Alleppey - The ‘Venice of the East’. A gateway to the backwaters of Kerala
Alleppey is home to the famous backwaters of Kerala - a bucket list item and must visit destination for anyone travelling south India. Read our guide on all there is to know about visiting the ‘Venice of the East’ from how to stay on a houseboat, how to tour the backwaters and why there’s so much more to Alleppey city than just its famous waterways!
Alleppey or Alappuzha, is world famous for its beautiful green backwaters. A network of palm fringed canals that snake their way through the Keralan paddy fields, connecting the town of Alleppey with smaller fishing villages and hamlets. Travelling on a boat through these ancient waterways feels as though you’ve stepped back in time, with sari clad ladies standing knee deep in the water washing colourful clothing, small fishermen casting their nets from their wooden boats and children cycling down the mudbanks and levee’s. It's a world away from the frenetic energy and fast pace of India’s megacities.
This all being said, Alleppey is so much more than just its beautiful backwaters. The town is a charming mix of colonial architecture, seaside cafes and tranquil temples. We spent three fantastic days here enjoying the laid back atmosphere, great seafood and even some delicious coffee.
Read our guide for everything you need to know about visiting Alleppey!
In this travel guide:
Visiting Alleppey as part of a longer tour of Kerala / South India
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What to do in Alleppey?
Visiting the Alleppey Backwaters
Read any guide book or do a quick Google search on what to do in Kerala, and we can almost guarantee that the first thing that will pop up will be an image or recommendation to take a boat trip through the Alleppey or Keralan Backwaters. It’s cliche to say, but if you’re in south India, then a trip through the backwaters is an absolute must.
With its beautiful, tree fringed waterways and hundreds of boats, there’s a reason why Alleppey is called the ‘Venice of the East’ and draws in thousands of tourists from India and the world over.
There are four main ways to visit the backwaters. These are:
By houseboat
This is by far the most luxurious and most expensive option, but will be best for those who are seeking a little more comfort on their backwaters exploration.
The houseboats, or Kettuvallam as they are known, are traditional wooden boats, constructed from local bamboo, coconut fibres and wood. Their iconic bamboo thatched roofs, rise up in a peaked arch and cover the wooden deck. The Kettuvallam were originally used to transport goods throughout the waterways, but have since been converted to allow tourists to stay on board overnight with bedrooms, en-suite bathrooms, air conditioning and comfy seating areas.
These floating hotels travel up and down the canals and offer tourists the chance to experience a full day living on the waterways.
To book a trip on a houseboat in advance, check out the tour below which includes pick up and drop off in Kochi and an overnight stay on a houseboat.
Just a word of warning, the Kettuvallam boats are big and a lot of the canals in the backwaters are tiny, therefore taking a trip on a houseboat will mean you are restricted to navigating the larger waterways. This isn’t necessarily a problem as the whole of the Alleppey backwaters and Vembanad Lake are beautiful. If you want to get closer to the action and explore more secluded backwaters, you will need a smaller boat. This brings us nicely onto exploring the backwaters … …
By Shikara boat (motorboat)
The Shikara boats are smaller, motorised wooden boats, think of a wider gondola with a thatched reed roof. The boats have plenty of seating and a motor at the back. These smaller boats travel up and down the main canals and through the smaller waterways offering tourists the chance to explore more of the backwaters than the larger houseboats.
You can take a Shikara boat tour from Alleppey town, or arrange a tour from Vembanad Lake. A Shikara boat tour is a great option if you are travelling with a group or a large family as they usually have seating for up to fifteen people on board.
If you’d like to book a Shikara boat tour in advance, then why not check out this boat tour below:
If you are staying on one of the larger houseboats, there is nothing stopping you from booking yourself onto a Shikara boat tour and spending some time exploring the smaller waterways, just ask your accommodation to arrange this for you.
There are also options to book a private Shikara boat, just ask any of the tour operators within Alappuzha to help arrange this for you.
By motorised canoe / longtail boat
For those looking to explore as much of the local life as possible and get right amongst the canals and waterways we would advise the motorised longtail or canoe boats. They are smaller than the Shikara and have slightly less luxurious seating but they can fit down even the most ‘local’ of canals and are still motorised so you don’t have to propel yourself! They are also significantly cheaper than the other options, another factor in why we, a couple of backpackers, chose to explore this way!
We arranged our tour via Arbu’s Guesthouse who organised a for a tuk tuk to pick us up at 8am to take us to the local ferry pier in town and for us to join a tour.
