Kumarakom

Facilities in a Houseboat

The houseboats of today are mini resorts in water. All the houseboats have a bedroom, bathroom, kitchen, lounge, sun deck and eco-friendly cane and bamboo furniture. The rooms are single, double or triple with small private balconies. Some of the houseboats have air conditioning.

Many houseboats provide electric fans, a television, hot and cold water in the bathrooms, and mosquito curtains. There are windows on the sides of the deck. In some boats, the insides are covered with smooth Kerala mats called metha payas. Some of the high-end ones are two-storied and provide newspapers, fishing rods, CDs and a facility for conducting small conferences.

The houseboats in Kumarakom are manned by well-trained crews. The crew usually includes a captain, two oarsmen, a guide and a cook. The crew will ensure that the travelers are comfortable during the hours-long ride through the backwaters. There will be eco-friendly facilities for the disposal of wastes and sewage. Some boats use traditional lanterns to create a romantic ambience.

What is a Houseboat?

View from Houseboats