Alleppey

Lord Curzon gave Alappuzha – the most popular backwaters destination in Kerala the title of Venice of the East as it is a town with beautiful canals, backwaters, beaches, and lagoons

Alappuzha is famous for its several backwater canals, beaches, paddy fields and lagoons. The houseboat cruises in the backwaters as well as the Coir industry which attracts thousands of visitors each year.

As Alleppey is more of a gateway town to the backwaters. It’s the best place to explore the luscious beauty of the backwaters, exquisite Kerala cuisine, local village life, making of Coir, pilgrimage tours to temples and churches and more. Certainly, a place worth visiting

Yes, Alappuzha was also known by its former name Alleppey.

 It is entirely safe to go for a cruise on the houseboats as the crew are always available for any help. All rooms are well secured, and significant safety precautions like life jackets, extinguishers etc. are available. You can contact 9846 300 100 (tourist police),0471-3243000 in case of any emergency.

Both Alleppey and Kumarakom are backwater destinations and have a charm of their own, but the feel and flavour are quite different. While you can see more luxury resorts in Kumarakom, you can explore the backwaters more on houseboats in Alleppey.

The best time to visit Alleppey is in the Winter season as the weather is mild and pleasant. The average temperature ranges between 170 to 320 C. This is also the best time to go on a houseboat ride and explore the backwaters of Alleppey.

There are no direct flights or trains or buses are available between Munnar to Alleppey. Hiring a Taxi cab will be the most convenient and fastest way to reach from Alleppey to Munnar.

Cochin International Airport, Nedumbassery 83 km away is the nearest airport to Alleppey.

Alleppey to Thekkady distance is around 138 km, and you can hire a cab to reach by road. You can also arrive by train to Kottayam and then take a taxi from there.

Alleppey to Varkala by taxi takes 3 hours, 2-3 hours by train and by bus: 4-5 hours. Alleppey to Varkala via Kollam ferry is also available.

Both places are unique in their way. Thekkady is a hill station with spice plantations and the wild beauty of the Periyar Tiger Reserve. Alleppey is a backwater destination offering the premium houseboat experience in the scenic backwaters of Kerala.

The choice depends on your interests. If you are a beach bum, then Kovalam is the better choice, but Alleppey has the most beautiful scenic backwaters.

 Light cotton clothes are recommended for Alleppey tour.

Hiring a cab is the most convenient and fastest way to reach from Munnar to Alappuzha. You can also take a taxi to the Aluva Railway station from Munnar and then go by train to Alleppey.

kovalam

Kovalam Beach lies near the southern tip of India closer to Trivandrum.

Trivandrum International Airport operating several domestic & international flights is the nearest airport to Kovalam.

The nearest railway station to Kovalam is the Trivandrum Central railway station, located about 15 kilometres from Kovalam.

As a favourite beach destination, the best things to do in Kovalam will be to enjoy swimming, sunbathing and other water sports like surfing, Beach Volleyball etc.

Both Kovalam & Poovar are spectacular beach destinations with a beauty of their own! Poovar is an isolated serene Backwater beach. Kovalam has three busy crescent-shaped coconut palm-lined beaches offering plenty of leisure options to travellers

Munnar lies at a distance of 286 km from Kovalam & most travellers prefer to hire a cab from Munnar to reach Kovalam.

Kumarakom is 176 km away from Kovalam, and the fastest way to travel is by hiring a taxi from Kumarakom.

Kovalam to Alleppey is 159 km and to reach Kovalam faster you can travel by taxi on hire.

Kovalam to Kanyakumari distance is 83 km, and the best way to travel is by bus, which takes 1 hour, or you can reach faster by hiring a cab.

To travel from Kovalam to Cochin, hiring a taxi is better as Kovalam lies at a distance of 213 km away from Cochin.

Kumarakom

Kumarakom to Cochin distance is 50 km, and it takes a 1 hour 30m ride to reach there if you rent a car.

Kumarakom to Alleppey by road is 33 km, and it takes a 55m ride to reach there.

As Kochi Airport is 74 km away from Kumarakom, it takes 1hr 50m drive if you hire a taxi.

Kumarakom lies 15 km away from Kottayam and can be reached in a 30 m journey by renting a taxi.

Kumarakom is a distance of 146 km from Munnar, a 4 h 23 min via SH42 and NH85 will take you to Munnar from Kumarakom.

