Every journey has a special reason. For this trip, the reason was very close to my heart. It was my mother's long-cherished dream to ride a train for the very first time. To make her dream come true, we decided to plan a beautiful two-day family tour. We wanted to take her to Ernakulam, also known as Kochi, and the peaceful backwaters of Alappuzha, which many people call Alleppey. It was going to be a perfect mix of fast city life and calm village waters.
AISHABIL TRIP AT A GLANCE
- 📍 Destination: Kochi & Alappuzha, Kerala
- 📅 Date of Journey: March 4-5 ., 2023
- 🚆 Transport Mode: Train, Metro, Bus, and Boat
- 👥 Companions: Family (Mother, Wife, and Children)
Day 1: The First Rail Ride and the Heights of Kochi
The morning started long before the sun came up. We woke up early at our home in Oorakam Village. The air was fresh and cool. My wife, Sabeera, was busy packing the final snacks and making sure we had everything for the baby. Our three children—Isha, Shabil, and our sweet nine-month-old baby Ishwa—were surprisingly full of energy despite the early hour. We loaded our bags into an auto-rickshaw and traveled down the medium-type roads from Oorakam Hill, heading straight toward the Parappanangadi Railway Station.
The Excitement of the Kannur-Alappuzha Express
We had booked our tickets on the Kannur-Alappuzha Express train. The train was scheduled to arrive at 7:10 AM. We waited on the platform, holding our bags and watching the tracks. When the large engine finally pulled into the station, it was right on time. We had to wait just a short time for another train to pass by, and then our great adventure officially began.
Stepping onto the train was a magical moment. For my mother, who had never stepped onto a train before in her entire life, her eyes were wide with wonder. Little baby Ishwa was also thrilled by the sounds and the gentle shaking of the train cars. As the train started moving faster, we sped past lush green paddy fields. We crossed long bridges over wide rivers, and we watched small towns flash by the window like a movie. Sabeera opened the bags, and we enjoyed a delicious homemade breakfast right there on our train seats. Eating food while watching the world go by made it taste even better.
Riding the Kochi Metro and a Feast at Lulu Mall
The train journey was smooth, and we arrived at Aluva Station around 11:00 AM, just about half an hour late. From the busy railway station, we quickly took an auto-rickshaw to the Kochi Metro station. The moment we stepped inside the metro, it felt amazing. The air-conditioned coolness of the station and the trains offered a fantastic contrast to the hot morning sun outside.
We bought our tickets and got onto the shiny, modern train. We loved the elevated views of the busy city as we traveled above the traffic all the way to Edappally Station. When we reached Edappally, the owner of the house we had booked was waiting to meet us. We walked over, dropped off our heavy bags, confirmed our route for the day, and quickly returned to the metro area.
💡 ishabil fact
The Kochi Metro is the first metro system in India that connects rail, road, and water transport facilities. It gives you a great view of the city because the tracks are built high above the regular roads!
A short visit to the massive Lulu Mall left everyone feeling very famished. Walking around such a huge place makes you hungry! We walked outside the mall and spotted a crowded restaurant named Immies Kitchen. A crowded restaurant is always a good sign of tasty food. We ordered a satisfying lunch of chicken Biriyani and a traditional Kerala sadya served with spicy fish curry. It was great food at a surprisingly reasonable price. Our stomachs were full and happy.
Our Comfortable Airbnb Home Base
After our big lunch, we walked back to our rental house. We had booked this comfortable home through Airbnb, and it proved to be a fantastic choice for our family of six. It was fully equipped with a nice kitchen, a big fridge, a washing machine, and a hot-and-cold water dispenser. It had all the amenities a large family needs to relax. Sabeera quickly made us all a refreshing cup of homemade tea. We rested our tired legs for a while. Then, around 4:30 PM, I called an Uber taxi and we headed out to Marine Drive.
A Magical Sunset Cruise on the Arabian Sea
Because it was a Saturday, the city roads were very busy with weekend traffic, but our driver was good, and we reached the High Court Boat Jetty at Marine Drive by 5:00 PM. Our main attraction for the evening was a ride on the Sagara Rani cruise boat. This boat is operated by the Kerala Shipping and Inland Navigation Corporation.
We had booked tickets for the 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM evening cruise. This specific time was chosen perfectly to let us enjoy the sunset over the deep Arabian Sea. The Sagara Rani boat is famous because it does not just stay in the calm backwaters; it actually ventures several kilometers out into the open sea.
The journey started exactly at 5:30 PM. A loud, happy theme song played over the speakers. Our host for the evening was amazing. He acted as the guide, the main anchor, and even a mimicry artist! He immediately made all the passengers laugh and provided detailed, interesting commentary on all the sights we were passing. We saw the beautiful Marine Drive from the water, the historic Bolgatty Palace, the busy Kochi Port with its giant ships, Willingdon Island, Fort Kochi, the beaches of Vypin, the long Goshree Bridges, and the massive Vallarpadam Container Terminal.
😂 ishabil fun
As the boat entered the open sea, the waves made the boat sway back and forth. Isha and Shabil tried to dance to the music, but they kept losing their balance and bumping into each other, laughing the whole time. Even the baby was giggling at all the funny movements!
As we left the calm backwaters, a party started inside the boat with loud music and colorful lights. The boat swayed with the rhythm of the ocean waves. It created a fun mix of thrilling movement and just a little bit of nervousness. A live singer started belting out famous tunes, and everyone, including the children, joined in the dancing.
