If Kerala is known as ‘God’s Own Country’ then Alleppey is known as the ‘Venice of the East’. Alleppey is well known for backwaters and houseboat. However, this beautiful destination has such magnificent natural beauty that you would feel like spending rest of your life here. There are no words enough to describe the grace and beauty of Places to visit in Alleppey. This is like the heaven on the Earth.
Alleppey or Alappuzha is also known as the traditional business hub of Kerala and is famous for its backwaters and houseboats . Alleppey also has other tourist attractions and points of interest in the form of old temples and religious places. Alleppey is a blend of different canals, beaches, paddy fields, temples, churches and different lagoons.
The serene charm of Alleppey can be visually seen in its backwater cruises. These cruises would take you to the local places and would give you perfect picturesque of Alleppey. Apart from all the things, the natural flora and fauna, as well as the life on the banks of backwaters out here, is such a delight to watch.
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We have compiled the list of 10 best places to visit in Alleppey. These places hold the versatility of Alleppey very beautifully and you are going to have a wonderful experience visiting them.
1. Marari Beach
Are you tired of those crowded beaches of Goa? Then do not worry because Alleppey is going to make this up for you. One of the great delights of Alappuzha tourist places to relax and unwind in the serene Marari beach.
Eternal with coconut palm trees and golden sands, Marari Beach tops the list of Alleppey places to visit for holidays with family and friends. Marari beach will give you a totally different experience of roaming around the beautiful and magnificent seashore with its pristine shores and coconut palms swaying by the sea breeze.
There are some wonderful resorts and hotels around Marari Beach which offer the best hospitality to the tourists. This is the ideal destination for those people who are looking for an escape from their stressful and hectic lifestyle closer to the sea. Apart from its vast view of the sea, there are different Ayurvedic treatment centers near the sea. The relaxing sessions of these spas would make you feel like all your worries are coming to an end. Allepey is famous for the serenity and tranquility of Marari beach. It is just the perfect place for spending quality time with family or to enjoy a honeymoon with your partner.
2. Pathiramanal
Pathiramanal is an island situated in the Vembanad Kayal and is one of the unique places to visit in Alleppey. The Pathiramanal Island is located between Thannermukkam and Kumarakom and comes under the Muhamma panchayat. This serene island is considered one of the finest Alappuzha tourist places that enthrall leisure travelers and nature lovers all over the world. This is basically a well-protected and perfectly managed Sanctuary for migratory and rare birds. Pathiramanal island is no less than a paradise for those who have a special love for bird watching.
In the local language of Kerala, Pathiramanal means “sands of the night”. This is indeed a place where even the sand creates a visual treat for the tourists. You can hire a speed boat from the shore to reach this island and they are easily available too. Once you reach the island, the view from there is so mesmerizing that you would never think of leaving this place.
3. Backwaters of Kuttanad
One of the best places to visit in Alleppey is the Kuttanad backwaters, also called the ‘Rice bowl of Kerala’. The true beauty of Alleppey lies in its different water bodies and the most famous among all the water bodies is the backwaters of Kuttanad. This is one of the most visited places in Alleppey because of its natural beauty. People living around Kuttanad lead a life integrated with the backwaters of Kuttanad.
The entire length of Kuttanad is 150 km which covers a distance from Kollam to Kochi. Backwaters of Kuttanad is one of the must-visit tourist places in Alappuzha as it is one of the rare places in India where farming is done 10 feet below sea level, the lowest altitude in the country. You can enjoy this water body with the help of rice barges or houseboats.
Cruising through the backwaters of Kuttanad and enjoying the magnificent setting of coconut fringed waters is one of the top things to do in Alleppey. The better choice would be the houseboats because it will give you a better and comfortable option to enjoy this place thoroughly. You must go for the advance bookings of these houseboats otherwise, you would not be able to hire one.
ALSO SEE –Book Kerala Houseboat Packages
4. Krishnapuram Palace
Alleppey is famous for Krishnapuram Palace which is known for its vintage architecture and artistic murals. What makes Kerala different from other states is its old and fascinating architecture. Alleppey offers you a treat of watching and observing this architecture closely in form of Krishnapuram Palace. This is located in Kayamkulam. The palace is built in the traditional architectural style of Kerala and is close to Krishnaswamy Temple which makes it the best place to visit in Kerala.
Krishnapuram Palace is a unique specimen of the Kerala style of architecture with gabled low roofs and narrow corridors making it one of the must-visit Alleppey tourist places.
This could not be found out that when exactly this palace was built but now it comes under the category of protected monuments according to the Archeology Department. This palace is an archeological museum whose best attraction is a 49 square meter single mural painting which is titled Gajendra Moksham which means the salvation of elephant king. Apart from these paintings, there is a beautifully landscaped garden situated in the palace compound which should also be visited.
5. Alleppey Beach
Glistering sands, crystal clear water, beautiful waves, enchanting sunrise, and sunset make Alleppey famous for Alleppey beach. How can someone miss the very own beach of Alleppey to be included in the 10 best places to visit in Alleppey. Alleppey beach is among the most popular beaches in Kerala.
Offering a majestic view of flora and fauna, Alleppey Beach is the meeting point of many river bodies that makes it one of the most popular Alleppey places to visit.