Right at 8am on the dot, our tuk tuk arrived and we joined the early morning rush hour in Alappuzha. We reached the ferry pier and were greeted by our tour guide. He let us know that we had enough time to have a canalside chai before the local ferry arrived. Clutching our cardboard cups of hot chai, we sat on the edge of the canal watching as the locals plied their way up and down this busy lotus strewn waterway.
Before too long the calm was interrupted by the large local ferry, sputtering and coughing its way up to our pier. We jumped aboard the busy commuter boat, took our seats amongst the locals and chugged our way towards Vembanad Lake and the backwaters.
As we reached the lake, we pulled over at small piers to let passengers on and off. At one stop, a whole gaggle of school girls got off, each with matching pig-tails and ribbons skipped off to school. Their school run certainly beats a boring bus ride!
We eventually reached our boat stop, a small, concrete and wooden pier surrounded by palm and banana trees jutting out onto the lake. We disembarked on this most picturesque pier and made our way up to the top of the bank. Walking on a one metre wide path on top of the levee, with the lake to the right of us and flooded rice paddies to the left, it felt as though we had stepped into a Ghibli film. We weaved our way amongst palm trees and small houses until we were finally ushered into a pretty garden. We had reached our breakfast stop.
Some of the Keralan houseboats look downright fantastical!
Our group sat down and out came plates piled high with upma (dried semolina cooked with nuts and spices), flaked coconut and bright yellow potato and chickpea curries. It was time to try a traditional Keralan breakfast. The curries clung to the upma and each mouthful was a tasty mix of sweet, and delicate spice. It was delicious!
After breakfast we continued our way on the levee path before reaching our moored longtail boats. Taking our seats, we set off down the narrow, palm lined canal.
The tiny waterway looked as though it was covered in a vibrant green carpet, as our boat navigated its way through the lotus leafs and lily’s that covered the whole waterway. It was like we were in a paint shop, looking at the whole palette of greens. Forest green next to emerald green, sea green next to khaki. There were so many shades of green on display right in front of our eyes.
We continued on down through the narrow waterway, driving under concrete bridges and past the small blooms of purple lotus flowers, that sat on top of the water.
We eventually pulled over and the driver let us know it was time to try some local alcohol, the coconut toddy! A litre bottle would cost 300 rupees so between the six of us on the boat it cost only us 50 rupees each. After payment our boat driver returned with our plastic bottle filled with a white cloudy drink. The toddy is made from coconut sap and is often referred to as ‘coconut vodka’ by the locals. Our driver promised us that it was delicious to drink, but looking at the murkiness of the bottle, the whole boat was unconvinced. Even so, the bottle did the rounds and we each took a shot. During our travels we’ve been lucky enough to sample a collection of ‘local’ drinks; from ‘laolao’ in Laos to ‘happy water’ in Vietnam. Despite being named different things, they all seem to taste the same - Super strong and fiery to drink, with a disctinct burning petrol feel. We were expecting the same from the ‘coconut toddy’. We were very wrong! The drink was sweet and not too harsh, it was an easy shot to take. The sweet coconut seemed to give the toddy a subtle flavour that removed the roughness of the alcohol. It really wasn’t bad and we all regretted not buying a bottle each to enjoy after the tour.
Happy with our toddy, it was time to continue on with our boat trip. Our driver navigated our boat across large open lakes, through tiny waterways, and up small canals lined with houses. As we chugged along, we watched the locals stand knee deep in the water, washing their colourful clothing. Above us on the levees, children rode along on bikes and waved to us, whilst flocks of white egrets flitted from palm to palm. It was like a scene from a children’s book, with blue skies reflected in the water, whilst all around trees moved in the breeze. The backwaters of Alleppey truly are a natural wonder!
After a peaceful few hours navigating the water, it was time for our boat trip to end, and we moored up just outside the small lakeside house where we had our breakfast. The owner, a very friendly lady in a bright pink sari, welcomed us in and let us know we were in for a lunchtime treat. It was time for a Kerala banana leaf curry.
As we sat down, large banana leaves were handed out and a large pile of coarse Keralan matta rice was placed in the centre of the leaves. These larger rice grains have more bite than the usual basmati rice, and make the ideal accompaniment to curry.
