Top 15 Best Places to Visit in Alleppey

Last Updated on July 8, 2024 by Mrunal & Jiten

Located in Kerala, Allepey or Alappuzha is called the Venice of the East. Beautiful backwaters, beaches, houseboats, adventure spots, temples, villages and canals together highlight the essence of this beautiful land.

Two most happening events in this city are the Ambalapuzha Temple Festival and the Nehru Trophy boat race. While it is difficult to compress its attraction in a few words here are the most famous destinations.

Top 15 Best Places to Visit in Alleppey

Religious places

Hindu temples 

1. Ambalappuzha Sree Krishna Temple – built in Kerala style architecture and the walls around the main deity are decorated with beautiful wall paintings
2. Mullakkal Rajeshwari temple – an important pilgrimage that is dedicated to Lord Durga There is a huge market nearby where you can buy local ware.
3. Haripad Sree Subrahmanya Swamy temple – oldest temple here. The main deity is 8 feet tall 
4. Mannarasala Sree Nagaraja temple –an ancient temple dedicated to serpents. Couples seeking fertility come here with their wishes 

• Churches 
  1. St.Mary’s Forane Church – the oldest Roman Catholic church around and the whole building is made of teak wood 
  2. Andrew’s Basilica – this 16^th century pilgrimage site has million of devotees coming here during the grand annual feast of St.Sebastian 
  3. Chavara Bhavan – is the home of Kuriakose Elias Chavara, a holy shrine where devotees gather for prayer and feel gratified.
  4. George Forane Church – it was built in 1811 AD and dedicated to St.George 

This is a renowned Buddhist site with a special Buddha made of black granite dating to the 11^th century

Nature and Adventure

1. Beaches
   1. Punnapra Beach – a serene beach and the perfect romantic spot as it has very less visitors
   2. Alappuzha Beach – A 150-year-old pier stretches into the sea at this beach. It is a great place to relax and enjoy water sports such as kayaking, zorbing, Jet skiing, motorboat riding, and surfing. Alappuzha is also famous for marine products and coir. 
   3. Marari – is among the top hammock beaches in the world. It is a hotbed of fishing. 
   4. Thumpoly Beach– a scenic beach with golden beach, green meadows and numerous canals for you to explore
   5. Andhakaranazhi Beach – It is clean and peaceful but not safe for swimming.

It is the longest lake in India, it is an amazing place for picnics, boating, sightseeing and also staying in a houseboat.

Punnamada Lake

The famous Nehru trophy boat race is conducted here during the Onam festival. You can rent houseboats to float in this lake visiting captivating islands within the lake. 

Pathiramanal

It is an island in Alleppey, a private property of about 10 acres which is the best spot for bird watching as many rare and endangered birds visit this property.

Kuttanad backwaters

Enjoy a gentle boat ride on the backwaters from this place passing Munroe lighthouse, glorious water lilies, the farmers working in their fields and greenery all around. Check out restaurants on the way.

Champakulam

This place is famous for the Moolamboat race. It has one of the oldest Christian churches in the country – St Mary’s Forance church. Rock-cut inscriptions inside the church are worth exploring for historical context.

Heritage and culture

Pandavan Rock

This rock structure in the shape of a frog and a musical instrument has a connection with the Epic Indian tale Mahabharata. It is a great picnic spot and can be reached by trekking through beautiful hills, arched bridges, a lake and a Dam.

Krishnapur Palace

It is both a Palace and a museum. It has a big collection of Kerala Mural paintings including one named Gajendra Moksha which measures 53 square feet. 

Revi Karunakaran Museum

This is a private museum built by Betty, the wife of the late Revi Karunakaran a leading industrialist. The collection has Murano glassworks, sculptures, Swarovski crystals, Tanjore paintings and exhibits highlighting the growth of Kerala.

Shopping

1. Triveni Floating Market

It is a group of boats, anchored together, controlled by the Kerala State Cooperative Consumers’ Federation Ltd. You can find spices, stationery, souvenirs, fresh fruits, vegetables and handicrafts here. You also will find a dining section inside

1. Other places to shop are – Mullakkal Market, Pulickattil Handicraft Emporium, Pulickkattil Handicrafts, Khadi Gramodyog Bhavan, St. Thomas Fine Arts, Canal Bazaar and Sharada Shopping Complex.

Food

Since it is a coastal land, the main dishes here are made from rice and seafood. Some of the specials of this region are ghee roast Dosa, appam- stew, Chemmeen curry, Malayalee Parotta idlis and locally fermented toddy.

Top food centres in the city are Cassia Restaurant, The Harbour Restaurant, Kream Korner, Royal Park Hotel, Chakara, Le Coffee Time, Thaff, Brother’s Hotel – Vegetarian and Hot Kitchen.

Ayurveda Massage

While Kerala and in particular Kochi is famous for Ayurvedic massage, there are few centers in Allepey too that can alleviate your body pain, detoxify, provide skin care, increase blood circulation and reduce muscle stiffness. Some of the popular ones are Vedha Ayurvedic and Homestay, Sreekrishna Ayurveda Panchakarma Centre, Keraleeyam, and Ayurgreenie Ayurvedic Wellness Village.

When to Visit

The best time to visit Alleppey is between November to May.

How to reach

By Air

The nearest airport is Cochin International Airport about 83 km away. From there you can take a train or bus to Allepey 

By Train

The rail head Alappuzha railway station connects this city to all the major cities in India.

By Road

The highway NH 66 passes through this city connecting it to cities such as Coimbatore, Eranakulam, Trivandrum and Kollam cities.

By ferry services

Some places such as Kuttanad are accessible only by boat and ferry services.