After our departure from our little paradise, we first want to go to Alappuzha. We read that there are many houseboats in the rivers behind the city. Therefore it's called the 'Venice of India' and someone in Vadackal told us we have to go and see it. Alappuzha is quiet a long way around and in the end it is not really worth it, though some of the houseboats really look nice. Certainly, it would be great to spend a night on one of the houseboats but unfortunately, it was a bit over our budget with prices starting from 5000 rupees a night.

A Houseboat

Our initial plan is to stay a few nights in Varkala as it should be a quieter and cheaper beach then the most touristic beaches in Kerala. At arrival, we find there is not much to see and we decide to drive on. This brings us to Kovalam, a more popular beach.

The Lighthouse at Kovalam Beach

Here we stay in a homestay: a family who rents out a few rooms. We are lucky again: a nice room with private balcony with jungle view, a kitchen and a living room that we share with another (Belgian) couple. This time, the beach is a little further away, but it’s very quiet here, which is very rare in India.
Our journey is unfortunately a little overshadowed by a problem with the bike. There's an ugly sound of the gears / chain, but nothing seems to be wrong with it. We do not know what it is and the mechanics here definitely know nothing about it.

Kovalam Beach

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