Discover the South Indian Kerala Backwaters – 3 day guide to Alleppey – Vembanad lagoon.
Alleppey is a canal town in the middle of the Kerala backwaters beside Vembanad lagoon one of the largest freshwater lakes in India. This is where the majority of the exclusive backwater cruises depart from. Chartering a private houseboat for a cruise through the waterways is a popular choice but not really an option if you are travelling on a budget!
I sourced other ways of seeing this fascinating part of South India. An economical and interesting option is to get the public ferry from Kollam up to Alleppey, a day trip where you see real life in the Kerala backwaters. The ferry currently goes one day and comes back the next but unfortunately the timetable didn’t fit in with our schedule.
So we arrived by train, purchasing the cheap standard ticket from Kollam station, the first time Juan and I hadn’t gone first class, and really enjoyed the experience…the wagons may look dismal from the exterior but it’s pretty much the same inside as the aircon coaches except there’s a nice breeze blowing through the bars at the open windows and it’s much more fun to travel with the local Indian people. Our ensuite room in a budget hostel was inexpensive and clean, and centrally located in a quiet lane just off the main Alleppey canal.
Alleppey {also known as Alappuzha} is advertised as the Venice of India so it’s a shame that the canals which run through town are filthy, the streets are filled with honking traffic and the beach area leaves a lot to be desired. The lake area is wonderful though and it’s simple to get around by public ferry.
We walked along to ‘Finishing Point’ which refers to the stands on the waterfront where the famous annual Snake Boat Race comes in. The water is cleaner down here and luxury Kettuvallam boathouses are tied up at the boat jetty waiting to be hired. You can go out for the day, overnight to nearby Kumarako or for several days through the backwaters up to Kochi. The crew navigates the houseboat, prepare meals and generally house keep while guests can laze on deck and relax.
In the opposite direction, the street following the main canal eventually leads down to the sea. Alleppey has a wide open beach which stretches for miles into the distance. There are brightly coloured wooden fishing boats on the fine sands and a pier to the south. It is not really suitable for sunbathing as Indian men tend to ogle women in bikinis, or for swimming because of the undercurrents, but it’s fantastic for a long quiet walk.
Next morning Juan and I got a public boat from the ferry station on Finishing Point Road beside the main canal which takes passengers around Vembanadu Lake for a few rupees to Kottayam district, roughly two and a half hours away. The state ferry stops at tiny jetties along the way and villagers from the islands get on and off. It’s intriguing to watch the local people by their homes on the river banks cooking and washing, and going about daily life. We were the only tourists aboard. Rice fields and coconut trees border the huge fresh water lake.
The ferry turns off into wide canals and comes to the end of a circular route where you can get off at the jetty at Kodimatha for an hour although there’s not much to do, or get the local bus into Kottayam town. Coming back in the afternoon the river traffic is more intensive as the houseboats head back to Alleppey or go on somewhere to moor up for the evening. Smaller tourist boats are returning from excursions too, and together with an intriguing assortment of small canoes, they all steer clear of the state ferry which has right of way. The bus stations are near the state ferry jetty making it a lively vicinity with numerous stalls selling snacks and street food.
Alleppey town has its share of ancient temples, mosques and churches too. In the district near the beach there are several mosques so no doubt part of the fishing community are Muslim. The Mar Sleeva Forane Church is laid back from a street near the town centre, the present church with its distinctive white façade and brown roofed halls is 200 years old but built on the site of an earlier church dating back some six centuries. In the main shopping street the colourful Sree Vadakku Vasal, a Hindu temple with ornate carvings is an amazing sight. I took off my shoes and was actually allowed inside…in many places non-Hindus are not permitted entrance.
A bit further along there’s the entrance to the Mullakkal Buddhist Temple, just walk through the archway into the courtyard and you’ll see an intriguing complex of ancient wooden buildings with an unfortunate huge tusker elephant tied up in the gardens. It was just starting to get dark and oil lamps were being lit giving everything a mysterious glow. The evening ceremony was just starting and drummers were parading around the central platform where men, women and children were waiting to be blessed, and monks were performing a purifying ritual. Eventually the priest came out of the inner sanctorum with a small bowl of fire…onlookers made a gesture as if they were bathing their heads with the flames. It was all quite fascinating.
The street is lined with small stores, some selling silver or gold jewellery, and stalls selling spices and dried fruits, and posies for flower offerings.
A massive wooden archway was being erected over the road – presumably decoration for a coming festival- which was crammed with the usual chaotic traffic of tuk-tuks, rickshaws, scooters, cycles, buses, lorries, taxis and even cars!
A flamboyant Guru was mesmerizing devotees from an elaborate street shrine while his assistant set the scene lighting oil candles and ringing bells.
We stayed in Alleppey 3 days, enough time to step off the tourist track and visit a traditional canal island or ride the local bus to stunning Marari Beach…
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Sunset over the Arabian Sea, Alleppey