Houseboat is a concept based on the traditional kettuvallam that was used to carry rice and spices from Kuttanad to Cochin (Kochi) port, in olden days. When the modern trucks replaced this modest transport system, some one found a new way to use the old kettuvallam (almost all of them are more than 100 years old). That was, by building rooms for accommodating travelers. Now there are as many as 120 kettuvallam converted into houseboat at Alleppey alone.

The name kettuvallam means a boat with knots 9wooden planks are joined together with coir knots and no nail is used to carry goods (30 tons can be loaded in one normal boat) to Kochi, the workers (crew) used to cook their meals onboard supplementing it with the fish from the fresh water. The same concept is followed in the houseboat – local food is served and the people are from Kuttanad. They know the backwaters, lakes and canals. They understand English and they can speak “Alleppey English” also.

While converting the Kettuvallam into houseboat, maximum care had been taken to use natural products – roofing with bamboo mats, bamboo and arrecknut tree, flooring platform with wooden planks covered by coir mats, the coats are made coconut tree’s wood and the bed is again coir form. The lighting is with the help of solar panels.

Itineraries for various Cruises :

Alleppey – known as the Venice o the East – is a small town South of Cochin and most of the houseboats are parked here. Vembanad Lake, narrow canals, paddy fields and the villages are the attraction.

Kumarakam (near the birds sanctuary) is the place where popular resorts like Coconut Lagoon and Taj Garden Retreat are established. Most of the tourists are staying at Kumarakam and from the resort they abroad the houseboat. If the guests are going to Periyar (Thekkady – where the Periyar Lake, the boating to see wild elephants and trekking to the rain forests of Western Ghats are popular) from Alleppey, they can disembark at Alleppey.

Alinkadavu is the place near Quilon from where the guests can progress towards Trivandrum (Thiruvanathapuram – Capital of Kerala) and Kovalam (beach).

ALLEPPEY ROUND – 1 NIGHT

Day 1 – Pick up from Alleppey Finishing Point Jetty at 11.30hrs. Cruise through Pallathuruthy River, Pukaitha River, Pullangady and reaches Champakulam. Visit Champakulam Church which is more than 200 years old. Famous snake boat Champakulam Chundan and Kottaram Temple. After that proceed to Munnattumugham for night stay. Enroute can stop at Nedumudy to visit the local market.

Day 2 – Cruise starts after breakfast and passes through Chennamkery, Kainakary, Pallathuruthy and Kuppapuram (all small villages) to reach Alleppey Finishing Point Jetty at 9.30 hrs.

ALLEPPEY ROUND – 2 NIGHTS

Day 1 – Pick up from Alleppey Finishing Point Jetty at 11.30hrs. Cruise through Pallathuruthy River, Pukaitha River, Pullangady and reaches Champakulam. Visit Champakulam Church which is more than 200 years old. Famous snake boat Champakulam Chundan and Kottaram Temple. After that proceed to Munnattumugham for night stay. Enroute can stop at Nedumudy to visit the local market.

Day 2 – Cruise through Mancompu, have village walk and visit Bhagavathy Temple. Back to houseboat and proceed to Pulinkunnu and enters Puthenthodu which is a long strtch of narrow canal and reaches Kavalam.. Further cruise will be through big rivers with various paddy fields on both sides viz. Mangalam, E-Block, H-Block, R-Block and reaches Cherukali Kayal for night stay.

Day 3 – Cruise through C-Block, Kuppapuram and Azhikkal canal reach Alleppey Finishing Point Jetty at 9.30 hrs.

ALLEPEY ROUND – 3 NIGHTS

Day 1 – Pick up from Allepey Finishing Point Jetty at 11.30 hrs. Cruise through Pallathuruthy, Karimpavalavu, Karumady canal (long stretch of narrow canal to reach Thottappally for night stay. En route can visit Karumady Kuttan which is the Buddha Statue.

Day 2 – Cruise through Thandapra, Pullangady and reaches Champakulam. Visit Champakulam Church and the famous snake boat Champakulam Chundan. Continues through Nedumudy and Mancompu. Stop for village walk and Bhagavathy temple visit which is one of the oldest near backwaters. Night stay at Onnamkara.

Day 3 – Cruise towards Pulinkunnu, visit Pulinkunnu Church and local market. Further proceed to Kovalam through Puthen Thodu which is a long stretch of narrow canal. Proceed to Cherukali Kayal for night stay through big river with various paddy fields onboth sides – Mangalam, E-Block, H-Block, R-Block and D-Block etc.

Day 4 – Cruise through C-Block, Kuppapuram and Azhikkal Canal to reach Alleppey at 9.30 hrs.

