Hi there!
So, where to stay in Alleppey?!
Funky Art Beach House guesthouse near Alleppey Beach?!
If you’re looking for some rest and relaxation when you’re traveling around India, this guesthouse can really be the best place to stay in Alleppey.
You can spend a few extra days here to rest up before you get a move on to more backpacker destinations in Kerala.
Similar to the Alleppey Beach hostel that’s down the road, it’s right near the beach, and by staying here you’ll have an atmosphere that goes right along with staying at a beachside guesthouse!
Or you even have the option to basically sleep outdoors on a rooftop and wake up to ocean views!
While this is not a hostel in the traditional sense, it really one of the best places to stay in Alleppey for backpackers on a budget!
The rooftop stay is an open-air shared sleeping space, practically right along the beach.
And there are private rooms too.
So even if you want to have your own private space, you can get the chill atmosphere that comes with this guesthouse!
And finally…
There are lots of things to do in Alleppey that you can do by staying at Funky Art Beach House!
This guesthouse is listed in Le Routard South India, which is basically a French Lonely Planet India travel guidebook.
Side note!! Mosquito repellent tip!!
You can buy good mosquito repellent when you’re in India! There’s a cream (and spray and lotion) called ODOMOS. It works SO well for me! Why do I say that?! Well, there had been times that I would wait until mosquitoes would start biting me to put on odomos. Well, after I put it on, no more mosquitoes! To me, that’s proof. π But of course, your experience may vary. You can find odomos at street shops all over India to try it for yourself! It’s a natural repellent, and it has vitamin E and almond oil in it too… meaning it’s good for your skin too. π
Now…
Where is Funky Art Beach House located?
One of the best parts about this guesthouse is that it is located seconds from Alleppey Beach!
It’s about a 15 minute rickshaw ride from the Alleppey bus station and Alleppey ferry station. (around 150 rupees)
And, from the beach right in front of this guesthouse, start walking north, and there’s a good chance you’ll find some empty stretches of beach!
It is also located at the end of a small residential street.
You can take this as a bad thing, as there aren’t too many restaurants and shops in the immediate vicinity – but you can get a rickshaw…
Or you can take this as a good thing!
You can get more of a feeling that you’re staying away from town, in a mostly quieter part of Alleppey! (The mostly part being you might find kids playing around the neighborhood and in the river that the guesthouse is located on!)
That said…
If you’re looking to leave the property for a place to eat, for dinner ask about where Seashore is located (a restaurant in which travelers I’ve met have loved the grilled fish and fish thali), or for a Kerala breakfast ask about Babu’s Cafe.
A basic breakfast can usually also be prepared at the guesthouse – just ask about it ahead of time.
Now…
How much does it cost?
Type in “Funky Art Beach House” below (partner website) along with your travel dates (or any future date) for an idea of how much this Alleppey hotel costs.
Or…
Go here directly for the types of rooms, the price, and the reviews.
Tip: It says female-only dorm is available, but it actually means it’s for travelers (not locals), so if you’re a foreigner guy backpacking around Kerala you can still reserve a bed! If you have doubts, you can message on whatsapp the number below just to confirm that this is still the case.
Or…
You can inquire about prices for a room or bed at Funky Art Beach House directly.
Phone number: 074035 72116 or +91 74035 72116
You can whatsapp to this number too… and also go for a backwaters canoe village tour.
Now…
Best things to do when you stay at this guesthouse near Alleppey Beach
And be sure to check the best things to do in the Alleppey backwaters on a budget like canoe, kayaking, cycling, and ferry.
Now, here’s a review of what makes Funky Art Beach House one of the best guesthouses in Alleppey!
1. Eat your breakfast on the rooftop with ocean views
This guesthouse has a kitchen so you can buy stuff at the grocery store or fruit stands in town, and then prepare your own breakfast.
During season, they also prepare breakfast at an extra charge if you don’t want to deal with doing the cooking yourself.
2. Go for an afternoon walk on a quiet road that runs right along the beach
The guesthouse is tucked away at the end of a road that runs along the beach.
So even just arriving on the first day may have you feeling like you’re staying in a more isolated location in Alleppey.
