Alappuzha

Often likened to Venice, Alappuzha, also known as Alleppey, in central Kerala, is the most popular entry point into the backwaters around Vembanad Lake. There’s a pretty beach with an old pier and lighthouse, but the real draw is the network of canals which can be explored on luxury houseboats, speedboats and ferries.
The Alappuzha District Tourism Promotion Council offers the cheapest cruises, including the popular one between Alappuzha and Kollam which operates every day, from August to January (Rs 300 including lunch for 8 hours). There’s also a daily three-hour-long sunset cruise (Rs 200), canoe rides (Rs 200 per hour) and overnight stays in houseboats (Rs 4,000 for non-AC and Rs 4,500 for AC, all-inclusive). Alappuzha is at its festive best during the Nehru Boat Snake Boat Race, generally held on the second Saturday of August every year. The regatta takes place on the Punnamada Lake, and also features ceremonial processions and magnificent floats. The highlight of the event is the synchronised rowing of traditional 30-metre-long snake-boats or ‘chudan valloms’, which have a raised prow resembling a snake.