Champakulam, a water logged village located about 26 km from Alappuzha city is well known for the boat race held here. Champakulam boat race (Champakkulam Moolam Vallamkali) is the first race which marks the beginning of the month long festival season of Alappuzha. The traditional Snake Boat (Chundan vallom) race is the main item at the Champakulam race conducted in June (on the moolam day of the Midhunam month of the Malayalam era) annually, in the Champakulam Lake. It marks the installation of the famous idol of Lord Krishna in Ambalapuzha Sree Krishnaswamy temple, brought from Karinkulam temple in Kurichi near Kottayam, four centuries ago.

Some of the interesting spots in Champakulam include the St. Mary's Forane Church (Syrian) built in 1870 by the Portuguese on the site of one of the original churches of St Thomas, the Apostle. There are beautiful mural paintings in the church. The St. Thomas Statuary near the church makes wooden statues of Christ for export. There is rarely any traffic other than the occasional cycle and canoes in this place. The Kalloorkkad Angadi here is one of the ancient markets in the locality.