The best part was the climax. It was truly magical. The boat crew played the iconic theme song from the movie Titanic just as the blazing red sun slowly started to melt into the dark Arabian Sea. The cool sea breeze hitting our faces and the rhythmic rocking of the large boat created an unforgettable, peaceful sunset experience. My mother just stared at the sun, completely amazed.
The cruise concluded with professional dance performances, more mimicry jokes, and a loud DJ party. We brought that high-spirited, happy atmosphere back to Marine Drive when we parked at 7:30 PM. After a pleasant night walk along the water, we took an auto to the MG Road Metro Station. We rode the quiet metro back to Edappally, visited Lulu Mall one more time for some light shopping, grabbed a quick and easy dinner at KFC, and took an auto back to our comfortable beds at the Airbnb.
Day 2: Experiencing Backwater Bliss in Alappuzha
The next morning, we woke up fresh and ready for more. We packed our bags and took an Uber taxi to the KSRTC Bus Stand. We were very lucky to find a comfortable AC bus heading straight to Alappuzha. Since it was morning and there were few passengers, we easily picked the best seats together. We enjoyed looking at the city views through the large glass windows. We crossed the long Aroor bridge and finally entered the green Alappuzha district, reaching the busy bus stand around 10:30 AM.
We were hungry, so we had a hot, tasty breakfast at the nearby Indian Coffee House. Then, we proceeded to the main boat jetty. There, we learned that the special tourist boat we needed, named the Sea Kuttanad, departed from the Matha Jetty, which was a short distance away. The government staff there were so kind. They quickly arranged a free service boat just to take us to the correct jetty!
📌 ishabil tips
If you ever go to the wrong boat jetty in Alappuzha, don't panic! Always ask the official staff for help. They often have free connecting service boats that can take you to the right place without needing to pay for another auto-rickshaw.
The Amazing Sea Kuttanad Cruise
The Sea Kuttanad cruise is wonderfully organized by the Kerala Government. It offers a long, three-hour journey through the world-famous backwaters. The ticket prices were very friendly for a family trip. It cost only 250 Rupees per adult and 125 Rupees per child.
However, we had one small problem. The boat was scheduled to depart at 11:30 AM and return at exactly 2:30 PM. Our train back home to Parappanangadi was leaving from the Alappuzha station at 2:50 PM. The timing was very tight! It was a big risk, but we decided to be brave and take the ride anyway.
The big boat set off exactly at 11:30 AM. A local guide provided helpful commentary on a microphone. He pointed out the famous starting point of the Nehru Trophy Boat Race at Punnamada Lake. As we moved, we saw hundreds of large houseboats and smaller Shikara boats surrounding us. It looked like a floating village.
Soon, we entered the immense Vembanad Lake. The lake is so massive that it felt like looking at the sea itself. Inside our boat, passengers clapped and danced to local music. Outside, friendly foreign tourists standing on the decks of their luxury houseboats smiled and waved at our children. The most fascinating sight was seeing the green paddy fields of Kuttanad. These farming fields actually sit below the lake's water level. It is a unique farming system that you must see to believe.
A True Taste of Village Life
During the tour, the boat stopped to let us walk around. We had the opportunity to disembark at Kainakkari and walk along the narrow paths through the true Kuttanad village. We also got to visit the peaceful birthplace of Kuriakose Elias Chavara, lovingly known as Chavara Achan.
By noon, the smell of spices filled the air. We enjoyed a hot lunch prepared right on the boat by the local Kudumbashree women's catering unit. It was a delicious traditional feast served with love. We ate rice with thick fish curry, mixed vegetable aviyal, tasty thoran, crispy fried fish, special karimeen (pearl spot fish), and fresh clams. Sabeera and my mother loved the local flavors, and even the kids ate every single bite.
The Final Race to Catch the Train
As the clock ticked closer to 2:30 PM, my heart started beating faster. Would we miss our train home? Thankfully, the boat returned to the Alappuzha jetty exactly at 2:30 PM on the dot. I am immensely grateful to the boat driver and the dedicated crew for sticking strictly to the schedule. They knew we had a train to catch, and they did not waste a single minute.
As soon as the boat tied up, we grabbed our bags and the baby and walked as fast as we could for a short distance. We managed to hail an auto-rickshaw on the main road. I informed the driver of our urgent, stressful timeline. He nodded, smiled, and sped through the busy city streets like a racecar driver. He dropped us safely at the railway station entrance with just seven minutes to spare before the train's departure!
Panting and laughing at the same time, we boarded the exact same Kannur-Alappuzha Express train, now heading north back toward home. We watched the sunset from the train window. We finally reached Tirur station after 8:00 PM in the dark. From there, we took a local bus to Kottakkal, and a final auto-rickshaw brought us safely back to our house in Oorakam at around 10:00 PM.
This entire journey to fulfill my mother's long-held dream was a grand success. It was a perfect blend of high-speed modern life—like the air-conditioned Metro and the fast Uber rides—and Kerala's timeless, natural beauty—like the classic trains, the wooden houseboats, and the golden ocean sunsets. We returned home tired, but our hearts were full of priceless memories that our family will talk about forever.
🌴Read my Kerala stories.
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- 🟢 KSRTC Travel Diaries: Celebrating Public Bus Nostalgia
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