Kettuvallam Houseboats
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The Kettuvallam or 'boat with knots' is called so because coir ropes tied in knots hold the entire structure of the boat together. During the entire assembling work of the boat, not a single nail is used. The boat is made of huge planks of Jack wood (Artocarpus hirsuta) or 'Aanjili' and joined with coir. This is then coated with a caustic black resin made from boiled cashew kernels. With careful maintenance, a kettuvallom can last for generations.
Kettuvalloms or Houseboats (Riceboats) are country boats that were used in the early days for the transport of goods from the isolated interior villages to the towns. With the advent of roads, bridges and ferry services, gradually the Kettuvalloms went off the scene. Now these kettuvalloms are back again as a major tourist attraction. A ride on a Kettuvallom is a fabulous way to explore the fascinating beauty of the backwaters.
Kettuvallams, the stitched boats provide the best way to experience the colourful backwaters of Kerala. The Kettuvalloms of Kerala are giant country crafts, measuring up to 80 feet in length.
The traditional houseboat, the indispensable part of the picturesque backwaters of Kerala, was mainly used in Travancore and Kochi and in the Minicoy Islands in olden times.
The wood commonly used to make Kettuvalloms is 'Anhili', which is found in abundance in central Travancore area. Large planks are tied together using hand made coir ropes and beaten coconut fibres.
This gives the Kettuvallams enough strength to withstand heavy waves in the sea. These long cargo boats are a familiar sight on the backwaters. These traditional houseboats undoubtedly form one of the most abiding images of the backwaters in Kerala.
The houseboat of today is an innovative version of its Kettuvallom ancestor. While converting Kettuvalloms into houseboats, care is taken to use only eco-friendly and traditional materials, retaining the bamboo mat roofs and coir mat floors. As in the old days, kerosene lanterns are used to give a romantic touch even though solar lighting is equipped.
The design incorporates the best of the old and the new. Even while retaining the strong traditional flavor, the standards of comfort and convenience are very high. In choosing your houseboat you have the choice of single, double or triple bedrooms in standard, air-conditioned or non-A/c - deluxe or luxury categories.
A houseboat with a mini conference hall is the best choice for those who want to enjoy their meetings and get together. Modified to meet a novel concept of holidaying, they are comfortably furnished with an open lounge, one or two or three bath attached bedrooms and a kitchenette and even with an upper deck for more privacy.
The houseboats of today - huge, slow moving, exotic barge used for leisure trips - are the reworked kettuvalloms of olden times. The original kettuvalloms were used to carry tonnes of rice and spices - a standard kettuvallom can hold up to 30 tonnes - from Kuttanad to the Kochi port.
When the modern trucks replaced this system of transport, some one found a new way that would keep these boats, almost all of which were more than 100 years old, in the market. By constructing special rooms to accommodate travelers, these boats cruised forward from near- extinction to enjoy their present great popularity.
Today, these goods carriers have been adapted to make the most exciting tourism product in India, the luxuriously furnished houseboat. Kettuvallams or the 'house-boats of Kerala' dot the serene palm-fringed backwaters of Kerala.
Have you ever gone houseboat cruising on the backwaters of Kerala? If you haven’t, make sure you do. This one’s really an absolutely wonderful, unforgettable experience!
A travel tour to Kettuvalloms, which complement Kerala's backwaters, located in Kerala, south India, India, is an enchanting and bewildering experience to be cherished long time after the travel tour to the Kettuvalloms has been accomplished. The Kerala houseboats used to form an inseparable ingredient of the way of life in Kerala, located in south India, India. Now, with the seeping in of the modern ways of life into the traditional Kerala backwaters and its unique ambience, Kettuvalloms have become kind of redundant, but the nostalgia still lurks in the mist over the forlorn lakes.
Traditional construction of jackfruit and bamboo, with arched grooves and projecting 'sit-outs' to conjure up images of a floating Sydney Opera House!
A friendly crew of 3-4 to propel the boat, untangle passing water lilies, buy and cook dinner and generally pamper you.
One, two or three double-bedrooms per boat.
Solar panel for refrigeration, cooling and lighting up the interiors.
Shower cubicle and flush toilet with running water.
Fully equipped kitchen.
Catering to suit all diets.
Refrigerated drinks available, including 'Thrilling chilled' Kingfisher beer.