The distance from Kumarakom to Trivandrum is 158 km, and it needs a 3hr 40 m journey to reach there by car

Three days are needed to explore all places in Kumarakom and watch the gorgeous backwaters sunrise and sunsets.

You can either go by direct bus or take a taxi from Kochi itself. Another option is to take a train to Kottayam from Ernakulam station and take a prepaid taxi, auto or bus to Kumarakom.

Both Alleppey & Kumarakom are beautiful backwater destinations in Kerala. As much as Alleppey is a town-based tourist destination, Kumarakom is the collection of various islands known for its houseboats.

Mararikulam

Mararikulam is located 12 km from Alleppey and the best way to reach there will be to hire a taxi.

The Mararikulam to Cochin journey takes 40 minutes and the quickest way to get there will be to hire a cab.

The best places to see in Mararikulam are Marari beach, Pathiramanal Island, International Coir Museum, St. Andrew’s Basilica Church Arthunkal, Mararikulam Sree Mahadeva Temple, Kanichukulangara Devi Temple, Thiruvizha Mahadeva Temple, Kaniyakulam Pond, Arthunkal Beach, Thumpoly Beach, Thaickal Beach, the Backwaters etc.

Marari Beach Resort CGH Earth, Abad Turtle Beach Resort, Marari Beach Villas, Casa Marari, Carnoustie Ayurveda &  Wellness Resort, Marari Village Beach Resort etc. are some of the best resorts for stays in Mararikulam.

The best luxury hotels in Mararikulam include Xandari Pearl, Carnoustie Ayurveda & Wellness Resort, and Marari Beach Resort CGH Earth.

Payment

No, we do not charge any extra fees or fuel surcharges. The listed price is the price you pay. Including tax.

We understand that you may not have a printer handy when you’re traveling so it is not necessary to have a printed copy. However, we require that you show ID matching your reservation and also the reservation# that is immediately emailed to you after you make your reservation.

Please contact us to get the latest information on your desired trip.

We accept all major credit and debit cards. We also accept Cash and Net Banking.

Your payments are processed through CC Avenue Payment Gateway which is Verisign certified. CC Avenue, will send your payment to the respective financial institution and as you wait a processing screen is displayed. You cannot cancel the payment at this stage. You will normally receive an approved or declined response from your financial institution within 45 to 60 seconds. If your payment is successful, you will be informed that your payment has been accepted. If your payment is unsuccessful, the service will inform you why your financial institution has declined your payment.

After receiving your payment, we send you an SMS and/or a confirmation mail, followed by your voucher which you receive with 2 hours of making payment. On the day of journey, you will get the cab details through SMS at least 4 hours before the travel.

Poovar

Unspoilt  natural beauty of Poovar Island, Kerala which is located at the confluence of the River, Lake, Backwaters and the Sea amazes you and you can also go for boating cruises, visit the Vizhinjam Marine Aquarium and the Kovalam Surf Club to have more fun.

Poovar backwater cruise, a trip in a speed boat or wooden boat through the Poovar Backwaters is an amazing experience, the speed boat will take approximately 1.5 / 2 hrs for the backwater trip.

Both Kovalam and Poovar Island have a beauty and charm of their own, while Poovar Beach offers one a wonderful view of the joining of the backwaters, river and sea, Kovalam boasts of 3 beautiful beaches and days filled with beachside fun.

The distance between Kovalam & Poovar is 17 km, and the fastest way to get there will be by hiring a taxi which takes 16 min to get there.

Trivandrum to Poovar Island is a 1 hr journey as it is at a distance of 34 km from Poovar and the best way to reach there will be by hiring a cab.

Preparation

Wear whatever is comfortable. It is recommended to have a sturdy pair of broken-in trail shoes, boots, or sneakers. It is preferable to dress in layers and wear clothing that will wick away perspiration and keep you dry and comfortable

Not much, remember our trips are all inclusive. We do suggest you bring appropriate clothing to fit the season and a day pack to carry extra snacks and water.

Refund

What is your refund policy in case the car does not turn up?

In case of a no show by the operator, we request you to kindly mail us the details of your booking along with the Booking Reference number to mail@bluebirdtravels.in and we will refund the entire advance collected to you. However, since this process is to be initiated via our payment gateway and associated financial institutions, the refund will reflect in your card/account in 10 working days. In case you don’t receive the refund in 10 working days, pls mail us at mail@bluebirdtravels.in or call us on 91 984 620 2053. In all other cases where you make a cancellation online, the refund will reflect in your account/card in 10 working days.

