The beauty of Kerala lies in its multi-faceted expressions of nature. From the sea in Kochi to the hills of Munnar, Kerala covers the gamut of nature’s landscapes. But the thing that makes Kerala stand out the most is its backwaters. Winding along canopied greens, the backwaters are a way of getting away from the busy city life and soothing your nerves. The best way to enjoy the backwaters of Kerala is on houseboats which sail through the day and moor at night. I recently travelled with Spice Routes Houseboats and would like to tell you about the experience.
Luxury Onboard
The houseboat experience is usually a two day one where you get on the boat by the first afternoon. The houseboats of Spice Routes are uber luxurious and allow you enough means of creature comforts. All the houseboats are named after the various spices Kerala has to offer. the houseboat stayed in spice named Fennel. My boat had three double bedrooms with attached washrooms along with one big living room on the front and a Kitchen at the rear. The rooms are splendidly appointed with everything for your comfort and convenience.The wood panelling is something that truly attracted me while the decorative embellishments make it look even better. My favourite part of the houseboat was the glass panelled living room cum dining in the front which fetched a grand full view of the countryside of Kerala while sailing in the backwaters. One can rest on the comfortable couches and enjoy the quietude of the and rustic beauty of the Kerala backwaters.
Gourmet Delights
As the Sun started setting on the horizon, we decided to get our catch of the day before it gets too late. Fish is found aplenty in the backwaters and we got the fresh ones for your dinner. It was a gastronomical delight with Spice Routes here in Allepey. The kitchen onboard serves you feast at every meal. From tiger prawns to fried country chicken and my favourite duck curry was as delectable to eat as it sounds to the ears. Not only, you can find a variety of seafood including crabs and other molluscs but also experience a cooking session along with Chef right from the marination to being served on the table for your delight. For the vegetarian friends, you have an option of freshly cooked local vegetables and dals and scrumptious desserts cooked in authentic Kerala style. With so much variety to choose from and being served with so much love and gratitude, the onboard gourmet experience on Spice Route is worth a mention.
OffBoard Experiences
One of the reasons I enjoy Kerala so much is the slow life of the villages spilling over to the major cities too. With Spice Routes, one can not only enjoy the luxury set up but also a village trail. I was always intrigued to catch a whiff of the rustic life of the people living by the canal.So when I learned that Spice route offers this experience as a part of their activities, I was jumpy as a kid. I quickly jumped into a wobbly boat to catch the unhurried moments of villagers, kids, family fishing together, women taking care of daily chores and Fishman rowing past with their hauls. You will also find yourselves making a stop visiting temples and taking a rural experience by visiting local toddy shops( Kerela’s local drink) at a village called Mancompu.Taking a short walk into the village we also chanced upon a marriage which we decided not to crash. The best part of these houseboats is that you can dock anywhere to visit villages, exquisite temples and churches. After mooring the houseboat we also headed out into the shallower parts of the backwaters in a canoe where the canopy of trees draws even more, denser and you can see coconuts hanging overhead.
Spending quiet moments with your loved ones by the backwaters of Alleppey and the enjoying the uniqueness of the countryside with Spice Routes houseboats makes for a perfect holiday. Let us know about your experience of Kerala in the comments below.