Collection from (and drop-off at) the door of any waterside hotel.
Sun deck with a mattress.
Eco-friendly furniture is used wherever possible.
Recreations like chess board, carom board and fishing rod.
Mosquito nets in bedrooms.
Clean and high quality linen, blankets, towels, and kitchenware, etc.
Cold storage for beverages and perishable food.
Bio-chemical toilets with W/c and hand shower.
Boat operated with silent engine.
Kettuvalloms or Houseboats (Riceboats) are country boats that were used in the early days for the transport of goods from the isolated interior villages to the towns. With the advent of roads, bridges and ferry services, gradually the Kettuvalloms went off the scene. Now these kettuvalloms are back again as a major tourist attraction. A ride on a Kettuvallom is a fabulous way to explore the fascinating beauty of the backwaters.
Kettuvallams, the stitched boats provide the best way to experience the colourful backwaters of Kerala. The Kettuvalloms of Kerala are giant country crafts, measuring up to 80 feet in length.
The traditional houseboat, the indispensable part of the picturesque backwaters of Kerala, was mainly used in Travancore and Kochi and in the Minicoy Islands in olden times.
The wood commonly used to make Kettuvalloms is 'Anhili', which is found in abundance in central Travancore area. Large planks are tied together using hand made coir ropes and beaten coconut fibres.
This gives the Kettuvallams enough strength to withstand heavy waves in the sea. These long cargo boats are a familiar sight on the backwaters. These traditional houseboats undoubtedly form one of the most abiding images of the backwaters in Kerala.
The houseboat of today is an innovative version of its Kettuvallom ancestor. While converting Kettuvalloms into houseboats, care is taken to use only eco-friendly and traditional materials, retaining the bamboo mat roofs and coir mat floors. As in the old days, kerosene lanterns are used to give a romantic touch even though solar lighting is equipped.
The design incorporates the best of the old and the new. Even while retaining the strong traditional flavor, the standards of comfort and convenience are very high. In choosing your houseboat you have the choice of single, double or triple bedrooms in standard, air-conditioned or non-A/c - deluxe or luxury categories.
A houseboat with a mini conference hall is the best choice for those who want to enjoy their meetings and get together. Modified to meet a novel concept of holidaying, they are comfortably furnished with an open lounge, one or two or three bath attached bedrooms and a kitchenette and even with an upper deck for more privacy.
The houseboats of today - huge, slow moving, exotic barge used for leisure trips - are the reworked kettuvalloms of olden times. The original kettuvalloms were used to carry tonnes of rice and spices - a standard kettuvallom can hold up to 30 tonnes - from Kuttanad to the Kochi port.
When the modern trucks replaced this system of transport, some one found a new way that would keep these boats, almost all of which were more than 100 years old, in the market. By constructing special rooms to accommodate travelers, these boats cruised forward from near- extinction to enjoy their present great popularity.
Today, these goods carriers have been adapted to make the most exciting tourism product in India, the luxuriously furnished houseboat. Kettuvallams or the 'house-boats of Kerala' dot the serene palm-fringed backwaters of Kerala.
Have you ever gone houseboat cruising on the backwaters of Kerala? If you haven’t, make sure you do. This one’s really an absolutely wonderful, unforgettable experience!
Kettuvoloms Houseboats Travel
The kettuvallam or the Kerala houseboat is a large floating structure with a high load-carrying capacity and it has been a part of Kerala' s culture and heritage over the past many years. The advent of road transport and motorisation in waterways saw the steep decline in the significance of the kettuvallam as an effective carrier of bulk cargo.A travel tour to Kettuvalloms, which complement Kerala's backwaters, located in Kerala, south India, India, is an enchanting and bewildering experience to be cherished long time after the travel tour to the Kettuvalloms has been accomplished. The Kerala houseboats used to form an inseparable ingredient of the way of life in Kerala, located in south India, India. Now, with the seeping in of the modern ways of life into the traditional Kerala backwaters and its unique ambience, Kettuvalloms have become kind of redundant, but the nostalgia still lurks in the mist over the forlorn lakes.
Features of Houseboats
Cruise
You can choose from a wide selection of beautiful routes for your cruise to experience the beauty of the unique water land of Kerala, to suit your budget and time frame.Crews
The crew includes a captain, an engine driver and a cook, with optional English speaking guide.
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