What It's Like to Stay in a Traditional Houseboat in Alleppey, India
Sunrise in Alleppey
Due to our obsession with unique stays, we had to book a night on a houseboat in the Alleppey backwaters of Kerala, India. We read so many great reviews about the Alleppey houseboat experience + it was highly recommended by our Indian friends.
Houseboats are cultural staples of Kerala. They are formerly known as “Kettuvallum”, and were initially used as cargo transporters through the backwaters transporting mainly rice which was the major crop of the region. Today they’re used for Kerala tourism.
Houseboasts have traditional thatched roof covers with long wooden hulls. Using ancient principles of boat building , each houseboat is constructed with materials such as Anjili wood, palm leaves, coir ropes, cashew nut oil, and coconut fiber (au natural).
We were very happy we chose Angel House Boats for our houseboat experience. The owner, Tommy, was a cheerful young guy in his early 30s and the houseboat has been in his family for generations. Upon arrival, he welcomed us with fresh coconuts and toured us around the property.
By no means are Kerala houseboats high tech or luxurious, but they sure are cozy and charming. We had the whole houseboat to ourselves which included all the comforts of a good hotel — private bedroom and bathroom, dining area, kitchen, AC, and a second floor balcony + a crew of two staff members: a captain and a chef.
It was a relaxing afternoon cruising through the Alleppey backwaters; think serene waters surrounded by bright green palm trees. What a nice change it was to lay back and enjoy life by the water — sometimes you just need to slow down before speeding up.
Just when we thought the houseboat experience couldn’t get any better, lunch happened and WOW. The best meals we had in Kerala were on this boat. The chef made an array of vegetarian and fish dishes using flavorful Kuttandan spices. Either the chef's ingredients were made of magic or he was just an amazing cook - the dishes were simple yet so delicious!
After lunch we relaxed more on our balcony while sipping on masala chai and overlooking the tranquil landscape. There wasn’t much to do after sunset and dinner so we hit the sack really early. We had a comfortable sleep and woke up to birds chirping against a glossy, tropical backdrop.
Before heading back to the port, we ate breakfast and took a canoe ride through the canals. The canoe ride was fun but due to the scorching heat the 1 hour ride quickly became a 20 minute ride.
We loved experiencing the simple/ country-side life on the canals. Many of the locals never left the backwaters and the furthest they’ve gone is to town on their motor-boats. But they’re happy waking up to a gorgeous sunrise every morning and catching their dinner every night. What a life!
Canoe ride through the Alleppey canals
Boating through the serene backwaters and witnessing the simple yet blissful lives in this part of India was really a treat. It’s a nice break from the chaos of Indian cities and it truly felt like an Indian holiday. No matter where you are in the world, life really is better by the water.
If you can’t stay the night on a Kerala houseboat another option is to book a day cruise in Alleppey. But we highly recommend staying the night for the traditional houseboat experience (one night is more than enough)!
