Kerala Tourism - Things to do in Alleppey

The old trading port of Alleppey – or Alappuzha as it’s also known – is well known as the capital of backwater country. This is where many of the boat tours of Kerala’s “Venice of the East” begin or end.

It goes without saying that a slow crawl around the canals and lakes of backwater Kerala is the main ‘thing to do’ when you visit Alleppey.

But here we give you nine extra items and ideas that add more to your visit.

These are activities you can either enjoy on your backwater journey or find elsewhere in Alleppey town or nearby villages.

1. Go night fishing

There’s something particularly enchanting about floating in a vallam, the traditional paddled longboat familiar to Kerala, under the moonlight, on a warm Indian evening, and hanging a fishing line into the glimmering waters. Other forms of fishing to look out for include the incredibly hard spear fishing, and fishing using a trapping pond.

Alleppey Night Finishing

2. Shop the Mullackal Road

The bazaars of Mullackal Road provide a delightful afternoon’s browsing. Here you’ll find everything from fine gold jewellery to umbrella emporiums and coir products.

Shop at the Mullackal Bazar Road

3. Eat a banana leaf lunch

Use your fingers as cutlery and a large green banana leaf as a plate and you’re half way to eating ‘Kerala style’. Add some pickles to your plate and a ball of steamed rice, flavoured with grated coconut, and you’re nearly there. Finish off the look with main dishes of rasam or sambar or perhaps a delicious fish molee, all mopped up with a pathiri pancake, and you’re enjoying an authentic Keralan lunch. Still hungry? Order some crispy banana chips and a bowl of sweet payasam for pudding.

Kerala style banana leaf lunch

4. Hire a bicycle

While guided tours give you a wealth of trivia and background information, sometimes it’s nice to abandon them and let instinct direct you instead. Bicycle is a great way to explore both the streets of Alleppey and the surrounding countryside. Buy a good map and take off early, enjoying the freedom of travel on Alappuzha’s quieter roads.

Bicycle hire in Alleppey

5. Swim in the holy river

The River Pampa is a holy river, treated with reverence by garland-wearing pilgrims who visit it to bathe. If you are staying in a homestay, ask your host to suggest a good spot where you can enjoy a leisurely swim.

Swim in the holy river Pampa

6. Get an Ayurvedic massage

Ayurveda is an important Indian medicine system, thought to be influenced by Buddhism. It focuses on meditation, yoga and massage. Massage uses herbs and oils coupled with a variety of hand techniques, including kneading, tapping and squeezing. A full body, relaxing Ayurvedic massage in one of the quality treatment rooms of Alleppey fits ideally with the overall laid back theme of Kerala life.

Ayurvedic massage

7. Explore the surrounding villages

There’s plenty on offer in the small villages dotted outside of Alleppey. Especially worth a visit is Champakulam, a peaceful place sat on the River Pampa and home of India’s oldest Christian church (built in AD 427). It also stages the famous ‘snake boat race’ held in June or July.

Christian church Alleppey

8. Spot unusual birds

Take a short trip out of Alleppey to Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary and you’ll enjoy one of the world’s most popular bird-watching locations. You’ll see migratory birds that travel from as far as Siberia and the Himalayas, including the stork, egret, darter, heron and teal.

Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary

Best place to learn Yoga in India

India has always been looked at as a cathartic destination for those seeking inner peace or enlightenment. With a rich lineage of Gurus and other Yoga practitioners, there are a number of credible institutes and ashrams that are known for their expertise. Yoga has roots deeply entrenched in everyday life in India, making it one of the most sought after yoga destinations in the world, attracting many travellers and students. Here are some top yoga destinations that you might want to explore.

Yoga Practice in India

Alleppey

Kerala has always been synonymous with Ayurveda and other forms of healing. Due to the popularity, the concept has been plagiarised by many so choose your learning centre carefully if you are looking for an authentic experience. Keraleeyam, in Alleppey, is one of the most eminent destinations for Yoga.

Meditation on Beach

Pune

Guru B.K.S Iyengar has etched the name of Yoga across international boundaries and can certainly be called the ‘grand old man of Indian Yoga’. His institute in Pune, Ramamani Iyengar Memorial, is a prestigious centre for Hatha Yoga. Classes are held for both adults and children and sometimes getting into the institute can be quite a feat – people have known to queue up for 2 years. This is an advanced learning centre and one has to have some amount of prior expertise.

Yoga Abhyaas

Rishikesh

Parmarth Niketan, yet another stunning institute, is nestled in the verdant environs of Rishikesh. The ashram has over 1000 rooms on the 8 acres campus. If you want to be a visiting student, you can choose to stay in Rishikesh and visit the centre for classes. An international Yoga festival held in March sees a number of yoga enthusiasts visit from all over the world.

