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Alappuzha (Alleppey) Activities

Tourist Cruises

1 reviews | Write a review

Good for: authentic food, do something different, low cost, Environmental Friendly, peaceful atmosphere

  • Address
    • DTPC Tourist Reception Centre Town Centre
  • Website
  • Phone
    • tel, info: 0477 2253308
  • Price
    • adult/student Rs300/Rs250, half trip Rs150
  • Hours
    • departs 10:30, arrives 18:30

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Lonely Planet review for Tourist Cruises

The popular cruise between Kollam and Alleppey departs at 10:30 and arrives at 18:30, operating daily from August to March and every second day at other times. Many hotels in Kollam and Alleppey take bookings for one or other of these services; some offer cheaper rates but you'll end up paying the difference on board.

Generally, there are two stops: a 13:00 lunch stop (be aware that you'll pay extra for every element over the standard meal!) and a brief afternoon chai stop. The crew has an ice box full of fruit, soft drinks and beer to sell. Bring sunscreen and a hat.

It's a scenic and leisurely way to get between the two towns, but as a backwater experience the cruise is limited by the fact that the boat travels along the major highways of the canal system, and you won't see much of the close-up village life that makes the backwaters so magical. Some travellers have reported becoming bored with the eight-hour trip.

Another option is to take the trip halfway and get off at the Matha Amrithanandamayi Mission.

 

Traveller reviews for Tourist Cruises (1)

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    Peaceful, ultra green way to see the backwaters

    cam1970 recommends this,

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    I was lucky enough to discover a great little tour that happened as a result of a desire to save some money, and go a bit more green. We found that the classic Alleppey houseboats roaring around the backwaters were incredibly expensive, even for just a day tour ( They are beautiful to look at though ). In addition, most of these huge boats spewing tons of exhaust had only a couple of tourists on them at a time.

    After asking around a bit, we discovered keralavillagecanoetour.com. It's basically a one man operation. He has a small boat that can seat 4 people comfortably. He then paddles the boat to wherever you want to go. The best part about it is that it gives you access to all kinds of tiny canals and hidden villages where the big boats simply cannot go. True, you can't go as far, but you see things that most tourists don't, and in a much more peaceful environment.

    You can also volunteer to help out with the canoeing up front, which for me was the highlight of the whole thing. For lunch he took us to his home, where we had the tastiest ( and least stomach troubling ) meal of the week. We met his family and relatives, and the whole experience was so personalized that we booked him the next day to paddle around and watch the Nehru Cup from vantage points that no other tourists were able to access.

    Good for: authentic food, do something different, low cost, Environmental Friendly, peaceful atmosphere, Green

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