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Houseboats · Alleppey

A night on the backwaters

Six private houseboats on the Alleppey backwaters, from one bedroom to six. The whole boat is yours for the night, with a crew who cook every meal on board.

The boats

Six boats, one bedroom to six

Every boat is private: you do not share it with other guests. Each bedroom is air-conditioned and has its own bathroom. Prices are for the whole boat for one night, with all meals included.

The one-bedroom houseboat (illustrative photograph)

Deluxe1 bedroom · Alleppey

The one-bedroom houseboat

A private boat for two, with one air-conditioned bedroom, its own bathroom, a living area and an open dining space facing the water.

  • 1 bedroom
  • Up to 2 guests
  • 1 bathroom
  • 2 crew

From ₹10,000 per night

View the boat

Boats come in three standards, Deluxe, Premium and Luxury. They share the same kind of hull and differ in how they are fitted out. Ask us which standard suits you.

The kettuvallam

Built without a single nail

A kettuvallam is a Kerala rice barge. Its jackwood planks are stitched together with coir rope, and its roof is woven from bamboo and palm. For generations these boats carried grain along the backwaters, when the water was the main road.

A drawing of a kettuvallam, the Kerala rice barge, with its woven roof and long wooden hull
  1. 01The roofWoven from bamboo and palm.
  2. 02The hullPlanks of jackwood.
  3. 03Coir ropeThe planks are stitched together with it, not nailed.

In the 1990s, Mr Babu Varghese of Tourindia put a bed inside one, and the houseboat as we know it began. That happened at Alumkadavu, where our founder lives and where he started his career working alongside Mr Varghese.

The boats we arrange belong to families from those same villages, so we always know who is cooking for you and where you will moor for the night.

The cruisePast villages, canals and paddy fields.
The mealsTraditional Kerala food, cooked on board.
The eveningTea and local snacks as the sun goes down.

A night on board

From noon to nine the next morning

The day follows the same rhythm on every boat. Only the size of the boat, the size of the crew and the distance you cruise change.

Day one

  1. 12:00 noonWelcome on boardBoard, check in and settle into your cabin with a welcome drink.
  2. 12:30 pmThe cruise beginsPast villages, canals and paddy fields.
  3. 1:30 pmLunchA traditional Kerala lunch, cooked on board.
  4. 5:30 pmEvening teaTea and local snacks as the sun goes down.
  5. 6:00 pmMoored for the nightThe boat moors, as local navigation rules require.
  6. 8:00 pmDinnerA traditional Kerala dinner.

Day two

  1. 8:00 amBreakfastServed before the last stretch of the cruise.
  2. 9:00 amCheck-outA short morning cruise, then check-out.

For every journey

Tell us who is coming

A honeymoon, a family holiday or a weekend with friends: tell us the occasion and we will suggest the boat that suits it.

For familiesShared days on the waterask on whatsapp
For couplesA quiet night for twoask on whatsapp
For friendsA boat to yourselvesask on whatsapp
CelebrationsBirthdays and anniversaries on boardask on whatsapp
The finest boatsOur most comfortable boatsask on whatsapp

The price

One price for the whole boat

Every price is for the whole boat for one night, with all meals included. It covers:

Included

  • Welcome drink
  • A private air-conditioned bedroom with its own bathroom
  • Lunch, evening tea and snacks, dinner and breakfast
  • The backwater cruise, as set out above
  • The crew
  • Mooring for the houseboat

Not included

  • Travel to and from the boarding point
  • Extra drinks
  • Personal expenses
  • Activities not listed above

Why arrange it with us

Boats we know

01

Boats we have stayed on

Our team has spent nights on every boat we arrange, and chose each one for its comfort and for the family who runs it.

02

A team in Kerala

We are based in Kollam district, close to the backwaters, and we are on call throughout your stay.

03

One clear price

One figure for the whole boat and all your meals, with nothing added later.

04

Part of a longer journey

A night on a houseboat fits easily into a wider trip through Kerala or South India. We plan the whole route around it.

Tell us your dates

Ask us which boat is free

Send us your dates and the number of guests. We will tell you which boats are free, what it costs and which one we would choose.

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