Amazing Alappuzha - The Venice of the East
Alappuzha is one of the most amazing travel destinations in south India. Alappuzha or Aleppey is situated in the State of Kerala and is referred to as the "Venice of the East" due to its similarity with the real Venice. Alappuzha is well known for their backwater which stretches long into the Arabian sea. A cruise through the backwaters on the specially made house boats is one of the major attraction of Alappuzha.
I always love to visit Alappuzha and often visit this place, as I have travel through Alappuzha to reach my home town. The serene green paddy fields of Alappuzha are another major factor that create more charm to this beautiful place. One of the major route that passes through Alappuzha is the Alappuzha - Changanacherry route which connects the town of Alappuzha with another major town Changanacherry.
The Alappuzha - Changanacherry road or the AC road is a straight road, stretching over more than 26 kms. Both the sides of the roads are wet paddy fields and you can also see a lot of duck farms by the side of the road, where you can buy duck meat and egg at very reasonable rates. You can also get fresh fishes which are put on sale near the road sides and that too is available at affordable rates.
Another major attraction of this road is the Toddy shops that are present on either sides of the road. Toddy is a sweet liquid collected from the top of a coconut tree and over consumption of this juice can make you feel boozed. Toddy along with cooked tapioca is another major food item present in the toddy shop. People come here alone, with friends and with family to enjoy the amazing taste of the home made spicy food made at the toddy shop.
These places are really amazing due to their ever green beauty and is a perfect place for photography. The place is just few feet higher than the sea level and hence water flood occurs once the monsoon rain arrives. So it is better to avoid visiting Alappuzha during this period. The best time to visit Aleppy is between October to May and the rest of the months, Alappuzha would be under real mess due to water logging.
The AC road is one of the best roads that I have seen in Kerala and the road is absolutely like a straight line drawn between Alappuzha and Changanacherry. It is a perfect place for those interested in having a stress free drive as the road is amazingly straight and the traffic is also medium. You can also see small settlements on some parts of the paddy fields on either sides of the road and this really gives you an amazing feeling.
Even though Alappuzha town is known as the "Venice of the East", the remaining places in Alappuzha district are like paradise. A lot of tourist can be seen in Alappuzha during peak tourist season and most of them come to enjoy a backwater trip by hiring a house boat. During the peak season, the house boats are very much costlier, while during the off seasons it is very much cheaper.
Apart from the backwaters and house boats, there are many other small villages which really makes you feel nostalgic and these untouched villages really helps you to calm you mind. Some of these villages include Mohamma, Thakazhy, Nedumudi, Ambalappuzha, Vayalar, Kainakary etc. So if you are travelling to Kerala at any point of your life, make sure to visit Alappuzha by scheduling your tour package. Always remember to use only mineral water as the water available in Alappuzha is not quite safe to drink.
Make sure you carry your dear ones while travelling to Alappuzha and do not miss the charming Toddy shops to give you a sense of traditional Kerala drink. It is March now and there are still 2 more months remaining, before it starts raining in Alappuzha. So better visit Alappuzha before this or after once the rain retreats.
