10 FAQs About the Houseboats in Alleppey Answered

Fascinated by the magical houseboats in Alleppey but got no time to research for your trip? You’ve landed up at the right place! Starting from the FAQs about the itinerary of the houseboats in Alleppey to the tariff details, we’ve got it all covered!

1. What are the different types of houseboats?

You’ll mainly find two types of houseboats in Alleppey, namely – deluxe houseboats and premium houseboats. As the name suggests, premium houseboats are superior to the deluxe house as they come fully loaded with plus interiors, luxury furnishings and services.

houseboats-in-alleppey-premium

For example, ACs run round the clock for premium houseboats, the deluxe houseboats have fixed AC timings from 9:00 pm to 6:00 am. Guests can also enjoy great variety in the food menu, candle light dinners, Jacuzzi and shower panel facilities in most premium houseboats. Some premium houseboats can even make arrangements for functions like weddings, anniversary celebrations, etc. on advance intimation.

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Houseboat in the Image: Grand Nirvana Jacuzzi Super Luxury Houseboat

Check availability for Grand Nirvana Jacuzzi Super Luxury Houseboat Check availability for Grand Nirvana Jacuzzi Super Luxury Houseboat

So, which one should you go for? Well, that depends on your preference. If you’re more interested in enjoying the backwater experience with the basic facilities provided well within your budget, pick deluxe houseboats. But if you’re in the mood to splurge and soak in a luxurious experience, premium houseboats are just what you need!

2. What kind of amenities can I expect?

Starting from single bedroom houseboats to ten-bedroom houseboats, you can find plenty of options to book from. While each bedroom comes with an attached toilet, some houseboats even have a living room, dining room and kitchen. Some houseboats also offer private dining rooms, balconies, upper deck, glass walls, etc. Usually 3 staff members are present in houseboats (captain, chef and driver).

3. What type of cruises are available?

Overnight stay & day trip are the two major cruises available

Check-in time for overnight stay cruise - 11:30 am to 12:30 pm.

By 5:30 pm the boat will be anchored at a shore of a backwater village

Checkout time on the next day - 9:00 am to 9:30 am. All meals are served in the houseboat.

Check-in time for day cruise - 10:00 am-11:00 am

Checkout time for day cruise - 5:00 pm - 5:30 pm.

The overnight stay cruises provide all meals as a part of the package. This includes your lunch, tea/coffee with snacks, dinner and breakfast (food menus are based on the traditional Kerala cuisines). The cruise takes place in 2 time slots – before lunch, after lunch and one hour cruise in the next morning.

4. What’s on the food menu?

While guests can enjoy authentic Kerala cuisine during their houseboat trip, specific food items can also be arranged. A request for special menus like, pure vegetarian food, Jain food, North Indian cuisine, etc. can be placed in advance. To celebrate special occasions, guests can also place customized requests for cakes, candle-light dinner provisions, etc. In fact, most houseboats also allow guests to buy fresh fish like Jumbo prawns, Pearl Spot (called Karimeen in Malayalam), Crabs etc. directly from the fisherman and then the chef can cook it for them in the houseboat kitchen. Isn’t that a great way to relish fresh-cooked meals?

Apart from customized requests for food, most houseboat packages provide welcome drinks, lunch, tea/coffee with snacks, dinner and breakfast, which are included in the cost.

5. What will be the itinerary?

For overnight stay cruise, the cruise time is usually 5 to 6 hrs. Overnight cruise houseboats will be anchored at the shore of a backwater village at 5:30 pm till 8:00 am of next day. The cruise will be over by 9:00 am of the next day.

Popular routes: The most popular backwater for houseboat cruise are Alappuzha and Kumarakom. There are houseboats available in Kollam, Thrissur and Valiyaparambu in North Kerala.

Depending on the houseboat you pick, the following routes may be applicable:

Alleppey - nearby regions in Vembabanad Lake – Alleppey
Alleppey - Kumarakom - Thottappally - Neudmudi – Alleppey
Alleppey - Kumarakom – Alleppey
Alleppey - Alumkadavu (requires 2 nights of cruise)

Sample Itinerary – 1 (Alleppey to Alleppey)

Day 1: Check in at 12 noon and start cruising. Reach Kayal by 1 pm, where the boat will be anchored and lunch will be served inside the houseboat. The cruise will resume at 3 pm, covering the Pallathuruthy river, Pukaitha river, and Pullangady for sightseeing or photo sessions. The cruise finally ends at around 5.30-6.00 pm, where it’s anchored for the night and guests can have their dinner.