Alongside the rice, dollops of different vegetable curries, a bright pink raita, fruit chutneys and a crisp poppadom were added. Our banana leafs assembled, it was time to dive in hands first. It was a mighty feast, messy but moreish. Each mouthful we took tasting different to the last as we tried each of the different curries in flavoursome combinations.
It was a mouth-watering meal, made better by the lovely owner who told us all about the ingredients and how the curries were cooked. It was a scrumptious feast to top an incredible day out on the water!
After our delicious banana leaf curry, it was time to retrace our footsteps and head back to town. Sitting down amongst the locals and other tourists on the local ferry, we weaved in and out of the wake of the large Kettuvallams, whilst all along the waters edge, local fishermen cast their lines. It was a beautiful sight and reminded us that the backwaters aren’t only an incredible tourist attraction, but a vital waterway connecting the villages and towns of Kerala together.
We had always wanted to visit the backwaters and this tour had been fantastic!
Our day out including the local ferry, breakfast, lunch and longtail tour cost us 1000 rupees each (£9.41 or $12.03). The tuk tuk to and from the pier to our guesthouse cost us 100 rupees each way.
The tour started at 8:00 am and we were back at the local ferry pier in Alappuzha town by 15:30 pm.
The main ferry pier in Alappuzha!
We booked this tour through our guesthouse, you can easily do this through your own accommodation or a tour agency in town.
If you’d like to book a trip in advance, why not check out this tour from Trip Advisor.
By kayak
Another option to see the backwaters is by kayak. Out of all the ways to explore the waterways, this will obviously be the most active. You can hire single or tandem kayaks, I would recommend a tandem if you are a couple. I traditionally take the role of navigator / photographer and John takes the role…engine, much to his delight. Taking a kayak would be a much more peaceful way to see the backwaters as you could navigate down even the smallest of canals, plus as there’s just oars to push you along and no engine noise.
The tours set off early morning or late afternoon, catching either the sunrise or sunset and avoiding the midday sun. We were quoted 1500 rupees each to do this by our accommodation, but I’m sure you could find it cheaper in the town so just shop around and don't forget to haggle.
To book a kayaking tour of the backwaters in advance, why not check out the tour below:
Our Kerala Backwaters Photo Gallery:
Alappuzha Beach
(Location)
The golden sands of Alappuzha Beach stretch away along the whole of the western edge of Alleppey town. In the middle of the beach, jutting out into the surf, are the rusted remains of the town's, 150 year old pier. The beach is surprisingly clean (certainly compared to Chennai beach) and you could easily find a spot to throw down your towel. For those who need shade there are parts of the beach that have palm trees to hide under.
We visited in February and the seas were very rough, so we weren't able to go for a swim, but on calmer days, we can imagine it would be a great place to spend a beach day.
During the day, apart from some fishermen tending to their boats or some friendly beach dogs, you’ll have the majority of the beach to yourself, but as the sun goes down, the crowds appear as Indian families and couples head to the beach to enjoy the cooler evening air.
The beach faces West and has front row seats to watch the evening's fiery sundown show. Every evening we would head to the beach and find a spot to watch the sunset. We don’t know whether it's because we were reasonably close to the Equator or if there was some other scientific reason at hand, but we’ve never seen the sun set as big, as round and as bright red as we saw in Alleppey.
There are plenty of beachfront cafes and restaurants that line the beachfront (more on this later) for you to grab some food or drink.
Alappuzha Lighthouse
(Location)
At night as you walk through the town, you won't be able to miss the bright, shining light of Alappuzha’s lighthouse. Since 1862, this red and white striped lighthouse has been guiding ships and boats all along Alleppey’s shoreline.
Today, the lighthouse continues to operate but also gives tourists the chance to visit its small museum and climb to the top to of the tower get a birds eye view over the Arabian Sea.
Once you’ve bought your tickets, make sure you head into the building behind the ticket office for the museum. Inside you can learn about the lighthouses of Kerala, the history of how lighthouses operate and even get up close to the first revolving light in India. This revolving light hangs in the centre of the room and when in operation was made up of moving optic lenses that reflected the light of 9 coconut oil wick lamps. It is an impressive piece of kit and we loved that we could walk all around it as well as underneath it to really give us a sense of scale.
After the museum, cross over the small courtyard to the small door at the back of the lighthouse. The climb starts off quite easy as you climb a gentle staircase that spirals around the lighthouse's interior.
