ALLEPPEY, a small, quiet town surrounded by coconut forests, has often been compared to Venice, as it is surrounded by canals, but would be reminiscent of Thailand and its klongs.

Indeed, water is ubiquitous, and ALLEPPEY is very well connected by inland waters to the port of Cochin in the north, but despite the significant trade in coconut fiber, it has lost its important commercial role that it had in the past.

Today, it is tourism that takes over, because the whole vegétal, aquatic and the atmosphere that emerges are unique in the world.

The former settlers left behind architectural masterpieces making the streets of Alleppey a rare spectacle of commercial buildings from another era ...

ALLEPPEY is well known for its snake boat races which take place every year on the second Saturday of August. This competition, called the Neru Trophy Boat Race, in memory of the first first minisiter of modern India, began in 1952. On each pirgue there are a hundred rowers who paddle with the sound of the drum, much like on the galleys of yesteryear ...

 

ALLEPPEY is located at the extreme south-west of the large lake VEMBANAD, wedged between the Arabian Sea and the lake on a strip of land just 4 km wide.

The whole region is an ocean of greenery, the rice fields are surprisingly below the level of the canals, because the Dutch passed by there (XVIIth century) and imported the technique of the polders there.

Access

By plane, the COCHIN airport is 90km away, the TRIVANDRUM airport is 3 hours away.

Train

Alleppey Railway Station is connected to most major cities in Kerala and is directly connected to Ernakulam (Cochin).

Road

A big road that crosses all Kerala goes through Allepey, the national NH47. The city is well served by coaches.

Allepey - Cochin = 2 hours

Allepey - Trivandrum = 3 hours

To visit

Ambalappuzha Sree Krishna Temple.

Krishna (Vishnu's 8th avatar) is here revered mainly in his baby form. The ten avatars of Vishnu devour the heart of chuttambalam (circumambulatory). The festival of April attracts thousands of faithful who gather for a big party. The Pallipana ritual, which takes place every 12 years, allows you to attend demonstrations of magic ... white. The temple is also known for the many offerings to Krishna of palpayasam (milk and rice cake)

Krishnapuram Palace Museum

This palace was built under the reign of Maharaja Marthanda Varma. It is a smaller replica of the beautiful palace of Padmanabhapuram, south of Trivandrum.