Houseboats are most popular in Kerala as people can explore the natural beauty. Not only this but also houseboats are popular attractions in the Kerala tourism industry. A houseboat stay should be on the bucket list of the honeymoon in Kerala while they are on their Kerala tour.
Now if you are one who is planning to book a houseboat while you are on your honeymoon and is in search of some information then you have landed in the right place.
Here we have mentioned everything from the hiring of a houseboat to its facilities in order to make the most of your trip easy.
What Makes Kerala backwaters Houseboat so attractive to tourists?
The backwaters of Kerala are basically a network of canals, lakes, and rivers that are interconnected with each other and they are over 900 km in total length. One of the most unique things about the backwaters is the freshwater from the rivers in Kerala as well as saline water from the Arabian sea meets here.
There are many places where people have created barriers to prevent freshwater from mixing with seawater so that it can be used for various agricultural activities. Not only this but the backwaters in Kerala are home to a wide range of aquatic species which include turtles and crabs.
Overview Of Kerala Backwaters Houseboat And The Facilities Offered By Them
The houseboats which are now used for tourism purposes are modified because they were earlier used for transporting goods from one place to another. There are various types of houseboats available in Kerala which vary in size.
Some houseboats have one single bedroom while some have more than 10 bedrooms. Apart from this, they have various other facilities such as geysers, attached restrooms and some houseboats have a WiFi connection. There are two types of houseboats available in Kerala namely Premium and Deluxe.
Best Season To Hire Kerala Houseboat
You can hire houseboats any year across the year. But we would suggest you to hire houseboats in the months of December and January as they are considered as the peak seasons because the weather remains stable. You can even plan a trip between May to August to avoid rains.
But you really plan to hire a houseboat between May and August, it is mandatory to go for the air-conditioned one because the weather temperature remains humid at that time.
From Where Should You Hire A Houseboat?
Although Kerala is blessed with many mesmerizing backwater destinations but the most popular ones are Kumarakom and Alleppey and this is the reason why most of the houseboats are present in Alleppey and Kumarakom. Most of the houseboats operators are based on Alleppey, the Venice of East.
Alleppey is known for its pristine, lakes, lagoons and paddy fields. Once you board the houseboat from Alleppey you will be taken to various other backwaters like Kottayam and Kumarakom. For instance, most people board their houseboats in Alleppey and deboard in Kumarakom.
However, you can choose your destination as per your preferences. The houseboats normally cover a trip of a maximum of 50 to 60 km a day and this is enough to experience the breathtaking beauty of Kerala. Not only this but many premium hotels and resorts have their own houseboats which provide sunset cruises and overnight stay. On the other hand, if you stay in a hotel which doesn’t have its own houseboat, they will arrange one for you.
For How Long Should You Hire A Houseboat?
Well, it depends as per your preferences based on how much time you want to spend on a luxury houseboat. For instance, you can hire a houseboat for a day or you can even hire a houseboat for a week. But spending a week in a houseboat will become boring and monotonous. However, we feel 48 hours in a houseboat is enough to explore the entire backwaters and enjoy the scenic beauty.
How To Choose A Houseboat For Your Overnight Stay?
All the houseboats in Kerala are made of environmentally friendly materials. Most of them are characterized by thatched roofs that are made of bamboo. The houseboats are featured with fully furnished bedrooms with attached washrooms and private balconies.
The crew mainly contains a cook and two to four oarsmen. Being a honeymooner you should maintain safety precautions. Thus all the houseboats maintain sufficient safety measures. Not only this but also the Government of Kerala came for the periodic inspection of the houseboat to check if the safety precautions are maintained.
Now let us discuss about the two types of houseboats that are available for hiring:
- Deluxe Boats: Deluxe boats basically comprise of single bedroom boats which are designed simple and don’t have many facilities which you may require such as full-day air conditioners and geysers.
- Premium Boats: Premium boats are way more comfortable and convenient as compared to the standard boats They have 24 hours air conditioning facilities with a glass verandah. Most of the people these houseboats as not all can afford the luxury houseboats.
Should You Hire A day Cruise Or An Overnight Stay?
The honeymooners have two options to choose the time of the trip in the houseboat. You can either hire a day cruise or stay overnight in the houseboats. The day cruise normally starts earlier as compared to the overnight cruise but the day cruise ends at 5 pm every day.
An overnight stay comprises steering the boat at the middle of the backwaters so that the visitors can enjoy sleeping in the middle of pristine waters. If you have an early morning flight, we would suggest you go for a day cruise. We would advise you to hire a boat overnight in monsoons as there is a high risk of mosquitoes.
What is the menu of the houseboat?
Food is one of the important parts of any tour, And when you are on a houseboat the waiter will serve you freshly prepared meals. There is a wide range of cuisines available which include North Indian, Continental and South Indian. You can also have some beverages during day time. But never miss the local fish fry as this is a showstopper.
So these are all the important points that you should know to make your houseboat ride experience worth remembering. We hope that this guide was helpful to you.
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