Houseboat cruise on the Palm fringed Kerala backwaters in Alleppey

Have you been to God’s country Kerala?  Mr. Suburbia was born there and spent many of his summer holidays at his grandparents home in Thiruvananthapuram (which is also known as Trivandrum).  One of his favorite things to do is take us around to different places he used to visit during his childhood. During one such trip, we spent a day cruising the back waters of Alleppey in Kerala on a Houseboat… fresh fish with some toddy for lunch and endless views of Palm trees, lush green vegetation and calm waters!

Outside Suburbia - Kerala Alleppey houseboat
A beautiful houseboat on the back waters of Kerala

What to expect on a houseboat in Alleppey, Kerala

We did boat ride from Alleppey where you can do a day trip on the boat instead of staying overnight in one.  Alleppey, Called as Venice of the East, is beautiful with lovely lakes, beautiful lagoons, and freshwater rivers. The Backwaters of Kerala is a network of interconnected canals, rivers, lakes, and inlets formed by more than 900 km of waterways. The backwaters present a unique ecosystem where freshwater from the rivers meets the seawater from the Arabian Sea. Local oarsmen take you to an amazing world of lush greenery and tranquility hidden from street views. From small wooden boats to large rice barges, there is something for everyone on the backwaters.

Outside Suburbia - What to expect on a houseboat in Alleppey, Kerala

The houseboat that we had arranged picked us up from Alleppey Finishing Point Jetty and look us cruising through the lush green paddy fields and traditional Kerala villages. We went on the Punnamada Lake – the site of the famous Nehru Trophy Boat Race.  We stopped at a local toddy shop ( which is local rice alcohol), you can bring your own beer or other alcohol.  Since we had requested for some local fish, our cook stopped to pick those up.

What to expect on a houseboat in Alleppey, Kerala

Is it worth staying in a Houseboat in Kerala?

We opted for the day cruise, you can also do an overnight on the houseboat which is probably the most common thing to do.  But all they do is dock near the banks of the canals and the houseboats all dock up near each other. If you have a loud group next to you, you might not get a peaceful sleep and you might also run into the issue of mosquitoes.  So IMHO day cruise is the way to go!

What to expect on a houseboat in Alleppey, Kerala

For either of the cruises, you set sail on a traditional kettuvallom. These giant 100-foot longboats have been adapted into fully furnished houses ranging from one to four bedrooms. Boats have open-air living rooms, AC in the bedrooms and fully functioning western-style bathrooms. Each boat also comes with a captain, a chef, and other houseboat guides to take care of your every need while on board. They do have nice TVs in the bedrooms if you choose to watch some shows or a movie instead of enjoying nature and views. The boat comes with all the supplies for the chef to make lunch and a tea and snack for the evening or dinner if you are spending the night.

What to expect on a houseboat in Alleppey, Kerala

Our day in a houseboat in Alleppey

You can get to Alleppey (also called Alappuzha) from Kochi in about 1.5-hours, some tours (like this private tour) will even pick you up from your hotel in Kochi. Once you get onboard the traditional boats, the cruise duration is around four to five hours. We watched the everyday life along the water, where kids came back from school, local women washing clothes or cooking, tending to livestock or just sitting and chatting with their friends. We were floating past tiny villages, patches of coconut groves, rice paddy fields, and homes.

Outside Suburbia - What to expect on a houseboat in Alleppey, Kerala
Fresh fish cooked to order on the boat

Kerala-style lunch was served with dishes such as sambar,  rice, avail (which is a mix of cooked vegetables in a coconut curry), along with the fish we had bought.  For dessert, we had payasam – a rice pudding flavored with cardamom, saffron, cashew, and pistachios. The kids played card games and took naps when they got tired captaining the boat.  Tea was served around 4 pm while we enjoying the views.  We wrapped up around 5:30 pm and made it back to the Hotel in Kochi by 7 pm.

What to expect on a houseboat in Alleppey, Kerala
A nap is in order after that nice meal
What to expect on a houseboat in Alleppey, Kerala
Outside Suburbia - What to expect on a houseboat in Alleppey, Kerala
D trying to captain the houseboat!

If you are visiting Kerala, I highly recommend spending a day in one of these houseboats, especially in Alleppey.  You will see why the Viceroy of the Indian Empire, Lord Curzon, who was so mesmerized by the scenic beauty called Alleppey “The Venice of the East.”

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9 thoughts on “Houseboat cruise on the Palm fringed Kerala backwaters in Alleppey”

  1. We also did just the day trip on a houseboat from Allepeppy, and this was probably my least favorite activity/place of our time in India. The food was good, but we weren’t used to the 2 hour break that the staff took after lunch, where we were just docked at the side of the river. I think it would have been more fun if we were with another family. We had a home stay with a lovely family, but I couldn’t get used to the humidity and mosquitoes.

    1. Sabrina – sorry that it was a bad memory. The staff usually dock at the end of the day, didn’t realize they do that during lunch as well. The mosquitoes are the reason we don’t stay overnight in the houseboats.

      1. It’s not a completely bad memory. It was still a very different experience and one I think many people would enjoy, so if you’re in the area it is definitely something to try.

    1. Thanks Allane, it has become a tradition to do a day in the houseboat every time we visit Kerala. You should try it out if you visit Kerala.

  2. Hi Priya, finally made it to your site for a ready (Up Up and a Bear from Instagram). Excellent post. What a great way to spend a day. That fish plate looks delicious!

  3. That looks like a beautiful and relaxing way to travel the waterways, especially with the children. The scenery is spectacular and the food looks delicious.

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