Kerala House Boats & Rice Barges

Drifting across the Vembanad lake or slowly wending your way down one of the many rivers or canals in luxury on board a converted rice barge can be a pleasant way to gain an insight into life on the back waters - be sure to take a camera and capture some images of the outstanding scenery that you will witness as you float past local villagers going about their daily routine. The water is their lifeblood and is used by the women for washing, by the children for playing and for the men to fish and collect the valuable harvest of mussels. The whole family take on the task of tending the paddy fields, which appear to need constant attention throughout the year even between the harvest - what is it that attracts the beautiful white herons, who perch so regally on the backs of beasts as they pull ploughs through the mire?

Each house boat has a forward facing shaded lounge area at the front of the vessel where one can relax in style and comfort whilst enjoying outstanding uninterrupted views of the surrounding countryside as the slowly moving scenery constantly changes. There is also a dining area where attentive staff will fuss over you and serve a welcome pot of refreshing Indian tea or some freshly prepared sumptuous classic spicy Kerala cuisine using only local ingredients - please note if you require alcoholic drinks such as beer or wines during your cruise you should make arrangements with the crew before setting off. The bedrooms are spacious and fully air conditioned with limited wardrobe space, each has a private bathroom with shower, washbasin and wc..

Click here for further information on The Rice Barges of Kerala

Please note all of the craft offered by island escape holidays frequently undergo rigorous safety inspections and are operated by highly experienced professionally trained licensed crews. All craft operate within strict international safety codes and in accordance with global concerns are environmental friendly. All houseboats offered carry the Indian Governments Green Palm certificate as a symbol of their eco-friendliness and to indicate they have adopted an environment friendly approach to their operation.

Anyone who may be perturbed regarding the stability of the craft or those who may normally experience motion sickness when travelling should put such concerns aside; the waters are calm making the experience a smooth relaxing experience.