Every year there are like thousands of visitors come especially to visit the Alleppey beach. Enjoying and having fun through boat rides is one of the best things to do in Alleppey especially when visiting Alleppey Beach. This is the beauty of Alleppey that there are so many water bodies out here but each one is different.
When you gaze towards the vast sight of water you can witness the 137 years old pier stretched out on the beach. The perfect visual of dense palm groves and old lighthouse gives you the sight of south Indian movies. Oldtimers say that spices were bought from other parts of Kerala to Alleppey and through canals these prices were transported to points near the beach from where it was transported to Britain and other areas of the empire.
6. Arthunkal Church
Arthunkal Church is also known as the Saint Sebastian Forance Church. Built in the 16th century by Portuguese missionaries, Arthukal Church is a must-visit Christian Alappuzha tourist places.
If you are visiting Kerala then you must visit this Church. This church is the most sought after Christian holy place in Alleppey. It attracts thousands of devotees every year. The Arthunkal Church is located from about 1.2 km from Cherthala Town. This church was built by the Portuguese in the 16th century and it is famous for holding a 10 days festival out here annually. The festival is called as Arthunkal Perunnal. Every year tourists of different religions come here for this festival and enjoy it a lot. This is like a religious union at this place.
7. Vembanad Lake
Another water body that has been included in this list is Vembanad Lake. This lake is the largest one in Kerala as well as the longest one too. The Vembanad Lake is one of the best Alappuzha tourist places to enjoy backwater tourism. Flanked by mangrove forests and coconut trees on all sides, Vembanad lake in the heart of Kerala tops the list of most beautiful Alleppey tourist places.
There are numerous small lakes that eventually end up meeting in the Vembanad Lake making it the longest one and ever-flowing as well. But this is not the length of the vast area which makes it an attraction for the tourists.
The most famous boat race which conducts during the Onam festival happens to take place in this Lake only. This is just the perfect place to enjoy the fresh fishes and family time. Boating and staying in a houseboat in Vembanad Lake is a unique experience altogether that makes it one of the best things to do in Alleppey. This is one of the most favorite vacation spots in entire Kerala.
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8. Ambalapuzha Temple
There are thousands of temples in Kerala dedicated to Lord Krishna but the Ambalapuzha Sri Krishna temple stands out among all. This temple built-in typical Kerala architectural style dedicated to Lord Krishna is one of the top Alleppey places to visit.
This ancient temple was built in the 16th century and it is still capable of holding that old and antique charm in it. The idol of Krishna in the Alleppey temple was transported from Changanassery in 1614 AD and the Champakulam Boat Race is conducted every year to commemorate the shifting of the idol.
This is one of the most visited temples in the entire state of Kerala and even called the Guruvayoor of the south. The temple is famous for its offering of Pal Payasam to the Lord which is then distributed to the devotees. This is one of the finest Alleppey tourist places for spiritual tourism and also hosts Ambalapuzha Temple Festival and Aaraattu Festival. The temple is also popular for Thulabharam which is the offering of the devotees weight in banana or sugar to Lord Krishna.
9. Karumadikkuttan
A noted pilgrim center known for its peaceful atmosphere is one best places to visit in Alleppey to seek the blessings of Lord Buddha. Karumadikkuttan is the name of a granite statue of Lord Buddha located in Karumadi near Alleppey. People call it so because of the black color of the statue out here. There is a unique thing in the statue that its left side is totally missing from the statue.
This excellent example of Buddhist architecture makes Alleppey famous for religious tourism. The statue was recovered by the Archeological Society of India and is now kept in a protected enclosure near the Karumadi Canal. It is believed that the statue has some powers of severe healing and it is really sought after by the locals there is Karumadi. However, It is still going to be protected because of its withered condition.
Enjoying an exquisite walk down the narrow lanes of Karumadi village and seeing the broken Buddha statue are some of the best things to do in Alleppey.
10. Mannarshala Temple
An ancient pilgrimage center situated in South-West Kerala is one of the Alappuzha tourist places of serpent worship in the world. Dedicated to the serpent God-Nagaraja, Mannarasala Temple under the patronage of the Brahmin family is situated amidst the forest making it one of the must-visit religious tourist places in Alappuzha.
The Mannarshala Temple is basically a Nagaraja temple (snake temple). There is a belief out here that the couple who is yearning for a baby can finally get one by worshipping at this temple. Every year you can witness a lot of devotees coming from the different parts of India out here and worshipping for the well-being of their family.
Capturing the beautiful way leading to the temple through dense forest and taking in the peace and spirituality at the temple are the best things to do in Alleppey. The temple is believed to be very ancient and old and the deity out here is really powerful. If you are going to Alleppey then you must visit this place once.
Apart from these best places to visit in Alleppey, Alleppey is well known for the houseboats and backwaters as well. Alleppey is just the visual someone would always want in front of his eyes. This wonderful city is a treat to watch and deserves to be admired. There are more temples and churches which can be great places to watch. The best time to visit Alleppey is the time period from November to March.
The climate at this time is totally perfect for the tourists to enjoy. This place becomes nature’s own place after the monsoon, therefore, this time would be perfect to visit it. Popularly known as the “Venice of the East”, this town of Kerala has many Alappuzha tourist places that make it worth visiting.
Plan your trip to Kerala with Iris Holidays and explore tourist places in Alappuzha to know why Alleppey is called ‘Venice of the East’.
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