Last Updated on June 28, 2022
Renting a houseboat to spend three days cruising through the backwaters of Kerala was definitely the highlight of our trip to India. You can take a tour through the backwaters for a day with a group or rent an entire houseboat. We decided to rent the houseboat, which comes with a capitan and your own personal chef, who cooked up the most delicious Indian food for us four times a day.
We spent the days gliding through the backwaters, watching village life go by. We’ll put out a longer post soon with more details about renting a houseboat in Kerala, but one of the most incredible things about the experience was just how peaceful it is. India is hectic, crazy, loud, a constant cacophony of sounds and yet on the houseboat we had total peace, quiet and paradise. National Geographic went as far as putting Kerala’s Backwaters on its list of 50 destinations of a lifetime… we whole-heartedly agree.
Christy @ Technosyncratic
Friday 15th of June 2012
This is one of the things we definitely want to do in India! Our last visit there was super hectic (hello New Delhi...), so it would be great to experience a calmer side of the country. :)
Jess
Sunday 17th of June 2012
Christy, this is so relaxing, you have no idea. You must do it, no question. The food, the culture floating by you, the total solitude...we'd go back just for that!
Ruth
Thursday 14th of June 2012
Amazing!! I knew of boat floating around the backwaters but I didn't know about the possibility of renting your own boat.
Jess
Sunday 17th of June 2012
Yes, Ruth, you stay overnight for one night or as long as you want. We did three and were SO relaxed! The chef makes magically delicious food, the capitan gets you where you need to go and yet you truly feel completely secluded...
Andi of My Beautiful Adventures
Thursday 14th of June 2012
LOVE IT!!!!! This is one of my most favorite places in the world.
Jess
Sunday 17th of June 2012
And we can TOTALLY understand why...amazing, right?!
Debbie Beardsley @ European Travelista
Thursday 14th of June 2012
Peaceful is a perfect word for this! Loved it and could imagine how wonderful this trip must have been.
Jess
Sunday 17th of June 2012
One of our favorite experiences in over two years of travel!! Everyone should do this!