India

Alappuzha which is romantically known as Alleppey is situated in the Southern-Indian state of Kerala. Also reffered as the Venice of East (name given by loard Curzon), it is home to a vast network of waterways and more than a thousand houseboats. Alappuzha's backwater is an important touristic destination of Kerala. A houseboat cruise in these backwaters can be booked for tourists. These backwaters connect Kumarakom and Cochin to the north and Quilon to the South.

HISTORY

In the past, Alappuzha has been made one of the busiest ports of that period and has also been developed as a system of Inland canals for transportation and Navigation by Raja Kesava Das. According to Kesava Das, Alappuzha occupies a very suitable place because of its geographical as well as oceanic reasons. Being a very intelligent as well as a far-sighted statesmen, Raja Kesava Das knew how important it is to have a port town in order to have trade relations with the western countries. Because of his vision as well as his continuous efforts, the first ship embarked on Alleppey in the year 1786. Later on, Alappuzha started fascinating a lot of Business men from different cities like Bombay, Gujarat, Rajasthan Etc. Raja Kesava Das further encouraged them to set-up their business over there and also build up their industrial empire.

VISIT ALLEPPEY

Today, Alleppey draws the attention of a number of tourists because of its boat, backwater holidays, beaches, marine products and houseboats. Amongst them, one of the most popular is houseboats which come along with well-furnished bedrooms, modern toilets, living room, kitchen and also a balcony. These houseboats once used to serve as an important transportation system for transporting goods from villages to towns but now they offer a marvellous ride for those who want to explore the beauty of backwaters.

Alappuzha is a paradise for non-vegetarian's. We can find a great variety of seafood here. This includes prawns, crabs, lobsters and several varieties of sea fish. From lavish restaurants to roadside eateries, Alleppey rooms with eating places that suit every budget. These restaurants and houseboats also offer vegetarian food served on banana leaves.

You'll find people wearing traditional outfit. For men, the traditional outfit is white Mandu and Neriathu, which is a pain white dhoti, embroidered with golden silk lining. For women, the traditional attire is a cream-coloured sari with a golden border.

The people of Alleppey are jovial and amical and are fond of living a simple and peaceful life. The majority of people living in Alleppey follow the religions of Hinduism and Christianity. The Commonly spoken languages of this region are Malayalam, Tamil, Hindi, English and Konkani.

CLIMATE

The town of Alappuzha has three seasons namely- Summer, winter and monsoon. Summer season starts in the months of March and lasts till May. The town becomes hot and humid during this time. Winter season here starts from November and goes till February. The average temperature lies between 10 degree Celsius to 32 degree Celsius. The town experiences a long season of Monsoon from June to September. The showers are so heavy that water lodging is very common in these months. The average rainfall received by this region is 2763 mm.

HOW TO REACH ALLEPPEY

By Air

The Cochin International airport is the nearest airport to this region. It is located at a distance of 75 kms from Alappuzha. It receives both Domestic as well as International flights.

By Train

The Alleppey railway station is well connected by rail to Cochin and Trivandrum. From the railway station, one can board a bus, hire a taxi or get in an auto-rickshaw to reach the main city.

By Bus

Alleppey bus service connect it to the major cities in Kerala such as Bangalore, Chennai, Mysore and Coimbatore.

WHAT TO DO IN ALLEPPEY

• Explore the backwaters on a houseboat.

• Shop at Alleppey's famous market

• Relish some spiritualism at the temples and Churches around.

• Get hold of a camera and go for birdwatching