Alappuzha Beach - 4 Things to Know Before Visiting
Alappuzha Beach, also known as Alleppey beach is located in Alappuzha Town and it is a popular place for beach goers. The beach is known for its sunset views like in all the other beaches in Kerala. Sunset at Alappuzha Beach amazes the visitors with its brightly coloured sky of blue, grey, yellow, orange and red. The glittering stretches of sand dotted with swaying coconut palm trees is always a treat for the visitors.
The beach hosts a 150 year old pier in ruins that extends to the sea. The pier was a busy place in the 18th century when Alappuzha was a major trading centre of Travancore Kingdom. Abandoned for many years, all that remains of it are the iron railings and the pillars.
Alapuzha lighthouse in the beach premises
Alappuzha lighthouse is also located in the beach premises. The lighthouse was completed in the year 1862 by Rama Varma Maharaja, the ruler of Travancore Kingdom when Alappuzha served as a trade centre (For an overview of the history of Alapuzha, see Ancient Alleppey). It stands tall at 28 meters in height dwarfing the surrounding buildings and coconut palms. The spiral teak stairway inside will take the visitors to a birds eye view of the beach. The lighthouse also has a small museum showing the lamps and motors that are no longer in use.
In addition to the pier and the light house, there is a small amusement park for children situated on the beach. The park has few rides and offers pedal boating facilities as well. There is separate entry fee for the park.
Festivals at Alappuzha Beach
The beach hosts Alappuzha beach festival every year. The famous event is organised as part of new year celebrations. Thousands of people from all over the state gather to celebrate new year here. The beach also hosted Kerala’s first international sand art festival and competition held on 2015 April.
Getting to Alappuzha Beach and best time to visit
The beach lies near to Alappuzha Town in Alappuzha District of Kerala State in Southern India. The town is connected by buses from most other parts of Kerala as it is located beside the national highway connecting Thiruvananthapuram and Manglore. From Alapuzha town centre, it is only walkable distance away and you can also hire a rickshaw to reach the beach. The nearest railway station too is in Alappuzha, connected to most other parts of the country.
Best time to visit the beach is from October to May. During the monsoon season from June to August, the sea and waves become much rougher. However, at any day in an year, it is not recommended to swim in the sea here. The under currents are severe and many accidents were reported over the years.