Houseboat
Have you ever gone cruising in a houseboat on the backwaters of Kerala? If you haven't, make sure you do. This is easily one amongst the most remarkable and unique experiences that our state has to offer.
Present day houseboats are huge, slow moving exotic barges used for leisure trips, and are in fact a reworked version of the Kettuvallams of olden times. The original Kettuvallams were used to carry tons of rice and spices. A standard Kettuvallam can hold up to 30 tons of goods from Kuttanad to the Kochi port.
In Malayalam language Kettu refers to ‘dwelling structures’ ‘Vallam’ means boat. These are boats with a thatched roof cover over wooden hulls. The boat is made of planks of jack-wood joined together with coir. This is then coated with a caustic black resin made from boiled cashew kernels. With careful maintenance, a Kettuvallam can last for generations.
A portion of the Kettuvallam was covered with bamboo and coir to serve as a restroom and kitchen for the crew. Meals were cooked onboard and supplemented with freshly cooked fish from the backwaters.
When modern trucks replaced this system of transport, people came up with a new way that would keep these boats, almost all of which were more than 100 years old, in the market. By constructing special rooms to accommodate travellers, these boats cruised forward from near-extinction to enjoy their present popularity.
Please note that once your booking is confirmed, you will receive an e-mail as well as an SMS on your registered mobile number confirming your booking.
Please note that these packages are customizable, which means that you will be able to make changes to the itinerary/activity if you so desire. The final payment will be calculated as per the activities reflecting on the website which will be outlined in the confirmatory e-mail sent to you.
1) 25% cancellation charge will be deducted if the booking is cancelled 10 days before Trip date
2) 50% cancellation charge will be deducted if the booking is cancelled 7 days before Trip date.
3) No refund if cancelled within 48hrs before the Trip date.