House Boat Tourism in Kerala Backwaters

‘God’s Own Country’ Kerala is blessed with vast expanses of water bodies along the western sea coast areas stretching up to almost 600 km. A number of lakes, lagoons, estuaries of 41 rivers and interconnecting canals have created a panoramic paradisiacal landscape, which is attracting an ever-increasing number of tourists to Kerala. The beauty of tropical nature and the vivid greenery of the luxuriant vegetation is intensified by the emerald green backwaters fringed by coconut palms and mangrove vegetation. The 600 km coastline of Kerala is broken at nearly 50 places letting salt water from the Arabian Sea into the coastal zone of the state. Natural sea ports of the Malabar Coast of history had been entry ports for ancient Chinese, Phoenician, Egyptian, Arab, Jewish, Portuguese, Dutch, French and English traders throughout the centuries. Kerala’s backwaters have been familiar to people from all over the world since very ancient times as many evidences have proved. So it is no wonder that modern-day tourists find these backwaters so attractive as to describe the scenery as heavenly.

There are nearly a dozen lakes or lagoons in Kerala. Some are quite large in area and some small. Vembanad Lake in southern Kerala is the largest and the major attraction for tourists. Now backwater tourism is flourishing in this lake because of several natural advantages like size, location, and proximity to Cochin.

General Features of Houseboats

Houseboats of Kerala are built on large cargo boats having capacities of more than 20-30 tonnes. They are innovative versions of the traditional cargo carriers in the inland waterways of coastal Kerala, called Kettuvellom. Now such country cargo boats are built particularly to serve as houseboats for cruising and rides.

They are made of eco-friendly materials. Roofs are thatched with bamboo mats and the floors are carpeted with coir mats.

• Single, double or 3-bedroom options in deluxe, AC, Non-AC and standard categories.
• Special houseboats with mini conference halls for business meetings are also available.
• Houseboats in general have bedrooms with attached toilets, a kitchenette, and an open lounge. The better ones have sun-decks and an upper deck for more privacy. A few have projecting sit-outs.
• Nets, angles and accessories for fishing are supplied.
• A friendly crew of 3 or 4 accompanies to propel the boat through the labyrinthine waterways, cook food, and provide help. Guides and translators may be engaged on request.
• Catering according to the particular preferences of the guests. Cuisines include local Kerala-style vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes, special fish preparations using local species like shrimps, prawns, lobsters, crabs, etc. More than 50 species of marine and freshwater fishes are available in Kerala.
• Deluxe houseboats with air conditioning, refrigeration, and cooking facilities are equipped with solar panels, besides generators and batteries.
• Bedrooms are screened with mosquito nets.
• Boats are operated with silent engines.

Transformation of Cargo Boats

As more and more tourists began to arrive in Kerala, with easy connectivity by air and other means, tourism began to develop. Originally, only a few destinations were regarded as tourist attractions.

Gradually cruising and canoeing in the tranquil backwaters also became popular. Motorboats and transport boats were utilized in the beginning to take tourists around. Then, converting the huge cargo boats into the present-style houseboats proved to be a boon. As tourists enjoyed pleasure rides in houseboats, their numbers multiplied. At present, there are more than 400 houseboats in Kerala competing to attract tourists.

To make the houseboats really attractive, beautiful designs were developed. Entrepreneurs in the field introduced various innovations and packed as many facilities as possible in the superstructures they built on the hull of the cargo boats. 30 – 40 tonnes of materials are used for building an ordinary houseboat. Wood, bamboo, cane, reeds, etc. are used as construction materials.

The construction cost of houseboats also varies according to the degree of luxury of furnishings and fittings. There are many deluxe category houseboats looking almost palatial. Some have special fittings like sit-outs fitted on cantilever brackets fixed on the side of the hull.

Eclipse of Water Transport

As road transport developed in Kerala, cargo movement by boats began to decrease. More and more roads were constructed in the backwater region, linking and interconnecting all places. Soil and stones were transported from the midlands to fill up the lowlands to build roads usable during floods also. As lorries and trucks could easily reach every nook and corner of lowlands, people began preferring transportation by road.

Gradually, cargo boats became obsolete and were abandoned. But like the fabulous phoenix bird, the useless old cargo boats became quite useful for another purpose – the transportation of tourists on cruise rides.

Metamorphosis of Houseboats

Kerala’s houseboats are the products of a metamorphosis from the original cargo boats of the past to the present-day tourist carriers in the backwaters, with up to 3 bedrooms, toilets, bathrooms, sundecks, balconies, etc.

For centuries, different kinds of craft were used in the Kerala backwaters for different purposes. For transporting people, lightweight canoes were used. For carrying cargo, big crafts with carrying capacities of 30 tonnes and more were used. Such big crafts carried cargo to and from villages and towns, ports, and markets in the area before the coming of motor vehicles and land transport via roads.

Such a typical cargo boat was capable of carrying thrice as much load as a cargo truck can. So, they could carry a house as well.

These cargo boats were propelled using long bamboo poles in shallow waters and by rowing with oars and paddles in areas where water was deeper. When winds were strong enough, sails also were used to move the boats. Only recently outboard engines arrived to make the boats easier to move at greater speeds.

Cargo boats came to be called ‘Kettu Vallom’ due to their way of construction. The wooden planks are joined together by tying them with coir ropes with coconut fibres stuffed in between. With additional techniques, the hull of the boat is made leak-proof. There were expert boat builders at various places in the backwater region.

Old Design

The cargo boats were designed to transport heavy loads across the water-logged lowlands of southern and central Kerala. They may be structurally described as tapering barges with curved hulls.

