8 Things to Know Before You Book an Alleppey Houseboat

Alleppey, known as the Venice of the East, is renowned for its picturesque charms and its lovely natural aura. In order to experience the mystical atmosphere that exists here, many groups of friends and honeymooning couples travel to Alleppey houseboats and backwaters every year. Alleppey looks lovely thanks to the calm beach life, the picturesque Alappuzha beach sunset, the delicious food, and the clean air.

The backwaters in Alleppey are among the best places to visit because of their serene charm that cannot be matched anywhere else in the world. These backwaters are worth exploring and spending time at because they are abundant with greenery, quaint villages, and thriving birdlife. The joy of a vacation in Kerala's backwaters is unmatched.

The presence of hundreds of houseboats, where tourists stay while visiting, is what makes these backwaters so magnificent. Visitors should keep a few things in mind before choosing a houseboat, even though there are many available and booking is simple.

 

1. Must Book in Advance During the Peak Seasons

In Alleppey, the winter and early summer months are regarded as the busiest travel times. Visitors come here to enjoy the pleasant climate and the turquoise Alleppey backwaters teeming with both native and migratory birds. Alleppey Beach causes the weather to become more humid as summer approaches.

Getting a houseboat reservation during the busiest times of the year is nearly impossible. During this time, most houseboats raise their prices.

If you are travelling during this time, it is advised that you book your Alleppey Houseboat reservations in advance or through a reputable travel agency.

 

2. Price Range of The Houseboat

The cost of an Alleppey houseboat ranges from INR 5k to INR 50k and even more. The Alleppey houseboat packages also include visits to Kottayam, the backwaters of Kumarakom, and a city tour.

You cannot reserve a private room on a houseboat. Typically, an entire boat is reserved, and they offer a variety of amenities while you're visiting the Alleppey backwaters. A houseboat stay may include these conveniences:

• Backwater tour (depends on the price, you can either enjoy the morning tour or an evening tour or both
• Birdwatching tour
• Island visit
• Village visit
• All meals
• Some houseboats also arrange for weddings
• Village walk
• Food walk

Additionally, keep in mind that very few (if any) houseboats offer air conditioning during the afternoon. When the houseboat is anchored in the lake at night, the AC is on. Numerous travel websites offer the best Alappuzha houseboat rates along with a detailed description of the amenities available.

The best way to experience Alleppey is to spend a day at a resort close to Alappuzha beach before going to the houseboat the following day.

 

3. Include Birdwatching at Patharimanal Island in your Alleppey Houseboat Itinerary

The Patharimanal Island receives visits from migratory birds in both people and people during the winter. There are more than 90 species of avifauna on the island, 50 of which are indigenous to the Alleppey backwaters. One of Alleppey's most picturesque and charming destinations is this island.

On the houseboats, you can take a tour of the island. Additionally, you can plan a trip to this island while staying in an Alleppey resort or one of the city's hotels. This peaceful community is surrounded by lush vegetation and pleasant weather.

A trip to this island is a treat for birdwatchers as well as casual tourists.

You can sight some of the exquisite species of birds on this island –

• Pintail Ducks
• Night Heron
• Indian Shag
• Cattle Egret
• Pheasant-tailed Jacanas
• Bronze-winged Jacanas
• Stork-billed Kingfisher
• Whistling Duck
• Cotton Pygmy-Goose

 

4. Have a taste of the local food

You can get a glimpse of local life in Kerala on one of the houseboats in Alleppey. Every houseboat offers a variety of food options with a regional flair. Due to their eclectic surprises, Alleppey's local eateries are regarded as some of the must-see locations.

During your stay on the Alleppey houseboat, all meals are included. Additionally, you'll have a chance to peek inside the kitchen and try preparing some of the meals on your own.

At Alleppey Boat House, the timings for breakfast, lunch, and dinner are chosen with the convenience of the guests in mind. Typically, one must let the staff know an hour in advance that they plan to eat. During your houseboat stay, you should try some of the following Kerala dishes:

• Rice Sambar
• Banana Fritters
• VendakkaMezhukupurathy
• Fish fry
• Idly
• Dosa
• Meen (Fish) Vattichathu
• Kozhi (Chicken) Curry
• Appam and Vegetable
• Banana Kalan
• Gobi Manchurian
• Fish Molly

In addition, you could go fishing and ask your chef to cook whatever you catch. On request, houseboats also offer the option of candlelight dinners.

 

5. Houseboats are not operational during the monsoon season

Once the monsoon arrives in Kerala, the majority of the Alleppey houseboats cease to operate. During this time, it never stops raining, and the Kerala backwaters begin to flood. It's a risky time, and the houseboat is probably going to drown soon.

No matter how lucrative the offer, it is advised that you do not book any Alleppey houseboats during this time. The vacation rentals in the communities near the Alleppey boat house are open all year long. If you reserve one, you can enjoy the same calm while lounging in the courtyard or watching the sunset next to your Alleppey beach resort.

Some of the best stay homes in Alleppey are –

• Riverland Boat Stay
• Grand Villa oat Stay
• Nomads Hostel
• Ashtamudi
• Al Asr Heritage Home
• Orchid Homestay
• Kalappura Homestay
• Johnson’s homestay
• MarariPeterland
• Angeo beach home
• Bella Art and Meditation House

The majority of these homestays have nightly rates ranging from INR 800 to INR 5000. The ones with higher prices also include dinner and breakfast while you're there.

In case you desire opulent amenities, you can also reserve hotels in Alleppey. Both Alleppey Beach and Backwaters Village have lodging and homestay options.

 

6. Book your spa session on the boat

The majority of Alleppey houseboats either make arrangements for you to have a spa treatment while you are there or stop at one of the many spa facilities. These spa facilities provide a variety of therapeutic and healing sessions. To help the body cope with pain, they employ traditional Ayurvedic and herbal remedies.

A single session begins to yield results right away, and by the time it's over, you'll feel relaxed and rejuvenated like a brand-new person.

Some of the best spa clinics in Alleppey that you can consider are –

• Keraleeyam
• Carnoustie
• Vibrance Spa
• Ayurbhadra
• Matt India
• Samanga Ayurveda
• SanthiSukham Ayurveda and Siddha Hospital

These centres offer a variety of sessions and programmes. Programs can last an hour or up to four or five sessions to completely heal the body.

The cost of the spa visit varies depending on the plan. Prices range from INR 1200 to more than 50k. In addition to spa centres, Alleppey beach also has many resorts with on-site spa facilities.

 

7. Other places in Kerala where houseboats are available

There are other locations besides the Alappuzha tourist areas where you can rent houseboats. In this gem of a state, there are several stunning locations that provide houseboat amenities. Located nearby is Kuttunad with similar backwaters and has been declared as one of the most tranquil places to visit in Alleppey.

While Alleppey is the most diverse in the terms of houseboat experiences, you can hire a boat at the following places –

• Kumarakom
• Kottayam
• Alinkadavu
• Cochin
• Varkala
• Kottayam
• Kuttunad

 

8. Alleppey to Kumarakom Backwater round houseboats

The tourist destination in the area closest to Alappuzha that is adored by tourists on a par with Alleppey is Kumarakom. You can travel from Alleppey to Kumarakom backwaters via a combination of houseboat cruises, using the canals, lakes, and lagoons that nature has created.

This beautiful route is intended for tourists who want to experience Kerala completely while travelling there. The houseboat trip does not include a place to spend the night, but it does include meals.. Once in Kumarakom, you can spend the night on the houseboat of your hosts.

The cost of an Alleppey houseboat for a single trip to Kumarakom is approximately INR 6000; the host houseboat's overnight stay is not included in this price.