Travel Her: Alleppey Backwaters Are A Serene Paradise

In the hustle and bustle of daily life, it feels like our days are just a blur of to-do lists, work assignments and other endless sources of stress. Sometimes, you just want to get away from it all. For that very purpose, me and my family escaped to Kerala, popularly called “God’s Own Country.” All the pent-up stress of our daily routines just disappeared when we reached Alleppey Backwaters.

Alleppey Backwaters

We had booked a houseboat at the Alleppey backwaters of Kerala for an overnight stay. Most people go for a day’s trip around the backwaters on the boat, given that the overnight option is slightly heavier on the pocket. However, it’s entirely worth it. We reached the houseboat around noon. The boat had two air-conditioned bedrooms with attached washrooms, and extremely polite local men who drove the boat, as well as manned the kitchen.

The houseboat deck.

What the houseboat did was provide just that serene respite we needed. Time seemed to stand still when we were on the boat, gently gliding along the waters. Sitting at the large deck and looking out, we could see the sparkling waters stretching endlessly. At the horizon, we could see land, trees in abundance and the local villagers along the coast.

The vast stretch before us.

Meeting Local People

Post-lunch (which was a spread of local delicacies), the boat was anchored and tied to the coast. We were encouraged to go out and walk along the coast, and am I glad that we did. The path was littered with flowers, and little, cozy-looking cottages. The people who resided here were kind, and more than willing to talk to us. We discovered how simply they live, and how the backwaters are an essential part of their lives. One of the young local girls handed flowers to the women in our group to put in our hair.

Stunned by the kind simplicity of the locals, we continued on and climbed a bridge. From there we could spot hundreds of ducks by the waterside. The calmness encapsulated in the minutes that we spent watching, and feeding the ducks is unparalleled.

Calm waters.

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The Sun Rise

As the evening passed away, we went back to the safety of our houseboat. They drove us around on the waters for a bit longer before finally resting by the shore for the night. A quiet, cool wind blew as we rested on the deck, chatting, watching the stars litter the black sky. The area is still rather untouched by pollution-inducing activities, which is why we could see beautiful stars along a clear night sky. We retired soon for the night, not knowing the sight that would greet us in the morning.

We had planned to awaken early to watch the sunrise. At 5:45 am, the beautiful sunrise left us all stunned. It was glowing mildly, an orange ball in the sky slowly spreading light all over. Sipping tea while watching the sun illuminate everything in sight, I thought about how at peace I felt. The trip was short, but it had left indelible marks on my memory and I would remember Alleppey forever.

The sunrise from the houseboat.

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Prapti is an intern with SheThePeople.TV. The views expressed are the author's own.