- Backwater base
- Alleppey / Alappuzha
- Trip combination
- Kochi, backwaters and Munnar
- Travel style
- Slow houseboat stay rather than a rushed day
Kerala moves at a different pace than most of India, and the backwaters are the reason why - a slow drift through palm-lined canals is the whole point, not a means to an end.
Why Alleppey Backwaters
Alleppey (Alappuzha) is the backwaters' best-known base - a network of canals, lagoons, and lakes fed by rivers running to the Arabian Sea. Kerala Tourism calls it the "Venice of the East," and the canals here drain into Vembanad lake. Houseboats built in the traditional kettuvallam style glide through it at walking pace, past rice paddies and village life on the banks.
Best Season For Kerala
October through March is the comfortable window - post-monsoon and before the real heat sets in. December and January are the most pleasant for elders and anyone sensitive to humidity.
Three Ways To See The Water
An overnight houseboat is the classic choice, but it is not the only one. Day cruises run shorter loops if a night on board feels like too much, and Kerala's State Water Transport Department runs scheduled public ferries from Alappuzha - the same canals, at ordinary local fares. For elders who prefer solid ground at night, a hotel in Alappuzha or Kumarakom plus a day cruise works well.
A Day On A Houseboat
Most itineraries build in one overnight stay: boarding by early afternoon, drifting until sunset, a home-style Kerala meal cooked aboard, and a quiet night moored on the water. It is deliberately unhurried - the opposite of a packed sightseeing day.
Combine it with Kochi's colonial streets and Munnar's tea gardens for a route that goes from coast to backwaters to hills in a single trip.
A Miranda House graduate and lawyer who traded courtrooms for slow travel. Cheshta travels with the batches we host ourselves, with a soft spot for travelling alongside elders.
Planning your next trip?
We'll handle insurance, hotels, airport assistance and the itinerary — the same way we do it for every trip.
Questions on this article
asked by readers, answered by us
Was this helpful?
one tap, no sign-up