Alleppey houseboat was always in my traveling bucket list. Backwaters of Alleppey or Alappuzha was fascinating me from long time and finally I could plan it this year. Apart from its beautiful houseboats, tranquilizing backwaters and green countryside its equally famed for its boat race which used to be organized on second Saturday in the month of August every year. I planned accordingly. On Thursday night I had my train from Banswadi station in Bangalore for Changanassery station in Kerala. Next morning it was slight rain when train entered in Kerala. In the journey, a tree was fallen down on track before our station so it took some time for rail officials to clear the track. Train was little late when we reached to Changanassery station. Our taxi driver was waiting there for us. Once the taxi was out of this small town and on road to Alleppey it was a pleasant drive among mesmerizing sight of greenery. There is water body on mostly either sides of road and these water bodies and greenery is almost not troubled by human intrusions. People of this countryside know living with nature and unlike most of the other parts of India, environment is preserved in its best way. Kerala teaches us respecting nature and living with it. In the next one hour, we reached to the ferry point where most of the houseboats starts its journey for the day. Hundreds of houseboats were dangling around the shore. I booked a lavish houseboat through India vacationz Houseboats. These people were highly professional and helped in reaching there and arranging tickets for boat-race as well. Their houseboat named as "Anthem of the Lakes" was one of the finest and it has more than what one may need for a luxurious visit. This boat was having two floors, five rooms, one terrace and one kitchen. We settled in our room quickly. By the time boat started its voyage in the backwaters, we got freshened up and came upstairs to sit in terrace gallery.
The view from houseboat porch was amazing. The sights of everlasting lake, calm backwaters, passing by houseboats, green banana leaves, lengthy coconut trees, aroma of fresh air and serene landscape was heartwarming. Allepey claim itself as Venice of East. I have visited Venice and so can confirm that it’s not less gorgeous than Venice. It’s alike Venice with rustic rural state and in the lap of mother nature and greenery. Shortly we got the lunch in traditional Keralite cuisine including rice and fresh fish. After the lunch we just sat there for few hours idling around. Boat took a visit to Vemband Lake which is alike a sea having no end in sight. Houseboat started its journey back. On the way, Houseboats were blustering horns to get sideways from houseboats. In backwaters, view of unending rows of banana trees on both sides of the canal and coconut trees kissing the ground were amazing. My son was busy playing building blocks and carom but quick to make noise when other houseboats were passing by. When houseboat reached to ferry point it was evening by then and we got tea and snacks. These four hours in backwater was astounding and lifetime experience. In night after having dinner we went back to our room. From window we could see the backwater outside our room and endless houseboats hanging around and far.
Next morning, we got up early and after getting ready we roamed outside for a while to see the scenery before clicking some of the incredible pictures in picturesque background. When it was breakfast time, houseboat gusted the horn for the short journey in backwaters. While we were having breakfast, boat was having ride along waterways refreshing the amazing experience we had yesterday. After two hours of ride it came back to the start point and we had to say goodbye to this elegant houseboat.
Now it was the time to explore Alappuzha town and seeing famous boat race. We hired an autorickshaw and soon we reached to the town. We had to walk for few kilometers to reach the venue. Walking in the town was astonishing as well. Grid of canals or waterways is passing through most of the town, same as Venice. Ferryboats are giving tourists a joy ride. We bought a toot for my son which is mostly used during boat race by locals for cheering up their teams. Soon we reached to the finishing point of Nehru cup boat race. Ambiance was amazing there with loud noise and cheerful crowd having fun. We were early and it was time for qualifying rounds. Huge snake boats are unique in Kerala and one boat is rowed by almost fifty people. When these long boats were near finishing point, trying to surpass each other, sound and energy level of crowd was going to the peak. Soon crowd was very high and mercury was at its peak so we left the scene early but not before watching enough rounds of boat race. After walking back along the beautiful canals, we took autorickshaw to reach Alappuzha railway station. We had few hours and so after lunch we moved into waiting room. In evening we boarded our train for Bangalore with our bag full of memories.