The final 10 or so steps are when things get a little trickier, as to reach the viewpoint at the very top of the lighthouse, you will need to climb up a vertical ladder and through a tiny opening at the top. It’s not a difficult climb, but did we mention that heat rises?! After a climb of 100 wooden stairs in the intense Indian heat, you can imagine how soggy we looked! Exiting the lighthouse (past the current revolving light) we stepped out onto the viewing platform and the cool sea breeze was very welcome!
The views from the top are spectacular, with a 360 degree platform that overlooks the seashore, beach and whole of Alleppey town. If you’re lucky and time the climb right, you’ll be able to watch the extremely long trains arrive or depart from Alleppey’s railway station. If you’ve travelled to India before, you know just how big the trains are here! It was a little hazy when we visited, but on a clear day you’d get amazing views over the canals and backwaters behind the town.
We visited the lighthouse first thing in the morning, right at its opening time (in fact we were such eager beavers that we were waiting outside the gates before the ticket man opened up), and had the lighthouse and museum all to ourselves. There is a large childrens play area surrounding the lighthouse, so on weekends, we presume it may get busy!
Entry fee: 50 rupees each for foreigners, and 10 rupees to take photographs with a camera.
Opening times: Tuesday to Sunday from 9:00am to 11:45am and from 2:00pm to 5:30pm.
The lighthouse is closed on Mondays / during public holidays.
To climb the lighthouse you will need to remove your shoes so don’t wear your best socks!
Alappuzha town
As with any town in India, you’ll never know what you’re going to find on a walk through Alappuzha’s bustling streets.
Alappuzha town is a hub of activity from dawn until dusk, the streets are filled with everything from piles of exotic fruit, baskets of fresh fish and mounds of spices. Navigating the streets is a fun game of intrigue and dodge as you move between rickshaws, wooden hand carts and buses, all of which dance and weave their way through the people, market stalls and streetside cows! As with most of India’s urban spaces, Alleppey is full of the chaos and colour that we love.
If you’re after street food, just head to any of the markets where you’ll find a plethora of stalls selling streetside chai, chaat, samosas and much much more.
There are also lots of temples, mosques and churches dotted around the town. If you do decide to visit these though, please be respectful and dress appropriately!
Where to eat and drink?
Alleppey is chock full of places to eat. From hole in the wall dhabas to seafront restaurants serving Western favourites and mocktails. Read on to find out where some of our Alappuzha favourites are:
The best restaurants in Alleppey
Sea Shore
(location)
Still dreaming about our delicious fishy feast we ate on the shoreline of Chennai, we knew we had to get our hands on more of the sea's bounty. The Sea Shore restaurant looked like the perfect place to indulge in our fishy fantasies.
Set high up on wooden stilts, just off of Alleppey’s beach, the restaurant offers all the Indian favourites as well as smoothies, sandwiches and fried noodles. On the menu though, our eyes were drawn to the fish thali.
The thali’s came out on two silver rectangular trays. In the centre sat a big pile of steaming white rice topped with a crispy poppadom, and surrounding this, small mounds of curry in every colour imaginable, it was like a painter's palette. As we dove in with our hands, more bowls of curry joined the table. We looked up and knew that we were both thinking the same thing. We had made the right decision!
Just some of the curries on our thali. It was a proper feast!
Rice and curry is always a firm favourite of ours, and a thali in India is no exception. Before us, we had something of every flavour and texture. From rich and creamy to salty, sharp and sour curries.Each mouthful was completely different from the next, as we picked up handfuls of sweet oily fish mixed with hot and fruity chutney, hearty dahl with citrusy raita and earthy beetroot curry with crisp poppadom. We absolutely love a meal where there’s so much choice before you and where each mouthful can be completely different from the last.
We had wanted a fishy feast and this definitely fitted the bill. Eating this thali was like a rollercoaster for our mouths and a meal we wouldn’t forget in a hurry (in fact it was so good, we headed here again for lunch on our last day in Alleppey)!
Rivalling even Chennai’s fishy offerings, we cannot stress how good the food was at this restaurant. If you’re in Alleppey do go, order the fish thali and we promise you, you won’t be disappointed!
Sea Bites Homely Food
(location)
Very similar to Sea Shore, the Sea Bites Homely Food restaurant gets another shout out for its local seafood dishes and cosy atmosphere.
The restaurant dishes up all the Keralan curry favourites all served on the traditional banana leaf plate.
We can highly recommend the grilled masala spiced fish. Succulent, sweet and packed with spice, it was everything we hoped it would be.
