House Boat Rentals

[George]

Does anyone happen to know if anyone in India rents house boats. My wife has her heart set on staying in a house boat. She said she wants to sleep on the water when we'er in India.

 

[Maple]

I think I saw something about house boats in the Adaman Island area. If they have them there, maybe they have them in other areas, too.

 

[JManara]

I've read that they have houseboats that go up and down the rivers in Kerala. I don't know that you can rent them and travel on your own. I believe the boat comes with a guide or operator.

 

[GinaMax]

I was pricing Kerala house boats not to long ago. The kettuvallam look rather majestic in the pictures, like something you might see in an Indiana Jones movie. Renting them generally costs more starting in November, and lasts 3 or 4 months. They can be a little costly, depending on how many bedrooms and bathrooms you want, as well as other services. From my calculations I think a good but affordable one will come out to be about $200 USD a night, maybe a little more. I saw prices that were as low as $100 (but no pictures) and as high as $1000 a night, with an average around $300 or so.

 

[briannagodess]

Hello, @George!

You can rent houseboats in these regions of India:

1. Kerala - This is probably the most popular region for renting houseboats. Hiring a houseboat and exploring the backwaters of Kerala is a must do in a visit to the region. Majority of the houseboats in Kerala are hired from Alleppey. The journey begins in Alleppey and goes through Kumarakom, Kottayam and Alinkadavu. You can find various houseboat operators in the Alleppey itself or maybe hire one from your hotel. You can choose between day long cruises and several day cruises. The most popular houseboat rental would be for an overnight journey although you can rent it for as long as a week. You can rent houseboats with different floors as well so you can have some privacy upstairs. Usually, meals are provided for but make sure and ask the houseboat operator beforehand. There are many houseboats in Kerala that you won't even need to prebook except during peak season. Some houseboat operators are:

• Kerala Houseboat - Their Standard Houseboat with a single bedroom is at Rs. 6,000 per night. This tours Alleppey and includes the meals for the day. Their contact number is: +91 9447753557.

• Eco Tours Kerala - Their Single Bedroom Deluxe is at Rs. 9,000 per night. This travels throughout Kumarakom and Alleppey. Their contact number is: +91 4812524447.

2. Kashmir - The houseboats in Kashmir are stationary, they don't move around unlike the Kerala houseboats. You can find many houseboats in Dal Lake and Nageen Lake. There are even luxury houseboats in Kashmir, where there are fine furnitures, good carpets and modern bathroom furnishings inside. You can also find houseboats with private balconies, lounges, dining rooms and several bedrooms. Meals are usually included in the fee. Some houseboat operators in Kashmir are:

• Naaz Kashmir - Their Lotus Suite Houseboat is at Rs. 12,500 per night. It has a Shikara ride until the floating gardens. Their contact number is: +91-9810102517.

• Kashmir Houseboats - Their Two Person Houseboat is at Rs. 5,200 per night. Their contact number is: 09419055668.

There you go, I hope this helps!

 

[Normad]

I've just done a quick google search and it looks like you will not have any problems finding house boats in India depending on where you are going. It actually is a really great idea for a super exciting holiday. I think I might consider that too for my next visit to India next year.

 

[Indianexplorer]

One of the best ways, is to go there and get one, specially if it's the off season because you would get very nice deals, but you have to inquire about 2 things before booking:

• Condition: You have to actually visit the house boat and check the condition yourself.
• Food: You have to look into the food available.
• Hygiene: Generally, hygiene wouldn't be a problem but better safe then sorry.

As long as you are able to look into these things it would be easy for you to choose the houseboat which is proper.

Also, normally if you are looking for a houseboat, it is good idea to just book 1 night at first because you might not know whether you like it or not and later on you can extend your booking pretty easily in most cases.