The houseboats used for cruising on the tranquil backwaters of Kerala, are innovative adaptations of the traditional cargo-measuring up to 80 foot in length, carriers along the network of inland water navigation routes in the western coastal lowlands of the state, especially in southern Kerala.The widest backwater area is includes Kumarakom, with many resorts and luxury hotels. As this center with a bird sanctuary and tranquil waters has already become an international tourist destination. The houseboats of Kerala have become one of the most exciting tourism products in India.

Usually houseboats are defined as places to live in on rivers or estuaries or lakes. Families without regular houses, used to live permanently in the houseboats. But in Kerala, floating houses were not common. The present-day houseboats are meant to take tourists on sightseeing tours in the extensive backwaters of Kerala. The natural beauty and scenery of the backwaters can be enjoyed by cruising on the houseboats comfortably.

A Cruise along the palm fringed waterways of Kerala in a houseboat or ketuvallom is the most enchanting holiday experience in Kerala today. If you have not experienced it, here is a golden opportunity to do it at a fraction of its original cost.

Today there are A/c and Non A/c house boats with Deluxe and Luxury facilities. The houseboat holidays of Kerala are increasingly becoming popular with domestic as well as international tourists. Consequently, the number of houseboats plying the backwaters of Kerala has increased dramatically. So in order to evaluate the safety and service standards of houseboats and classify them accordingly, the Government of Kerala has conceptualized a scheme to grade the existing house boats which maintain the quality standards into Gold and Silver Star categories and also to give Green Palm certificate as a symbol of eco-friendliness to those house boats which adopt environment friendly practices in its operation. Ordinary Houseboat - Deluxe Houseboat - Luxury Houseboat are some of the categories.

 Modified to meet a novel concept of holidaying, the houseboats are comfortably furnished with an open lounge, one or two bath attached bedrooms and a kitchen, and are extremely eco friendly. Every houseboat is manned by a crew - usually a Cook, a Captain, and an Oarsman

Breakfast, lunch and dinner are provided in the houseboat. Vegetarian and Non- Vegetarian dishes can selected the guests. Malabar Chicken Curry - Spicy Chicken dish made with onions, curd, ghee, cashew nuts, grated coconut, pepper, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, dry chillies, coriander & turmeric. Karimeen Pollichathu ( Pearl Spot Fish -Kerala style), Kerala Fish Curry etc.are some specials .