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| must-do-in-Kerala : Alleppey backwaters cruise (a blog) |
Our first stop : Mararikulam beach
I was overjoyed to meet Pj after months. The plan was to start early to avoid peak traffic, and cruise our way first to Marari beach. The only hitch was my luggage; I had 1 big backpack, and another to hold my laptop and personal stuff. This was going to be tricky on a bike with drizzles off and on.
Mararikulam is roughly 42 kms ie. more than an hour's drive from Kochi. Pj is very cautious, and we drove at a moderate speed stopping for breakfast enroute.
Previous blog~ Kochi an ancient port⚓ city
What I liked about Marari is the stay, there are plenty of quaint cottage style guest houses. We selected one really awesome place, and got it for ( 650-750 rs). It was practically empty. The house had such character with verandahs and hammocks laid out in the garden with gravel flooring. The family was also quite hospitable.
I took the liberty of a shower and change, and we went down to the beach and took some selfies, sat a while and got on the bike again. We drove down the quiet village lanes for sometime until we found a picture perfect Kerala landscape.
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| a picture perfect Kerala backwaters landscape |
We sat beside the bank, switched on some mellow music on the mobile phone, and gazed out into the solitude the backwaters offered us for a long time. It was so perfect !On our return we spotted a liquor store- There are many big liquor stores in Kerala where you can buy beers and anything you want, picked some snacks and got back to our pad.
Trippy dinner-time
Most guest houses prepare meals, you need to inform them in advance and you need to pay extra (often very reasonable). Frankly I wasn't expecting much for what we paid, but this is the dinner spread they laid out.
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| Kerala cuisine at dinner-time |
< Day 2 >
Alleppey backwaters houseboat cruise : Is it really worth it ?
The Alleppey houseboat backwaters cruise is probably the most picturised representation of tourism in India, after the Taj Mahal- that is!. But is it really worth it? .... And this is what I found out !
Incase of other cruise attractions, you can share a boat or cruise with several other people and split the cost. But that is not the case here. You need to book the complete houseboat for 24 hrs, at an average cost of 7000 rs - 8000 rs. Just think of it as checking into a 5 star hotel. It's probably an amazing deal if you are family or in a big group.
Another thing to remember is the houseboats anchor in the backwaters by sundown, which basically means cruising is done for the day.
Cruising down the Kerala backwaters is undoubtedly a once in lifetime experience that should not be missed. This is my better alternative to keep the cost low.
a) Booked a guest house within the backwaters
There are plenty of reasonably priced guest houses and mid-range hotels located within the backwaters. Do call and confirm where they are located. They usually have a boat that will pick up and drop you at the resort or hotel.
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| hotel boat pick-up at Alleppey |
All day we sat on the balcony, drank our beers and watched the houseboats go past the backwaters. Later, we strolled down the narrow embankments here and there.
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| view from our hotel balcony : houseboats in the Alleppey backwaters |
< Day 3 >
b) Shikara boat cruise on the Alleppey backwaters
Next day we went down to the Shikara boat cruise starting point and booked a complete boat (we bargained) for 700 rs to 800 rs / 6 hours cruise. I can't tell just how awesome it was! A shikara is an open boat, compared to a covered houseboat. The Vembanad lake breeze was intoxicating, and I felt so drowsy, Pj woke me up each time.
| A shikara boat ride on the Alleppey backwaters, Kerala
Note : The only thing a Shikara boat lacks is a toilet. |
< Day 4 >
c) Inland ferries connecting places
There are many inland ferry services that cater to locals and cost much lesser. We took one that stopped on an island, where we took a break for refreshments and then cruised back. That too was incredible.
Friends if you have any questions, do comment below and I will certainly try and reply back. Don't forget to Subscribe for the next awesome destination. Ciao for now!
very nice info đź‘Ť
ReplyDeleteThanks 🙏
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