Houseboat or rice boat, traditionally known as Kettuvallam is a country boat that initially was used for transportation of goods from the villages in the remote areas to the towns. The movement of heavy cargo would become quite easy in this way. Gradually, when roads and bridges were built, the importance of Ketuvallam became quite low. But now they are the most popular tourist attraction. Also sometimes known as Kuvuvalloms, a ride on this boat is the best way to explore the enchanting Alleppey backwaters.
Engineering of a Alleppey houseboat
A houseboat is around 67 feet in length and in the middle has a width of about 13 feet. All kinds of eco-friendly and local materials such as coir carpets, bamboo poles, coconut fiber ropes, and bamboo mats go into making of a houseboat. The body of Kettuvallam is made from timber from artocarpus wood, that is locally known as Anjili. The wood is cut into sheets of 5-6 cm breadth. The ends of these sheets are held together and tied with coir, giving it the shape of a boat . Alappuzha is quite popular for its Coir, its own palm fiber that can stay as it is for years. Once the structure gets completed, accessories are added to turn it into a luxury houseboat for tourists.
Alappuzha Houseboat tourism
One of the major attractions of Aleppey is its backwater tourism. Cruising along the palm-fringed canals of Alleppey, is an amazing experience. You can enjoy spectacular views of untouched Kerala villages. Go aboard luxury houseboats to explore the coconut grooves, lush greenery, paddy fields and spot beautiful colorful resident and migratory birds.
Houseboats are available in all shapes and sizes. You have an option of number of rooms, kitchenette, a deck and an open lounge area. The crew of the houseboat includes of a guide, a trained cook and an oarsman. You can avail all kinds of facilities here such as attached bathrooms, TV and more. For the purpose of lighting, solar panels are used. You are given a choice of menu that includes of authentic Kerala food.
By embarking on a houseboat cruise on the Alleppey Backwaters, you do not enjoy the scenic beauty surrounding you but also visit the main attractions, coir industry villages and the other nearby villages. There are around 6 very popular backwater cruise routes from which you can pick the one you like.
