Alleppey or Alappuzha, as it is now called, is a busy town situated south of Cochin, surrounded by cocoa-palm plantation and has an intricate network of canals and lakes. It is also a major center for backwater cruises. The Boat cruise from Alleppey to Kollam is the most popular and highly enjoyable.
The Nehru Cup Boat Race, the most colorful and exhilarating snake-boat race of Kerala, is held here every August making this backwater district unique. It is also the centre of the famous Coir products of Kerala.