Very well known as the Venice of the East, Alapphuza is edged with the majestic Arabian Sea on the western side and Vembanad Canal on its eastern side. The beautiful district in Kerala is famous for numerous lakes, lagoons, and fresh water rivers passing right through it that enchant the tourists along the way. Even better is the architecture that is an excellent exhibition of the architect’s talent and gives the tourists a feeling of being present in the colonial times. Home to the largest network of inland canals, the district is also very famous amongst the boaters as the two world famous races- 'Moolam Vallamkali' at Champakkulam and 'Nehru Trophy Vallam Kali' at Punnamadakayal take place here.
The district of Alapphuza holds a very remarkable position in the history of the antiquated Chempakassery kingdom. It is also believed by many devotees of Lord Krishna that this district houses the oldest ever temple of this deity. Likewise, one of the most famous Christian pilgrim centres, the famous ‘St. George Church’ is also located in this district. To further add to the religious accord in the state, the statute of Buddha, as assembled in the 11th century till date stands strong. The district is full of places to visit and things to do, which you will remember for a lifetime; some of the popular among them are listed below
In the early 1960s, Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station was set up to capitalize on the strategic location of the area which was conducive to propel rockets in space. This generated tremendous interest for rocket science in local youths and space researchers took to the local shores to explore more. Soon, Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre and offshoots of ISRO or Indian Space Research Organization became operative. Techno Park dedicated to IT is the first of its kind in India. About 35,000 skilled people are employed here and taking innovation to the next level.
Agastya, the great sage and one of the Saptarishis as per the sacred scriptures, is the eponym for this place. The hill station is also known as Agastya Mala. On the hill slopes, a number of rare herbs with high medicinal value are reared or found. Bird enthusiasts can watch diverse array of birds from here. The place is rich in exotic flora and fauna. The hill peak is the second highest in the state. River Karamana emanates from here and is the source of Trivandrum’s water needs.
Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple
Poovar Island
Ponmudi
Neyyer Dam
Veli Village
Shanghumukham Beach
Napier Museum
Varkala Beach