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A Cruise along the
palm fringed waterways of Kerala in a luxury houseboat or
ketuvallom is the most enchanting holiday experience in
India today. In this world of simple pleasures, you'll skim
past ancient chinese fishing nets, water lillies, lush paddy
fields, coir villages, rustic homes, temples and coconut
groves.
Innumerable
lagoons, lakes, canals, estuaries, and te deltas of
forty-four rivers make up the 900 km backwater network of
Kerala. The backwatrs mainly covers the four districts of
the state - Kollam, Alleppey (alappuzha), Kottayam and Kochi
( Cochin ).
The largest
backwater body, the Vembanad lake flows through Alleppey (
Alappuzha ) and Kottayam districts and opens out into the
sea at the Kochi ( Cochin ) Port. The Ashtamudi Lake, the
second largest backwater stretch, offers the longest ride
and is considered the gateway to the backwaters.
Your holiday home in this
tranquil world is the comfortably furnished houseboat or
ketuvallom.
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Non A/c Houseboat |
The Houseboats or
Kettuvalloms of Kerala are giant country crafts, measuring
up to 80 foot in length, retrieved from being lost to the
State altogether.
Once these Rice
Barges ruled the backwaters, poled along by one or two men,
heavily loaded with rice, coconut and other commodities.
But in the recent times, the ketuvalloms or houseboats have
been replaced by more and modern modes of transport,
relegating them to neglect and decay |
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It takes great
skill and meticulousness to construct these giant Houseboats
or Kettuvaloms.
Traditionally, the Houseboats was called Kettuvallam, which
means a boat made by tying together pieces of wood.
Unbelievably it may sound, not a single nail is used in the
making of a ketuvallam. Jackwood planks are joiined
together with coir rope and then coated with black resin
made from boiled cashewnut shells.
There used to be
an entire clan of artisans who were involved in kettuvallom
or houseboat construction. Today, an innovative holiday
idea has restored these majestic representatives of a unique
culture and with them their makers.
The Kerala houseboats that cruise
these emerald waterways are an improvisation on the large
country barges which were an essential part of the land's
ethos in days gone by. |
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Bedroom of Luxury A/c Houseboat
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Open lounge of Luxury A/c Houseboat |
Modified to meet a
novel concept of holidaying, the kettuvalloms or houseboats
are comfortably furnished with an open lounge, one or two
bath attached bedrooms and a kitchenette, and are extremely
eco friendly, merging smoothly into the panorama. Every
houseboat is manned by a crew - usually a cook, a Captain,
and an Oarsman.
The kitchen in the
houseboat or ketuvallam is the production center of the best
traditional Kerala food. The availability of fishes and all
along the backwater add special charm to the authentic
Kerala cooking. Only fresh materials are used and purchased
locally to support the economy of the village. Only
authentic Kerala food is prepared under high standards of
hygiene and professional competency by expert cooks, who
have been specially trained.
The highest
classifications awarded by Dept. of Tourism for Houseboats
are Gold Star and Silver Star. All the Houseboats dealt by
us are either Silver Star or Gold Star.
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The Luxury A/c
Houseboat offered by us includes the following facilities :
Front living area and bedrooms have a beautiful wooden
ceiling with overlapping logs to give it a contemporary
feel.
The wooden ceiling in the living/dining area has 200 fiber
optic lighting points to emulate the stars during the night
and gives a cozy feeling. The light intensity or ‘glow’ can
be adjusted according to guest preferences.
Additional lighting in the living area of the Luxury A/c
Houseboat will be provided with terracotta lamps with
candles to provide an ideal, romantic setting for the boat.
The bedrooms of the Luxury A/c Houseboat have complete glass
windows stretching across 3/4ths of the wall to offer the
guests a complete and uninterrupted view of the backwaters
while traveling
Each bed in the Luxury A/c Houseboat is located at the exact
height of the window, so the guest gets a good view even
while lying on the bed.
Each room in the Luxury A/c Houseboat has a dressing mirror,
luggage compartment, writing table, wardrobe, attached
bathrooms and air-conditioning
Bathrooms in the Luxury A/c Kettuvallams have a shower area
with WC and wash basin and are one of the largest, if not
the largest on any boat. All fittings are of high quality.
The wall next to the WC has a large picture window that
offers the guest an ample view of the backwaters, similar to
the one in the bedroom and it also offers a feeling of space
and ample natural lighting.
The exterior walls, i.e. the textured finished walls in the
dining/living area and pathway have niches incorporated in
them. These niches have paintings that follow a theme on
each Luxury A/c Houseboat.
The kitchen, at the rear of the boat, is complete with a
modern equipment and ambience, even though it is for use for
the staff only. A 165 lt. fridge is also part of the
equipment level. Even guests can use the kitchen facility
for themselves if they so choose.
Every toilet is equipped with shower areas and water
heaters. Each room is Air-conditioned using proper split
units & Lifesavers and safety jackets are available on
board.
Onboard game activities include - Chess, Caroms, Scrabble,
Playing cards etc. Fishing rods, painting and sketch pads,
Library & High-End music system.
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Corridor of Luxury A/c Houseboat
Lunch in the Luxury A/c houseboat
Open Lounge in the Luxury A/c Houseboat |
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India Tour
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