For our wing reunion from undergrad, the six of us wanted to go to a leisurely place, where we can spend more time together rather than at parties. Hence Goa was out (:P)! We also wanted a place with good connectivity so that all of us could be back to work via a morning flight. So most hill stations were out. And a place which had enough attractions for us to last 3 days. Kerala was definitely a strong contender, and we finally chose Alleppey - Varkala. And we were not disappointed!

Duration and Time of Visit

3 days, 3 nights
January mid

To and From

Stay

Alleppey


Varkala

Itinerary

Day 1: Houseboat tour and stay

• All of us landed in Kochi early morning, around 8 am
• We grabbed a quick bite and booked an Ola Outstation to Alleppey
  • The road was good, but the weather and landscape not particularly exciting
• We couldn’t wait to be on the houseboat, and needless to say, went directly to it, at the Punnamada Jetty
  • It was a beautiful boat, simple yet elegant. It had two bedrooms with attached washrooms, an upper deck, a glass-enclosed lower deck, a captain and a cook!
  • Tip: I think it’s best to pre-book a houseboat, especially during the busy season. Towards the end, I have shared a list of things to look out for while choosing a houseboat

• We embarked on our tour of the Vembanad lake around 12 pm
  • It was a slow and leisurely ride, going nowhere in particular, but enjoying the surreal views all along - the infinite lake, the coconut tree studded banks, the fields beyond them and the dozens of other houseboats around us. Sitting on the upper deck, with soft music playing, none of us would have expected six college friends to enjoy it so calmly, that too when they were meeting after about two years!
  • There’s a standard itinerary that all boats follow and there is not much you can do differently. So while I had a list of spots I wanted to visit on the tour (based on some research on internet), the captain’s order was clear – “No deviations!”

• Around 2 pm, we had our first stop, for lunch
  • We anchored next to a small shop on the bank, so that we could buy some snacks and beverages
  • All the meals were prepared on the boat itself. To our surprise, they were quite delicious! Delicious, but spicy - very spicy!
• Post lunch, we resumed our gentle plodding
  • We chatted, played cards, had fun and to our surprise, all of us dozed off! The atmosphere was just so calm!
• We again stopped around 4 pm, at an Ayurvedic massage centre
  • While that was not of interest to us, we still got off, stretched a bit and bought some snacks and drinks from the shop nearby
• Then came the last leg of the day’s journey - back towards the starting point to dock for the night
  • This time, we moved out from the wider parts of the lake into smaller straits. The evening weather also improved significantly – it was a befitting end to the day

• We chilled on the boat, got some more snacks and drinks from the city, ate another sumptuous meal and slept
  • The AC on the boat was a saviour! And how can we forget the trippy lights!

Day 2: Last boat ride, Varkala beach and cafes

• When at such locations, I try to get up early to experience the glory of the wee hours
  • Being on the west coast, the actual sunrise was not the attraction, but mornings still have their own charm
• We had one last excursion of ~1.5 hours planned, in yet another direction in the lake. That brought us to the end of this one of its kind experience
• We quickly packed up and were on our way to Varkala
  • The coastline was beyond imagination - magnificent yet empty beaches. We stopped at multiple spots to just hang around for a while, click pictures and soak it in

• Just before Varkala, there is Kappil Beach, which has sea on the right side, a backwater lake on the left, and lush green all around. We had to stop there!

• On reaching Varkala, we checked-in to Zostel first, freshened up and headed out for lunch
  • Zostel has a beautiful place, with amazing artwork done across. It was very well maintained, with a hospitable staff. But the place was a bit smaller than expected and also, a little off the main cliff area
  • The whole of the North Cliff is full of amazing cafes, with beautiful ambience, good menus, groovy music and good vibes
  • It was so hard to choose a place, but finally majority ruled for Caffé Italiano
  • It is always a good idea to talk to the local people - you’d be surprised at what all interesting information they can share! Give it a shot – and maybe you can find what you are looking for

• Towards evening, we descended to the Varkala Beach, did a quick recce to zero in on a less crowded stretch and went right into the water
  • We spent about 2 hours in there. My friends preferred to stay closer to the beach. Knowing swimming well, I ventured alone a little further. Watching the sunset from inside the sea is a sight to remember!
  • I like to just lie in water - floating on the back, ears underwater, eyes shut. You are able to hear the water - the waves along with the tiny particles moving in the current - and it cancels the rest of the outside noise. This, plus the gentle pressure on the ears, is one of the most calming and meditative sensations I have experienced. Try this whenever you are next in water!