The restaurant is set in the small courtyard outside the owner’s house and only has a few tables so there may be a little wait to get a seat, but when you do you’re in for a treat!
Garden Cafe The Pepper Lounge
(location)
Full to the brim with green plants, the Garden Cafe served some of the best paratha we ate in the whole of our south India backpacking adventures.
We ordered paratha alongside a beef korma. The paratha was amazing! Alternating layers of crispy and chewy bread made the perfect spoon to scoop up the spiced, savoury, beef korma.
All the plants on display are for sale, so if you want a good meal and a green souvenir, this is the place to come. Unfortunately, there really is no need for us to carry a houseplant around with us on our backpacking adventure so we could only admire them!
Cafe Catamaran
(Location)
Cafe Catamaran is probably the most “upmarket” restaurant we found in Alleppey.
Set on the first floor of a pretty beachfront building, this trendy restaurant has open air seating with views directly over the golden sand of Alleppey Beach. Given its location and open terrace, it has front row seats to watch the sunset (for a full sunset show, check out the timelapse video above).
The restaurant serves all the classics from Indian favourites to pizza, pasta and salads and is open from brunch to late at night. As we’re backpacking and on a tight budget, we only ever had snacks and drinks.
We can especially recommend their strawberry milkshakes alongside some popcorn chicken, which made for the perfect sunset snacks.
Don’t judge us, sometimes you need some Western comforts in your life!
If you’re vegan, there are plenty of vegan options on the menu.
Hotel Jas
(Location)
From the outside this small hole-in-the-wall joint doesn’t look like much, but what its exterior lacks in looks, it makes up for in its food!
Serving fried fish, curries and paratha, this small restaurant served us some of the best beef fry we ate during our time in Kerala.
The beef fry we ate at Hotel Jas was delicious. Heavily spiced with masala mix, with a delicate, yet fragrant undertone from the curry leaf and coconut slices.It paired perfectly with the crispy, yet chewy paratha.
Kerala beef fry is a beef dish that’s slow cooked in advance and then re-fried to order over flame.
It was a cheap, filling and hearty meal costing only 240 rupees (£2.28 or $2.88) for a big pile of paratha and enough beef fry for both of us.
Reminder, in India a hotel doesn't necessarily mean somewhere where you can rest your head overnight, it can just mean a restaurant!
Canal Restaurant
(location)
We were recommended this small canal side restaurant by our guest house.
When we arrived, a little after lunch, they had sold out of almost everything, (always a good sign) so we opted for the only thing they had left, two plates of the chicken biryani.
What came out was two huge plates, piled high with steaming, spiced rice and speckled with layers of chicken and curry sauce. We could see why there wasn’t a lot of choice left at this restaurant as the biryani was delicious. The perfectly cooked rice had soaked up all the chicken-y flavours and spice of the curry. If you’re after good local food, the Canal Restaurant is a great shout. It is very popular so make sure you get there early!
Tip: If you’re in India and after a biryani joint, just look for the huge silver pots usually stored outside of the restaurant. This is where the biryani magic happens!
The best cafes in Alleppey
Cafe Beachaholic
(location)
Cafe Beachaholic is exactly the type of coffee shop you hope to find when backpacking India!
A hippy haven full of comfy chairs, colourful prayer flags and laid back acoustic guitar vibes. It was everything we hoped to find in India. Think Rishikesh meets with a reggae beach bar, and you get the idea.
Serving a selection of hot and cold coffees, teas, fresh juice and a small selection of baked goods, we spent a good few hours just chilling with an iced coffee and talking to the friendly owner.
The cafe also has a small stall selling homemade jewellery, scarfs, notebooks and other trinkets!
The cafe is an extremely relaxed affair, with a very chilled out atmosphere. That is if you’re not visiting the cafe during the neighbouring temple's annual festival! On our last day here, it was day one of the Sree Munnodi Devasthanam yearly temple festival, and instead of the quiet acoustic soundtrack we had on previous days, we had the temple loudspeakers pumping out very loud chanting, singing and music from next door! We weren’t complaining, it was just a very different vibe!
Cafe Paradiso Espresso Coffee Shop
(location)
This small canal side coffee shop serves great coffee alongside tea, juice, milkshakes and a small breakfast menu. With seats sitting directly above the busy canal in the centre of Alleppey, we spent a good while sipping on cappuccinos and watching the boating world go by. The cafe is just down the canal from the “main” pier in town, and so the waterway is a constant hub of activity, with local ferries and private shikara boats chugging past you in both directions.
