Houseboats In Kerala Backwaters
Introduction and history: Kerala backwaters, also known as God’s own country, are a network of lakes, canals, estuaries and deltas of forty-five Rivers that drain into the Arabic Sea. The houseboats are called as ‘Kettuvalam’ in Malayalam, which means stitched boat. These Kettuvalams are influenced by Chinese design, were initially used for transporting huge quantities of heavy materials and soldiers from one place to other. However, present-day houseboats are meant to take tourists on sightseeing tours in the extensive backwaters of Kerala. The houseboat has a living room, a sunbathing deck, and bedrooms with attached European style bath and a kitchen. The boat has solar lamps and fans. The natural beauty and scenery of the God’s own country can be enjoyed by cruising on the houseboats comfortably with natural AC and without any disturbances of TV and mobile phones.
What to see and when to go: The exotic routes that are ferried by Houseboats are within Alleppey and also from Alleppey to Kumarakom, Kottayam, Thottapally, Allumkadavu, and Quilon. The best time to visit Kerala would be in the months of October to March. Usually people used to avoid June and July due to heavy monsoons. Mentioning that, Monsoons are also an ideal time to go for nice and warm massages.
Things to do: Other than exploring the country side, lush paddy fields and palm coconut groves on your Alleppey houseboats cruise, travelers can check out several species of birdlife at Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary, explore scenic landscapes and rejuvenate at Ayurvedic massage and treatment resorts.
Accommodation: The tariff for houseboats ranges from an hourly base of minimum charge of 350 rupees and goes up to 5500 rupees per day.
Mode of transport: Nearest airport to Alleppey is Kochi (54 kilometers). It is well connected to major cities of Kerala like Cochin, Kottayam and Quilon (Kollam). There are ferries available to Alleppey from Kollam to enjoy the scenic beauty of the backwaters and reach the destination. Alleppey is connected by a number of interconnecting roadways to different parts of South India. National Highway 47 passes through Alleppey town.
Related links:
• Website: www.keralahouseboat.org
• Website: www.thehouseboatskerala.com
See also (nearby places): Kuttanad, Pathira Manal, Champakulam Church, Ambalappuzha Sree Krishna Temple, Fort Kochi, Chinese Fishing Nets, St. Francis Church, Mattancherry Palace (Dutch Palace), Synagogue, Bolghatty Island, Willingdon Island, Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary, The Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary, Kumily, Murikkady, Vandanmedu, Padmanabha Swamy Temple, Kuthiramalika Palace Museum, The Napier Museum, Sree Chitbra Art Gallery, Kanyakumari.
