It is located 90 km from Kochi International airport and 6 km from Alappuzha. The National Highway 47 cuts through the middle of this town. With the Arabian sea on one side and a small lake on the other, Thumpoly is blessed with beautiful sandy beaches. It is a natural habitat of many rare birds.Thumpoly is famous for its canals, which end their course in the Arabian Sea. The local population are
also involved in coir making.It is believed that the name 'Thumpoly' came from 'Thoma Pally' which means Church of St. Thomas. During the period of Portuguese, the place was also called 'Thompolis' which means 'The town of St. Thomas'
This Church, earlier known as 'Thomapally' mentioned by the historian Du Jarric. It is believed that the ancestors of the Christians were baptized by St. Thomas himself. There was a cross called ' Muthappan kurisu' in remembrance of St. It had been blessed by the Cyrian Bishops Mar Sappoor and Mar Proth visited here around A. D. 820. It was mentioned in book 'Kerala Samskaram' written by the Kerala historian Sri. Sreedharamenon. He also mentioned Mother Mary as 'kappalottakkari amma' in Malayalam which means Mother Mary, the Captain of Ship. D. 1411'Thomappally' was attacked set fire under local political havoc. The Cross, 'Thomakurisu' thought to destroyed, later discovered and it influenced deeply the Christians here. The name 'Thomapally' was later shortened to 'Thompally' and became 'Thumpoly'. Today the Church is a famous Marian Pilgrim Center, and the Church feast bigin every year 28 November and end on 15 December. There is a story about the Marian Statue and it had been brought by the Portuguese in the 16th century. It is said that the wind had driven the merchant ship to this coast and stuck and wonder stuck the Captain of the ship prompted by a vision of Mother Mary, this Statue of Mother Mary was placed in the then Church. Present Church, recently renovated, supposed to have been built at the time of Senthanthre Mission priest Father Jaikomo Fenisio in A. D. 1600 getting permission from the Kochi Maharajah Kesavaramavarma.
