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A Rendezvous with
Alleppey |
The
backwaters or interconnected inland lakes happen to be a feature of tourism
unique to Kerala. And Alleppey, also known as Alappuzha is one of the most
magnificent backwater destinations of the state. Interlocked by a number of
canals and bridges, Alleppey is also called 'Venice of the East'. The place
has also shot into international fame for the annual boat festival held
during August-September. The coir industry of this place produces coir
products of a very high quality. But there is more to Alleppey than
backwaters, boat races and coir products. Alleppey is also known as the rice
bowl of Kerala and boasts of a diverse variety of fauna. From a historical
point of view, Maharaja Marthandavarma, the medieval ruler who had ruled the
place was credited of bringing major development to the place.
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Things You Can Do
in Alleppey |
» Sightseeing : Alleppey has immense
opportunity to offer its tourists. Tourists generally come here for
backwater cruise, which captivates the visitors most. Besides, Alleppey is
dotted with temples, highly revered throughout the country. Krishnapuram
Temple, Ambalapuzha Temple, St. Andrew's Church, Mannarasala Sree Nagaraja
Temple, The Chettikulangara Bhagavathy Temple, Kottamkulangara Mahavishnu
and Devi Temple are the places of worship here.
It also has many churches and museums, and yes, the most famous boat race
to witness - Punnamada Kayal, held during August-September.
» Shopping : The coir products and carpets of
Alleppey are of a very high quality. It has become routine for tourists to
pick up the various attractive products of coir while visiting Alleppey.
» The Backwater Cruises : The backwater cruise in
exotic houseboats is the tourist favorite. The cruises from Alleppey to some
of the other backwater destinations of Kerala through a network of
interconnected lakes enables tourists to enjoy the lush green countryside
and witness village life from close quarters.
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Sightseeing in
Alleppey |
» Punnamada Kayal : It is the place where
the famous annual boat festival of national fame is held. The boat race has
been christened as the Nehru Trophy. Thousands of spectators crowd the
backwaters during the months of August-September from all over the country
to witness this breathtaking event. The boats are built in such a way that
they resemble snakes. Each boat accommodates up to 120 competitors who
neatly seat in two rows of 60 each.
»
Alleppey Beach : The stunning beauty of Alleppey beach enthralls all
tourists coming to the place. A beautiful garden and a few charming
buildings of the colonial era overlook the shore. There are also two public
parks on the shore-Vijay Park and Sea View Park. The boating facilities in
the parks are a craze among tourists. Dense palm groves and an old light
house on the two ends of the beach further adds to the beauty of the beach.
» Krishnapuram Palace : The attractive Krishnapuram
Palace in Alleppey displays some typical characteristics of Kerala
architecture. The gabled roofs, windows and narrow corridors are some of
these typical features.It was built in the 18th century during the rule of
Marthanda Varma. But the palace is best known for Gajendra Moksham, the
largest mural painting that is housed here. There is also a small museum in
the palace complex.
» Ambalapuzha : Situated 14 kms. from Alleppey, the
architectural feature of the Sreekrishna Temple at Ambalapuzha is a fine
example of typical Kerala style architecture. The temple is famous through
out Kerala for 'Palpayasam' a milk porridge of exceptional sweetness offered
to the deity.
» Karumadikkuttan : Karumadikkuttan is a small
village situated 3 km east of Ambalapuzha, known for its 10th century
Karumadikkuttan statue, a black granite figure of the great Buddha, the
founder of Buddhism. There are many interesting legends connected to this
idol.
» Champakulam : This is a water logged village which
is known for its oldest angadi (market) known as Kalloorkkadu angadi. The
St. Mary Forane Church built in 427 A D is another major attraction famous
for its beautiful mural paintings for both tourists and art lovers.
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Excursions from
Alleppey |
Tourists coming to Alleppey should not miss the opportunity of
visiting a few other picturesque backwater destinations of Kerala like
Kottayam, Changanasseri, Kollam and Kumarakom. From Alleppey, both ferry and
houseboat cruises are available to these destinations. Almost all of Kerala
is linked by a network of inland waterbodies, which are the major
attractions for the outsiders, also providing soothing backwater cruises.
But once you are through with this, you can head towards other attractions
in the state like - the wildlife at Periyar or hill station trips to Munnar,
etc.
alleppey india 
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By Air : Alleppey can be accessible by all the means of
communication. Kochi at a distance of 85 km is the nearest airport from
Alleppey. The Trivandrum airport is located 159 km south of Alleppey.
From both the airports or cities one can easily book with a tour
operator or hire a taxi or auto rickshaw to reach Alleppey. Kochi or
Cochin and Trivandrum or Thiruvananthapuram, both owns domestic as well
as international airport which connects them to the rest of the country
and the world.
