The houseboats in Kerala, south India, are huge, slow-moving, exotic barges used for leisure trips. They are a reworked model of Kettuvallams (in the Malayalam language, Kettu means "tied with ropes", and vallam means "boat"), which, in earlier times, were used to carry rice and spices from Kuttanad to the Kochi port. Kerala houseboats were considered a convenient means of transportation.The popularity of Kettuvallams has returned in the function as major tourist attractions.Such a houseboat is about 60 to 70 feet (about 18 to 21 meters) long and about 15 feet (about 5 m) wide at the middle. The hull is made of wooden planks that are held together by ropes of coconut fiber; the usual wood is 'Anjili'. The roof is made of bamboo poles and palm leaves. The exterior of the boat is painted with protective coats of cashew nut oil.

Houseboats of Aleppey, Kerala

Alappuzha (Aleppey) Houseboast day cruise in kerala backwaters will be memorable with the mind-blowing view of canal systems and endless lagoons , Paddy fields, rivers joining the backwater, small houses on small stretch of land There are villages in allover these backwater but the land area is very small, The view of backwater birds, people working in paddy fields, toody taping , fishing in backwater, or people using small canoes as mode of transportation, Big houseboats, Alleppey Houseboats, motorboats country made boats used by tourists , small resorts, heritage homes are specialty of this area

Houseboats of Cochin, Kerala

With coconut trees lining the pellucid lake waters for kilometers at a stretch …the backwaters of Cochin proffer one of the most enchanting sights to tourists. Apart from the numerous ancient monuments, like the Jewish Synagogue, Fort Kochi and the Mattancherry Palace, built during the pre-British times, the backwaters in Kochi city of Kerala is just another reason why hundreds of tourists flock to this beautiful port city the whole year round.

Houseboats of Kumarakom, Kerala

Kumarakom is one of the most famous backwater destinations of Kerala, India. Located at the distance of 15 km from Kottayam town in Kerala, it is a peaceful region with numerous coconut palms and shallow waterways. The most important attractions of Kumarakom are the Natural Bird Sanctuary and the breathtaking Backwaters. One of the most popular ways to explore the Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary and the breathtaking backwaters is by scheduling houseboats in Kumarakom Kerala backwaters. Kumarakom houseboat takes you into the unique world of water and wonderment and provides wonderful opportunity to explore backwaters attractions including bird sanctuary. A Kerala Houseboat tour over the breathtaking backwaters at Kumarakom will be surly a great experience.

Houseboats of Wayanad, Kerala

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 some boats are poled by local oarsmen, most are powered by a 9 HP engine. Boat-trains - formed by joining two or more houseboats together - are also used by large groups of sight-seers. Kabini is one of the most popular wildlife destinations of Karnataka, probably because of its easy accessibility, lush green landscape surrounding a large picturesque lake, and fantastic sightings of large herds of elephants. It is 80 km away from Mysore and 205 km from Bangalore, and comprises the south-eastern part of Nagarole National Park. Situated on the banks of River Kabini, this forest reserve is spread over 55 acres of forestland, steep valleys, and water bodies. Once a private hunting lodge of the Maharaja of Mysore, Kabini was a popular shikar hotspot for British Viceroys and Indian royalty. Now it is considered to be one of the best wildlife sanctuaries in Karnataka, famous for its spectacular wildlife and bird life.

Backwater-Houseboats Travel to Kerala

The backwaters of Kerala – meandering inland lakes networked by canals – stretch to over 900 km.Boat trips across these tranquil stretches are an experience unique to Kerala. Large Kettuvalloms (traditional country crafts over 60 ft.in length)have been converted into luxury houseboats for these cruises. A cruise along the palm-fringed waterways of Kerala in a luxury houseboat is the most enchanting holiday experience in India today. In this world of simple pleasures, you'll skim past ancient Chinese fishing nets, water lilies,lush paddy fields, coir villages, rustic homes, temples and coconut groves. Innumerable lagoons, lakes, canals, estuaries and the deltas of forty-four rivers make up the 900 km backwater network of Kerala. The backwaters mainly cover four districts of the State ­Kollam, Alappuzha, Kottayam and Kochi. The largest backwater 'body, the Vembanad Lake flows through Alappuzha and Kottayam districts and opens out into the sea at the Kochi port. The Ashtamudi Lake, the second largest backwater stretch, offers the longest ride (eight hours) and is considered the gateway to the backwaters.