The idea of taking a trip on a houseboat in the Kerala backwaters was brought to us by a friend of my husband. As we researched this further, we found that there was a long history of tradition behind these houseboats. It also looked like a relaxing way to explore the backwaters of Kerala, which are a system of channels, lakes and lagoons lined with palm trees, mangroves and rice fields. The locals refer to Kerala as “God’s Own Country”, and the best way to see it is by boat.
Navigating the Kerala backwaters is nothing new. It dates back to 3,000 BC. The thatched-roof wooden boats, called kettuvallam, have been used to transport goods and people for centuries in southwestern India. Now, most of them are used to cater to tourists and provide a source of income for local residents.
There are literally thousands of boats out in the Alleppey area and it must be said that the boats also vary in comfort level and in upkeep. We went out with Lakes & Lagoons Tour Company which was arranged by our hotel. They have 25 boats and prices vary considerably depending on the boat and the amenities on board. Our direct hotel booking was half the price of some other tours arranged by local services for the cruise lines.
While it’s possible to spend one or more nights on these boats, our tight itinerary made it such that we had only planned a day cruise.
The port in Alappuzha is about a 90 to 120-minute drive from Kochi (Cochin) and there is not much to see along the way.
Upon arrival and after checking in, (do remember to bring a picture ID!) we were transferred to our private houseboat. There we met the four-person crew that would be taking care of us for the half day on the water.
The Houseboat (Kettuvallam)
The boat we got was actually a three bedroom one. It was huge with a dining area and a front covered terrace where we spend most of the day watching the scenery slowly drift by.
There was no need for air conditioning during the day as the gentle breeze as we moved down the rivers was just perfect. We had a cloudy day so that may also have made a nice difference. It’s probably more important to check on the bedroom AC if you plan to spend the night.
After reading reviews of various incidents where air conditioners failed or that mosquitoes were prevalent, we were quite happy with our choice of spending the night at a nice hotel instead.
Once on the boat however, we found that the bedroom and arrangements were quite nice. Our boat even had a generator next to the AC unit and I’m sure it would have been enjoyable.
If your schedule permits, an overnight may give you a deeper view of the various canals. That being said, the itinerary usually involves the boat docking or anchoring in the early evening and starting up again the next morning. Our day cruise gave us just enough of a feel for the experience and we’re happy with our choice.
Kerala Backwaters
The backwater area is made up of freshwater lakes and channels that are interconnected. Much of the local business is rice farming, and the rice fields make for a beautiful backdrop to the scenic cruise through the channels.
It reminded us a little of the various canals of the intracoastal in Miami lined with mangroves. In contrast to the Miami mansions however, we got a glimpse of many people living in what can only be described as extreme poverty. Corrugated shacks and crumbling walls lined with tarps and boards were the norm. Occasionally there was a nicely painted and decorated facade, but these were few and far between.
Life is not easy in these backwaters and the crew told us that they are primarily rice farmers. The captain also showed us how the cultivation was being done with machines nowadays but used to be all done by hand. It sounded like this was a recent change. One of the houseboat’s crew told us his home had flooded during monsoon season and he could not return for months until the water subsided, and his home had to be rebuilt.
On the boat we made our way through channels and small lakes to finally exit on Kerala’s largest lake, Vembanad Lake. Boats used to anchor out there for the night but now the captain said that they must dock along the sides.
The crew prepared us a wonderful local lunch of chicken and fish along with some very tasty vegetable dishes and a coconut milk-based desert. There was way too much food, but we were assured that the crew would enjoy any leftovers. With all we had eaten at the hotel breakfast we left plenty.
Returning to the covered deck we joined the captain again to enjoy the scenery of passing boats, rice fields and local canoe traffic. A nice experience to see these picturesque backwaters of Kerala and we understood why the locals refer to it as “God’s Own Country”!
Conclusion
On our way back our driver took us to a local beach in Alappuzha where we saw some local handcrafts and displays made of twine crested from the coconuts. The stringy material between the shell is used to create ropes. This is then used to create various products and is quite strong. This was also our first look of the Arabian Sea.
Heading back to the hotel we were happy to have experienced Kerala’s backwaters and we also felt very fortunate for our life back home. We thought of the local rice farmers struggling to keep a roof from leaking, worrying about the monsoon season flooding, or stretching their savings to get a dugout canoe. We count our blessings at having a solid roof over our head and our many fortunes.
Make sure to read my other posts about India:
2 replies on “Kerala Backwaters Houseboat Cruise”
Thanks Nat for the great reviews and pictures. I loved the boats!
Thanks Amy! xo