//
City in Kerala, India
Photo: Challiyan at Malayalam Wikipedia, CC BY 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
The city of Alappuzha, also known as Alleppey, is situated in Kerala. Alappuzha is the smallest district in Kerala with a long coastline and many lagoons and backwaters. It is often called the Venice of the East due to the canals that connect it to Kerala's famous snaking backwaters. The district headquarters is 70 km south of Cochin.
From the travel guide. Select a place for details, a map and what is nearby.
This temple is very calm and quiet temple. Allepey has a very small Jain population.
Karimadi, Near Ambalapuzha
This is a 9th century black granite statue of the Buddha, locally known as Karumadi Kuttan. This statue is protected by the Archeological survey of India.
A good destination for a day trip, it is about 16 km north of Alappuzha town. This area also has the Mahadeva temple and Arthunkal church. You can get here by local bus from the KSTC bus stand, get off at Maraikulam Junction (journey time: 20 min), and then walk 4 km or (better) get an autorickshaw to the beach itself.
Alleppey has a high percentage of Christians. St. Mary’s Church (Champakulam) is believed to be one of the seven churches established by St. Thomas.
This temple was built in the 15th century. Of interest here is an extremely distinctive Paal-Payasam (a sweet milk dessert made out of rice, with jaggery, in milk). Its recipe is a well guarded secret. It's believed the same cooks cannot reproduce the same taste using same ingredients, anywhere, because of a special blessing given by the Lord to his favorite kitchen. Definitely try some if you are somewhere near this temple. This payasam is distributed everyday, exactly at 12:00 Noon. Only those who have a prior booking are allowed to partake. You can get one from the stall just outside the temple.
A fairly large, flat and clean beach. An old pier, which was at one point used for trade and had three railway lines, still stands. Stroll along the beach promenade, have a drink and some food in the "Indian Coffee House" and an ice cream or peanuts from one of the stalls. Locals enjoy playing frisbee and volleyball. Camel and pony rides are available. However, swimming is not recommended unless you are a strong and experienced swimmer. The water is very deep and the current can be very strong. These currents are stronger during and after the monsoon season. Sun tanning might not be a good idea considering that the locals are quite conservative.
Ayurveda centre. It is run by a traditional family of ayurvedic doctors. The hospital and spa are constructed in Kerala traditional architecture style but contains a modern facility. There is a landscaped herbal garden that you can stroll in. You can also visit their herbal medicine manufacturing plant to see how these traditional medicines are prepared.
- Alappuzha is known for its Snake Boat races. Held on the second Saturday of August, the competition is named after Jawaharlal Nehru who inaugurated the event in 1952. These boats carry approximately one hundred persons. Boats are available for rent for spectators during the event.
Try Kainakkary, a short distance from Viluakkuthara.
houseboat in Alleppey
The houseboats are used as grain barges alongside the backwaters. At some time, the houseboats were used as living quarters by the royalty. Converted to accommodate tourists, the houseboats have become floating cottages having a sleeping area, with western-style toilets, a dining area and a sit out on the deck. Most tourists spend the night on a houseboat. Food is cooked on board by the accompanying staff – mostly having a flavour of Kerala. The houseboats are of various patterns and can be hired as per the size of the family or visiting group.. houseboats are motorised but generally proceed at a slow speed for smooth travel. All houseboats have a generator and most bedrooms are air-conditioned.
The restaurant at Raheem Residency is the most expensive place in town but the meals are worth the price. The menu is creative and combines elements of traditional Keralan and European cuisine. Wine is available.
This restaurant is located on the beach, a little south of Harbour restaurant. It offers well-priced Indian food, with some European dishes. The staff are helpful and are often very willing to get you drinks not listed on the menu if you request. There is a fantastic bamboo raised terrace, get a table there for view and atmosphere to accompany your meal. Their website is terrifying, the restaurant is not.
Great baked items such as puff pastries with vegetarian or non-vegetarian filling, tasty samosas and also sweets. There is also a little cafe attached, that serves coffee and chai. Their banana and walnut cake (to take away) is particularly delicious!
Their specialties are the hopopers and eggy onion curry.
There are two main Indian Coffee Houses in Alleppey: one in the centre and one at Alleppey beach. They have the same menu (the same as the rest of Kerala in fact) and serve cheap, tasty south Indian food, ice cream and, of course, their signature coffee.
This place has two locations: Mullackal Road and Cullan Road. The atmosphere and decor have an "art house" feel to it. There's a multicultural menu with tandoori choices, and the cold coffee with ice-cream beats a frappuchino any day.
Established in the year 1962, serves all type of baked food. Well known for our home made fruit salad with ice cream, variety coconut cookies.
High quality food, Indian and continental options, in an elegant ambiance. Service is optimal. Price is slightly higher than in other places, but remains reasonable.
Famous for parottas, beef, pazhampori. Very good views of the backwaters.
