Alappuzha: The Venice of the East
Alappuzha (Alleppey) plays a significant role in Kerala tourism, with its famed backwaters drawing millions of visitors every year. This destination was certainly high on our bucket list. To truly grasp the diversity of Kerala’s ecosystem, a traveler must experience Munnar, Kovalam, and Alappuzha.
As you know, we had just left Munnar, traversing the hills to reach the backwaters of Alappuzha. We arrived in the evening and found a place via Booking.com. We pulled up to a large, closed gate. I called the number listed on the website, and the owner answered, informing me that a man would be there shortly to assist us. Five minutes later, a thin man appeared, sporting a beautiful beard and hair neatly combed back and tied. The best part was his colorful shirt! He wide-opened the gate, inviting us inside.
The ground within was entirely covered with sand, given its proximity to the sea. I asked Sabine to dismount, then slowly parked the bike inside. The place had a distinct charm. Jaison, as we learned his name, led us to our room – a small space, just enough for two. It had only one window, which was covered by a cloth painted with a Buddha image. We asked Jaison to open the window and hang the Buddha somewhere else in the room. He obligingly moved it, letting in an amazing airflow. We took our bags to the room, while Jaison handled the paperwork to accommodate us. Tired after the long ride, we grabbed a quick dinner and then went straight to bed.
1.back water boating in alappuzha
The next day, we decided to catch up on some pending work, so we only ventured out for food. After that, our backwater adventure truly began. We were staying near Alappuzha Beach, and it took us about five to ten minutes to reach the boat jetty. We parked our bike and inquired about the price for a boat; one offered us a ridiculous quote, so we politely declined and moved on. We then encountered another person whose price was reasonable, and we agreed. This taught us a valuable lesson: always check prices before getting onto a boat!
Once inside, we put our bags down. I took out the GoPro and began filming the scene: other boats, tourists, and the vast expanse of water. Our boatman started sharing stories about the place; he was clearly quite knowledgeable. From the boat, I saw people expertly climbing coconut trees. Sabine asked what they were carrying, and he explained it was toddy – Kerala’s official alcoholic beverage, 100% natural, and so on. His words reminded me of our days in medieval Bali. I then asked if we could get a fresh bottle from them. He said we could try, slowly steering the boat closer. He asked if we could get some, and the toddy collector, initially saying it was for the shop, eventually agreed to give us a small amount. We took it and continued our journey.
With water all around us, it felt like being inside out. From the slow-moving boat, you could truly take in everything around you; I believe that’s the real beauty of the backwaters—it gives you time to look around. Boats are the major mode of transport, connecting islands to each other and to the mainland. As we went on, he showed us the place where the Nehru Trophy Boat Race starts, then recounted his experiences during the events. Yes, that’s definitely an event we have to witness someday!
By this time, we were starting to feel hungry. Our boat driver mentioned a nearby spot. We pulled up to another island, where there were several houseboats, and stopped. We headed towards the restaurant. On the way, an eagle sat majestically in a tree – it was the main attraction of the place. The eagle was surprisingly friendly; we could hold it, take a picture, and put it back on the tree. Inside, we enjoyed a traditional Kerala meal served on a banana leaf. By now, Sabine was well-accustomed to Kerala food, and it was delicious. After the meal, we took ten minutes to relax, sitting by the side.
This water is a lifeline for the people over here, as we moved forward we saw children going to school with boats, and women in this place use this water for household uses. Mostly every family in this area has a boat with them, the major transportation over here, the houses on the banks of the lake are so beautiful, now the construction style changed as every year rain hits this place heavily. after seeing all this we started to get hungry, our boat driver took us to a restaurant on the lake, a good one, and they had an eagle over there a friendly one, and everyone wanted to take a picture with it. we also took some pictures with it. fish fry was good but over-prized here. after finishing our lunch we moved again
2.the rice bowl of kerala in alappuzha - kuttanadu
Kuttanadu is one of the main agricultural lands in Kerala, as the land is surrounded by water the enrichment and nourishment of soil is high over here, we can see green paddy fields stretching across kilometers. Coconut trees and their by-products give a daily livelihood for the people over here. Most of the handcrafted items are produced from coconuts and exported to the rest of the world. As I was walking through the paddy fields fresh air hit my lungs full and high. The little streams in the paddy fields are full of aquatic life, small fish, frogs, etc, and I was watching them for a long period.
3.a perfect place for beach lovers - alappuzha beach
One of the most beautiful beaches across the Arabian Sea, everyone gathering over here to have their own time, children playing, lovers holding hands, and family smiling and laughing, I like this beach. We stayed in Alappuzha beach. our homestay was beautiful it was in front of the sea. we went to the beach in the evening a calm place to nourish the soul. over here we meet one of Malyalam movie director, a humble human telling stories from his life, he is so connected to this place. We had tea together that evening. I hope he does some incredible movies in the future.
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this is my travel through the back waters of kerala
thank you
Rahul
