Tourist spots in Alappuzha
If you’re planning a vacation with family, honeymoon or even corporate holiday then Alappuzha would be best location for you. Known as the Venice of the East this region is popular for its boat cruises that take you around serene backwaters of Kerala. The simple lifestyle of the people, the fishing nets, the palm trees along the coast line, the huge paddy cultivations, famous annual boat race and various dance forms of Kerala are other highlights of this exotic town. Tourism has been promoted greatly by the Kerala Tourism department and you have vacationers coming here all-round the year just to be a part of this culture.Places to visit in Alappuzha
Alappuzha Beach
Kuttanad
The huge stretches of paddy fields in Kuttanad is a beautiful sight to see. You can get a better view by a hiring a boat and going around this place through the lakes and canals. Covering an area of 900 sq Kilometers and altitudes ranging between .6-2.6m its ideally the Rice Bowl of Kerala. The major rivers here include the Pampa, Meenachil, Manimala and Achankovil. The soil is most fertile as sands washed away during the monsoon gets deposited here making it ideal for cultivation.Backwater cruises
You can enjoy the backwater cruise rides arranged by the ATDC (Alappuzha Tourism Development Corporation). The peak season is in the months between September to March and you get a closer glimpse of nature
- Alappuzha-Kollam boat cruise start off from the DTPC boat jetty at 10:30am and you reach Kollam by 6pm in the evening. You get to see the backwaters and it even covers the Karumadikuttan Budha idol, Kumarakody, Kayamkulam Lake, Alumkadavu. Some other attractions that you get to see in cruise include Chinese fishing nets, paddy cultivations , coir making, and the Kerala Nalukettu houses. The cost of this trip is 300 per head.
- Kuttand Boat Trip: This boat cruise would take you from Alappuzha to Kumarakom and back to Alappuzha. The cost of the trip is 150 per head and would require a minimum of 10 persons per tour. It starts from 11 am from DTPC boat jetty and would take around 2.5 hours for completing the cruise.
- Daily Boat Cruise by DTPC: Daily boat rides from Alappuzha to Alumkadavu or Alumkadavu to Kollam is arranged by the DTPC. The time for the journey is 8 hour and the tour also includes attractions like Karumadikuttan Buddha idol, Kumarakody, Matha Amrithanandamayi Madom, Alumkadavu, Kayamkulam Lake.
Karumadikuttan Budha idol
This is a famous idol made of black granite and looks unique from its appearance. Only half of the statue has been displayed and other part has been broken. It is believed that it got destroyed in a conflict or war but the reason is still not specific. It’s located in a small village called Karumadi and shows the existence of Buddhism in Kerala. It gets its name from the place it is located and kuttan means boy in Malayalam.Currently this historical monument is being taken care by the Archeological Survey of India.Krishnapuram Palace
Located in Kayamkulam the Krishnapuram Palace is famous for the largest mural painting called “Gajendra Moksham".It measures 154 square feet and has been positioned on the ground floor at the western end of the palace. The palace dates back to the 18th century and was built by the Travancore King Marthanda Varma. The architecture of the palace is splendid and some of the displays include the Kayamkulam Vaal (sword) as well as the statue of Budda.
Kumarakodi
Kumarakodi is the place where the tomb of the famous Malayalam poet Kumaranasan has been kept. His literary works had brought an enormous change in the classic literature off Malayalam. He was not only a writer but al.so revolutionary thinker as well as social worker who fought against rigorous caste system. Unfortunately he died in a boat accident on his way from Kollam to Alappuzha. This place is 20Km away from Alappuzha and it lies on the banks of the river Pallana.