House Boat or Kettuvallom

Boat cruises have alway been a great attraction for all, as they take one on the wonderful journey of a beautiful countryside. Usually the boat cruises are offered in rivers or lakes and last for one or two hour. However, if you can spend the night over a boat sailing in the waters with all luxurious amenities, it would be a thrilling experience. Practically it seems not possible, but it’s true such services are available in Kerala. Called as house boat or ‘Kettuvallam’, the boats are constructed like floating houses.

A houseboat cruise across the Kerala backwaters is a fantastic, unforgettable experience. In fact, houseboat cruising on the backwaters of Kerala draw visitors from all over the world. Most of the houseboat offer the stat hotel’s facilities like furnished bedrooms, modern toilets, cozy living rooms, a kitchen and even a balcony for angling.. Houseboat are also ideal for romantic vacation especially honeymooners. A cruise on the houseboat takes you close to mother nature and you can experience the nature at its best. Besides, while cruising you can enjoy the breathtaking view of the untouched and otherwise inaccessible rural Kerala. So, plan a trip this monsoon to enjoy a tranquil vacation across the Kerala backwaters.

About Houseboat
Originally today’s luxurious houseboats are Kettuvalloms of olden times, used to carry tonnes of rice and spices from Kuttanad to the Kochi port. A portion of the the houseboat was covered with bamboo and coir to serve as a restroom and kitchen for the on board. Meals would be cooked on board and supplemented with fresh fish from the backwaters. Even today, the tradition is continue and the food from the local cuisine is served by the Kuttanad localities, to the people on board.

Natural products are used for manufacture of houseboat that include bamboo mats, sticks and wood of the aracanut tree, wood of coconut trees and coir for beds. For lighting in the houseboats, solar panels are used. While most boats are poled by local oarsmen, some are powered by a 40 HP engine. Boat-trains - formed by joining two or more houseboats together - are also used by large groups of sight-seers.

However, the arrival of trucks replaced the houseboats as mode of transport and it seemed that the boats would be not longer in use. Thanks to some one who thought about the another use of houseboats and made a special attraction for tourists. Special rooms were created to accommodate travelers and boast cruises were offered to them. Now the houseboat are a familiar sight on the backwaters of Kerala. In fact, in Alleppey alone, there are as many as 120 houseboats.

For more information visit http://www.vacationsindia.com/kerala/backwaters/