The hull is made of wooden planks tied together using coir with coconut fibres stuffed in between. The hull is curved. The ends taper to a point, unlike usual punts which are flat-bottomed, shallow boats with square ends.

These cargo boats were moved by pushing the end of a long bamboo pole against the lake bed and the river bed in shallow waters. Oars or paddles were used in deeper waters. The cargo boats were covered by curving canopies [called ‘Vallapura’].

Features of Houseboats

Houseboats are built on large-sized country boats traditionally used in the Kerala backwaters for carrying cargo. Made of long-lasting timber from hardwoods growing in the tropical evergreen forests of Kerala, such cargo boats were constructed without nails or metallic parts. They are joined together and made leakage-proof by the use of coconut husk fibres and coir ropes made from it, reinforced with water-resistant resin obtained from cashew nut shells. The huge cargo boats may be said to be the chassis of the houseboats.

The foundation being such a solid floating craft, having the capability to carry 30 or more tonnes of cargo, houseboats are built with up to 3 bedrooms with attached toilets, a living space, kitchen, room for crews, sundeck, etc. Deluxe category houseboats have very comfortable furnishings and excellent facilities. As each houseboat is unique, based on specific designs, each one has its own specification and tariffs.

Packages

Houseboats offer several different kinds of packages on air-conditioned and non-AC houseboats. There are luxury boats with deluxe facilities for those demanding exclusive and novel options. Catering to the particular tastes of the tourists, special menu items are also served on board.

Cruise Packages

Alappuzha-based houseboats offer different tour packages. A one-day cruise usually lasts for 22 hours from 12 noon to 10 am the next day. Lunch, tea, snacks, supper, bed coffee, breakfast, etc., are supplied on the houseboats. Tourists can prepare their own food in the kitchen or can order their selected menu to be prepared by the accompanying cook. Fruits, juices, soft drinks, etc., are made available on the houseboats.

Some houseboats take tourists to specific destinations in the backwater regions like Kumarakom, Kollam, Thottappally, Nedumudy, or around Alleppey in the 22-hour package. Brief cruises lasting about 6 hours in the afternoon take tourists around the heart of the backwaters around Alleppey. Customized tour packages are arranged according to the particular wishes and preferences of each group of tourists. The duration of such tours is flexible according to the convenience of the guests.

Different Packages

The backwater region is quite extensive, covering the lowlands of four districts (Alappuzha, Kottayam, Ernakulam, and Kollam) in southern Kerala. There are several centers to visit, like the famous Kumarakom bird sanctuary, Pathiramanal island in the middle of Vembanad Lake throbbing with exotic flora and fauna, the century-old lighthouse on the lakeshore near Kottayam, Alappuzha port town crisscrossed by the network of canals making it the ‘Venice of the East’, several historical islands of Kochi harbor area at the entrance to Vembanad Lake from the Arabian Sea, the Ashtamudi Lake, the Buckingham Canal built by the Portuguese, the Thangasserry fort and lighthouse built by the Dutch, Thottappally Spillway letting out excess water from the lagoons, the Neendakara Indo-Norwegian Project and Fishing Harbour, and a lot more.

These destinations are located over an extensive region, so different packages are made available to tourists according to their preferences and interests, as well as the time available to them for pleasure rides and sightseeing. Some typical packages usually offered by houseboat operators are the following:

• One-day (22 hours) cruise
• Day cruise (10 AM to 8 PM)
• Afternoon cruise (6 Hrs 2 PM – 8 PM)
• Customized packages for any length of time and to any particular destination or several destinations.

Some popular cruise destinations from Alappuzha, the nerve center of backwater tourism, are Kottayam, Kumarakom, Thottappally, Nedumudy, Kollam, and Kochi.

Tariffs, Rates, Rents

As each houseboat has a unique design and structural specifications, the cost of construction and maintenance varies. Standards of service also differ. The number of people engaged to provide various services also varies. The cost of materials used for food and comfortable accommodation will also differ. Therefore, there cannot be uniformity or standardization of tariffs, rents, and rates. Each operator charges according to the category, facilities, services, etc. Deluxe boats naturally charge more than economy-class vessels, etc.

Brochures of operators usually indicate the various rates and tariffs for different categories of boats and different packages of destinations and activities as well as the duration of cruising. Reductions or discounts may be allowed by some operators through negotiations.

As there is no off-season in backwater tourism, tariffs remain the same throughout the year. Formerly, the monsoon rainy season was considered an off-season. But this season has also been becoming a busy one as monsoon tourism is now promoted, and lots of tourists are arriving to experience monsoon rains in Kerala’s beautiful landscape.

Recommended Houseboats for Hire

Our website specializes in providing information regarding backwater tourism in the Kerala lowlands as well as arranging suitable houseboats for tourists wishing to enjoy cruises and pleasure rides. We have enlisted a group of houseboat operators based at various centers in the backwater region, who are equipped with fleets of different designs, facilities, capacities, furnishings, packages, and tariffs. There are luxury types and even honeymoon special houseboats with excellent service. There are modest and less expensive houseboats of the economy type also in the fleet. Almost all the houseboats have unique features and designs so that each has a different look and feel.

So, would-be tourists, tour operators, and travel agents can contact us for more details about various categories of houseboats, different packages offered, several circuit options, major destinations in Kerala, cuisines available, connectivity by air, railway, or roads, and varying tariffs.

Interested parties may provide their preferences and wish lists for a satisfying tour of Kerala. We would arrange the most suitable houseboats for groups of tourists by negotiating with various operators and houseboat owners in the land of backwaters.