Make your life and holidays lusher than ever in the backwater paradise of Kerala, Alleppey. Explore the best tourist attractions in Alleppey to bask yourself in the different shades of greenery with a coastal holiday touch. The best places to visit in Alappuzha in Kerala promote a balanced life amidst nature's canopy of lushness. Also called Alappuzha, Alleppey is located on the Malabar Coast and is lapped by the warm waters of the Laccadive Sea.
The key reason why Alleppey is famous amongst tourists is its vast network of interconnected canals, lakes, and lagoons that allow the traditional houseboats in Alleppey to cruise from sunrise to sunset.
Blessed with backwaters and jungle streams, Alleppey is called the 'Venice of the East'. Moreover, the houseboats locally called Kettuvallam in Malayalam, are one of the major Alleppey attractions. Thus, a trip to this paradise is complete bliss. Find out more with this Alleppey tourist places list.
Here Are The 15 Best Places to Visit in Alleppey
Here we bring you the best tourist attractions in Alleppey that you must include on your bucket list. Whether you are a family traveler, a solo traveler, a couple, or a leisure vacationer, the below-mentioned places to visit in Alleppey are suitable for everyone! Have a look:
Alappuzha Beach
One of the best Alappuzha places to visit, Alappuzha Beach is a famous sunset spot in Alleppey. At the same time, the Alappuzha Beach Festival and Sand Art Festival are the USP of Alappuzha Beach. There are sea view restaurants, ice cream shops, kayaking, sunbathing, and guest parking facilities. Alappuzha Beach gets a little crowded during sunset because of its absolute trait of rewarding with stunning sunset views.
- Visiting Hours: 5 am to 7 pm
- Entry Fee: No entry charge
Marari Beach
Flanked with white sands and palm-fringed trees, Marari Beach is one of the best places to visit in Alleppey for couples. It remains less crowded than its famous sibling, Alappuzha Beach. At the same time, Marari Beach is a kid-friendly beach as there are several activities for family travelers. The shoreline of Marari Beach is dotted with luxury resorts. Swimming is strictly not suggested at Marari Beach.
- Visiting Hours: 5 am to 6 pm
- Entry Fee: No entry charge
Sree Krishna Swamy Temple
Also called the Dwarka of the South, Sree Krishna Swamy Temple is one of the most famous Vaishnava temples in Travancore. Sree Krishna Swamy Temple is a 13th-century Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Krishna. The traditional Kerala style of art inspires the architecture of this temple, which makes it a must visit among other Alapi tourist places. Relish the Ambalapuzha Paal Payasam, made from Chamba rice and milk, as a divine prasad offering. Also, the annual 10 days Arattu Festival held in March-April is a severe crowd puller.
- Visiting Hours: 4 am to 12.30 pm and from 5 pm to 8 pm.
- Entry Fee: No entry charge
Vembanad Lake
Add more meaning to your Alleppey sightseeing by visiting India’s longest lake, the Bird Reserve. Vembanad Lake is connected to the backwater network of canals, lagoons, and a famous houseboat destination in Alleppey. Additionally, the coconut palm-laden trees, the rare migratory birds, and the Ayurvedic resorts on the lake’s bank make Vembanad Lake a must-visit tourist spot in Alleppey.
- Visiting Hours: 10 am to 6 pm
- Entry Fee: No entry charge
Alleppey Lighthouse
A 150-year-old, imposing Alappuzha Lighthouse may be seen in Kerala close to the Sea Bridge and 4 kilometers from the town of Alappuzha. It was one of Kerala's busiest ports and a major trading hub when it was built in 1862. It is on the south-west coast of India, and being one of the oldest lighthouses makes it a must visit among Alleppey famous places.
- Visiting Hours: 9 am – 11.45 am and 2 pm – 5.30 pm (Monday Closed).
- Entry Fee: ₹ 10 for adults, ₹ 25 for foreigners, ₹ 3 for kids
St Mary’s Forane Church
This tourist attraction in Alleppey is a Syrian Catholic church dedicated to the Virgin Mary. St Mary’s Forane Church is famous for hosting various feats like Easter, Good Friday, Christmas, St Sebastian’s Fest, and St Mary’s Feast. During the procession, the local Christian community also wears unique costumes and engages in the dazzling fireworks display!
- Visiting Hours: 6 am to 8 pm
- Entry Fee: No entry charge
Krishnapuram Palace
If you are a history and architecture buff, Krishnapuram Palace is one of the best places in Alappuzha. As the name suggests, it is a palace museum drenched in age-old tradition and antiquity. The Archeological Department has placed the excavated antique objects in exhibits from different regions. For instance, bronze-made vessels, idols from Thodupuzha, Idukki district, are placed here, stone sculptures, swords, coins, etc. The architecture is a complete blend of Kerala-style art. The highlight is inside the Krishnapuram Palace, the gabled roof, narrow corridors, and domed windows. Gajendra Moksha's mural painting is a must-watch at Krishnapuram Palace.
