The best way to see the backwaters of Kerala is to take an overnight cruise aboard a traditional Kerala kettu vallam or houseboat. Originally used to transport goods from the isolated interior villages to the cities on the coast, the houseboats are still built using traditional materials but now feature modern convinces such as bathrooms and air conditioning. Each houseboat has from one to three bedrooms, and has a three man crew, a driver, chef and cabin assistant. A modern kitchen at the rear of the boat allows the crew to prepare traditional Kerala meals, including local fish and prawns straight out of the backwater.
There are several start and end points for a houseboat cruises with many different routes through the backwaters. A popular choice is to start or end your cruise at one of the resorts on the shores of Lake Vembanad.
