Houseboats

Kerala has many sights to offer. Back waters are one of those mesmerizing sights. Kerala backwaters are the network of lagoons and five large lakes linked by canals both manmade and natural ,lying parallel to the Arabian sea coast. Backwaters were formed by the action of waves and shore currents, creating low barrier islands across the mouths of the many rivers flowing down from the western Ghats range. These are widened part of rivers and bodies of water which lie along sea costs and in direct communication with sea. Another story popular among our ancestors, is a great flood in their generation shaped these backwaters. The great flood of 1866 AD silted up old harbors and led to the formations of lagoons like Lake Vembanad 83 km long, Lake Ashtamudy 16 km long and Lake Kayamkulam 30.5 km long.

These 900 km waterways facilitates both cargo movement and back water tourism. A houseboat usually has one or more bath attached bedrooms, an open lounge , deck, kitchen, and a crew comprising oarsmen, a cook, a guide.Backwater’s aqueous ecosystem continues its civilizing process for centuries. Many unique species of aquatic life including crab, frogs and mudskipper water birds such as terns, kingfisher, darters and cormorants and animals like otters and turtles live in along side the backwaters .plants like Palm trees ,shrubs adds the greenery to them. Some backwaters forms an agrarian community by using its water resources for irrigation. Here boat making has been a traditional craft, so has been the coir industry. During monsoon (June –September) the backwaters are active with Kerala’s own boat races featuring 130 feet long Chundan boats. These celebrations are part of Kerala’s prosperous festival called Onam. Up to 16 boats , with 100 rowers each compete for the honor during the race. Such a rejoicing race , thrilling not only the participants but the whole community on the banks of backwater, is a irreplaceable experience you can cherish. That why we say- slow down in Kerala else you must miss something.

Globes Travel has been in the forefront in providing custom-made travel packages to various destinations in and around India. Since its inception in 2004, Globes Travel had focussed on satisfying the customer needs and has aimed to achieve this by expanding its boundaries. As a crowning stroke, Globes is stretching and linking its arms with the most trusted and luxurious houseboats around the region and thereby imparting a heart-warming experience in the backwaters. Kerala, known for its scenic beauty, presents a visual treat and remains an everlasting memory for a viewer with its immense wealth of magnificent hills and mesmerizing backwaters. Just like the saying, “beauty is in the eye of the beholder,” the alluring and the heavenly beauty of the land is spread mouth-to-mouth and has brought many travellers across the world. One of the major tourist attractions, the Kerala backwaters is a labyrinth of many water bodies such as lakes, canals and lagoons that offer a serene travel experience as opposed to the humdrum city life. Back in the days, backwaters acted as a traditional waterway to transport goods in houseboats – locally known as ‘kettuvallam’- and now it was modernized to meet the ever-increasing demand of houseboat cruises.

Houseboats , the major attractions of Kerala backwaters are modified versions of traditional mode of transportation called “Kettuvallams”. With the emergence of modern transportation scenarios like motorized road, rail, air transportations etc “kettuvallams” disappeared behind curtains. Tourism brought them back to the scene. In Kerala’s regional tongue Malayalam “kettu” means to tie and “vallam” means boat. The wooden planks are held together using coir hence the name. These have thatched roof covers over wooden hulls. Houseboats are the inimitable craft we are proud of. In good olden days ,boats were the main means of transport of men and material in the Kerala backwaters. For royalty these boats were comfortable living quarters. Yes you are having a royal privilege that an ancient royal person had. That is Kerala “athidhi devo bhava” (guest is God) is our main motto. In some house boats , Kerala’s traditional food which is an exotic mixture of nature’s very best spices are offered. Rice, cassava , spicy fish dishes are some of them. Because of its accessibility to the most remote areas, toddy a kind of country liquor, sold in toddy shops along the banks could also be procured on request. A kettuvallam is about 67 feet in length and has a width of around 13 feet in the middle. Each houseboat is constructed using the ancient principles and techniques of boat building by the local carpenters using ‘Anjili’ wood. These have thatched roof covers over wooden hulls, and coir ropes are used for tightening the wooden planks together. The eco-friendly materials like bamboo poles, coconut fibre, ropes, bamboo mats, carpets, etc. are used in the making of a houseboat. These floating houses are furnished and are endowed with basic amenities. The most widely travelled backwater cruises include Alappuzha, Kollam, Kumarakom and Kuttanad; these houseboats glide through the vast expanse of backwaters.With the grandeur of a five-star hotel, houseboats transcend you to a different world; the warm breeze and the misty backwaters at dawn and gazing the moonlit stars at night would enhance the celestial experience. Take a detour to your roots and humble beginnings by witnessing the blooming vegetation and thriving villages as you dwell in the cozy houseboats. Ride in this modern cruise and embark on a journey that stays fresh in your heart eternally.