Ethical homestays in Alleppey

Described as the “Venice of the East”, is a town with beautiful Canals, backwaters, beaches and Lagoons. Her history bends back to the middle ages called as the Sangam period( 3^rd centurey BCE to 4^th century CE) when the Greek and the Rome had started trading with “Kuttanad”- the rice bowl of Kerala, one of the very few places in the world where farming is done below sea level.It is an exciting exploration to visit one of the seven churches found by St. Thomas, one among the 12 desciples of Jesus Christ in 52 AD.

The blooming deposits of fishes and prawns along her coast once a year, is when the folks of the land celebrate the “Chakara” where Fishing and Coir processing are the main economic activities of the land. The back waters here being sited in the RAMSAR Convention (International Convention to protect Wetlands) calls for conservation from the threats of mass consumption of the land and waters by various means.

KABANI calls you here to “See Kuttanad and Save Kuttanad”

A Community Tourism Initiative developed in Alappuzha (Alleppey), a much-visited beach and backwater tourism destination in Kerala, similar to Wayanad but with its own special feel.

KABANI is working with Gandhi Smaraka Grama Seva Kendram (GSGSK), an organization following Gandhian principles. This organization is working with more than 65,000 families in Alappuzha, in the coastal and backwater areas.

The larger objectives and concept of the programme are very similar to Wayanad, but the background of the community is entirely different: Aggressive tourism development along Alapuzha ‘s coast and backwater area continues to exploit vulnerable communities, creating a range of human rights issues, from displacement and loss of livelihood, to social and environmental issues. This undermines traditional lifestyles und destroys the fragile eco-system. The local folks living on the fringes of the backwaters and coasts have been repeatedly exposed to an onslaught of tourists and visitors; and this has wreaked havoc on their lives, and damaged their traditional ways of living.

The Community Tourism Initiative ‘Save Kuttanad—See Kuttanad’ tries to suggest a better model and a people- centred tourism. A tourism which is not only meant to profit the local communities, but also to get them involved in the tourism development in their surroundings.

Accommodation:

At Alleppey we have two home stay projects:

1.  Snehatheeram near Arattupuzha
2.  Thanneermukkom near Cherthala

We also have a ME cottage accommodation to support the small entrepreneurs and guide them towards sustainable tourism practices.