Alleppey is considered to be the oldest planned town in this region and the lighthouse here is the first of its kind along the Arabian coast. Built by Raja Keshavadas in the 18^th century, Alappuzha was once a busy port, serving as the entrance point of Kerala for boats that brought goods from other regions and carried cargo out from the town.

The lighthouse at Alleppey is the oldest on the western coast of India. Commissioned in 1862, it was built with laterite and teak. The lighthouse initially had a double wick lamp source fueled by coconut oil and supplied by a manufacturer from Birmingham. The lamp was used till 1952 when it was replaced by a gas flasher. A  modern 1000w lamp and catadioptirc lenses were installed in 1960. The lighthouse today has a range of 25 nautical miles.

The view from atop the lighthouse is splendid. There are certain times during the day when visitors are allowed to go up to the top.