Houseboat Experience in Kerala

The houseboat experience in Kerala is chief among the many attractions in Kerala, God’s Own Country. A few of these attractions are nature at its greenest, mountains, lakes, beaches, Ayurveda, culture and traditions… Oh, and food… Let me start by talking of the backwaters of Kerala. Where a houseboat experience is simply a must-do.

The backwaters of Kerala

The backwaters of Kerala are the rivulets that run in from the sea. They form lakes and lagoons at places. The center of this network is the huge Vembanad Lake. All along these water streams life goes on – houses, shops, food joints, places of worship… These backwaters have been used for long by the locals as a mainstay for their lives – transport, farming, fishing, sport, etc. These are in the southern part of Kerala, from Kochi to Kollam. Alappuzha is the place most people enter the backwaters.

The Houseboat experience in Kerala

The idea is to take a boat and cruise along the backwaters. You will see slices of life all along. People going about their life with the water an integral part of it. The banks are all lined with greenery and serenity. The hustle and bustle of city life seem distant from this region as you float languidly along the stream… The houseboats have some fairly comfortable sleeping arrangements. And food on board. Of course, they moor in the water at night and again resume cruising in the mornings. Quite a blissful sleep this – rocked by the gentle waters…

You can hire a houseboat for a 3-hour trip or even a week! Your choice. I would suggest an overnight trip. Or maybe 2 nights on the boat. More than that and it may tend to get a tad boring… The beauty is in the serenity and greenery and languidness of life. That can grate for some, after a while…

The Houseboat

The boat itself is a thatched Kerala-style boat that is locally called a Kettuvallam. There will be a boatman and a butler-cook on board. You can expect the most authentic local food and beer on board. The typical routes are from Alappuzha to Kumarakom, Kottayam and Alumkadavu (near Kollam). The boats usually travel less than 50 kms every day. So, peaceful cruising and languid pace… And lots of different scenery for you… ​

The original Kettuvallams were used to transport rice and spices. From the interiors to the port of Kochi. In the local language of Malayalam, ‘Kettu’ means a home and ‘Vallam’ refers to a boat. These boats are hence floating living quarters with a wooden hull and thatched roof. The boat was (and is still) made using the traditional process. This is done by joining together jack-wood with coir. This is then covered with a resin made from boiled cashewnut kernels. One portion was covered – this was the restroom and kitchen for the crew. The caught fish from the backwaters for food.

Of course, modernity brought in trucks for transport. The locals then found a new use for the Kettuvallams – tourism.

What to do in the Houseboat experience

The objective is to relax and enjoy life floating by. But there are also loads of things to do during your houseboat experience:

• Stop off at the local villages and experience their life
• Cycling tours of the villages
• Sunrise and sunset viewing
• Guided kayaking tours on the backwaters
• Explore Monroe island near Kollam
• Visit the Kakkathuruthu Island on Vembanad Lake – Earlier only crows stayed here (the local name refers to this fact). It now has a few families living on it. The National Geographic listed it as an outstanding sunset spot in 2016.

The Houseboat experience routes

The most popular way to do the backwaters is to do a round trip – get back to where you started. However, you can also do one-way trips. For instance, in case you are heading to Munnar or Thekkady, take the houseboat from Alappuzha to Kottayam and then grab a bus onwards from there…

Some of the more popular routes are:

• Alappuzha-Kuttanad – Kuttanad is the rice-bowl of Kerala. You can experience many farming villages here like Thottappally, Nudmudy and Thakazhi. By the way, the farms are below sea-level here!
• Alappuzha-Kumarakom – Lots of luxury resorts here on the banks of the Vembanad Lake. The Bird Sanctuary and the Pathirimanal Island are famous here.
• Alappuzha-Kollam – A long one, this is scenic like a dream. The Amritanandamayi Ashram and Alumkadavu (the place where the boats are made) are in this route.

Other routes also exist, like the one covering Valiyaparamba Island in the Kavvayi backwaters in Payyanur, Kasaragod district. But these are the major routes.

This is quite a draw among tourists, both domestic and international. So be prepared for crowds along the regular routes in case you are traveling in the peak seasons of December-January. You could check out the backwaters from a different base – Alappuzha can get crowded at times.

Alternate routes

Kollam is one alternative – this area is popular but not as touristy yet. The Ashtamudi Lake is the focus in this area (like Vembanad Lake is the focus in the Alappuzha region). On the way, you can experience the mangroves, birds, plantations, traditional villages, Chinese fishing nets…

Or you could head to the pristine backwaters of Kozhikode. This is near the Kappad beach. It is about 5 hours north from Kochi. Vasco Da Gama, the first European sea-farer-trader to land in India, landed here in the 15^th century.

Of course, you could experience the backwaters from Kochi itself (from Fort Kochi). But it isn’t as enriching as starting from Alappuzha or Kollam of Kozhikode.

How to get to your Houseboat experience

If you are flying in to Kochi, Alappuzha is about 2 hours by road from Kochi airport. Buses are taxis are available. In case you choose the cheaper option of the bus, I would suggest heading to the Aluva bus stand from the airport. Its about a half hour from the airport and you get more frequency of buses from there to Alappuzha. Alappuzha also has a railway station, accessible by train from Aluva station.

In case you are traveling by train to Kochi, try to get off at Alappuzha station. If not, get off at Ernakulam South station and take another train to Alappuzha.

When to go Houseboating in Kerala

This is an all-year experience. The peak season is December-January. The weather is cooler and dry. But this is also a crowded season. The monsoons are a good bet – June to August. Wet, but with its own romantic charm. The summers from March-May is hot and humid. Like how! In case you go in summer, hire an air-conditioned boat.

In case you would want to take in a houseboat experience in Kerala, check out a Kerala itinerary with backwaters and hills.

Read about some of the other interesting places in Romantic India. Or maybe the natural wonders of India?

India is a many faceted country catering to interests that aren’t just romance – history, culture, nature, wildlife, spirituality… Here is some more information on these facets of India, to help you travel beyond the regular tours and packages to India.

For more such off-the-beaten track sights in India and the rest of the World, visit Beyonder Travel.