Houseboat cruise, backwaters of Kerala, God's own country

It was our long cherished dream to enjoy the scenic beauty of the backwaters of Kerala on a Houseboat. I wonder why all these years we could not go for such a thrilling journey that has become so popular among the tourists, both foreign as well as domestic! Moreover, so many people here nowadays spend their weekends in houseboats experiencing the cool breeze, savoring delicious dishes prepared onboard listening to their favorite music while the modified traditional houseboats of Kerala originally called 'Kettuvallam' smoothly glide along the backwaters powered by powerful engines.

We went for the cruise at Alleppey (Alappuzha), in Kerala, South India. Alleppey is said to be the 'Venice of the east'! I was told that there are about a thousand houseboats here alone and sometimes during the peak season there will be difficulty in getting one if you do not have an advance booking! There are many categories of houseboats like Luxury, premium, deluxe etc. and some of the luxurious ones are furnished with almost all amenities like a five-star suite. Aircon, well...we might not need it because of the soothing breeze all throughout, still, they have it. Some prefer to stay overnight and that would be wonderful! Imagine spending the night on a traditional boat in the middle of still waters far and wide enjoying the moonlight getting reflected, the blue sky and cool breeze!

This is a 'snake boat' we spotted while cruising. Snake boat race (Vallamkali ) is another tourist attraction in Kerala. Such very long boats will compete during Onam, the festive season, in many places in Kerala. The most famous is the Nehru trophy boat race at Alleppey, the very same place where we go for a houseboat cruise.

Safety standards are excellent; staff extremely polite, courteous, professional and well behaved. The industry is well regulated by the authorities and all necessary certifications like periodic maintenance and environmental impact control etc. are taken care of. In the olden days, such huge traditional wooden hull boats (Kettuvallams) were used mainly as rice barges. I remember watching huge rice barges with thatched roofs sailing along the rivers and canals during my childhood. There was a time when these barges became a big liability to the owners with the advent of modern ways of transportation of goods. Then someone thought of converting Kettuvallams like this for tourism and it clicked in a very big way. Thus began the huge demand for old houseboats and nowadays people are 'building' such vessels. Some corporate companies conduct their meetings and conferences on houseboats these days!

Some high-end hotel properties also have come up here. Many are having their own private pier for houseboats. Enjoy in style!

 A honeymooner's delight :)

It is easy to book a cruise. There are plenty of online portals offering attractive deals. Or if you prefer to book one on the site then use this pre-paid counter. There is a comfortable waiting room also.

The backwaters of Kerala are a chain of lakes, canals, and rivers that connect with the Arabian sea. There are small villages, towns, and lagoons all along these strips of water. Vembanad lake, the largest, borders Alleppey, Kochi, and Kottayam districts. Our cruise was at the Punnamada lake at Alleppey.

Look at those huge boats waiting for passengers! This is the 'finishing point' area of Nehru trophy boat race. From here we boarded our vessel.

 A must enjoy boat trip! Very popular among honeymooners😊

Yummy! Lobsters, fresh catch....the chef onboard will cook this in any style you like! There are plenty of vendors en-route who will be happy to sell you such exotic fishes :)

These are Karimeen (green chromide) fried in coconut oil, a very popular fish here! One thing I am sure no one will disagree. The yummy dishes that you get onboard these boats prepared by expert chefs! The rice, curries etc. etc .wow...!

What you see above is a dangerous fruit called 'Odallum'. Never ever eat these, it is fatal. They are poisonous. Sometimes boats stop at areas of lagoons for lunch where you will find these plants. They look like mangoes; be careful!                                                                                

An unforgettable experience!

Google tells me there are wonderful boat cruises similar to this in other parts of the world too. Please share your experience😊

Watch the videos https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ie3myBZWL0g
                             https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ED9_XNKwrE

Enjoy!

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