A calm morning at Amritapuri, Mata Amritanandamayi's ashram between backwater and sea, then a shikara ride through Alappuzha's canals and an afternoon on the beach.
Highlights: Amritapuri ashram, Shikara canal ride, Alappuzha beach, 1862 lighthouse
Itinerary
7:00 AM — Pickup Kollam Junction station · Kollam KSRTC bus station · Trivandrum Airport (on request)
8:00 AM — Amritapuri ashram Walk the ashram at Vallikavu: the temple, the meditation halls and the strip between the backwater and the sea. (Modest dress · quiet please)
10:45 AM — Shikara canal ride About 2 hours on Punnamada lake, narrow village canals and paddy fields. (Boat paid direct)
1:00 PM — Lunch & Alappuzha beach Karimeen lunch in town (own expense), then the old pier and promenade. (No swimming here)
3:00 PM — Alappuzha lighthouse The 1862 lighthouse — climb up for views over the coast. (Tower: check timings)
6:30 PM — Drop-off Kollam Junction, KSRTC bus station, or your own stop in the city
Good to know
🙏 At the ashram: Shoulders and knees covered; footwear off where asked; keep voices low in the halls. Amma's darshan happens only on some days and takes hours — this tour does not wait for it.
🛶 The boat ride: Shikaras are run by licensed operators near Finishing Point; the fare is paid direct to the operator. Life jackets for everyone; children always with an adult.
🌊 Beach safety: No swimming at Alappuzha beach or behind the ashram — strong currents. No sea bathing at all in the monsoon months.
🛣️ On NH 66: About 1½–2 hours each way between Kollam and Alappuzha; highway works can slow the drive. If traffic is bad, we shorten the lighthouse stop, not the boat ride.
