The House Boats or Kettuvalloms are huge, slow moving, exotic barges initially used to ship rice and spices which are now redesigned for sheer leisure trips. A standard House Boat, of about 100 feet length, can hold up to 30 tons, as much as three big Lorries can.

The peculiarity of a House Boat is that it is made up of hundreds of fine heavy-duty planks of jack-wood held together by coir knots, without even a single nail. KETTU means knot. The frame is then coated with a caustic black resin extracted from boiled cashew kernels that helps it to last for generations. The traditional Kettuvalloms, once the only mode of transport available in Kerala, now due to technological advances have got replaced by modern modes of transport resulting in their neglect and decay.

Now an innovative holiday idea has resurrected these majestic representatives of a unique culture, and with them their makers.

Alleppey is the land of enchanting House Boats having about 120 well maintained and perfected luxury liners. In earlier days house boat crew used to cook peral-spot fish caught straight from the water. A portion of the House Boat had bamboo roofing, and that is where the crew used to rest.

Tradition continues. Today’s House Boats come complete with best-furnished cabins with a view you cannot find anywhere else in the world along with Fresh food, cooked in inimitable Kuttanadan style and the entire milieu ecological. House boats also have all the creature comforts of a good hotel with no hassle, well-furnished bedrooms, modern hygienic toilets, cozy living rooms, beautiful kitchen and in some cases even a balcony for angling. Most House Boats are powered by unobtrusive outboard engines while some are poled by experienced oarsmen.

And if it rains while you are cozy inside, watching millions of drops of water splashing and pounding to the rhythm of the falling rain would the most magical moment of your lifetime.

For details on House boats in Kerala, please contact us……