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davidjo Says: From Alleppey, or Alappuzha as it's now called, you can go on organised trips, rent houseboats or hop on the regular boats going upriver to various destinations, depending on your travel plans. Houseboats can be rented from 12 hrs to weeks (they come with boatman/pilot and...
Avieira67 Says: Of course this depends on you, but if you wish to meet locals and to travel like a local don't hesitate to take a public boat. They go everywhere and are frequent. I arrived in Kottayam by train, and from there I took public boat to Alappuzha. I was informed this is the most...
Backwaters Tour - Goddess of Light
Willettsworld Says: As we neared Kollam, and so neared the end of our Backwaters Tour, we passed by this rather surprising and revealing statue of the Goddess of Light on Ashtamudi Lake. She's bearing quite a lot to the world!
Willettsworld Says: We went past this group of fishermen on a boat who waved at us as we passed by. The Backwaters is big business for fishermen and you'll get to see a lot of them and fishing boats as part of your tour.
Backwaters Tour - Chinese fishing nets
Willettsworld Says: I had seen these Chinese fishing nets in Kochi and thought they were only to be found there, so it was a big surprise to see them along the river in the Backwaters. We went past a whole load of them, in a line either side of us, as we passed by some kind of power station...
Willettsworld Says: I did my Backwaters Tour from Alappuzha (Alleppey) to Kollam and it was a fabulous day out. We left Alappuzha at about 10am and made our way south past lush vegetation of coconut trees and palm trees and people crossing the river on small ferries and coracles. Daily life all...
Mullackal Rajarajeswari Temple
Willettsworld Says: This nice temple is located right in the middle of town. The presiding deity is Goddess Rajarajeswari who, according to legend, is believed to have appeared at the site many times to care for a jasmine plant.
Willettsworld Says: This is the main North Canal in Alappuzha and is where you can catch the Backwaters Tour boat to Kollam (Quilon). This is also where you can take the public ferry to Kottayam from (see transportation tips).
Willettsworld Says: Vembanad Lake is located about 1km east of the town and is where the annual Nehru Trophy Boat Race takes place. Every year during the second Saturday of August, thousands of people throng to this place to witness the breathtaking boat race. The lake is India's longest at...
1 Review and 191 Opinions I stayed in this resort for 1 day and a night. Apart from that I have been to this hotel 5 times....
Arcadia Regency Hotel Alleppey
1 Review and 71 Opinions I was not very impressed with my stay at this hotel. The initial impressions are very good - a very...
Backwaters Tour - lunch: Served on a banana leaf
Willettsworld Says: We stopped for lunch, on our Backwaters Tour, at a very simple looking place where we were served veg curry, rice, samosa and fish on a banana leaf. There was an palm oil factory nearby which we had a quick look around before we set off again.
alycat Says: With an overnight stay on the houseboat and a customised kitchen, had all the 3 meals of the day on the boat, didnt venture out in any of the restro's in town, and with a chef on call 24/7, I jus had exactly what I wanted. Pearl spot fish much recommended, deep fried and...
PierreZA Says: I traveled by bus from Trivandrum to Alleppey during October 2008. For as little as Rs300 you can travel with an AC bus, which is very comfortable. The trip took about 3 and a half hours. It is best to book a day or two in advance. I initially wanted to travel by train, but...
Willettsworld Says: There are 5 daily public ferries that go to Kottayam between 7.30am and 5.30pm. The one I took was at around 10.30am but check the times where you're staying. The ferry trip takes around 2.5hrs and costs just Rs10 so it's an absolute bargain as it's a cheaper alternative...
Willettsworld Says: Coracles are flat basketlike craft used to ferry people & sheep (yes sheep!) and are about 6 feet in diameter. They are made of bamboo, cane, plastic sheets and a fine coating of bitumen to make it leak proof. They're used, here, for fishing as well as to get from one side...
Willettsworld Says: The Keralan name of the house boats you'll see all around Alappuzha and the Backwaters are known as Kettuvallam - in the Malayalam language "kettu" means tying and “vallam” means country boat. A kettuvallam is about 67 feet in length and has a width of around 13 feet in the...
