At a Glance

There are many styles and grades of Houseboats plying the waterways of the famous backwaters of Kerala. Based on your budget we will advice you at the time of your booking, about the choice of boats. These extraordinary boats have, for hundreds of years, plied the backwaters weighed down with their cargoes of rice, fruit, coir and other crops. They have been the main source of transport between the villages of this area that are not accessed by road. From your vantage point on board, cruising the backwaters at your pace, you will see loin-clothed fishermen delicately balancing on their narrow canoes, women weaving or gossiping on the shore and you will be constantly accompanied by the happy sounds of children either play in the canals or at the water’s edge.

Undisturbed by the sound of traffic, the birdlife is exceptional, and you are offered a chance to experience a way of life that has changed little over the passing years. The boats themselves comprise one or two bedrooms with attached bathrooms and a larger, open-sided sitting area and a separate sun deck up one end from where you may watch the world go by.

They are fully staffed with a captain and a cook who will serve you up delicious meals of fish or whatever your particular preference is. ‘The Backwaters’ may not sound a particularly enticing destination but they make up one of the most beautiful areas of the state of Kerala, on the Malabar Coast of south-west India. They comprise a myriad network of canals and lagoons, at times only a few yards inland from the sea, and stretching for miles.

These freshwater waterways wind their way through the tropical jungles of palms and fruit trees, vibrant green paddy fields and small, water based settlements.

All along the water’s edge are churches, temples, villages and Chinese, cantilevered fishing nets, hanging eerily over the water, for which the area is famous. Whilst here you will be free to explore on your own. Simply sit and while away the hours, cut off from the rest of the world or visit to the local village and temple which are fascinating.

With a variety of grades available now with these House Boats, we can arrange an authentic experience or a luxury one. Ask staff for details.

Rainbow Cruises Website

Other houseboat experiences in India can be found in Srinagar, Jammu & Kashmir located in far North India called Sukoon. Also The Lotus in North Kerala.

The Lotus Website

Sukoon Website