A trip undertaken to fulfill my mother's long-cherished dream of riding a train for the first time. The journey expanded into a beautiful two-day family tour of Ernakulam (Kochi) and Alappuzha (Alleppey).
Day 1: The Rail Ride and Kochi's Heights
🚄 Train to Aluva
The six of us—my mother, wife, children, and myself—left home early, taking an auto-rickshaw to Parappanangadi Railway Station. We had booked tickets on the Kannur-Alappuzha Express train, scheduled for 7:10 AM.
The train arrived on time, but after a short wait for another train to pass, our journey began. For my mother, who had
never stepped onto a train before, and my youngest, a nine-month-old baby, the experience was thrilling. We sped past
lush green paddy fields, crossed bridges over rivers, and watched towns flash by. We enjoyed the homemade breakfast we
brought along right on the train.
The train arrived about half an hour late at
Aluva Station
around 11:00 AM.
🏙️ Metro Views and Lulu Mall
From the station, we took an auto to the Kochi Metro. The air-conditioned coolness of the metro offered a fantastic contrast to the heat, and we enjoyed elevated views of the city as we traveled to Edappally Station .
There, we were met by the owner of the house we had booked for our stay. We dropped off our bags, confirmed the route, and quickly returned to the metro station.
A short visit to Lulu Mall left everyone famished. We spotted a crowded restaurant outside the mall called Immies Kitchen . We all enjoyed a satisfying lunch of Biriyani and traditional sadya with fish curry—it was great food at a surprisingly reasonable price. After lunch, we walked back to our rental house.
🏡 Our Airbnb Home Base
We had booked a comfortable house through Airbnb , which proved to be a fantastic base. It was fully equipped with a kitchen, fridge, washing machine, and water dispenser—all the amenities a large family needs.
After a brief rest and a cup of homemade tea, we called an Uber taxi around 4:30 PM and headed for Marine Drive.
⚓ Sunset Cruise on the Arabian Sea
It was a Saturday, so the roads were busy, but we reached the High Court Boat Jetty at Marine Drive by 5:00 PM. Our attraction for the evening was the Sagara Rani cruise boat, run by the Kerala Shipping and Inland Navigation Corp. Ltd.
We had chosen the 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM cruise, timed perfectly to enjoy the sunset over the Arabian Sea. Sagara Rani is famous for venturing several kilometers into the open sea, beyond the backwaters.
The journey started promptly at 5:30 PM with the Sagara Rani theme song. Our host—who served as the guide, anchor, and mimicry artist—immediately engaged the passengers, providing detailed commentary on the passing sights:
Marine Drive from the backwaters
Bolgatty Palace
Kochi Port and its ships
Willingdon Island, Fort Kochi, Vypin
Goshree Bridges and Vallarpadam Container Terminal
Dancing and Destiny
As the boat left the backwaters and entered the Arabian Sea, the party started inside with music and dancing. The boat swayed with the rhythm of the ocean waves, creating a mix of thrilling movement and slight nervousness. A live singer belted out tunes, and everyone, including the children, joined the dancing.
The climax was truly magical: the Sagara Rani played the iconic Titanic theme song as the blazing red sun slowly melted into the Arabian Sea. The cool sea breeze and the rhythmic rocking of the boat created an unforgettable, romantic sunset experience.
The cruise concluded with professional dance performances, mimicry, and a DJ party, bringing the high-spirited atmosphere back to Marine Drive by 7:30 PM.
Nightcap in Kochi
After a pleasant walk along Marine Drive, we took an auto to MG Road Metro Station . We rode the metro back to Edappally, visited Lulu Mall for some light shopping, grabbed a quick dinner at KFC, and took an auto back to our comfortable Airbnb.
Day 2: Backwater Bliss in Alappuzha
🚌 From City to Backwaters
The next morning, we took an Uber to the KSRTC Bus Stand. We were lucky to find an AC bus heading to Alappuzha. Since there were few passengers, we easily picked comfortable seats. Enjoying the city views, we crossed the Aroor bridge and entered Alappuzha district, reaching the bus stand around 10:30 AM.
We had breakfast at the nearby Indian Coffee House and proceeded to the main boat jetty. There, we learned that the tourist boat we needed, the Sea Kuttanad , departed from the Matha Jetty , a short distance away. The staff kindly arranged a service boat to take us there—all free of charge!
🛥️ The Sea Kuttanad Cruise
The
Sea Kuttanad
cruise is organized by the Kerala Government and offers a three-hour journey through the famous backwaters. The
route takes you from Alappuzha Jetty to Punnamada, across the vast Vembanad Lake, reaching Kainakkari Road Mukk, and
returning via Meenappally Lake, Pallathuruthy, and Punchiri.
The boat was scheduled to depart at 11:30 AM and return at 2:30 PM. Our train back home from Alappuzha was at 2:50 PM. It was tight, but we decided to take the risk! Tickets were 250 Rupees per adult and 125 per child.
The boat set off at 11:30 AM. A guide provided commentary, pointing out the famous starting point of the Nehru Trophy Boat Race at Punnamada Lake and the hundreds of houseboats and Shikaras surrounding us.
A Taste of Kuttanad
We entered the immense Vembanad Lake , which felt like the sea itself. Inside, passengers danced to the music while foreign tourists on houseboats and Shikaras waved at us. The sight of the paddy fields of Kuttanad sitting below the lake water level was fascinating.
The boat offered an opportunity to disembark at Kainakkari and walk through the Kuttanad village, and also to visit the birthplace of Chavara Achan (Kuriakose Elias Chavara) .
We enjoyed lunch prepared by the Kudumbashree catering unit on the boat, a delicious traditional feast that included fish curry, aviyal , thoran , fried fish, karimeen (pearl spot), and clams.
The Race to the Train
The boat returned to Alappuzha exactly at 2:30 PM. I am immensely grateful to the boat driver and crew for sticking strictly to the schedule, knowing our train time.
After walking a short distance, we managed to hail an auto-rickshaw. The driver, informed of our urgent timeline, sped through the streets and dropped us at the railway station with just seven minutes to spare before departure!
We boarded the same Kannur-Alappuzha Express train, heading north. We reached Tirur after 8:00 PM, took a bus to Kottakkal, and a final auto-rickshaw brought us home at 10:00 PM.
The journey to fulfill my mother's dream was a perfect blend of high-speed modernity (Metro, Uber) and Kerala's timeless beauty (trains, houseboats, and sunsets), creating priceless memories for the entire family.
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