Kerala Hotels :
Kerala Houseboats
Kerala Houseboats
 Houseboats are locally called Kettuvalam. The word “Kettu” means tying and “Vallam” means country boat in Malayalam language. Wooden hulls covered by thatched roof houseboat is about 67 feet in length and around 13 ft wide in the middle. These houseboats are built by using the “Anjili” wood, coir ropes, bamboo poles, coconut fibre making it completely eco friendly. Series of wooden planks tied together by coir with coconut fibres stuffed in between is called hull and is completely tied by coir knots only without any nail. Then, this structure is coated with a caustic black resin extracted from boiled cashew kernels. This natural way of making the houseboat give it a long lasting quality and good impression.
In earlier days, these houseboats were used to transport people and goods in the Kerala Backwaters. There are more than 400 houseboats in the backwaters of Kerala. Having a variety of shapes and sizes, these houseboats were used to ship rice and spices and other goods between Kuttunad and the Cochin Airport. These houseboats can hold up to 30 tons equal to three big lorries can. Houseboats are considered as an important means of transport in Kerala as these are accessible to most remote areas in Kerala. With the use of motorized road, rail and air transportation, these slow and sedate means of transport has diminished its importance. To encourage tourism in Kerala, these houseboats are revamped with all modern amenities to facilitate tourists an interesting & memorable experience. The height of the roof is increased to make it comfortable for tourists. Windows and other openings were instilled for light and fresh air. The entrance is provided in the centre of the linear axis with a top hung panel.
Recently, these houseboats are furnished with 5 bedrooms with toilets, a living space, a kitchenette or deck balconies on some boats. These structure changes from one houseboat to another. The amenities and facilities provided are equivalent to a good hotel. The crew consists s chef, driver and cabin assistants. Every time, fresh food is provided. There is a sea eatery is also opened in a houseboat on Kaloor-Kadvanthra Road. One can enjoy the scenic beauty of the backwaters and its surroundings while visiting Kerala in the houseboat. Experiencing the houseboat visits is quite enthralling.
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