Kochi to Allapey/Kollam by the back waters

the lonely planet gives information on how to get from Allepey or Kollam to Kochin by boat up the Keralan backwaters, but can it be done the other way?

I'm flying in to Cochi and want the backwater travel experience, but i dont want to get a bus/train to Allepey or Kollam and then backwaters back to Cochi. I would rather travel down by boat from Cochin.

If so how can it be done?

Thanks, Thomas Reply to this

Hello Thomas.
I actually did what you want to do last November on a private boat - but in the opposite direction (Backwaters boating). It was a two-night trip, so quite expensive. What's more, the Aleppey to Kochi leg was short because of the barrage at Thannermukkom and, as most of that was across Lake Vembanad, it really wasn't all that interesting.
My advice would be to take a bus or train from Kochi down to Alappuzha, then either do a one-night private boat trip from there to Kollam (see my blog for details of a helpful operator) OR, as I think is your intention, take one of the public or private ferries that operate from Aleppey (Alappuzha) to Kollam (Quillon). The public ferry leaves Aleppey at around 10.30a.m. (I think) and takes about eight hours. It costs peanuts. Remember to take water, although it makes a stop for lunch and another for tea. Unfortunately, the local tourism authority's website (http://www.dtpcalappuzha.com/info.html) is next to useless so you might want to leave it until you're in Alappuzha to make enquiries. Hope that helps (a bit!).
Keep smiling!
Mike Reply to this