ALLEPPEY – KUMARAKOM – 1 Night

Day 1 – Pick up from Alleppey Finishing Point Jetty at 11.30 hrs. Cruise through Azhikkal Canal, Kuppapuram, Pallathuruthy, Swamy Canal, Meenappally Kayal, Muttael Canal, Kainakary Church Canal, Vatta Kayal, Venattukadu Canal, Aakkathara Canal, Paddy fields (Mangalam- 4000, Rajapuram, E-Block-14,000 and R-Block). Night stay near Chithira Kayal.

Day 2 – Cruise through Vembanadu Lake to reach Kumarakom at 9.30 hrs.

ALLEPPEY – KUMARAKOM – 2 Nights

Day 1 – Pick up from Alleppey Finishing Point Jetty at 11.30 hrs. Cruise through Pallathuruthy, Karimpavalavu, Pullangady and reaches Champakulam. Visit Champakulam Church and the famous snake boat Champakulam Chundan. Cruise continues through Nedumudy to reach Munnattumugham for night stay.

Day 2 – Cruise to Mancompu Village walk and temple visit. Back to houseboat and proceed to Pulinkunnu, visit church and local market. Cruise towards Kovalam through Puthen Thodu (a good stretch of narrow canal). Further cruise will be through big rivers with various paddy fields on both sides, viz. Rajapuram, 6000, H-Block, R-Block, etc.

Day 3 – Cruise through Vembanadu Lake to reach Kumarakom at 9.30 hrs.

ALLEPPEY – KUMARAKOM – 3 Nights

Day 1 – Pick up from Alleppey Finishing Point Jetty at 11.30 hrs. Cruise through Pallathuruthy, Karimpavalavu, Kanjippadam, Karumady Canal (long stretch of narrow canal) Visit Karumady Kuttan and reaches Thottappally for night stay.

Day 2 – Thottappally, Thandapra, Thakazhy, Pullangady to reach Champakulam. Visit Champakulam Church and the famous snake boat Champakulam Chundan and continue through Nedumudy, Munnattumugham and reaches Mancompu. Visit Mancompu temple. Night stay at Onnamkara.

Day 3 – Onnamkara, Pulinkunnu. Visit Pulinkunnu Church and local market. Puthenthodu (narrow canal), Kovalam, Liziu, 6000, Mangalam, D-Block, 4000, C-Block, Marthandam, R-Block to reach Chithira Kayal for night stay.

Day 4 – Cruise through Vembanadu Lake to reach Kumarakom at 9.30 hrs.

ALLEPPEY (or KUMARAKOM) – ALINKADAVU – 2 Nights

Day 1 – Pick up from Alleppey Finishing Point Jetty at 11.30 hrs. Cruise through Kuppapuram, Pallathuruthy, Kainakary, Pally Canal, Venattukadu canal, Moonnattumugham, Nedumudy, Champakulam Church, Champakulam Chundan and night stay at Pullangady.

Day 2 – Pullangady, Karumady, Visit Karumady Kuttan. Thottappally, Kumarakody, Pallana, Thrikunnapuzha Village walk and visit local coir manufacturing unit. Night stay at Kayamkulam Lake.

Day 3 – Kayamkulam Lake, Vallikkavu, Alinkadavu at 9.30 hrs.

ALLEPPEY (or KUMARAKOM) – ALINKADAVU – 3 Nights

Day 1 – Pick up from Alleppey Finishing Point Jetty at 11.30 hrs. Cruise through Azhikkal Canal, Kuppapuram, Pallathuruthy, Kainakary Church canal, Venattukadu Canal, Cherukayal, C-Block, Marthandam, R-Block and night stay at E-Block Tharishu.

Day 2 – Rajapuram Kayal, Mangalam, Liziu, Kovalam, Puthenthodu, Pulinkunnu. Visit Pulinkunnu Church and local market. Visit Mancompu Temple. Night stay at Moonnattumugham.

Day 3 – Champakulam. Visit Champakulam Church and Champakulam Chundan, Pullangady, Karumady, Visit Karumady Kuttan, Thottappally, Kumarakody, Pallana, Visit local coir manufacturing unit. Thrikunnapuzha and night stay at Kayamkulam Lake.

Day 4 – Cruise through Kayamkulam lake and Vallikkavu to reach Alinkadavu at 9.30 hrs.


Note :
1. Pick up time for all the cruises are at 11.30 hrs and dropping time is 9.30 hrs.
2. Distance traveling on each day will be 35/40 kms on an average.
3. Meals served – Typical Kerala
Lunch – Rice, Vegetables, Fish fry/curry, salads, Pappad.
Evening – Tea/ Coffee with snacks
Dinner – Rice, Chappathy, Vegetable curries and chicken
Breakfast – Bread, butter, jam and eggs to order.

- On request we serve dosa / idli or any other Kerala stuff for breakfast.
- Soft drinks, Beer and wine to cost extra.
- Whisky, Brandy or Rum are not available on board due to Government restrictions.

Please note that Alinkadavu – Alleppey or vice versa will take more than 6 hrs of cruise, and hence we do not recommend it for over night (one day) trips.

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