Houseboats
Old rice barges.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/thursdaynext/ — CC BY 2.0 · Vis M — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Lijovklm — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Rainer Halama — CC BY-SA 4.0 · photographed by Pratheepps — CC BY-SA 2.5 · Rainer Halama — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Rainer Halama — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Rainer Halama — CC BY-SA 4.0
Kerala's signature experience, a network of brackish lakes, canals and rivers running for more than 900 km parallel to the Arabian Sea, with Alappuzha as its main gateway, earning it the nickname «Venice of the East». Boats glide between banks shaded by coconut palms, past small villages whose people live by the water and rice paddies below sea level in the Kuttanad region, and you watch daily life unfold: fishermen, laundry on the banks and children going to school by boat. The classic way to explore is a «kettuvallam» houseboat, a traditional rice barge turned into a home with bedrooms, a kitchen and a crew who cook fresh Kerala dishes, hired for half a day or overnight, or a small shikara boat for a shorter ride. A day houseboat starts at about ₹9,000 per boat, per visitor guides, and overnight stays cost more. In August, Punnamada Lake hosts the famous Nehru Trophy snake-boat race; agree on the route and meals in advance.
Old rice barges.
On the water.
Below sea level.
Punnamada Lake and the canals around Alappuzha
A day trip starts at about ₹9,000 per boat, per visitor guides; overnight costs more, depending on the boat's size and class.