Yes, you can cancel a booking. Bookings can be cancelled online 24 hours prior to the scheduled pick up time. If the cancellation is within 24 hours of the scheduled pick up time, we request you to call the customer support centre for the same. Please note that cancellation charges apply as per our cancellation policy outlined below.

  • If you cancel 48 hours prior or more than the pick-up time, no cancellation fee will be charged
  • If you cancel 24 hours prior the pick-up time, 20% of the booked amount will be deducted
  • If you cancel within 24 hours prior the pick-up time, no refund
  • The refunds will be made by online transfer to the customer’s bank account. No cash refund requests entertained
  • The amount will be refunded within 10 business days

Reservation

You can book a cab:

  • For Airport transfers
  • For travelling within your city (for full day or half day)
  • For travelling to another city/outstation (for one way or round-trip)
  • For traveling to multiple cities (package trip)

You must call 72 hours ahead of your scheduled tour for a full refund. Within 72 hours you will assess a $35 termination fee. There are no refunds for cancellations within 24 hours of your tour, or if you decide not to show up.

Yes. Reservations are required for guaranteed provision of cabs. Reservations help us determine the number of cabs we need to ensure that our customers remain manageable and enjoyable.  Without reservation cabs are subject to availability.

It is recommend to booking time is at least 8 hours before the journey time. For last minute bookings you can call us on 91 984 703 5999

We try our best to ensure our partners reach our customers on time. But in case of delays, do call us and we will help you out by either providing an alternate vehicle or giving you a full refund.

For any issues with cab, please call us at 91 984 703 5999 and we’ll do our best to assist you.

After receiving your payment, we send you an SMS and/or a confirmation mail, followed by your voucher which you receive with 2 hours of making payment. On the day of journey, you will get the cab details through SMS at least 4 hours before the travel.

Bookings can be modified online 4 hours prior to scheduled pickup time. If the modification is within 4 hours of the scheduled pick up time, we request you to call the customer support centre on 91 984 703 5999.

We send you an SMS & email on the booking confirmation which contains the booking request number. In case you do not have the same, please call customer support on 91 984 703 5999 for the same.

We send you an SMS & email on the booking confirmation which contains the booking request number. In case you do not have the same, please call customer support on 91 984 703 5999 for the same.

Thekkady

The Periyar River is the longest river in Kerala, and it flows through the dense forests of the Periyar Tiger Reserve & National Park & the Idukki hydro-electric project, the largest power project in Kerala is built on Periyar River.

Thekkady is known the world over for the Periyar Tiger Reserve with its dense deciduous forests and grasslands which is the natural habitat to herds of Elephants, Sambar, Tigers, Gaur, Lion-tailed Macaques and Nilgiri langurs.

2-3 days are enough if you plan for trekking, boating or jeep safari to explore all the best places to visit in Thekkady

Yes, one day is enough to spend in the Periyar National Park, Kerala if you intend to go only for boating but if Night trekking, Jeep Safari is there, plan for two days.

 Abraham’s Spice Garden, Murikkady, Kadathanadan Kalari Center, Vandiperiyar and Vandanmedu comprise some of the best sightseeing places in Thekkady

All three places have their attractions and natural beauty, and it is best to visit all these places to have a great travel experience.

Thekkady lies 122 km away from Kumarakom, and it is a 3 hr 15m journey by NH183.

Munnar to Thekkady distance is 93 km, and it is a 3 hr journey by car via NH 19.

For travelling from Bangalore to Thekkady, better catch a train to Kottayam (12 hrs) or a plane to Kochi International Airport (1 hr) and then hire a cab or take a bus from there to Thekkady.

As Thekkady lies 170 km away from Madurai, you can hire a taxi or travel by bus, Thekkady has no railway connectivity, the nearest station being Kottayam.

Trivandrum

Padmanabhapuram Palace is a 3 hrs drive from Trivandrum & the nearest railway station is Eraniel 5km away from the palace from where you can take an auto to the palace.

Poovar Island is at 32 km away from Trivandrum, and the best way to reach there is by road, hiring a taxi and riding 40 minutes.

Padmanabhapuram Palace is a 3 hrs drive from Trivandrum & the nearest railway station is Eraniel 5km away from the palace from where you can take an auto to the palace.

