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Kerala Hotels |
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Kerala |
Kerala homestays |
| Houseboats |
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| Backwaters in
Kerala is a network of 1500 kms of canals both manmade and natural, 38
rivers and 5 big lakes extending from one end of Kerala to the other.
Before the trucks became popular, the main cargo transportation was through backwaters by 'Kettuvalloms'. Kettuvallom means, ‘stitched boat’. They are 70 foot long, 30 tons capacity, made with wooden planks joined and stitched together with coconut ropes and painted with cashew nut oil outside. |
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In earlier days, boatmen rarely stopped along the waterways for meals. Their diet consisted of freshly caught backwater fish, like karimeen (pearlspot) and kalangi (barramundi, an estuarial and fresh water game fish found also in Australia), non-perishable staples such as lentils and local large grain "red" rice, and inexpensive spices - coriander, ginger, dried chillies, turmeric, and black mustard seeds. |
| These they
carried in ungrounded form to retain their freshness, crushing them into a
spice paste with a stone "rolling pin" on a matching flat stone
plate. Added into the paste was a liberal measure of grated coconut, which
was also the source of the boatmen’s cooking oil.
Meals were prepared on an earthen stove, fuelled by coconut shells, at the stern of the Kettuvallom, with the spice paste roasted slowly in earthen pots. The fish was added only in the later stages of preparation. |
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Their vegetable and fruit diet consisted on the few things available such as yam, breadfruit, raw mango, and jackfruit (and its seeds), which grow in great abundance along the waterways. |
| Houseboats are converted ‘kettuvalloms’. They are designed for comfortable cruise and overnight stay. The boat has one / two / three bath attached double bedrooms with modern comforts, a very spacious living cum dining room, sundeck and a kitchen. The boat has solar lamps and fans. The Houseboats are of premium category (Golden Star - approved by Department of Tourism, Kerala State). We do not hesitate to mention that our houseboats are the best in the backwaters. When you stay in our houseboat, You would not find a better boat in the beackwaters. |
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In the one bedroom boat the living cum dining room is bigger in size. This boat can accommodate two persons. |
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| The two bedroom boat also has a spacious living cum dining room. This boat can accommodate four persons. |
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| The boat is constructed by Eco-friendly materials like bamboo mat, Arecanut trees and coir. A distinctive feature of the kettuvallom is the design suggesting the possible Chinese influence. The canopy’s sides can be lifted. Traditionally, the boat only had a single such opening on either side. But our houseboats have three, thus ensuring plenty of shade, cool breeze, and a better view of the passing scenery. |
| Cruise |
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| The boat moves by an out board engine of 25 HP (which do not make much noise), enroute visiting villages to see coir making, tea shops, paddy fields, temples, beaches etc till sunset. |
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| At night the boat is anchored at a beautiful and quite part of the lake. |
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| And morning you wake up to see many fishermen working around. |
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| Boarding |
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There are many
boarding points and routes to choose from depending on your time, budget
and itinerary. The boarding points are Kumarakom, Alleppy, Thottappally
and Alumkadave near Kollam (Quilon). See the map above.
Alleppy is 2½ hours drive from Cochin International airport and 1½ hours from Cochin. Kumarakom is 4 hours drive from Periyar. Thottappally is 5½ hours from Periyar and 3½ hours from Kovalam beach. Alumkadave is 2½ hours from Kovalam beach. |
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| Meals | ||
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The ethnic meals are prepared on board by a personal cook and fish delicacies like white prawns, pearl spotted fish, crabs and mussels are the specialties. The meals include lunch, evening coffee or tea with snacks, dinner and breakfast. |
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| Staff In our each houseboat total three staff which includes a cook and two crews. The cook will also act as the captain of the house boat and the tour escort. |
| Routes |
| Alleppey Round | Cruise through Punnamada lake, Vembanade lake and narrow canals. Visit 'R' block (Paddy fields below sea level), 'C' block and Marthandam Kayal paddy fields etc. | |
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Anchoring at |
Vembanadu Lake |
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| Alleppey ó Kumarakom | Cruise through Punnamada lake, Vembanadu lake and narrow canals. Visit 'R' block, 'C' block and Marthandam Kayal paddy fields and Kumarakom bird sanctuary. | |
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Anchoring at |
Kumarakom Lake |