3. Watch local fishermen bring in the seafood that Kerala is known for by taking a morning walk on the beach
This area is located a 10 minute walk or so from the beach in front of the guesthouse towards the south. It’s the wide open space located in front of the church near the guesthouse.
You can also sometimes see fishermen doing their fishing without even having to leave the guesthouse too.
4. You can say hi to tons of kids (and adults)
The location of this guesthouse can make you feel like you’re staying in a more residential area. If you walk down the road, you may see kids riding a bicycle, playing cricket, or just hanging out.
There can be times that you walk down the street and EVERYONE will say hi to you, and this can be SO fun!
5. Meet backpackers in a hostel-type atmosphere
Although the guesthouse doesn’t have any hostel-type dormitory, you can get the hostel-type social aspect by staying here.
The outdoor seating area can basically act as a common area, which can make it easier to meet other travelers.
6. You can arrange a GOOD backwaters village canoe tour through the guesthouse
A full-day canoe tour is one of the best backwaters activities that you can do in Alleppey.
You can’t always guarantee the quality if you just go on a random canoe tour that’s arranged through a guesthouse or a random tour operator. I met people who did so through other guesthouses and heard about some complaints.
But I did this very good Alleppey canoe day tour through Funky Art Beach House.
The tour came with a ferry ride to and from the backwaters canals, canoe ride (obvi), a visit to a village home for breakfast and lunch with Kerala homestay food, among other things.
There seemed to be just the right amount of variety to keep the day from feeling too long.
I’m pretty sure you can book this canoe tour through Funky Art Beach House even if you don’t stay here.
For other backwaters activities, look into kayaking, cycling, and a ferry boat ride.
7. You can get homemade Kerala food right at the guesthouse
For an extra cost, you can also get some homemade Kerala food at the guesthouse.
And again, you can eat with ocean views… and if it’s the right time, you can do so while watching fishermen at work!
The food may not always be available to order so ask what’s offered when you’re there!
8. Eat tropical fruit in a tropical environment
π
9. Go cycling on a road that runs along the beach
Perfect place to start and end a bike ride? YES! π
So think about cycling in Alleppey.
The guesthouse may have free bicycle rentals available, so ask! If you’re able to rent a bike, also ask for a helmet and bike lock.
This is India, so anywhere you rent bicycles in India, be sure to test out the bike before you take it out to make sure it’s functional!
If you are cycling into town (or walking for that matter) near schools at the end of the school day, it could make for an experience seeing all the kids swarming around on their way home!
From Funky Art Beach House, I biked to Marari Beach, and this can make for a good day trip from Alleppey.
On a different day, I also walked to Marari Beach from the guesthouse, walking along the beach or an oceanside road pretty much the entire way. Walking meant passing by some more fishing beaches too!
I also think that cycling to Kainakary would be a really good experience. Doing so will also allow you to see a bit of the backwaters from a different perspective.
I got on a scooter to get to Kainakary and was thinking it would make for an awesome bike ride too!
10. Rent a scooter through the guesthouse
Speaking of scooters, you won’t have to go into town to find a place to rent a scooter in Alleppey, as you can do that through the guesthouse. I think the price of a scooter rental is around 400 rupees for the day.
11. Head to a restaurant with ocean views down the street
A 10-15 minute walk down the road is Sea Shore Restaurant located right along the beach. Here you can order food and eat with ocean views too!
And just a little further down, so about a 15 minute walk from Funky Art Beach House, you will find Cafe Catamaran which is another one of the best places to eat along Alleppey Beach that will give you ocean views.
Tip: Instead of walking along the road, get here by walking along the beach! It’s the more scenic way!
12. Get a fresh coconut picked for you on the property
Opportunity may not always be available but it never hurts to ask. π
13. Break open your own coconut
Or have the staff help you. π
If you can’t get a coconut on-site, you can buy one in town, and then bring it back to break it open yourself! (Just confirm they have the tools/utensils to do so.)
Because a coconut tastes much better when you open it yourself. π
14. Make yourself a drink with rum and fresh coconut water
Rum is very popular in Kerala.