- Visiting Hours: 9 am - 1 pm, 2 pm - 4 pm
- Entry Fee: ₹ 25 per person
Kuttanad Backwaters
Famously called the ‘Rice Bowl of Kerala,’ Kuttanad is a town in Alleppey that also sprawls into Kottayam and Pathanamthitta districts! The hills and sea densely cover Kuttanad, and thus, tourists are driven to the Kuttanad region. Moreover, the shimmering waterways, palm-fringed canals, lakes, rivers, and creeks are clustered in Kuttanad. Hence, Kuttanad is an unexplored backwater paradise with miles of stretches of paddy fields interlaced with brilliant backwaters.
- Visiting Hours: 12 am to 11:59 pm
- Entry Fee: No entry charge
Pandavas Rock
As the name itself suggests, Pandavan Rock is associated with the Pandavas of the Mahabharata. This historic place to visit in Alleppey is believed to be the cave in earlier times during the exile of the Pandavas, and they resided here. A little walking is required to reach the rock from the frosted hills. Pandavas Rock is located within 50 kilometers of Alleppey's main town and is a must-visit tourist attraction in Alleppey with friends.
- Visiting Hours: 6 am to 6 pm
- Entry Fee: No entry charge
Mannarasala Sree Nagaraja Temple
Dedicated to the famous snake deity of Kerala, Serpent God Nagaraja, Mannarasala Sree Nagaraja Temple demands a visit on your Alleppey tour. The setting of this temple in Alleppey is unique as it is located in the canopy of the deciduous forest. Pilgrims are drawn to the temple daily by easy walking. Women are believed to come to Mannarasala Sree Nagaraja Temple to seek blessings and eliminate fertility problems. When you visit this unique temple, be amazed by the paintings of the snakes.
- Visiting Hours: 5 am to 12 pm and 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm
- Entry Fee: No entry charge
Revi Karunakaran Memorial Museum
One of the lesser-known Alleppey Kerala tourist places, Revi Karunakaran Memorial Museum, is dedicated to Mr. Revi Karunakaran, who played a crucial role in improving Kerala's coir industry. The museum displays his art collections as a reminder of Mr. Revi Karunakaran's love for multiple art forms. The ivory and crystal collection, the Tanjore paintings, a 200 feet mural made from vegetable dyes, and the 'Kerala Room' with over 3800 rare pieces displaying the evolution of our culture is a must-visit.
- Visiting Hours: 9 am to 5 pm (Monday/Holiday Closed)
- Entry Fee: INR 100 per person
Mullakkal Rajarajeswari Temple
Also called Mullakkal Temple, Mullakkal Rajarajeswari Temple is dedicated to Goddess Durga. Lord Hanuman, Lord Ganesha, Lord Krishna, Nagaraja, Lord Ayyappa, and Navagraha (the nine planets) are other temple deities. Built-in grand Kerala style, Mullakkal Temple is among the best places in Alleppey, where devotees gather on the occasion of Mullakkal Chirappu, a significant festival celebrated in November-December. It lasts for 41 days. The last 2 days are essential and are celebrated with fireworks, elephant processions, and cultural shows.
- Visiting Hours: 5 am to 12 pm and 5 pm to 9 pm
- Entry Fee: No entry charge
St. Andrew's Basilica, Arthunkal
If you want to see the church originally constructed by the Portuguese in the 16th century, St. Andrew's Basilica Arthunkal is one of the best places to visit in Alappuzha. After the 16th century, the church was rebuilt in 1584 under the priest Jacomo Fenicio. He was believed to have body and mind healing powers and was famous as Arthunkal Veluthachan' meaning 'fair-skinned father'. Considered the world's largest shrine of Saint Sebastian, this church has a life-sized statue of the priest sculpted in Milan, installed eight years after he died.
- Visiting Hours: 5.30 am to 6.30 pm
- Entry Fee: No entry charge
Kuttanad
Covering a major portion of Alleppey and some of the Kottayam district, Kuttanad is one of the best Alleppey Kerala places to visit. Blessed with lush rice fields, therefore, it is also called the 'Rice Bowl of India'. The region looks stunning with its greenery, inviting many nature lovers. Visiting here will give you the feel of the traditional Kerala countryside. Kuttanad is among the best places near Alleppey to enjoy Kerala backwaters in a houseboat. Also, it is one of the world's few places where farming is done below sea level.
- Visiting Hours: Anytime
- Entry Fee: No entry charge
Bay Island Driftwood Museum
Witness the innovative modern art techniques installed to design different root and tree-trunk sculptures at Bay Island Driftwood Museum. Not many know about this place, but if you wish to see expansive methods of curation that helped this to be listed under the list of Limca Books of Records, Bay Island Driftwood Museum is one of the best places to visit in Alleppey. Raji Punnoose, a school teacher in Andaman and Nicobar Islands, found this museum that showcases sculptures made of driftwood consisting of twisted tree trunks, stumps, roots, etc.
- Visiting Hours: Sun - 11.30 to 5 pm, Tue-Sat - 10 am to 5 pm
- Entry Fee: INR 50 per person
Now that you have the list of top places to visit in Alleppey check out our Alleppey tour packages. Customize the Alleppey trip itinerary as per your interests and enjoy a fun-filled holiday in this paradise.
