makes this district so attractive to people.
Alappuzha is well known for the iconic backwater cruises that would take you to stunning locales in and around the place. The extent of the cruise would of course, be dependent on the amount of time you want to spend gazing at the beauty of backwaters.
Alappuzha is blessed with extravagant, natural flora and fauna that you can see when you drift along on the cruises. Alappuzha is also the traditional hub of Kerala, and hence, there are plenty of activities that you can do there.
1
Kuttanad Backwaters
One of the best places to visit in Alleppey is Kuttanad Backwaters. This isn’t a place, it’s a phenomenon. It is a spectacular lagoon, surrounded by the beauty of lakes, rivers, canals, misty mountains and ethereal landscapes. The experience of floating along the pristine backwaters on a houseboat is inexplicable. You will have to live it to know it! The place is also known as the ‘Rice bowl of Kerala,’ for its stunning rice plantations. If you are in Alleppey for a day, then this place should be your entire itinerary.
2
Krishnapuram Palace
It is one of the most popular museums in Alleppey. Built-in the 18th century by the king of Travancore, Anizham Thirunal Marthanda Varma, Krishnapuram Palace is quite popular for its vintage architecture and artistic murals. Currently maintained by the Archaeological Department of Kerala, the palace is also home to the biggest mural painting of Kerala the 'Gajendra Moksha.’ The enriching mural painting covers an area of about 53 km, making this palace one of the most popular places to visit in Alleppey.
3
St. Mary's Forane Church
This beautiful church traces its existence back to 835 AD and is known for its events, Friday Liturgy and educational institutions. Currently, the church is a world-renowned center of pilgrimage, where one can know more about the culture and lifestyle of the Christians. This is one of the biggest churches and parishes of the Archeparchy of Changanassery. Currently, the church is known for housing 2500 families and is one of those Alleppey tourist places that are popularly visited by the masses. The church organizes two feasts or festivals every year. The first one of them is St. Mary’s Feast. Since the church is dedicated to the Virgin Mary, hence every year on the third Sunday of September, a feast is organized by the Church. People visit the church on this day and participate in the festival wearing special costumes for the procession and mass. The other feast celebrated here is St. Sebastian’s Feast. Fireworks and other dazzling display of colors make this feast remarkable, interesting and fun. The gorgeous decorations, feast and regal look of the church make it one of the best places to visit in Alleppey.
5
Alleppey Lighthouse
Famous as the Alappuzha lighthouse, the Alleppey lighthouse can be spotted from miles away. A humongous tower celebrating the solitude by the coastal strip wearing strips of red and white is how it is best reminisced.
The phenomenal tower was first installed in March 1862, almost 148 years ago. Located at around 4 kilometers ahead of the Alappuzha town, Alleppey or Alappuzha lighthouse grants a panoramic 360-degree view of the ocean as well as the territorial land of Alleppey which is majorly thick and lush foliage.
Flaunting its badge of being one of the oldest lighthouses of Kerala, its construction dates back to the time when Marthanda Varma- II Maharaja owned the throne of the region.
6
Alleppey Beach
Glistening sands, crystal clear water, beautiful waves, enchanting sunrise, and sunset is what makes the Alappuzha or the Alleppey beach one of the best places to visit in Alleppey. This stunningly beautiful beach is known for its vast, endless stretches, thereby proving as a getaway for couples as well as families.
The remains of Alappuzha Sea Bridge also make it one of the most popular destinations for explorers, narrating the tales of those times when Alleppey was one of the most famous and important port destinations in the state of Kerala. The beach has beautiful stretches, making the visit to this beach quite ecstatic and enjoyable.
The beach is also close to Sea View Park, which offers an opportunity to enjoy and have fun through different types of boat rides. A picnic spot is located close-by, therefore families can enjoy a day off at the beach and picnic at that spot. The beach is often referred to as the ‘Venice of the East,’ because of its romantic location and popularity among European countries.
7
Marari Beach
If you want to unwind completely, then the Marari Beach is a must-visit destination for you. The sleepy little village located close to Marari Beach is what makes this beach distinct and attractive, inviting people from all over the world to learn and understand the culture of the Indian state of Kerala.
This beautiful destination is known for being a beach symphony, thanks to its glistening sands and crystal clear waters. Watching sunrise and sunset here is quite a romantic experience that couples would love to enjoy. The place is rated as one of the World’s Top five Hammock Beaches by the National Geographic Survey.
Marari Beach is known for providing unique experiences to travelers. Taking them away from modern life, this beach gives them an opportunity to unwind and to enjoy the different facets and bounties of life and nature. The village by the sea is one of the best places to visit in Alleppey where one can go to learn more about the culture and heritage of Kerala.
