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House Boats |
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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.
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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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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.
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Typical facilities include: |
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Double rooms in a two room- apartment houseboat |
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Sitting room, and small Sundeck |
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Attached bathroom with European Toilets |
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Common living area |
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Most houseboats are single or double roomed and sleep 2 to 4, tho the most romantic sleeping space is under mosquito nets on the small sundeck waking with the dawn and the distant call of the temples and churches that dot the backwaters.All your food is cooked for you by the crew and combines local fish such blackspot, tiger prawns and scampi as well as curried dishes, daal and rice.
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