Alleppey is famous for its beautiful backwaters with criss-cross canals, green paddy fields with nature and greenery. Shikara boats in Alleppey are smaller than houseboats in size with a seating capacity of four to fifteen and sometimes up to twenty people. They are traditional boats converted into the present form by arranging seating facilities and are usually decorated using materials made of wood and bamboo giving it an old world rustic charm.

Some shikaras are still used for fishing, harvesting aquatic vegetation (usually for fodder), and transport, while most are covered with tarpaulins and are used by tourists. Some are used as floating homes.

Shikaras boats in Alleppey are best suited for movement along the small rivers and narrow canals which are the best part of backwaters. By hiring a shikara boat ride in Alleppey you can closely watch the backwater village lifestyles and can cover the most beautiful villages of Alleppey, like the Kainakary village, part of Kuttanad.

One can spend around 3-5 hours in shikara boats in Alleppey exploring the alluring backwaters and the shikara boat charges are based on the time you have spent in a shikara. Usually, shikaras are opted by people who have time constraints, they are also a budget friendly option to explore the backwaters of Alleppey since they are much more affordable in comparison to its much more luxurious counterpart. Shikaras are rented on an hourly basis from an hour to three or four hours depending on how much time you can spare and thus they are ideal for tourists with time constraints.