Kerala Backwater Special

Day 1 : Kochi - Alleppey | 65Km | 2Hrs

Alappuzha, or the erstwhile Alleppey, is a very visible landmark on the tourism map of Kerala, thanks to its popularity as the hub of Kerala’s houseboat cruises. A labyrinth of canals that crisscross the city, has won Alappuzha the eponym, the Venice of the East. The canals that once buzzed with commercial vibrance and hosted an unending traffic of canopied boats that carried cargo of yore, have become lackluster, flowing by unhurriedly, a mute witness to the dilapidation of the city that happened when its status as the premier port deserted it. Alleppey is the best place for Honeymoon couples for relaxation.

Alappuzha was reclaimed from the sea and black sands of the beaches are a dead giveaway of its existence under water about a millennium ago. Kuttanad, in Alappuzha district, the home of the great agricultural phenomenon where paddy is grown nearly ten feet below sea level is truly a wonder of the world. The endless stretch of palm fringed bunds and causeways that keep the sea at bay and flank the entire route of the famous house boat cruises, set up an idyllic setting for the traveller. Though of late, the sheer brilliance and popularity of the backwater cruises seem to have blocked out everything else from the tourist itinerary of Alappuzha. The many delightful resorts and hotels that capture the soul of this backwater country are themselves a great tourism experience.

After Breakfast proceed to Houseboat. A rich tapestry of rivers, estuaries, lagoons, lakes and canals, Kerala has a 1500 kilometer stretch of waterways. The backwater cruises in the traditional houseboats called kettuvalloms is unique to the Kerala brand of tourism and there are few experiences more exotic. The backwaters of Kerala have been used for transportation, fishing and agriculture. The kettuvalloms sport a thatched roof over the wooden hulls and were in earlier days used as grain barges to transport rice and other cargo to the local markets. Today the houseboat is an experience in itself, it is a floating home with all the modern luxury that a resort or hotel provides. With the stunning vistas of equally vivid waterscapes and landscapes that unspool along the sides, a cruise is refreshing as it is restful.

Till recently Kochi was Cochin, a name redolent of its British and colonial past. Today Kochi is at the crossroads of history and modernity. Made up of the twin towns of Fort Kochi and Ernakulam, it still wears a thin veil of historical threads – English, Dutch, Portuguese and Chinees. Kochi, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, is the most important stop for a true feel of Kochi’s colonial past. With its quaint, old-world charm, and eclectic architectural mix of Dutch, Portuguese, British, Gothic, Renaissance, Indo-European, one is immediately transported to the colonial era. Kochi, in short, is a delightful cocktail of experiences that offers all the flavors of a dream holiday.