Italian coffee, masala tea.
Nice location with shady benches directly at the northern side of the main canal (about where the boat parking zone ends). They offer real coffee (not instant), juices, lassi and snacks. Iced coffee with explicitly safe ice is also available.
Water purification and ice cubes.
Turtle Beach Resort
Abad turtle beach resort is spread across an area of 13 acres of land. The beach resort is located at mararikulam, a fishing village about 7 miles (11.6 km) from the heart of Alappuzha. The resort overlooks the white sandy marari beach and has a rivulet flowing on one side.
As of April 2009, it is a decent and hygienic city hotel.
Clean budget guesthouse with big rooms, located in a good location. Staff is helpful and smiley.
An attractive, laid-back beer and wine restaurant with a good selection of multi-cuisine dishes. Go for the Kerala Fish curry! Great! The fish is caught locally. Lovely to have a chilled glass of wine near the beach - the only place that offers it in this beach area. Mural on one wall by a local artist depicting beautiful snapshot scenes from the area.
Located in the heart of Alappuzha Town, it is opposite to Seemati Theater and Vireyya Theater. The hotel having 35 rooms, you can have A/C, Non A/c, Deluxe Rooms, there are Marvelous Restaurants, Coffee Shops, Executive Bar. Foods are just tongue melting, you can arrange board meetings, and business meetings for more than 100 people.
Located at Punammada jetty, offers one- and two- bedroom houseboats for cruising between Alleppey and Kumarakom.
The resort offers 27 luxury rooms and suites; and a premium two bedroom air-conditioned house boat with an upper deck jacuzzi (The Cruising Villa) anchored at the resort’s private jetty.
Mandala is a little house situated on the Alleppey beach. The staff is friendly and makes you feel that you are a part of our family. They offer BBQs & bonfires on the beach, and can organize trips on backwaters. The rooms are not very cozy, but it's clean and the mattresses are soft. There are two cottages and one of them has an excellent view of the beach.
Chungam. Independent cottages. Cottage is well furnished with a/c and nice vast greenary around with water front on Punnamada lake.
Rooms are relatively spacious, very clean and well maintained. The staff are very friendly, and can also arrange backwater barge trips which come highly recommended, both for their comfort and relative inexpensiveness.
Panoramic Sea resort is opposite the beach. Here you can also have Panchkarma Ayurveda treatment.
A beautiful resort on the bank of Punnamada Kayal [Lake], with its own house boats.
Houseboat stays and other water cruise services that make journeys into the backwater villages (kuttanad) throughout the year.
Laidback backpackers' hostel by India's backpacker hostel chain Zostel. Hammocks in their rooftop area with sea breeze. All guests must be of at least 18 years of age to be able to check-in at Zostel. Zostel do not recommend families to stay with them.
Charming shop which has a good choice of jewels, chals and other Indian souvenirs. Nice and reliable staff.
By train
Train service is available to Alappuzha from different parts of Kerala such as Kochi (Cochin), Thiruvananthapuram, and Kozhikode, and from other major cities in India such as Chennai, Bengaluru…
By bus
There are bus services operating from Cochin (1 hr 45 min, ₹75 for KSRTC), Thiruvananthapuram (3½ hours, ₹150 for KSRTC), Kozhikode, Chennai, Bangalore, Mysore, Coimbatore to Alappuzha.
By car
The entire Alappuzha district is well-connected by NH 66 (formerly NH 47). It goes via the Alappuzha, Ambalapuzha and Cherthala towns.
By autorickshaw
This is a cheap means of transportation between attractions. Make sure you agree on a price first.
By taxi
Local taxis are also available for what many western wallets would consider cheap. There are car rental companies that offer cars with drivers or self-drive options.e.
By boat
A visit to Alappuzha would not be complete without making a journey by boat.
On foot
From the city center you can walk to the boat jetties nearby. The other sights lie mostly in the outskirts of the town for which walking is too far.
Choose an airport to see hotels, stations, taxi ranks and car rental desks around it.
Kochi · International · COK
Loading places around the airport…
Articles and travel topics about Alappuzha and India.
Travel tipsExplore the rainy seasons in Asia month by month. Compare Southwest and Northeast monsoons, typhoon belts, dry island escapes, and travel dates.
8 min read
Travel tipsSpot and avoid common tourist scams in India, including fake train ticket offices, closed hotel lies, rigged auto-rickshaws, and temple donation tricks.
8 min read
Travel tipsFull 2026 list of visa-free and visa-on-arrival countries for Indian passport holders. Check entry requirements, stay limits, and transit visa rules.
6 min read
InspirationDiscover the best places to visit in India, from Delhi monuments and the Taj Mahal in Agra to Jaipur forts, sacred Varanasi ghats, and Kerala backwaters.
6 min read
Every section of the guide. Open one to read it in full.