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Have
you ever gone houseboat cruising on the backwaters of Kerala?
If you haven't, Come discover the
enchanting backwaters and lively villages of Kerala on a houseboat cruise.
Nowhere in the world you will get this kind of experience !
The houseboats of today
- huge, slow moving, exotic barge used for leisure trips - are the reworked kettuvalloms of olden times. The original kettuvalloms were
used to carry tonnes of rice and spices - a standard kettuvallom can
hold up to 30 tonnes - from Kuttanad to the Kochi port.
A portion of the kettuvallom was covered with bamboo and coir to serve as a restroom and |
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kitchen for the crew. Meals would be cooked on board and supplemented with
fresh fish from the backwaters. Today, the tradition is still continued and
the food from the local cuisine is served by the Kuttanad localites, on
board.
Now these are a familiar
sight on the backwaters and in Alleppey alone, there are as many as 120
houseboats.
While converting kettuvallams into houseboats, care is taken to use only natural
products. Bamboo mats, sticks and wood of the aracanut tree are used for
roofing, coir mats and wooden planks for the flooring and wood of coconut
trees and coir for beds. For lighting though, solar panels are used.
Today, the 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 sight-seers.
What is truly magical
about a houseboat ride is the breathtaking view of the untouched and
otherwise inaccessible rural Kerala that it offers - while you float!
Now, wouldn’t that be something?
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Tour itineraries
1) Alleppey round – 1 night
Day 1
Pick up from Alleppey
finishing point jetty at 11.30 hours.
Cruise on the
Pallathuruthy river, Pukaitha river, Pullangady till Champakulam.
Sights at Champakulam -
The Champakulam church, which is more than 200 years old, the Kottaram
temple and the famous snake boat – the Champakulam Chundan.
Proceed to
Munnattumugham for night stay.
Enroute, can stop at
Nedumudy to visit the local market.
Day
2
Cruise starts after
breakfast and passes through Chennamkery, Kainary, Pallathuruthy and
Kuppapuram, all small villages, to reach Alleppey Finishing Point jetty at
9.30 hours.
(Alleppey) known as the ‘Venice of
the East’ is a small town south of Cochin. Most of the houseboats are parked
here. The Vembanad Lake, narrow canals, paddy fields and the sleepy villages
all make Alleppey a beautiful place.) |
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Meals served will
be of typical Kerala cuisine
Lunch: Rice, vegetables, fish fry/curry, salads, pappad.
Evening: Tea / coffee with snacks.
Dinner: Rice, chapathy, vegetable curries and chicken.
Breakfast: Bread, butter, jam, and eggs to order.
On request, we serve
dosa or idli and other Kerala dishes for breakfast.
Soft drinks, beer and wine to cost extra.
Hard liquor will not be available on board due to government restrictions.
Tariffs
1 bedroom houseboat -
190 US$ ( Rs. 8000) Per Night with all meals for two persons
Reservation: travelplan@asianetindia.com
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