Houseboats in Kumarkom & Alleppy have long been an attraction for tourists in Kerala. With more than 1000+ houseboats sailing in the majestic Vembanad Lake, you have a plethora of choices for choosing one.
All boats fall into 3 categories: Delux, Super Delux & Luxury and start around Rs.8000 per night incl Lunch, Dinner & Breakfast. All have a dedicated cook & a captain full time with you. They vary from 1 BHK to 6 BHK and depending on the number of guests you can either select a dedicated one or shared. Reaching Alleppy or Kumarkom from Kochi is easy: just book an Ola or Uber from Kochi airport & you should reach in 2.5 hours / 2300 Rs.
We had booked a 1BHK houseboat dedicated to 3 of us. We were welcomed by the houseboat owner at the jetty and had a smooth check-in with refreshing coconut water. The boat was clean, a spacious open deck, a small AC dining room, a bedroom with an attached toilet & a kitchen at the back. The journey started with backwaters of Vembanad and then emerging into the lake itself.
Local lunch with fried fish was delicious. In the evening we stopped at a Todi (local palm wine) shop in the lake to collect some freshly brewed alcohol. Later, stop at a fish market to buy some fresh tiger prawns from the Lake.
By 6 PM, our boat was anchored in the middle of the lake alongside rice paddy fields. It was quiet dinner with local fish & wine in the pleasant surroundings of the lake. Next day, the boat started at 7 am back towards the jetty. After a quick breakfast in the boat, we checked out by 10 am. It was indeed a sublime experience, and one I would definitely recommend you try.
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