Quite Meditation at Ganges

Chennai

Chennai has always been strongly associated with the Krishnamacharya Yoga Mandiram, which is run by the kin of T. Krishnamacharya. This Yoga Centre is known for Viniyoga. There are a number of courses available for one to choose from. The most popular ones are the Non-residential Pilgrimage of Sound Vedic Chanting, Heart of Yoga, and Pranayama courses that are opened bi-annually for students around the world.

Munger

The 1960s was the decade of discovery of India by the Western World. The Beatles might have started the trend, but the rage has never died out. One such institute that was started in the 1960s was The Bihar School of Yoga, Munger. Till this day and date, the school is considered as one of the best in the country. Though the main school has a rigorous schedule, for those who are interested in lighter and short duration yoga classes can look out for the one of the branches of the same, the Bihar Yoga Bharati Institute.

Yoga Group

KERALA - Major tourist attraction as well as the best honeymoon destination in India

The god’s own country is one of the major tourist attraction as well as the best honeymoon destination in India. The land of God, Kerala is believed to be a gift of the Arabian Sea. The pride of Kerala are Gorgeous and Exotic Beaches, Breathtaking hill Stations, Enchanting waterfalls, Beautiful lagoons, Meandering rivers and Amazing natural scenarios. These colors are made Kerala as a land of beauty and paradise on earth. Kerala is also famous for its Ayurvedic treatments, high mountains, gorges and deep-cut valley, lush and evergreen rain forest and coconuts water and oil and foods items. Kerala houseboats are first and best preference of the tourist to enjoy their moments in beautiful lakes of Kerala. The Idukki dam is the first Indian arch dam in Periyar river Kerala and the largest arch dam in Asia. Shopping, museums and markets are also best way to explore Kerala. Follow to visit some of the Best Place in Kerala.

Culture: 

Kerala’s culture is an integral part of Indian culture. The cultural heritage of Kerala are its arts, festivals and dresses. Hindu, Christian and Islam religion found in Kerala and Malayalam is the local language of Kerala. Indian elephants are given a prestigious place in the state culture of Kerala. kathakali and mohiniyaattam are the traditional art of dance in Kerala.

Kathakali Dance Kerala

Lifestyle: 

The people of Kerala are very simple and down to earth people, they love to live in their own world. The Keralites also are very progressive in terms of cleanliness, healthcare and physical quality of life. The elephants are an integral part of the daily life in Kerala. Kerala people are very protective about their religion and ancient practices, rituals and traditions.

Kerala Lifestyle

Villages: 

The villages in Kerala offer a feast to the eyes of the travellers by way of its panoramic view of the fields, farms, hillsides, rivers and lakes. The locals engage in fishing, farming, pottery, jute making and handicrafts. These villages with paddy fields all around and coconut trees are perfect to spend a relaxed holiday. Some of the popular villages are Vavannoor, Udayagiri, Aranmula, Cheppad, Teekoy,etc.

Kerala Paddy fields

Cuisines: 

After the enjoyments, foods are the next thing in mind. Kerala has a rich and unique flavor of foods like Sea foods, malayali cuisines and banana dishes. Kerala is famous for its spices and its spicy recipes of vegetarian and non vegetation food. Best cuisine of Kerala is Meen Curry – Kerala style fish curry made in fried coconut.

Food from Kerala

Festivals: 

Kerala has many colorful festivals and every festival has its own importance. Onam, the annual harvest festival and it is the largest festival celebrated in Kerala. Vallamkali or Snake Boat Races is the traditional boat race in Kerala. This famous water sport marks the end of Onam festival. Pooram Festival, the The main features of the pooram are the decorated elephants. Peoples of Kerala worship elephants and snakes on different festival occasions.

Pooram-Festival-Thrissur

Beaches: 

Sea, Sand and Sun are the gifts given by the god, which makes Kerala the land of most delightful beaches in the world. Kerala Backwaters offers a series of beaches that are perfect for a relaxing time with your love one. Some of the best beaches in Kerala are Kovalam, Cherai, Varkala, Kappad, Muzhappilangad and Bekal. Watch the sunset along with the blue water beaches of Kerala is the best way to end your day and start a romantic night.

Beaches in Kerala

Sports: 

The Exotic Beaches of Kerala are best for surfing, rafting and many more adventures ocean water sports. Kerala is the one of the best place for scuba diving and snorkeling in India. Kerala is also known for its kind of Martial Arts called Kalarippayattu – A new insight into the traditional martial art of Kerala. Mountains climbing, Trekking, camping and kayaking in rippling rivers of kerala are some different types of sport that any one can enjoy. Ayurvedic treatments in Kerala are best way to relax and feel fresh after these sports.

