Alleppey Boat House - Kerala Tourism

Alappuzha (Alleppey for English) is the hub of the spectacular backwaters of Kerala and home to a vast network of waterways. The town center is always busy and the number of canals are not really enough to earn it the tag 'Venice of the east'. But just outside the town center towards the beach or the backwaters, Alappuzha presents a different sight altogether. Swaying coconut & palm trees, canoes, houseboats, toddy shops and the greenest fields you have ever seen will take your breath away and vindicate the 'Gods own country' tag that has been given to Kerala. Sitting on the open deck of a houseboat and watching green paddy fields, quaint village homes and beautiful rice barges go past you, are the experiences of life time. Alleppey was formed by the Diwan of Travancore, ‘Raja Kesawadasan’ in 1762. In the past, Alleppey port was among the busiest trade centers traded with the Persian Gulf regions & even Europe. It is considered to be the oldest planned city in this region and the lighthouse built on this coast is the first of its kind. It is also known for the annual ‘Nehru Trophy Boat Race’ held on the Punnamada lake on the second Saturday of August every year. Lord Curzon’s depiction of Alleppey as the Venice of the East is not a hyperbole. A houseboat vacation is the main theme what people look for on their visit here. The fascination of Keralites with coconut and banana leaves in their food will prove to be a good experiment for you, if you have never had it before. The Kuttanad village situated near here is the only amazing place where farming is done below the sea level. Number of tourists has been pulled to this place because of its backwaters and houseboats that heavily overshadows all other major attractions of this southern town. Though they fall under the category of ‘must have’ experiences for tourists traveling to Kerala, this place has some various other striking shades too. This quaint and humble town is waiting for the eyes of true nature lovers, who will cherish and behold the tranquility forever.