6
St. Andrew's Basilica Arthunkal
The largest shrine of St. Sebastian in the whole world, this church is one of the most popular Alleppey tourist places. The prestigious church was established in the 16th century and rebuilt in 1584, under Father Jacomo Fenicio, who was known to heal people with his touch.
It has been renovated many times in history but always it has always stood tall and strong. With its majestic architecture and proximity to the Arthunkal Beach, St. Andrew’s Basilica is probably the most popular spiritual edifice in Alleppey.
8
Edathua Church
This famous church is known for celebrating huge feasts during the month of May. The church is also popular for its Christian and non-Christian pilgrims. The Vicar of this Palli was Father Thoman Olakkapady. Currently, the church is located close to the Mahatma Gandhi University’s St. Aloysius College which is built and managed by the church.
The church itself was built in 1st century AD and is said to be built by St. Thomas himself, who was a disciple of Jesus Christ. The annual feast that is celebrated here starts on the 27th of April and concludes on the 7th of May. The feast sees St. George carried out, decked in golden colored regalia. Special church prayers are sung and some of them even feature the Syrian dialect of Hebrew.
9
Karumadikkuttan
A village situated just a few kilometers from Alappuzha or Alleppey, Karumady or Karumadi is one of the amazing Alappuzha tourist places that explorers would love. The place plays a pivotal role in the history and development of Buddhism as a religion and is perhaps best known for the black granite statue of Sri Buddha.
What makes this statue even more alluring is the fact that the left-hand side of this Sri Buddha Statue is missing. Several travelers, especially the ones who are gravely ill or have someone who is ill, come to this village and touch the feet of this Lord Buddha statue because is believed that the statue has healing powers which can be directly transferred to the healer or the victim.
The place also has a wide range of local restaurants that any epicurean would love to try because of the use of indigenous spices and wide availability of different South Indian dishes and cuisines.
10
Pathiramanal Island
Pathiramanal, which means “Sands of the Night”, is a small lake island located on the backwaters of Alappuzha in Lake Vembanad. It is a bird watcher’s paradise since it is supposed to hold approximately 91 local species of birds and 50 species of migratory birds. The location of the island is extremely scenic, making it a lovely space to observe birds and the water. It is also completely uninhabited so you don’t have to worry about the crowd and hawkers disrupting the beauty. However, because it is uninhabited and not a major tourist hotspot, you will find that it lacks the usual facilities that bring tourists to comfort like benches in order to sit, restrooms, and places to buy food from. Let this not be a distraction since the island is very small and can be toured within an hour, which means that you won’t necessarily be inconvenienced by the lack of facilities, especially if you go prepared. The ride across Lake Vembanad is lovely as is the experience of walking through the island. If you happen to visit in the right season, you will find yourself surrounded by the chirpy sounds of thousands of birds. This certainly makes for one of the places to visit in Alleppey.
11
Ambalapuzha Temple
Ambalapuzha Temple is one of the most rewarding places to visit in Alleppey. The temple is the oldest Krishna temples in Kerala and among the oldest in India too. The temple has a lovely, soothing ambiance which will calm you down and make you simply want to sit in the temple for hours on the end. Ambalapuzha Temple is also a favorite hangout spot of foreigners. And it deserves all the attention it gets.
The inner sanctum is decorated with paintings of Sri Krishna and the other incarnations of Lord Vishnu. A large mandapam outside is a great place to sit and absorb the atmosphere of the temple. Because of its importance in the Vaishnava tradition, the temple is also popularly considered to be the “Dwarka of the South”, which is a great distinction to confer on a place.
When in the temple, don’t forget to have the famed sweet milk porridge- Palpayasam. Visitors love this prasad and it is actually counted among the attractions of the temple. An annual festival takes place in the month of March or April and it draws a large crowd to the place.
12
Nehru Trophy Snake Boat Race
Held in the memory of Jawaharlal Nehru, this boat race is unlike any other boat racing activity you may have seen before. The Nehru Trophy Snake Boat Race, also known as Vallam Kali, is an annual competition that takes place every August on a part of Lake Vembanad. It is one of the cultural highlights of the state, so plan your visit accordingly if it is your desire to see and experience this boat race.
Unlike other boat racing events which have teams of 5 to 10 rowing furiously in silent concentration, this boat race has teams of at least 100 people, usually fishermen, who row together as they sing at the top of their voice. It is a wonderful experience to simply see the boats row past as you stand on the banks of the lake.
If you feel like exploring and being offbeat, you could actually scout for the perfect secluded spot to watch the race on the banks of the lake. Else, go for the tickets for the bamboo stands set up especially for the race. The race is called a snake boat race because of the shape of the boats- long and snake-like.