Day 2: Next morning, the cruise will start after breakfast and will pass through Chennamkery, Kainkary, Pallathuruthy, Kuppapuram and other small villages before it finally reaches Alleppey.

Sample Itinerary – 2 (Alleppey to Alleppey)

Day 1: Check in at 12 noon at Alleppey, start cruising through the Punnamada lake, venue of the famous Nehru Trophy Boat Race. Enter the enchanting waters of the Vembanad Lake and enjoy the panoramic views as well as glimpses of the life along the banks. High points of the cruise are the visit to the 400 year old church and watching the Kerala Boat Race. The Snake Boat or Vallam Kali, which 110 feet long is a significant part of Kerala's tradition and culture.

Lunch will be served in the houseboat. Thereafter, visit the Chavara Bhavan, the old wooden house where Saint Kuriakose Elias Chavara was born. Finally, the houseboat will be anchored for the night at Munnatummugham.

Day 2: Next day morning, cruise through the SNDP canal, Kuppappuram, Vilakkumaram thodu to reach Jetty. Check out by 9.30 am at Alleppey

At Alleppey Backwaters, there are various check-in & check-out points:

Nehru Trophy Finishing Point & Starting Point
Punnamada Jetty
Pallathuruthy
Kainakari
Nedumudi
Kavalam
Kaaipuram
Muhamma
Kannankara & Thaneer Mukkom.

At Kumarakom Backwaters, the check-in & check-out points are:

Kumarakom Boat Jetty
Kavanattinkara
Cheepungal
Kaipuzha Muttu & Vechoor.

6. Which is preferred-Alappuzha or Kumarakom houseboat?

The best to pick will be the Alappuzha-Kumarakom cruise, which allows travellers to check in Kumarakom and check out at Alappuzha or vice versa at a nominal additional charge. By choosing this cruise, visitors can enjoy the beauty of both Kumarakom and Alappuzha backwaters. Most operators provide this route.

You’ll find more houseboat options available in Alappuzha as you cruise through narrow channels. However, there’s heavy traffic in the Alappuzha route. On the other hand, the Kumarakom cruise will let you have a glimpse of all luxury resorts and a bird sanctuary, as you cruise on a less traffic route.

Note: You can also go for the Alapuzha-Kollam cruise, which is the longest houseboat cruise in Kerala.

7. Are there any activities I can look forward to?

Some houseboats give guests the option to enjoy indoor games, fishing, etc. For overnight stay cruises, after the houseboats are anchored in the evening, guests can also visit the village, church, temple, and other local attractions.

Highly recommended: Make sure to request for a canoe ride while booking your houseboats.

8. How safe are these houseboats?

The houseboats are completely safe for families, couples and even, solo travellers. The houseboats crew are always available for the guests for any help. Guests can enjoy complete privacy and security during their stay. The houseboats carry safety equipment such as life-jackets, fire-extinguishers, etc.

9. What are the tariffs?

The tariffs depend on the season and the type of houseboats you’re opting for. Booking a houseboat is costlier during October to February and cheaper during March to September. Also, premium houseboat rates are greater than deluxe or standard houseboats.

10. Is it necessary to pre-book houseboats?

If you’re planning to book a houseboat in Alleppey during the peak season, it’s advisable to pre-book. Even though the houseboats are available for spot booking, booking slots for popular houseboats usually get filled up pretty soon. So, if you prefer going for popular and reputed houseboats, it’s always a good idea to book in advance.

Important things to note

Expect 6 hours of cruise and docked overnight stay. As per govt. regulations, the houseboats are not allowed to move from 5:30 pm to morning to allow the fishermen to work.
Problems of mosquitoes arise only for deluxe boats while for premium boats chances of mosquitoes are very less.
For deluxe houseboats AC will be operated only from 9 pm to 6 am. To sum up, if you’re opting for premium houseboats of reputed providers, you will not need to worry about any problems.