The Chai Walah
(location)
We stumbled upon this small roadside cart after visiting the lighthouse. Even in the early morning sun (sometime after 9:00 am) we were already sweating profusely and were in dire need for a morning pick-me-up.
Specialising in all things tea (chai, black and green), the Chai Walah, served us up the best chai we had on the whole of our north and south India trip, in fact it was so good, we even had two cups. We’d recommend pairing a cup of chai with some of the spiced masala biscuits on offer. Super spicy from hot ginger, cardamon and other aromats, they were the perfect combination of crunchy, sweet and salty and paired excellently with the milky, spiced chai. We can’t say it was a healthy breakfast, but boy did it set us up for the day!
Where to stay in Alleppey?
Accommodation in Alappuzha Town / on Alleppey Beach
There are plenty of hostels, guesthouses and hotels within the town of Alleppey and all along the seashore.
We stayed in Arbu’s guest house which was the best of both worlds.
Located right in the heart of the town and close to lots of local eateries, it was only a short 15 minute walk to the beach. The guesthouse was extremely cheap and had everything we needed, with a comfy, basic en-suite room and balcony.
The owner Jibu was extremely helpful and recommended some great suggestions on where to eat and drink (see above) as well as booking us onto a fantastic backwater tour. You can book your stay here.
For a beachside break, we'd recommend checking out Zostel Alleppey. Located just over the road from the beach, this upmarket hostel is set around a small courtyard and offers dorm rooms, private en-suite rooms and a comfy common area to chill out in, all with beachside views! Book a stay at this Zostel here. We have stayed at many Zostels during our time in India and we have always had a fantastic stay!
Alleppey town has accommodation of every level of luxury, to look at all the accommodation choices available in and around Alleppey town and beach, check out the map below:
Staying on a Kettuvallam on the backwaters - a traditional stay on a houseboat
For those not on a backpacking budget, a stay on one of the traditional Kettuvallam is a must! These thatched roof houseboats offer beautiful rooms with views right out onto the water. Instead of being cramped up on the local ferry, you’ll get a whole boat to lounge out on as you float along the canals.
A stay on one of these houseboats will usually include lunch, dinner and breakfast (depending on the length of stay you opt for) and will give you a much longer experience of the backwaters than any day tour. We can imagine sunrise and sunset would be a spectacular sight from one of these houseboats!
Depending on your budget and level of luxury required, there are plenty of houseboats to choose from.
Check out the top houseboats available to stay in Alleppey here.
Hotels and resorts on Vembanad Lake
North east of Alappuzha, west of Kottayam and north of the backwaters lies Vembanad Lake. This freshwater lake is the largest in Kerala and connects the city of Kochi with the backwaters.
It is around this lake where you can find most of the high end hotels and resorts of Alleppey.
Check out the map below for all the resorts available to stay at and around Vembanad Lake - you will need to zoom out for most the options:
If you’re staying on or near Vembanad Lake, make sure you take a trip to the Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary (location), a wildlife sanctuary with a walking trail and watchtowers to view the birds and animals of the area. If you have more time, another bird watching area within the lake is the Pathiramanal Island Bird Sanctuary (location). Located on the lake itself, you will need to arrange a boat transfer to the island, but once you’re there it’ll just be you and nature itself. Do some research before you go as the birds can be very seasonal.
How to get to Alleppey?
By bus
If you’re travelling within Kerala, you can easily catch a local bus to Alapuzzha’s KSRTC bus station (location). These local buses are cheap, cheerful and connect the towns and cities within the state.
By train
Catching a train to Alleppey is by far the easiest way to get to the backwaters. With trains running almost every hour north to south, there are plenty of trains to catch.
The most popular train routes to get to Alleppey are Kochi to Alleppey, Varkala to Alleppey and Trivandrum to Alleppey.
By taxi
If you’re after more comfort, flexibility and privacy you could easily book a taxi transfer to Alappuzha. A taxi can be booked at your accommodation, at a travel agent or in advance via 12Go.
The most popular transfers to book are:
Kochi to Alleppey by taxi
Trivandrum to Alleppey by taxi
By air
The nearest airport to Alleppey is Cochin International (COK) Airport. Offering flights to all the major cities of India as well as internationally, with routes serving London, Bangkok, Singapore, Dubai, Kuala Lumpur, Ho Chi Minh City and many more!