And the word “Kerala” quite literally means “land of coconuts” in the local language of Malayalam.
So it’s only fitting that when in Kerala, you have a drink with rum and coconut water!
15. Make yourself a fresh pina colada drink
With a pina colada drink also being made with rum and coconut, this is another perfect drink to make when in Kerala!
Buy the ingredients for a pina colada in town (rum, coconut, pineapple) and make yourself a fresh tropical drink!
Or make it non-alcoholic by leaving out the rum for a pineapple coconut smoothie!
Just confirm with the guesthouse staff that they have a smoothie blender and the utensils to break open a coconut.
Actually I did this with backpackers at a hostel in Varkala, a beach town that’s a few hours south of Alleppey, but Funky Art Beach House is the perfect place to do this too!
16. Just chill with a beer
Or if you just want to have a beer, Kingfisher is the famous beer all across India. (The kingfisher bird is also a cute and colorful bird that you can spot in Kerala!)
Tell the guesthouse early that you’d like some beer, and they can likely have some for you when you want it later. Although there is a premium to pay for the convenience of not having to get it yourself!
The cost of the beer at the guesthouse might be around 200 rupees (US$3) for a 650 ml bottle of beer. (That’s about 22 ounces.)
If you go in town it might be 100 rupees for a beer at the government alcohol shop (long lines possible), or if you go to the main part of Alleppey Beach, you may be able to find beer for 150 rupees.
17. Learn how to play an Indian board game
Carrom is a popular board game in India. So whenever you see a board like this at any guesthouse you’re staying at around India… PLAY! π
18. Spend the afternoon resting in a hammock
Yeah.
19. Just chill on the beach
It’s a 30 second walk to the beach from the guesthouse, and you can walk barefoot from your room to the beach. It might even be a 15 second walk, as the beach is literally right there.
Chairs and an umbrella can be set up by the guesthouse on the beach that’s right out front.
20. Cook up a seafood dinner!
You have a kitchen, and you are in a region that’s known for seafood. So… when in Kerala!
You can get some fish and prawns from town, and then cook yourself a seafood meal!
21. Do as the locals do, and just stop to take in those ocean views!
This scene was about a minute walk from the guesthouse. You might see lots of locals around just hanging out and taking in the ocean.
22. See local kids living an active lifestyle by taking a sunset walk on the beach
Once again, since this area is closer to more residential areas than the main part of Alleppey Beach, it means that you don’t have to go far to see these kinds of scenes.
From the guesthouse, head south on the beach at sunset, and you might see kids playing soccer on the beach!
23. Go for a walk in either direction on the beach from the guesthouse
This is less than a minute’s walk from the guesthouse towards the south in the direction of the main part of Alleppey Beach…
And this is about a minute’s walk from the guesthouse towards the north in the direction of Marari Beach…
24. Take in the views of the river and the ocean
This is the ONLY guesthouse in Alleppey that you can stay at right next to the location where the river meets the sea and get great views of both! I think. π
This means that you can stay at both a riverfront property AND a beachside property at the same time!
RIVER…
…MEETS…
…SEA!
25. Just stop to take in that sunset!
So…
What’s the best way to book this guesthouse in Alleppey?!
Funky Art Beach House is listed on these hotel booking sites:
BUT…
Consider booking direct:
- Funky Art Beach House phone number: +91 7403572116 (and whatsapp)
You can try e-mail too.
But generally speaking, India isn’t the best for communicating via e-mail when it comes to budget guesthouses. But, you can try!
Hotel booking sites can take a pretty good size commission (sometimes nearly 20%) so if you want your money to stay local, a direct hotel booking would be the way to go!
Be sure to take a look at the Best of Alleppey Travel Guide so you can plan the PERFECT trip to Alleppey!
HAPPY ALLEPPEY BEACH GUESTHOUSE PLANNING!
Best things to do in Alleppey backwaters on a budget
For examples of general class train travel, see:
For examples of AC train travel, see:
For examples of local bus travel, see:
For examples of overnight bus travel, see:
- Pondicherry to Madurai
- Madurai to Kerala (South India)
- Mumbai to Udaipur
See more backpacking India travel tips!