Experience the Uniqueness of Kerala Backwater Tourism and Carry Back Everlasting Memories

Kerala, mostly referred as “Gods Own Country” is the most admired tourist destination in India by the vacationers, honeymooners, adventurers’, nature and wildlife lovers. Kerala is well-known especially for its ecotourism initiatives and Ayurveda. Kerala is the best place where you can relax, enjoy and take a break from your daily life hustles. There is no better place than Kerala which gives your mind happiness, fun and relaxation.

Kerala Backwaters and Houseboats

Kerala is an adorable tourist place in South India blessed with many naturally beautiful holiday destinations and Kerala backwaters are the most important among them.  Alleppey, Kumarakom and Kuttanad are the most enticing places of Kerala which are criss-crossed by backwaters, rivers, lagoons and canals. Lot of tourists from around the world prefer Houseboat tour through Kerala backwaters so that they can enjoy the kaleidoscopic view of swaying coconut trees, emerald rice fields, countryside and several historical monuments on the bank. Exploring the beauty of Kerala by Cruising in a houseboat on the backwaters is really an enchanting experience!

Kerala Backwaters

In India, apart from Kerala, Houseboats are also found in Srinagar, Kashmir. But in Srinagar, houseboats are stable houses built in water and they neither float nor cruising can be done on them. Whereas the houseboats in Kerala are Houses made on huge floating boats and we can cruise in them and enjoy the beautiful nature around the backwaters.  Kerala houseboats are in fact modified version of Kettuvallams of olden times. The original Kettuvallams were used to carry tons of rice and spices. The Kettuvalam is made of planks of jack wood joined together with coir. This is then coated with a caustic black resin made from boiled cashew kernals with careful maintenance, a Kettuvalam can last for generations.

HouseBoats in Kerala Backwaters

A portion of the Kettuvallam was covered with bamboo and coir to serve as a restroom and kitchen for the crew. Meals would be cooked on-board and supplemented with freshly cooked fish from the backwater. The sea food in Kerala Houseboats is mouth watering.  Today, Kerala houseboats have all the creature comforts of a good hotel including furnished bedrooms, modern toilets, cozy living rooms, a kitchen and even a balcony for angling. Parts of the curved roof of wood or plaited palm open out to provide shade and allow uninterrupted views. While most boats are poled by local oarsmen, some are powered by a 40 HP engine. Boat-trains formed by joining two or more houseboats together are also used by large groups of sightseers. It is truly magical experience in houseboat ride while you float.

Typical Kerala Houseboat – Food and Interiors

The most popular destinations, where we can cruise in houseboats in Kerala Backwaters are:

 1. Alleppey

Alleppey or Alappuzha has a pet name as “Venice of the East”, which comes because land and waterways lies hugging each other as its seen in Venice, one of the north eastern city in Italy. It is one of the best known ports along the coast of Malabar and has the spectacular geographical feature of having the water level with the land. Thus we get a closer look at the village life on shore while on a backwater ride. Through the enchanting backwaters of Alleppey, it’s sure that it will rob your heart. One can never forget the sights of narrow canals winding through the vast expanse of paddy fields and the neat tiny hamlets lined up along either side of the canals. It is also home to diverse animal and bird life.

When coming to Kerala tourism; Alleppey is a popular tourist destination. Alleppey backwaters are world famous. The month of August is best time to visit Alleppey. Houseboat cruise in the backwaters gives a delightful experience to all. It connects Kumarakom and Cochin. Houseboat cruise is one of the best options you can go with when it comes to backwaters. Present day houseboats are huge in number and size in Alleppey. The familiar sight on the backwaters and in Alleppey alone, there are as many as 500 houseboats.

2. Kumarakom

 Kumarakom is lovingly identified as backwater village. Backwaters of Kumarakom is the largest and the freshest backwater which is beautifully endowed with lush green paddy fields, green dense vegetations, swaying coconut trees and the amazing nature which will attract the vacationers from all over the world. Three sides of Kumarakom are surrounded by Lake Vembanad. Meenachil River is flowing through Kumarakom. There is always good breeze and waves in the lake are more on Kumarakom side than other places. The pleasant and calm morning make our day, which is boosted up by the chirping of birds and the music of the lake. We can experience the beauty of the sun as it becomes one with the sea in the evening and in the night a joyous sights of the stars, moon set in the beautiful sky. All these unique sceneries throughout day and nights, the waves and breeze of the beautiful lake, bring in a feeling of being in lap of the Nature.

Lobsters and pearl spot fish is another amazing thing that we notice there. Pathiramanal Island is a place near Kumarakom, which takes about 30 minutes journey in a motor boat and only 10 minutes journey by speed boat. 

3. Kuttanad

Kuttanad is most popularly known as the rice granary of Kerala. It is an amazing place located across three districts, Alappuzha, Pathanamthitta and Kottayam. It is one of the rare places in the world where cultivation is carried on below sea level. There are endless paddy fields as far as ones eye can reach, Apart from rice cultivation, this beautiful countryside has rich crop of bananas, cassava and yam. The Kerala houseboat tourism is centered in this area. Inland waterways which flow above land level are an amazing feature of this region. The little island on the backwaters is a favorite halt of hundreds of rare migratory birds from different parts of the World. The island lies between Thaneermukkom and Kumarakom and is accessible only through boat. The famous Punnamada Lake is the portion of Vembanad Lake located in Kuttanad region. Nehru Trophy Boat Race is conducted in this portion of the lake.

Cruising in the Kerala houseboats and spending a night or two on the houseboat in Kerala backwaters is an amazing experience in itself and nothing can be more exciting and refreshing than this. In India, Kerala is the only place where cruising is done in houseboats. This is something which should be experienced by all nature lovers at least once in a lifetime.

TravMate Holidays, one of the leading Tour Operating Company in Kerala, India, provides Kerala Backwater/Houseboat tour packages at affordable price.

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