Houseboat on the Backwater

The Houseboats of Kerala or Kettuvalloms (riceboats) have become a very popular tourist attraction. These crafts were traditionally used for transporting goods such as rice, coconuts timber and other commodities from one village to another or to the coast for trading.  Once they ruled the backwaters, poled along by one or two men, heavily loaded with trade goods. But with the advent of roads and modern transport, these beautiful vessels went into neglect and decay. Today, they allow a visitor to explore the emerald green backwaters of Kerala while relaxing on a sundeck or taking in the vista from the balcony of the houseboat.

It takes great skill and meticulousness to construct these giant houseboats by tying huge planks of jack wood (anjili wood) together. Curiously enough, not a single nail is used in their making of a houseboat. All the materials used in the construction of the houseboats is eco-friendly: bamboo, palm and coir products.

Houseboats are about 67 feet in lenght and about 13 feet wide in the middle. They come with 1 to 3 fully-furnished (sometimes) air-conditioned bedrooms and attached baths and toilets. In addition, to keep the guests from going hungry, houseboats come with fully-equipped kitchens and beautiful dining areas. There are sundecks and private balconies with comfortable chairs so that a guest may enjoy the vista that passes by or just simply relax.

Kinds of Houseboats

• A/c Premium - A.T.D.C is having 3 premium houseboats . Premium Houseboat is having spacious leaving area, bedroom, attached bath room , and Kitchen. 24 hour a/c is the specialty of the premium houseboats. On the boat the guest will get complimentary bear, candle light dinner, flower decoration, fruit basket etc.
• A/c deluxe - A.T.D.C is having 10 a/c deluxe houseboats. The deluxe houseboat is having leaving area, a/c bedroom with attached bath room and kitchen. The a/c is available during the night time only.
• Punting - A.T.D.C is having 2 punting traditional boats. The specialty of the houseboat is, it is moving with manpower. It is also having the leaving area , room , attached bath room and kitchen.

Traditional lanterns are used for lights in the dark. There is a separate room for the crew to rest. The crew includes a chef and 2 oarsmen. Cuisine is traditional Kerala fair with local specialities that include fish and prawns.

The Palace on Water is a static houseboat in the middle of the backwaters. It is a luxury houseboat with 2 bedrooms (accommodating 4 persons). There is a balcony on the top that allows a wonderful panaromic view of the surrounding area. A similar balcony is also constructed at deck level. Other than these, there are private sun decks, very convenient for sun-bathing.

Canoes are always attached to the Palace on Water to transport guests to and from the land and also for cruises through the backwaters.

By Train
Alleppey has recently been connected to Cochin by rail. The Alleppey Railway Station is about 5 kilometers (3.12 miles) from the central bus stand and the boat jetty. You can also reach Alleppey from other cities such as Trivandrum, Kozhikode, Chennai, Bangalore, Coimbatore, Mumbai, New Delhi, and Kolkata by train.

By Road
Alleppey is on the NH 47 highway and is connected to all-important cities in South India by public state transport buses. There are bus services operating from cities such as Cochin (1315 hours, Rs 33), Trivandrum, Kozhikode, Chennai, Bangalore (overnight luxury buses Rs 650), Mysore, Coimbatore (overnight bus Rs 220) to Alleppey. Alleppey is also connected to these cities by private taxi. These tourist taxis are the most convenient way to enjoy sightseeing, move around attractions, especially when traveling in a group. Most airports and railway stations have a decent tourist taxi service.

By Air
The nearest airport is Cochin International Airport, about 64 kilometers (40 miles) to the north, and Trivandrum International Airport is approx. 159 kilometers (99.3 miles) to the south. You might have to pay about Rs 450 for a taxi to get from Cochin airport, then a bus or train to Alleppey. Alternatively, you can arrive at the airport in Trivandrum or Kozhikode (Calicut), Chennai or Bangalore, and further on catch a train to Alleppey.