Willettsworld Says: Alappuzha (Alleppey) is surrounded by water and so it figures predominately in local people’s lives. You'll see them fishing, washing and transporting goods on it and one of the best ways to see this up front is by taking the public ferry to Kottayam.
Helpfulness
If you decide to go on a houseboat then beware the food.
We met two couples who went on separate houseboats and both got food poisoning.
You are at most risk if the staff wash the utensils in the river / lake water, or use it in the cooking.
Written May 9, 2006
Helpfulness
Houseboat Tours are the popular thing in Alleppey, and they are very popular. However there are significant drawbacks which you might want to consider.
1) Houseboats are BIG - which means that they can only travel on the larger rivers and canals. This means that there are regular routes that are being done to death, and the local are not particularly excited about seeing yet another houseboat. It also means that you will miss out on the smaller and more intimate backwater areas which are still full of charm. Because of their size, you sit high up and are quite removed from everyone else, which can detract from the general experience.
2) Houseboats can be NOISY. They all have outboard motors and often generators. Some are quieter than others, but the noisy ones are not peaceful.
3) Houseboats are DAMAGING THE ENVIRONMENT. All the waste and garbage goes over the side and into the local water. This has become a big problem around Alleppey, and the local people are getting sick, and the waterways are getting littered with floating rubbish.
4) Houseboat meals can make you ILL. We met two separate couples who had become very ill after eating meals on the houseboats. The problem is likely to be caused by the cooking utensils being washed in the river / lake water which has become polluted.
Unique Suggestions: Make sure you get a Quiet One.
Do all you can to make sure the cooking and utensils do not have any contact with the local waterways.
Get the staff to use a bin and not the waterways.
PLEASE ALSO CONSIDER THE ALTERNATIVE SMALL "COUNTRY BOAT" TOURS INSTEAD.
Fun Alternatives: OK so there's 4 good reasons to for not going on a houseboat. The alternative which we did - AND LOVED - is to stay at a nice waterside resort (try the wonderful Palm Grove which has 4 ecofriedly huts and great cooking), and to take a variety of shorter trips in canoes (called country boats). These can go everywhere, put you on the same level as everyone else, and are silent and peaceful. They are also much cheaper.
Please think about this as they are a great alternative which should give you a much better experience. There is a hard sell going on for the houseboats, but if you ask around you will also be able to find someone who can get you some country boat tours. Two hours is a good time, and if you do it for sunrise or sunset you will have an experience you will never forget.
Written May 9, 2006
Willettsworld Says: Kottayam is located about 30km (18 miles) east of Alappuzha (Alleppey), across Vembanad Lake, which is part of the Backwaters - a labyrinth of interconnected canals, rivers and lakes. I came here for a day trip on a public ferry from Alleppey in order to visit a couple of...
alycat Says: Try cooking some local stuff. While on our mad shopping spree in Alleppy, we were invited to the kitchen of the bakery to see for ourselves the miracle called banana chips!!Fish being the local delicacy in Aleppy, banana chips and home-made chocs is something you will find...
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The Venice of the east -Alappuzha or Alleppey.....
Alappuzha is one of the most important torurist centres in Kerala. This coastal town has long beach and surronded by number of canals and lakes. The largest Vembabanad Lake and Kayankulam Lake are...
I only spent a day and a night in this pleasant town. The town is easy to negotiate. There are two main canals (north and south), which makes it easy to orientate yourself. Alleppey (as most people......
Allepy or alapphuza (spelt as allapuda), gives u the true essence of kerala backwaters. The shore side life of locals, the humidity, the sun, the boats and the smell of water, wow what can be said of...
Alleppey is high up on my list of favourite Indian destinations. The reason everyone goes there is for the backwater trips that it offers. Consequently the town itself gets a bit neglected, which is a...
. Alleppey is 156 km from trivandrum.Once a thriving business center for trading with other countries through sea route now it has become a sleepy town where tourists land for a backwater cruise. ...
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