Alappuzha has breathtaking canals, backwaters and lagoons and is described, as the ? Venice of the East ?. Alappuzha is also an ideal headquarters for backwater touring. It also has a long sandy beach, which offers spectacular beauty. Alappuzha is famous for its snake boat races. These races are the most significant traditional event Kerala. These races involve long thin boats powered by up to 120 oarsmen. The most famous snake boat race is the Nehru Trophy Boat Race which is usually held in the month of August.

Here are some tourist attractions in Kerala:

Backwaters in Kerala: Kerala is most reputed for its undulating backwaters, which possibly does not have a match anywhere else. As many as forty-four rivers crisscross the land and finally drain into the Arabian Sea, creating a network of lakes, canals, estuaries and deltas. A cruise through the backwaters in Alleppey and Kumarakom, in a houseboat offers you amazing spectacles of rural Kerala.

Beaches in Kerala: Along its 600kms shoreline, Kerala has a number of sparkling beaches. With soft white sands, unending stretch of turquoise water, tall palm groves swaying with the sea breeze, the beaches of Kerala have an unspoilt and unexplored charm. Beaches at Kovalam, Poovar, Alappuzha, Fort Kochi are major tourist attractions in Kerala.

Hill Stations in Kerala: Enchanting hill stations lie clad in lush green woods along the Western Ghat range in Kerala. Sprawling plantations around, the clear sky above, refreshing breeze combine with a panoramic view of sleepy little villages in the hill stations of Munnar, Palakkad, Ponmudi, Rajamala.
Wild lives in Kerala: 12 Wildlife sanctuaries and two National Parks literally dot over the map of Kerala.
In the dense forests of Periyar and Rajamala, you may chance upon elephants, gaur, sambar, deer, Nilgiri Tahrs, langur and a wide variety of birds and reptiles.

Ayurveda in Kerala: Today, Ayurveda seems to have found a synonym in Kerala. The ancient medical science has been practised in India since times immemorial. Rare herbs with therapeutic qualities abound in the jungles of Kerala. They serve as fitting rejuvenation agent to your body and soul as an alternative to contemporary medical science.

Art and culture in Kerala: Kathakali dance form is one of the major tourist attractions in Kerala. The dance shows revolve around religious themes and the form imbibe age-old martial arts of the region. Some other dance forms are Mohiniyattam. Elaborate make-ups and graceful physical gestures are feast to eyes.

Cities in Kerala: The state boasts of quite a few cities which have a rich history interwoven with myths. The cities are home to many tourist attractions in Kerala. Kochi is a naval base, Trivandrum is its capital, Trissur is the cultural capital while Kottayam with numerous churches and colonial style houses can be dubbed as the Rome of the East.