While I do realize this must be fun, how amazing is this? One of my British friends, had a very good friend. who did the houseboat which was associated with ... can't recall the name of the hotel chain but it IS a 5 star place.... anyway, she said it ( houseboat excursion) was AWFUL..... can anyone comment on this one way or another..... "reportedly" her friend isn't fussy..... ??
Thanks,
B

I do remember reading something, either here or on tripadvisor, that someone had a really disappointing experience with the housebboat in Kerala thing, through a hotel. Something about rats on board. Enough said.

Here is the post I mentioned:
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34644116

I've done it three times with very different groups of people. Once with 11 people between 3 boats as part of my wedding entourage. Everyone so far has said they'd wished they'd scheduled a longer trip.

We didn't book with a 5 star hotel but all three times the boats have offered about the same level of comfort. A basic bed, home cooking, hours of lazing about the backwaters of Kerala. It's rustic, maybe that was the objection?

I did this back in 2001, arranged directly with an agency (no longer have the name, sorry). Loved it, even though I don't usually like boats. Great way to relax, wonderful food - but bring your own booze. One night was enough though, due to lack of AC - during the day you're moving, so there's a breeze. There was a bathroom, with shower, but you needed to be reasonably slim.

If u are going to Kerala, by all means i reccomend a night on a houseboat, gliding thru the bckwaters and experiencing/witnessing traditional floating life! The colors, the atmopshere and the experince is really soemthing unique!

There are so many types of boats, from the simple to the luxury, and types of cruises u can go. So this is a big choice what boat u will hire. Some are very rustic/basic and some are literally floating luxury Palaces! Also, the food/meals varies as per boat. Some have absolutely superb chefs, and u will be treated like royalty and have a Kingly supper, while at some other boats, well, it is the catch of the day..

Overall, I wld probably suggest just one night/one day for the excursion, perhaps from Quillon to allepy. It really is a beautiful and very romantic adventure and surely one of the highlights of a trip to kerala, any way u cut it!

Anyways, i do know some good folks in kerala that can help u sort out the details, so feel free to drop me a line!

As usual, you guys have helped me out .... thank you all. I am still "iffy" about the night excursion on the houseboat..... I have been in the jungles of Peru, and have gone boating in southern Vietnam ..... so I KNOW what creepy crawlers there are at night regardless of one's luxury vessel
.... I will keep the thought of ultra LUXURy HOUSEBOAT foremost in my thoughts and/or going back to a hotel ( which is what I was originally thinking) .... I am coming from Coconut Lagoon .. and dont' want to be in too much shock on the houseboat.
... IS there a great hotel to stay at if I decide not to do the houseboat at night?
Thanks again

Once I get this trip fairly well established I will post it, and will ask for more assistance.... AGAIN, thanks for your thoughtful help.

Not sure where you want to spend the night, but I highly recommend this place in Fort Cochin: http://www.malabarhouse.com/

There are great places to stay all over Kerala, so if u do not want to do the "houseboat", u can certainly find a wonderful hotel about! But i wld say, go for a night on the backwaters..

yes, the Coconut Lagoon is a wonderful place..U will Love it! it is very beautiful and peaceful too..

And i gather u will spend a night or two in Cochi, wonderful choice of hotels there..

But i wld say the experience on the houseboat is something different altogether, and i think that too is wonderful! it is wondrful to see all sides of Kerala, and floating down the backwaters is a part of the region..

happy travels and feel free to drop me a line. [email protected] I am a American who is based in Delhi, but i too, love, love Kerala!

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...rom&fid=27

Here is another thread that might be helpful.

We only spent one night on a houseboat and it was enough. It was extremely hot at night even with the woven sides of the roof up to try and generate some breeze.

Make sure that your mosquito net is well tucked in. A damp face cloth or towel is one way to cool down as the heat from your body will try to evaporate the water.

Waking up in the morning in the middle of a huge lake was, however, wonderful.

All the little school children were being taken to school by boat.

I recommend that you try a night.

We booked our trip privately when we were in Kerala--not through a hotel. I don't recall that it was expensive.

Gill.

Thanks everyone ......

I absolutely loved the houseboat, although we ended up with a really old one!!! But the scenery was just so beautiful and so very relaxing that we soon forgot that we were on an old boat!! So just make sure u look at the boat before u get on!! But it is definately something not to be missed..It will always be in my memory!!

The larger the boat the less access to the canals. Not really a big deal unless you're in some 4 bedroom behemoth that can only troll around the lake.

One thing to look for is a rooftop balcony. During the day it's nice to get higher off the water where it's a little breezier.

If you're thinking of staying at coconut lagoon why not do the boat trip with the same company the CGH Earth? they have these luxury kettuvallams for 2 or 4 people which depart from the same jetty as the boat to the hotel. WE have booked for november so can't reccommend yet but the pictures of the boat on the web site look great! When are you going?

I forgot to finalize this posting .... we did the overnight..... and it was " a deluxe" houseboat ... no one got sick from the food, and it was quiet at night, HOWEVER, my daughter's bed had a few spiders in it and they went to town on her "bottom" But she seemed to get "attacked" the most in India ...... These spiders had some degree of venon in them though.... the bites got REALLY infected as time went on. they were pretty vicious bites. Nonetheless, I maintain that if you are down there, go on the houseboat trip, while not as romantic as Halong Bay, it's something that you should do .....

Would you do three nights on a houseboat? That's the post-trip option our tour offers (along with 2 nights in Cochin and only half a day in Mumbai)and we're trying to decide.
We'd be there end of February.
Thanks.

Three days would be too long for me, but I get bored on boats. Also, the one I was on didn't have AC, since it didn't have electricity, and while the breeze kept things cool enough during the day, I found it too hot at night. If you want a good rest, it might work for you.

Thursdaysd - I'm with you. I think I could take about one full day before going stir crazy. We may skip the post-trip.