Things to Do in Alleppey (Alappuzha): Houseboats, Canals, Beaches & Boat Races

Spend a night on a houseboat

A standard cruise starts around noon from Alleppey's Finishing Point or Punnamada, sails through the backwaters with lunch, tea and dinner cooked on board, moors for the night and returns the next morning. Boats range from simple to luxurious, with one to several bedrooms. Night cruising is not allowed, and boats moor by around 5.30 p.m.

Book with registered operators, confirm the route, meals and air-conditioning hours in writing, and read recent reviews.

Time needed

About 21 hours

Best time

September to March

Good for

Couples, families

Take a canoe through the canals

Small canoes and shikaras reach narrow village canals where houseboats cannot go. Three- or four-hour trips pass homes, small temples and churches, coir makers, fishermen and paddy fields, often with a stop for toddy or a home-cooked meal.

Time needed

3–4 hours

Best time

Morning

Kayak at sunrise

Guided kayak tours through the quieter canals at dawn are a peaceful way to see village life waking up and spot kingfishers and herons.

Best time

Sunrise

Good for

Active travellers

See Kuttanad's farms below sea level

Kuttanad, the rice bowl of Kerala, is one of the few places in the world where farming takes place below sea level, protected by dykes. The system has been recognised by the FAO as a Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System.

Take the public ferry

The state water transport ferries between Alappuzha and Kottayam or Changanassery cross the backwaters and Vembanad Lake for a tiny fare. The journey of two to three hours passes villages and paddy fields and is a favourite with budget travellers.

Good for

Budget travellers

Watch sunset at Alappuzha beach

Alappuzha beach has the remains of a pier more than 150 years old and a lighthouse that can be climbed for views. It is busy with families in the evening.

Best time

Sunset

Stay at Marari beach

Marari, about 11 km north, is a quiet fishing-village beach with homestays and resorts under coconut palms. Fishermen launch boats in the morning.

Good for

Couples

Visit Pathiramanal island

Pathiramanal, a small island in Vembanad Lake reached by boat from Alappuzha or Kumarakom, is covered in trees and is a resting place for many birds, especially in winter. Some houseboat routes stop here.

Best time

November to February

Good for

Birdwatchers

See Champakulam and its church

Champakulam, a village on the Pamba river, has one of the oldest churches in Kerala, St Mary's Forane Church, and hosts the Champakulam Moolam boat race in early summer, one of the oldest snake boat races in the state.

Cycle along the canals

Renting a bicycle is a pleasant way to explore Alleppey town's canals, old warehouses and the lighthouse, and to ride out along the lake roads to villages. Early morning and late afternoon are coolest.

Good for

Active travellers

Visit Mullakkal Temple and St Andrew's Church, Arthunkal

Mullakkal Rajarajeswari Temple in the town centre is a busy local temple with a colourful festival in December. St Andrew's Church at Arthunkal, on the coast north of town, dates back to the Portuguese period and holds a large feast in January.

See the Revi Karuna Karan Museum

The Revi Karuna Karan Memorial Museum in Alappuzha has a private collection of ivory, crystal, porcelain and art, housed in a building with a striking façade. It is a good rainy-day stop.

Watch the Nehru Trophy Boat Race

The Nehru Trophy Boat Race, held on Punnamada Lake usually on the second Saturday of August, pits huge snake boats (chundan vallams) with over a hundred rowers each against each other, with songs and drums. It began in 1952 after a visit by Jawaharlal Nehru. Tickets for the pavilions are sold in advance.

Best time

August

Visit Krishnapuram Palace

Krishnapuram Palace, about 45 km south near Kayamkulam, is an 18th-century palace in Kerala style. It has one of the largest single murals in Kerala, the Gajendra Moksham, and a small museum.

Time needed

1 hour

Taste palpayasam at Ambalappuzha

The Sri Krishna Temple at Ambalappuzha, about 14 km south, is famous for its palpayasam, a rice and milk pudding offered to the deity and sold to devotees.

See the coir heritage

Alappuzha was the centre of Kerala's coir industry, making rope and mats from coconut fibre. Coir museums and small workshops show the process.

Eat karimeen and toddy-shop food

Try karimeen pollichathu (pearl spot fish in banana leaf), duck roast, tapioca with fish curry and appam. Toddy shops, which serve palm toddy with spicy food, are part of local life.

Good for

Food lovers

Winter (October to February)

Pleasant days, calm water and migrant birds make this the peak houseboat season. December and January are busiest and most expensive.

Monsoon (June to September)

Heavy rain turns the paddy fields bright green, and houseboat rates are lower. The Nehru Trophy Boat Race in August is the highlight. Cruises continue, but weather can be unpredictable.

What are the best things to do in Alleppey?

Stay on a houseboat, take a canoe through village canals, kayak at sunrise, see Kuttanad, watch sunset at Alappuzha beach, stay at Marari and watch the Nehru Trophy Boat Race in August.

How long is a houseboat cruise in Alleppey?

A standard overnight cruise lasts about 21 hours, from around noon to 9 a.m. the next day.

When is the Nehru Trophy Boat Race?

Usually on the second Saturday of August.

Alleppey or Kumarakom: which is better?

Alleppey has more houseboats and canals; Kumarakom is quieter, with lakeside resorts and a bird sanctuary.

What should I check before booking an Alleppey houseboat?

Confirm that the operator is registered, the boat's size and number of bedrooms, the route, what meals are included, air-conditioning hours (often only at night) and check-in and check-out times. Read recent reviews and look at photos of the actual boat.