things to know before booking houseboat

Things to Know

Houseboats locally known as Kettuvallams are available for spending your exotic holidays in backwaters with food and accommodation. According to your plan, you can choose from a single bedroom to seven bedroom houseboats with all amenities including living room, kitchen, open lounge, deck and also crew comprising oarsmen, a cook, and guide for your service around the clock. to make your Trip memorable, before booking a houseboat consider these things.

As per Government, rule Houseboats are not permitted to operate during the night. The boat will be stationed for an overnight stay from 5.30in the bank of the backwater canal and night cruise is not permitted. Day cruises start around 10.30 Am and available up to 5.30 pm. Check-in: 12 noon, Check out: 9 AM. One stay is for 21 hrs and not for 24 hrs.
It is always a great idea to book your houseboat tour in advance to avoid last moment complications. Usually, you can book online via your bank account or via an online payment system.
Try to go for a double-decker boat which has a beautiful upstairs deck. An upstairs deck will provide you to spend some cozy time with your family members or if you want to enjoy the serenity of nature, then upstairs deck would be the best option.
houseboats are available in Alleppey and Kumarakom, Alleppey is a town with a number of hotels and a famous tourist place. Alleppey is best for budget travelers as all types of houseboats are available here. Kumarakom is a village like an area with limited numbers of boats and tourists hence the price is almost fixed.
There are many routes, but you need to carefully choose your route so that you can get the best view. Apart from the round trip in Alleppey, you can also go for one-way trips like Alleppey to Kuttanad, Alleppey to Kumarakom, Alleppey to Kottayam, and Alleppey to Alumkadavu.
food and drinks options are limited. The Menu is normally fixed. Any changes to be intimated in advance two to five days prior. Beverages & any cook to order will be charged extra on actual. All rate includes welcome drink, lunch, evening tea/snacks, dinner and next day morning breakfast.
Based on the services offered, rates of houseboats in Alleppey may vary from INR 6,000 to INR 1,50,000 per night. In a budget of INR 6,000, you can book a small houseboat with just one room and minimal decor.
Depending on your budget and tour plan, you can take a 1-night cruise or 2 nights cruise plan. There is also a day cruise for the couples who have short of time. Day cruise usually operates from 9 a.m to 6 p.m. it will cost you about INR 2000 per Hour for 2 peoples including Food and Drinks.
It is always recommended to have a private boat rather than having it on a sharing basis in case the guests are pure vegetarian or looking for Jain food to be served.
It is requested to all the guests to share with the houseboat staff in case you are allergic to a particular food item or ingredient. This would help the crew members and cook for serving you only the best food for the good times.
if you choose budget-friendly or deluxe or basic houseboat, Air conditioners in the bedroom will be switched on only from 9 PM to 6 AM.
House Boat rates are different in each season. October to April is the season and December 15th to January 5th is High peak season. Offseason is during monsoon from April to September.
Houseboats in Alleppey are usually not as secluded as they look in the pictures. Which means while you are afloat, you might see a number of other houseboats with tourists, navigating the same path. some times you will be struck in Jam.
Due to verdant greenery and cool water, the backwaters are full of mosquitoes. Carry your own odomos or mosquito-repellent coil as these things are rarely provided in even the best of luxury houseboats in Alleppey.
Since the mother tongue in Kerala is not easily understandable, please notify the operators that you will need an English / Hindi speaking chef and caretaker.
The boat is made up of bamboo and kind of leaves. So insects will be present due to light and leaves. Not a lot of insects but have insects. And also don't think that houseboat is similar to the hotel room.
Don’t compare the facilities of a hotel room with a houseboat room, they are entirely different. There is a limit to add the facilities in a houseboat, so guest must have to note that.