This section is dedicated to take away all your "I wish someone had told me that before I went!" experiences. This way, you can spend less time settling in, and more time making new friends in your chosen hostel. We share our insider knowledge of tips, tricks and important things to look out for in Alappuzha.
Alappuzha, Alleppey, and the Kerala Backwaters are all one and the same area. Alleppey is the main town with all of the local buses running in and out of the hub here to other areas of Kerala. Alleppey is also the gateway to the Kerala Backwaters area. The best time of year to visit this area is during the dry season and toward the end of the dry season before the monsoon hits as once the water starts it rises so high that many of the families have to evacuate the riverbank areas.
The biggest thing to do in this area is to take a boat ride down the river and observe the daily living of the people here. You can watch them fish in the river, tend to the rice paddy fields over the other side of the break, wash clothes in the river, and gather and prepare foods. There are homestays along this area so that you can spend the night with a family and enjoy some traditional home cooked meals from the area that utilize a lot of the coconut and rice that are about in abundance.
The locals may even teach you about the local flora and fauna and how they use much of it in their everyday lives. If you area with a group and have the luxury of a bigger boat, they also have houseboat cruises down the river which offer up a bit of luxury. If heading into the river area, keep in mind that there aren't really any shops so you will need to take all your supplies from Alleppey with you when you are coming to stay at an Alappuzha hostel. Otherwise, enjoy! The Kerala Backwaters region is a stunning area of this country and not to be missed!
Written by local enthusiast for Alappuzha hostels
Globetrotter
