Home to a vast network of waterways that travel all the way down from the mighty Western Ghats, Alappuzha (formerly Alleppey) is Kerala's backwaters' hub. It is home to a vast network of waterways, over a thousand houseboats, and a thriving coir industry.
Renowned for its historic snake boat races, and fields of paddy, Alleppey is graceful and greenery-fringed, seemingly disappearing into a watery world of villages, traditional canoes, toddy shops, and, of course, ducks.
Floating along in a houseboat while gazing over impossibly green paddy fields, observing, curvaceous rice barges and village life along the banks is one of Kerala’s most mesmerizingly beautiful and relaxing experiences. Home to an old lighthouse and a 137-year-old pier extending into the Arabian Sea, Alleppey is also a popular picnic spot.