Ayurvedic treatment in Kerala

Wildlife: 

The Land of God, Kerala has a rich culture in Flora and Fauna. Kerala is the only state in India where highest number of Indian Elephants are found. The best place for wild animals are Silent Valley, Periyar national park and Tiger Reserve,which is situated high in the ranges of the Western Ghat. The land of elephants share their habitat with Panthera, King Cobra and other wild animals.

Periyar-Natioanl-park-Thekkady

Natural beauty: 

Kerala the land of beauty is describes as the favorite child of nature, and famous for its breath-taking natural beauty. Major attraction are includes long coconuts tree, the blue mountain and rivers makes Kerala one of the greenest places ever seen. The beautiful milky falls of water splashing through the rocks should not be miss. Other attraction are Vembanad Lake India’s longest lake, Sasthamkotta lake and Cheruthoni Dam.

Athirappilli waterfalls Kerala

Hill Stations: 

There are many hill stations in Kerala which offers the best spectacular views of the nature. Munnar one of best hill destination in kerala and one of the famous hill station in India. The other beautiful hill stations are Ponmudi,Nelliampathi, Ponmudi and Wayanad Hill Station. These hill stations of Western ghats are one of the best place for trekking in India.

Munnar Hill Station - Kerala

Ayurveda Panchkarma

Ayurveda translates into English as the Science of Life (Ayur - life, veda - science). Ayurveda is the oldest and most developed life science of natural healing in the world. Life is the outcome of the union of body (Sharir), sense organs (Indriya), Psyche (Mana) and Soul (Atma). Ayurveda is not merely a system of Healing, but an entire way of life that aims to bring about the perfect balance of the entire personality - body, mind and spirit. Ayurveda is based on theory of tridosha of the three Biological forces - Vata, Pitta and Kapha. Disease arises when there is an imbalance among the three Doshas and aim of the therapy is to bring about the required equilibrium.

Ayurveda healing massage

Ayurveda is a system of healing that was originated in India thousands of years ago.

Historical evidence of Ayurveda could be found in the ancient books of wisdom known as the Vedas. In Rig Veda, the oldest of the vedas, over 60 Ayurvedic preparations were mentioned that could be used to help an individual in overcoming various ailments. The Rig Veda was written over 6,000 years ago, but really Ayurveda has been around even longer than that. Ayurveda is more than just a medical system. It is a Science of Life.

Ayurveda is a science in the sense that it is a complete system. It is a qualitative, holistic science of health and longevity, a philosophy and system of healing the whole person, body and mind. This system evolved at a time when philosophy and medicine were not separated; hence philosophical views have strongly influenced the Ayurvedic way of thinking.

Oil Healing Massage

The word, Ayurveda, derived from the ancient Indian language, Sanskrit, means “Knowledge of Life”. Ayurveda’s basic principle is the concept that you are capable of taking charge of your own life and healing.
As per Ayurveda there are three main energies that combine to form all things in the universe. These are recognized as being fundamental to all life and are seen in the processes of growth, maintenance, and decay. Their actions are named anabolism, metabolism, and catabolism in the western sciences.

Three doshas or three energetic forces control the activities of the body are:

VATA

The Vata dosha is the most important of the three doshas. In the classic Ayurveda books it is quoted that other doshas are lame without the help of vata. The elements combine with Ether and Air in dominance to form what is known in Ayurveda as Vata Dosha Vata dominates the lower part of the body, which is below umbilicus. The movements of body fluid, metabolism, elimination of waste products, relaying stimulus to brain and response to organs and tissues, heart beat, respiration, body movements etc are assisted by VATA. Vata dominated regions are intestines, lumbar region, ears, bones and skin.

PITTA

The elements with Fire and Water in dominence combine to form the Pitta Dosha . The Pitta Dosha is responsible for the process of transformation or metabolism. The transformation of foods into nutrients that our bodies can assimilate is an example of a Pitta function. Pitta is also responsible for metabolism in the organ and tissue systems as well as cellular metabolism.

KAPHA

Finally, it is predominantly the water and earth elements, which combine to form the Kapha Dosha. Kapha is responsible for growth, adding structure unit by unit. It also offers protection, for example, in form of the cerebral-spinal fluid, which protects the brain and spinal column. The mucosal lining of the stomach is another example of the function of Kapha Dosha protecting the tissues.

When the three Doshas are well harmonised and function in a balanced manner, it results in good nourishment and well-being of the individual. But when there is imbalance or disharmony within or between them, it will result in elemental imbalance, leading to various kinds of ailments. The Ayurvedic concept of physical health revolves round these three Doshas and its primary purpose is to help maintain them in a balanced state and thus to prevent disease.

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