A Monsoon Houseboat Experience in Kerala Backwaters

[IPR Backwaters]

Kerala is the best place to enjoy the tranquil houseboat cruises.  You can't experience a backwater experience as in Kerala nowhere else in the world. One of the main factors making Kerala a top notch backwater destination is some of the incredible Kerala houseboat packages that are provided by some of the authorized and professional tour operators like IPR Backwaters, which let the travelers enjoy the backwaters of Kerala in an amazing way.

One of the best time to enjoy a Kerala trip, especially the backwater trip, is the monsoon. Since it is the offseason, there will be many discounts and offers regarding the Kerala boat house rates, and also fewer crowds in the waters.  During my recent holidays In Kerala, I have enjoyed some memorable experience with a tranquil backwater cruise in Alleppey and Kumarakom backwaters.  If you are traveling with kids, then the day trips are the safest choice.  It is better to enjoy the cruise through the backwaters in a day time and sleep over in some elegant resort at night.

The Itinerary

My trip was a short one and that included 2 days and 1-night trip. We took a flight from Bangalore to Cochin and reached at the Cochin international airport in the morning at 7 30 am.  The journey was started from Cochin, in the morning around 8 am and was greeted by the representative of IPR Backwaters.  Our first destination was Alleppey, one of the top emerging backwater destinations in Kerala. The drive to reach this place took around two hours, and on the way, we had breakfast from some cozy restaurants, and I tried the typical Kerala cuisine, for a change. It was of mildly spicy and prepared using coconut oil and was refreshing.

We reached Alleppey, around 11 am. We had booked a customized Alleppey houseboat cruise in the scenic backwaters and our tour operators owned a few houseboats and also some home stays and budget resorts in the bank of backwaters. The houseboats have a typical traditional style with full of modern amenities. Ours was a one-bed room boat that provided standard amenities like a standard hotel room.

Since we had only two days to savor the real taste of this serene place, we picked a short 4 hours journey. We also wanted to collect some typical souvenirs of Kerala and visit some religious and other top hot spots nearby.  The houseboat cruise started around 11 am in the morning and winded up around 2 pm in the afternoon

Review of the Trip

The backwater resorts in Kerala that we stayed were a luxurious one without burning our pocket.  The itinerary was flexible and it helped to accommodate our preferences like timings, food options, and route of the cruise etc.  The entire boat was packed with whatever we wanted, the staff was really cordial and warm to us.  The quality of the food was beyond expectations. We had the chance to savor fresh seafood, typical Kerala cuisines etc.  And the most comfortable thing has we had enough privacy to enjoy our private moments, the staffs never interfered in our personal affairs. The guide assisted our trip was really helpful. We didn’t feel a moment of boredom, as he told us tales after tales as we sailed through those sleeping canals, which made at really travel back in times.

Safety Concerns during Monsoon

Most of the people who choose Alappuzha Honeymoon packages during monsoon may have the fear that monsoon might be the worst time for a houseboat trip, because of safety issues. But the staffs in the houseboat will always keen about our safety and we will be warned beforehand if there is the heavy downfall or the wind.  And the trip will be postponed if there is heavy wind. But luckily, the wind was not that bad during our trip.  At some point, the staff pulled us to some other safe canals rather than stopping the cruise because of the wind.

The monsoon is off the season in Kerala, and there will be fewer tourists everywhere you visit, which means less standing in the queues, and more discounts on purchases.  And enjoying the backwaters in the rains it will be a unique experience. The whole land becomes greener and during the day time, you can stroll along the markets, or visit some tranquil islands nearby, or experience the typical rural life in Kerala on the banks of a lake.

The Food Options

The food options vary from typical Kerala cuisine to international cuisine. Since our trip was a short one, we weren't expecting some meals, but the staff was very cordial and was always eager to prepare our food according to our preferences and choices.  The typical Kerala lunch is a must try, the pearl spot fish fry is popular in the area, the chicken curry was really spicy and there were many unique vegetable dishes that was all a treat to the taste buds.  We really enjoyed the culinary treatment.

There were not many complaints of issues during our backwater trip. The houseboat was really well maintained and tidy. The rain might cause some mess, but it is nothing avoidable. The food was great and the staffs, friendly and flexible, always ready to serve according to our needs.  The bedroom was comfortable and speaks luxury, the bathrooms were cleans and tidy and rooms air-conditioned.

The rates of different Alleppey boat house booking are pretty reasonable. We can also negotiate with the tour operators if we face some problems regarding the rates and timing, Because of the high competition in the field, you will also get the best deal; last minutes and offers especially for family trips. But before doing the booking, it is advisable to go through the recent photo to avoid last-minute troubles. There are also unlimited sightseeing options when you visit Kerala backwaters. During our houseboat cruise, we have visited Pathiramanal, Kakkathuruthu, Karumdaikuttan temple, Kumarakom bird sanctuary, Thanneermukkam etc.