Poovar Island is at 32 km away from Trivandrum, and the best way to reach there is by road, hiring a taxi and riding 40 minutes.

From Trivandrum 4 direct trains are there to Kanyakumari which takes 2h 20m, but the fastest way would be to hire a cab from Thiruvananthapuram to Kanyakumari.

To reach Kovalam which is about 16 km from Trivandrum you can hire a cab and it is a 20 minutes’ drive in a taxi.

From Trivandrum 4 direct trains are there to Kanyakumari which takes 2h 20m, but the fastest way would be to hire a cab from Thiruvananthapuram to Kanyakumari.

Regular bus service is there from Trivandrum which is 32 km from the Neyyar Dam, but you can hire a cab to make the journey fast.

To reach Kovalam which is about 16 km from Trivandrum you can hire a cab and it is a 20 minutes’ drive in a taxi.

You can go by bus, train or hire a cab to reach Vagamon from Trivandrum.

Regular bus service is there from Trivandrum which is 32 km from the Neyyar Dam, but you can hire a cab to make the journey fast.

To reach Erumeli from Thiruvananthapuram takes you 2h 50m hiring a Taxi which is the fastest way.

You can go by bus, train or hire a cab to reach Vagamon from Trivandrum.

Trivandrum is 148 km away from Alleppey

To reach Erumeli from Thiruvananthapuram takes you 2h 50m hiring a Taxi which is the fastest way.

You can go by train or by bus or hire a taxi to Varkala beach from Trivandrum, and it takes a 1.5 hr journey to reach by taxi.

Trivandrum is 148 km away from Alleppey

As no direct flights or trains or buses are available to travel from Trivandrum to Rameshwaram, the fastest way to reach there will be to take a taxi from Trivandrum to Rameshwaram.

You can go by train or by bus or hire a taxi to Varkala beach from Trivandrum, and it takes a 1.5 hr journey to reach by taxi.

As no direct flights or trains or buses are available to travel from Trivandrum to Rameshwaram, the fastest way to reach there will be to take a taxi from Trivandrum to Rameshwaram.

Vagamon

As one of the best hill stations in Kerala, Vagamon attractions include its rolling meadows, Vagamon waterfalls, Old water tunnels, Kurishumala, Thangal para, Vagamon Lake, Pine forest, Murugan para, Suicide point and tea estates.

Vagamon lies in the Idukki District of Kerala. 

Yes, Vagamon is a small hill station lying 1100 ft. above sea level

Yes, Vagamon is safe and comfortable to visit during peak seasons of winter & summer.

If you are looking for a peaceful vacation away from the crowd, you’ll find Vagamon your ideal choice than Munnar as lots of unspoilt natural beauty is there. But Munnar has a lot more attractions to see.

If you come to Vagamon with four days to spare, you can leisurely explore the place and enjoy all activities. One day each can be dedicated for hiking, paragliding, tea plantation visits, visiting waterfalls and other viewpoints.

Kochi International Airport is about 94 km away from Vagamon & you can hire a taxi from the airport to reach Vagamon in 4 hrs.

You can hire a cab from Ernakulam to Vagamon, and it takes a 3.5 hr journey to reach there, or you can go by train till Kottayam railway station and then take a cab from there to Vagamon.

Vagamon To Thekkady is 56 km, and you can follow the  Thekkady – VandiPeriyar – Peermade – Elappara – Vagamon route to reach here by hiring a cab.

Taking a taxi from Alleppey to Vagamon is the fastest option and takes around 1h 53m.   

varkala

It is a difficult choice as both Kovalam and Varkala have a beauty and charm of their own. At the same time, Kovalam is a busy, clean coconut palm-lined beach, Varkala is a less crowded rocky beach with a spiritual side to it and many Ayurveda centres to relax and rejuvenate.

At Varkala, you can enjoy the clean, pristine rocky beaches and witness the gorgeous sunsets, visit the historic Anjengo Fort and the Lighthouse. Enjoy the Varkala beach nightlife, experience the authentic Kerala cuisine, visit the beautiful Ponnumthuruthu island and have a sneak perk at the traditional art forms of Kerala like Kathakali & Kalaripayattu.

Varkala is situated at a distance of 46 km from Trivandrum and is about 1 hr 18m by hiring a car.

Kochi to Varkala is 170 km and can be reached by a 3 hrs 30 m drive by hiring a Taxi from Cochin.