• We went back to Zostel, bathed and were back on the cliff to try out yet another place – Darjeeling Café this time
  • It is a very pretty place, with beautiful ambience, hip staff, peppy beats and delectable food
• We stayed till late and strolled back to our place

Day 3: Odayam Beach and Jatayu Earth’s Centre

• Staying true to my vacation ritual, I got up early and walked to the beach, with my Kindle and speakers, to see the sunrise and the morning charm from yet another angle
  • I didn’t walk far, just till the nearer end of the North Cliff, found a rocky slope and a niche to sit in
  • There was a small group of foreigners doing yoga, some couples in the water and some on the beach - everyone and everything tranquil
  • I think I enjoy solitude as much as I enjoy company, and try to ensure I get a good dose of both

• For breakfast, we went to the terrace café at Zostel and chilled there for some hours - soulful music, hammocks, reclining chairs and a gentle breeze
• Then we left for the day and decided to go in the opposite direction this time - on Odayam Beach
  • It’s far more beautiful than its more popular neighbour, Varkala beach, and to our pleasant surprise, empty
  • We kept walking for a good half hour, stopping to take pictures or just hang around, till we reached the end

• We zeroed in on the beach restaurant of Blue Water resort, enjoying the scene, the café and the company, occasionally taking walks on the beach

• In the afternoon, we did a quick tour of Jatayu Earth’s Centre, which is about 30kms (50 minutes) far
  • It is a magnificent structure atop a hill, reachable via a cable car
  • The grandeur and the history associated with it left everyone spellbound, besides seeing how beautifully it has been maintained

• On returning, the gorgeous evening sea beckoned us and we duly complied
  • The sea was different today - we had never seen such huge waves this close to the land. We had a blast in the water that day and got out only because we were completely drained

• We left late evening for Kochi, unable to do anything besides sleeping on the way
• A couple of hours of sleep at an Oyo hotel and we were off to the airport, bringing the escapade to an end

Summary of Things To Do

Things we did:

Alleppey:

• Punnamada Jetty
• Houseboat stay

Varkala:

• Kappil Beach
• Varkala Beach
• Odayam Beach
• Jatayu Earth’s Centre

Things we didn’t do:

Alleppey:
Since we had only one day, a friend who is from Alleppey suggested we do just the houseboat as the rest of the things were not that great. Still, sharing the list if you have time:

• Beaches: Alappuzha / Marari beach and the Lighthouse, Pozhiyoram, Thumpoly, Punnapra
• Kuttanad (low altitude farming): This is one place I wanted to see but it was a little off-course
• Elephant Training Camp
• Museums: Revi Karunakaran Museum (Crystal Musuem), International Coir Museum
• Temples and Churches: Ambalapuzha Krishna Temple, Nagaraja Temple, Chettikulangara Bhagavathy Temple, St Mary’s Church, St Andrew’s Florence Forance Church, Latin Catholic Church

Varkala:

• Ponnumthuruthu Island: I would have loved to visit this beautiful island
• Varkala Culture Center
• Varkala Aquarium
• Anjengo Fort And Lighthouse
• Janardhana Swami Temple: a very prominent temple of South India

Major Expenses

• Flight: Rs. 5,000 (per person)
• Travel by Cab: Rs. 12,000 (for an SUV for 3 days)
• Houseboat: Rs. 18,000 (6 people)
• Zostel: Rs. 700 / person / night
• Food and drinks

Tips and Resources

• How to choose a houseboat:
  • Number of rooms and washrooms
  • Aesthetics and hygiene: ask for real pictures, instead of the catalogue images
  • Seating area on upper deck and lower deck
  • Air conditioner (it is usually very humid on the boat)
  • Price (there are boats starting from 9K to 1L)
  • Food served as per your preference (esp. veg / non-veg)
  • Boat rules
  • Docking location
• Alternate route: A better route for us would have been to land at Kochi, go to Alleppey, then Varkala and finally catch a flight from Thiruvananthapuram, which is just 1.5 hours from Varkala by road
• Since we were short on time, we decided to spend only one day in Alleppey. On hindsight, I think it was a good decision as there is not much to do in Alleppey, especially for a bunch of college friends. You can also plan keeping this in mind