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| Alleppey óThottappally | Cruise through Punnamada lake and Paliathuruthy river. Visit Chavara Bhavan, Kainakary Village, beach etc. | |
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Anchoring at |
Thottappally (Pamba river) |
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| Alleppey ó Alumkadave | Cruise through Punnamada lake, Vattakkayal, Paliathuruthy river and Thottappally kayal and Kayamkulam kayal. Visit 'R' block, 'C' block, Chithira kayal and Marthandam paddy fields, teashops, beaches villages and coir making villages. | |
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Anchoring at |
Vattakayal & Kayamkulam Lake |
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| The Price |
| The price includes backwater cruise with night stay in the house boat, all meals (lunch, tea /coffee with snacks, dinner and breakfast) and 15 % taxes. |
01 April 2007 to 30 September 2007
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Except 20 December 2007 to 05 January 2008 |
01 October 2008 to 31 March 2009 | AC would be provided 09.00 PM to 07.00 AM Only. | |||||||||||
| Non AC Premium Houseboat | AC Premium Houseboat | ||||||||||||
| 1 / 2 Persons | 3 / 4 persons | 5 / 6 persons | 1 / 2 Persons | 3 / 4 persons | 5 / 6 persons | ||||||||
| Route (In one direction) | Nights | Rupees | US$ | Rupees | US$ | Rupees | US$ | Rupees | US$ | Rupees | US$ | Rupees | US$ |
| Alleppey Around | 1 | 5880 | 8520 | 12780 | 8160 | 13920 | 20400 | ||||||
| Alleppey ó Kumarakom | 1 | 6600 | 9300 | 13620 | 9300 | 15180 | 21720 | ||||||
| Alleppey óKanjippadam | 1 | 6600 | 9300 | 13620 | 9300 | 15180 | 21720 | ||||||
| Kumarakom ó Kumarakom | 1 | 6900 | 9600 | 14280 | 9600 | 15600 | 22320 | ||||||
| Alleppey ó Alumkadave | 1 | 10320 | 15480 | * | 13140 | 20700 | * | ||||||
| Kumarakom ó Alumkadave | 1 | 11160 | 15660 | * | 13980 | 21360 | * | ||||||
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| Alleppey Around | 2 | 11760 | 17040 | 25560 | 16320 | 27840 | 40800 | ||||||
| Alleppey ó Kumarakom | 2 | 12480 | 17820 | 26400 | 17460 | 29100 | 42120 | ||||||
| Alleppey ó Kanjippadam | 2 | 12480 | 17820 | 26400 | 17460 | 29100 | 42120 | ||||||
| Kumarakom ó Kumarakom | 2 | 12780 | 18120 | 27060 | 17760 | 29520 | 42720 | ||||||
| Alleppey ó Alumkadave | 2 | 16200 | 24000 | * | 21300 | 34620 | * | ||||||
| Kumarakom ó Alumkadave | 2 | 17040 | 24180 | * | 22140 | 35280 | * | ||||||
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| Alleppey ó Alumkadave | 3 | 22080 | 32520 | * | 29460 | 48540 | * | ||||||
| Kumarakom ó Alumkadave | 3 | 22920 | 32700 | * | 30300 | 49200 | * | ||||||
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* Not operating. |
In case, AC does not function during the night due to unforeseen reasons, non AC Charges would be applicable |
| Extra Person / night. | |||||||||||||
| Up to 5 years | 1 | free | free | free | free | free | free | free | free | free | free | free | free |
| 6 to 14 years | 1 | 750 | 750 | 750 | 1000 | 1000 | 1000 | ||||||
| Above 14 years | 1 | 1000 | 1000 | 1000 | 1350 | 1350 | 1350 | ||||||
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Except 20 December 2007 to 05 January 2008 |
20 December 2007 to 05 January 2008 | AC would be provided 09.00 PM to 07.00 AM Only. | |||||||||||
| Non AC Premium Houseboat | AC Premium Houseboat | ||||||||||||
| 1 / 2 Persons | 3 / 4 persons | 5 / 6 persons | 1 / 2 Persons | 3 / 4 persons | 5 / 6 persons | ||||||||
| Route (In one direction) | Nights | Rupees | US$ | Rupees | US$ | Rupees | US$ | Rupees | US$ | Rupees | US$ | Rupees | US$ |
| Alleppey Around | 1 | 7055 | 10225 | 15335 | 9795 | 16700 | 24480 | ||||||
| Alleppey ó Kumarakom | 1 | 7920 | 11160 | 16344 | 11160 | 18215 | 26065 | ||||||
| Alleppey óKanjippadam | 1 | 7920 | 11160 | 16344 | 11160 | 18215 | 26065 | ||||||
| Kumarakom ó Kumarakom | 1 | 8280 | 11520 | 17135 | 11520 | 18720 | 26785 | ||||||
| Alleppey ó Alumkadave | 1 | 12385 | 18575 | * | 15765 | 24840 | * | ||||||
| Kumarakom ó Alumkadave | 1 | 13390 | 18792 | * | 16775 | 25635 | * | ||||||
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| Alleppey Around | 2 | 14115 | 20450 | 30670 | 19585 | 33410 | 48960 | ||||||
| Alleppey ó Kumarakom | 2 | 14975 | 21385 | 31680 | 20955 | 34920 | 50545 | ||||||
| Alleppey ó Kanjippadam | 2 | 14975 | 21385 | 31680 | 20955 | 34920 | 50545 | ||||||
| Kumarakom ó Kumarakom | 2 | ||||||||||||
| Alleppey ó Alumkadave | 2 | * | * | ||||||||||
| Kumarakom ó Alumkadave | 2 | * | * | ||||||||||
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* Not operating. |
In case, AC does not function during the night due to unforeseen reasons, non AC Charges would be applicable |
| Extra Person / night. | |||||||||||||
| Up to 5 years | 1 | free | free | free | free | free | free | free | free | free | free | free | free |
| 6 to 14 years | 1 | 900 | 900 | 900 | 1200 | 1200 | 1200 | ||||||
| Above 14 years | 1 | 1200 | 1200 | 1200 | 1650 | 1650 | 1650 | ||||||
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Day cruise by Non AC houseboat for 2 Persons |
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| 11.30 AM to 05.30 PM - Including Lunch, snacks, tea / Coffee. | 01 Apr 2008 to 30 Sept 08 | 01 Oct 08 to 31 Mar 09 | 20 Dec 07 to 05 Jan 09 | |||
| Rupees | US$ | Rupees | US$ | Rupees | US$ | |
| Alleppey around | 4950 | 4950 | 5950 | |||
| Alleppey ó Kumarakom | 5350 | 5350 | 6450 | |||
| Kumarakom ó Kumarakom | 5700 | 5700 | 6850 | |||
| Extra person | 300 | 375 | 450 | |||
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