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For other destinations and types of holiday, visit Kuoni
For other destinations and types of holiday, visit Kuoni 

Things to do in India

The ultimate floating restaurant

The highlight is lunch; deliciously spiced lentil curry as you gaze over the backwaters…

By Mr Dipu Nair
Representative for Go Vacaction India

Today around 300 houseboats cruise Alleppey’s backwaters, but our seven kettuvalloms (as they’re locally called) have had a style revamp. While the exteriors are traditionally crafted with local coir and bamboo, inside there’s beautiful cane furniture, jack wood panels, woven mats and a day bed where you can lounge in the sun. Mod cons include air conditioning in the bedrooms for those overnighting and solar panels for extra sustainability.

On a half-day excursion, our Deluxe house boats drive you around Alleppey’s sun dappled backwaters as you soak up the whimsical scenery from the deck or through the large picture windows. Starting at Pallathuruthy town, we drift past Champakulam, a village that hosts one of the oldest snake boat races in Kerala and where you can see a docked ‘snake boat,’ named after its long, thin, shape and originally used in combat for its agility and ability to hold 100 men. Nowadays they take around 14 months to build and at great expense so there’s great excitement whenever we see one. Then there are the quintessential Keralan scenes that unfold quietly under the palms and among glistening paddy fields. People wash their clothes on the river edges, children run along the banks after school. Toddy shops, ancient churches, and rice barges filled with produce pass by. Locals pause their conversations to wave at you, it’s a warm inviting community.

For many, lunch is the main highlight. This is usually a deliciously spiced lentil sambar curry using seasonal vegetables like pumpkin, okra and carrots. It is served alongside Kerala’s speciality pearl spot fish as well as a chicken dish. Even the locals tell us they crave our cooking which is a huge compliment for us. Our chef just has this special touch.

We then do a U turn and travel back on the other side, a patchwork of lagoons, lakes and canals. Every cruise is different. It’s like a cricket match which is held every day, there’s always something to watch.

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Alfred & Mr Dipu Nair

A passionate member of the tourist industry with an MBA in Travel and Tourism, Dipu was born, bred and educated in Kerala. He has worked with Destination Management Company, Go Vacation India, for the last 13 years showcasing the beautiful backwaters of Alleppey mainly from the Houseboat Operations sector. In his downtime, he is a member of the Pallathuruthy Boat Club taking part in Kerala’s snake boat races of which his team are reigning champions.

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