We’d recommend searching Kiwi to book your flights.
From Cochin International Airport you will need to transfer to Alleppey either by public transport (see details above) or by booking a taxi transfer straight to your accommodation in Alleppey.
There is also the option of flying into Thiruvananthapuram International Airport around 160 km away to the South.
Can I visit Alleppey and the Alleppey Backwaters in a day?
India is a vast country and for those on a tight timeframe, you can easily visit Alleppey and the backwaters within a day.
Most travellers visit Alleppey as part of a day trip from Kochi, but you could easily do this from Trivandrum or Varkala by catching an early morning train to Alleppey and then booking a return in the evening after you’ve visited the backwaters. In fact, on our tour, we met two skateboarders (make sure to check out their Instagram page, Keep Rolling as they’re doing some awesome work) who were doing just this from Kochi.
Alternatively if you want to book everything in advance and not rely on public transport you could consider a tour.
To book a tour of the backwaters in advance which will also include transport to and from Alleppey, check out the tours below from Get Your Guide:
Visiting Alleppey as part of a longer tour of Kerala / South India
If you’re interested in visiting the backwaters as part of a larger tour of Kerala and south India, then there are plenty of longer tours available that will take care of your accommodation and bring you to all the local sights.
Check out the tours available below:
Where to go next after Alleppey?
Depending on which way you’re travelling in south India there’s plenty of options on where to go next after your stay in Alleppey.
North up the coast - Alleppey to Mararikulam and Kochi
If you’re heading north, then you could hop on a local bus and travel the short distance up the coast to the small beachside town of Mararikulam. We were recommended this beautiful beach by Arbu’s guest house and were so glad we headed there. The beach is stunning and, when we visited, it was completely devoid of any crowds. We spent a couple of days there just enjoying the golden sands, watching the sunset from the shoreline and eating copious amounts of fish! It was perfect.
If you’ve had your fix on beaches, then you could easily catch the train and head north to Kochi. Full of fantastic food, pretty colonial architecture and its iconic Chinese fishing nets lining the coastline, Kochi is a fantastic city and is well worth a visit.
If you’re heading to Kochi you will need to book tickets to Ernakulam which is the name of the main city. From there you can catch local transport, taxi or rickshaw to the historic Fort Kochi district. The easiest way to get to Kochi is via train. Book your tickets here.
East into the hill stations - Alleppey to Munnar
The south Indian sun is oppressive, and the best way to escape its intense heat is to head east inland to Kerala’s hill country. The most famous hill station to visit is Munnar. Surrounded by vibrant green tea fields, waterfalls and hiking trails, Munnar is a nature lover's paradise.
To get to Munnar you will need to catch a local bus from Alappuzha bus station.
South towards India’s most southerly tip - Alleppey to Varkala and Trivandrum
If you head south from Alleppey you could easily visit Varkala, a beautiful beach lined with steep red cliffs. It’s a popular spot to escape to both for adrenaline junkies as well as seekers of beachside calm thanks to its surfing, paragliding, yoga and ayurvedic spas. The easiest way to get to Varkala is by train. Book your train tickets here.
Only a little further south and also on the same trainline as Varkala, is the bustling Keralan capital of Thiruvananthapuram (or Trivandrum for short). Offering a wealth of museums, beaches, excellent food and the magnificent golden Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple, a trip to Trivandrum is well worth it, you can read our guide to the city here. The best way to get to Trivandrum from Alleppey is via train. With multiple trains a day leaving Alleppey. Book your train tickets here.
Why go to Alleppey
Alleppey was one of those little gems, a real treat, that as we delved deeper into the town, kept unravelling to give us more and more surprises! Most travellers head to the town and stay only one night, or even just as part of a day trip to visit the backwaters but there’s so much more to Alleppey.
Alleppey has charming streets, great food and loads of history. It rewarded our extended stay with more and more interesting sights, tastes and experiences. It is a town worth giving your time to.
Alleppey is also in the perfect position to be a stop on any trip through Kerala. The town is an obvious place to pause on a South Indian Itinerary, lying as it does between Cochin and the Keralan capital of Trivandrum.
Alleppey deserves more than just a cursory trip to its backwaters. Do yourself a favour and come to Alleppey, enjoy the laid back atmosphere, friendly locals, fiery sunsets and all the beauty of the ‘Venice of the East’.
Thanks for reading,
John & Ellie x
#adventuresofjellie
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