"Here nature has spent up on the land her richest bounties, Alleppey / alappuzha, the Venice of the East"
Lord Curzon , Viceroy of the Indian Empire

Alappuzha a district in the southern most state of kerala in India is a sandy strip of land with Arabian Sea to its west has a number of lagoons and an array of rivers , canals ,backwaters and lakes which is ideal for boat rides and cruises and has given it the name Venice of the East. Lord curzon was the first person to use this name.

Instead of the Gondola visitors can move around in a Vanji ( The local name for a country boat) which is unique to alappuzha kerala or you can also take a ride in a houseboat in the backwaters of alappuzha and the lakes like vembanad.

a vanji ( country boat) in the backwaters in alappuzha

backwaters of alappuzha

Houseboat in the backwaters of alappuzha