House Boats – A Must Do In Any Kerala Itinerary

By Author: tracy magnen
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Kerala Houseboats known in local parlance as kettuvallom are erstwhile country boats that were once used for the transport of goods from the isolated interior villages of Kerala Backwater area. With the development of road and rail services, the kettuvalloms went off the scene, which made a re entry in the form of innovative house boats to cater to the tourists a few years back . There are houseboats of various sizes that range from one bedroom boats to three bedroom boats and sprawling houseboats that measure up 107 feet long and up to 19 feet wide. Made from locally available materials like coconut fiber ropes, bamboo mats, coir carpets etc, the boats are fully made in wood.

Kerala backwaters comprises of an intricate network of lagoons, lakes and estuaries, making it a complex and stand alone ecosystem with its own pace and rhythm. A backwater cruise is the most enjoyable and leisurely means to explore these waterways dotted with countless villages, lagoons and paddy fields. There are various types of houseboats including standard, deluxe and premium, which are graded according to the amenities on offer. Ideal ...
... for both family vacations and business holidays, these house boats are well equipped just like your regular hotel. There are both A/C and non A/C houseboats that criss cross some of the most popular back water cruise routes connecting Alappuzha, Kumarakom, Kollam and Kochi.

The over night sty option allows the guests to enjoy the typical Kerala cuisine with a lavish spread of many popular delicacies. You will be served by an efficient crew all through the cruise as you get set to disembark on a memorable cruise through some of the unexplored terrains of this tiny state. There are many interesting activities both on and off board. Enjoy a well deserved sun tan at the sundeck, listen to your favorite music or take a stroll The brief halts of the houseboat would allow you to take a stroll through the village roads or enjoy a spell of fishing or swimming in the shallow backwaters during the brief halts along the shores. There are many interesting tourist attractions all along the cruise route that makes it all the more popular.

House boat cruises are excellent options for a well cherished family vacation, a honey moon trip or a corporate outing. There are convenient packages and deals that would suit every budget.

The traditional Kerala houseboats are huge, slow-moving, exotic barges now used only for tourist cruises.

Keralan Rice Boats are simply a re-worked model of the Kettuvallams (in the Malayalam language, Kettu means "tied with ropes", and vallam means "boat"), which were used to carry the agricultural harvest such as rice and spices from the fertile rice growing paddy fields of the Kuttanad to the sea coast at Alleppey or Cochin. Kerala houseboats were considered the most convenient means of transportation in the absence of any meaningful roads. They have thatched roof covers over wooden hulls which protect the cargo from the sudden tropical rains of Kerala.