ALLEPPEY & KOTTAYAM TOUR (FROM KOCHI)

At a distance of 14 km from Alappuzha Railway Station, Sri Krishna Temple is an ancient Hindu temple located in Ambalapuzha. It is one of the popular places of pilgrimage in Kerala, and among the best places to visit as part of Alleppey packages.

Ambalappuzha Sree Krishna Swamy Temple is dedicated to Lord Krishna. The temple is believed to have been built during the 15th century AD by the local ruler Chembakasserry Pooradam Thirunal-Devanarayanan Thampuran.It is one of the seven greatest Vaishnava temples in Travancore, and among the major Alleppey places to visit.

Built-in typical Kerala style of temple architecture, this temple is famous for Pala Payasam (sweet pudding made of rice and milk) served to the devotees. The idol at Ambalapuzha is likened to the Parthasarthi form of Vishnu, holding a .....

Alappuzha is a magnificent destination in Kerala with a mix of Backwaters and Beach. Alappuzha, also known as Alleppey is situated on the shores of the Arabian Sea close to the banks of Vembanad Lake, among the most famous Alleppey tourist places.

Along with Kumarakom, Alappuzha is among the most famous destination of backwaters in Kerala. A houseboat cruise in these backwaters is a delightful experience that one must try during Alleppey Trip. It connects Kumarakom and Cochin to the North and Kollam to the South. The never-ending panorama of lush green paddy fields, towering coconut trees, shimmering water, and long canals around Alappuzha make it a delightful destination.

It is popularly known as the 'Venice of the East'. Alleppey is also known for the annual Nehru Trophy Boat Race held in Punnamada Lake on the second Saturday of August every .....

At a distance of 4 Kms from Alappuzha Railway Station, Mullakkal Raja Rajeswari Temple is very famous shrine in Alappuzha dedicated to Goddess Durga.

It is believed that Goddess Raja Rajeshwari appeared at this site to take care of a Jasmine flower (Mullakkal means 'Jasmine Flower' in Malayalam). The temple celebrates two annual festivals - the Navratri festival (October/November) and the Thaipooyakavadi festival (November/December). The last two days are the most auspicious days. Colorful processions participated by nine elephants are held in the evening. It is witnessed by thousands of devotees. Also several cultural programs including Ottanthullal & Kathakali are staged in the temple.

The Thaipooyakavadi celebrated for 41 days in November/December. The whole town will be full of lights and decoration and the last ten days are celebrated with glory.

At a distance of 2 km from Alappuzha Railway Station, Alappuzha beach is a lovely white sand beach on the Arabian Sea coast. It is one of the famous beaches in Kerala, and among the top places to visit as part of Alleppey holiday packages.

Known for its swaying beauty and alluring charm, Alleppey Beach or Alappuzha Beach is a scenic marvel for beachgoers. Adding more to the appeal of Alleppey Beach, there is a 150 years old pier that allows the visitors to take a stroll over the playful waves and get soaked with the enchanting beauty of the Arabian Sea! Alappuzha Lighthouse is situated near to the beach. The Children's Park at the northern end of the beach is a good place to hang out for kids. There are no water sports facilities at the beach.

Besides, the beach is the venue for the famous Alappuzha Beach Festival. Held in April, the festival hosts an array of events such as .....

At a distance of 1 km from Kottayam Railway Station, Thirunakkara Mahadeva Temple is a Hindu temple situated in Kottayam, Kerala. Located in heart of the Kottayam town, it is one of the oldest temples in Kerala, and among the must-visit places during your Kottayam tour.

Dedicated to Lord Shiva, Thirunakkara Mahadeva Temple was constructed by Thekkumkoor Maharaja in the early 16th century. The Mahadeva Temple showcases typical South Indian architecture. The walls of the temples are decorated with beautiful paintings of different scenes from the Hindu epics. The innermost sanctum of the temple is adorned with impressive images of epic characters from Hindu mythology.

The whole temple complex occupies about 4 acres (1.6 ha) of land which is rich in many trees and plants. One of the largest Koothambalams in Kerala is in this temple situated in the southeast corner. The two-storeyed .....

At a distance of 1 Kms from Kottayam Railway Station, Thirunakkara Sri Krishna Temple is located near Thirunakkara Mahadeva Temple.

The pilgrims visiting Sabarimala take a dip in the holy pond of this temple. There are separate smaller shrines available in the temple for Lord Ganesh and Goddess Bhagavati. An annual 7 day festival, 'Araattu', held here is a major draw.

At a distance of 3 km from Kottayam Railway Station, Cheriapally Church is a Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church located in Kottayam, Kerala, India. Situated on the way to Kumarakom from Kottayam, it is one of the oldest churches in Kerala, and among the must-include places in Kottayam packages.

St. Mary's Orthodox Syrian Church, commonly known as Kottayam Cheriapally, is dedicated to mother Mary. According to the legend, the Thekkumkore (old Kottayam) kings were glad that Christians were living in their kingdom. King Kothavarma, who was ruling the kingdom during that period, provided them land for constructing the church, without levying the tax. A church was first built in 1550 and named Valiyapally. However, the congregation later split into ethnic lines and the dissidents built Cheriapally in 1579. The Cheriyapally Church was built by Portuguese architect Antony but the Portuguese did not influence the mode of worship in the church. .....

At a distance of 3 km from Kottayam Railway Station, Thazhathangadi Juma Masjid is a mosque situated in the Thazhathangady locality of Kottayam. It is one of the oldest mosques in India, and among the popular pilgrimage sites near Kochi.

Situated on the banks of the Meeachil River, the Thazhathangady Juma Masjid was built by Habib Dinar, son of Malik Dinar who introduced Islam in the country. It is more than 1000 years old. The Government of Kerala has declared it as one of the protected monuments of the state. It is one of the must- include places in Kottayam packages.

Thazhathangady Juma Masjid is also called as the 'Taj Juma Masjid'. The ancestors of this Masjid came and settled in Kottayam, from different parts of Kerala. The Muslims who lived here played an active role in Freedom Struggle and other National Movements. The mosque has opened its doors for .....

At a distance of 5 Kms from Kottayam Railway Station, Bhagavathy Temple at Kumaranalloor is one of the most important Devi temples in Kerala.

The idol of the Goddess is in standing position and is about 3 feet high. The temple has been identified by Sri Adi Sankaracharya as one of the five important centers in India to worship Durga. The temple was built in sreechakra style and known for its unique architecture. It is also renowned for its temple towers constructed in Tamil Nadu style of architecture. The temple has many attractive mural paintings and wood carvings.

The annual festival of the temple is celebrated in the month of November / December.

At a distance of 11 Kms from Kottayam Railway Station, Mahadeva Temple located in Ettumanoor is one of the most celebrated Siva temples in Kerala. This is one of the popular tourist & pilgrimage sites to visit near Kottayam & Kochi.

This temple is known for its exceptional murals and woodcarvings made in 16th century. The themes of these murals are stills from the Hindu epics, Ramayana and Mahabharata and the and Puranas.The oil lamp at the entrance of the temple is believed to have been lighted for more than 450 years and it is fed with oil by the devotees everyday. There are 14 decorative gopuras in the temple built in 16th century.

Another attraction of the temple is Ezhara Punnana (golden elephants) donated to the temple by Maharaja of Travancore. The golden elephants are kept on display during the temple annual festival celebrated in the month of February / March. Only Hindus are allowed into this temple.

Ezharaponnaana Ezhunallathu is the main festival celebrated .....