Frequently asked questions
Which parts of India have houseboats?
Kerala's backwaters and Srinagar's lakes. Kerala Tourism lists houseboats in Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Kottayam, Alappuzha, Ernakulam, Thrissur and Kasaragod; our Kerala trips use Alleppey (Alappuzha) and Kumarakom, both on Vembanad Lake. In Kashmir, the houseboats are moored on Srinagar's Dal and Nigeen lakes. Each place has its own season, so the month you travel may decide it.
How is a Kashmir houseboat different from a Kerala one?
A Kerala houseboat is a converted kettuvallam, a rice barge of wooden planks joined with coir, that cruises the backwaters with its crew by day and moors at night. A Kashmir houseboat is a carved cedar boat that stays moored on Dal or Nigeen Lake; you reach it by shikara and go out on the water in one. One is a cruise, the other a stay on the water.
Is a shikara the same as a houseboat?
No. A shikara is the canopied boat that carries you across Dal Lake, past the floating gardens and Char Chinar island, and out to your houseboat; the houseboat is where you sleep. Our Kashmir stay includes private shikara rides as well as at least one night on a heritage houseboat, with airport transfers in Srinagar.
Can I stay on a houseboat in December?
Yes, in either place, but they are very different months. In Kerala, December begins the dry season: Alappuzha averages under 55 mm of rain that month (IMD). In Srinagar it is the cold season, which IMD dates from mid-November to mid-March, with most snow falling between January and March; the houseboats are heated in winter, and our Kashmir stay suggests December to February for a quieter, colder trip.
Which houseboat suits a honeymoon?
In Kerala, the honeymoon houseboat: a private charter of a whole kettuvallam for the two of you, from Alleppey or Kumarakom, usually for one or two nights, with meals cooked on board. In Kashmir, a night on a Dal Lake houseboat, which our Kashmir stay suggests for honeymooners. For the highest cabin standard on either water, ask about the luxury charter.
Can I charter a luxury houseboat?
Yes, on either water. Our luxury houseboat charter books one of the higher-standard boats on Kerala's backwaters or Dal Lake: larger cabins, better furnishings, a dedicated crew and, on the best boats, an onboard chef, with the whole boat reserved for your party. Premium boats are few, especially in the peak season, so book as early as you can.
About Houseboats in India
A houseboat in India means one of two waters. In Kerala, a kettuvallam, a rice barge converted with cabins and a crew, cruises the backwater canals and Vembanad Lake. In Srinagar, carved wooden houseboats stay moored on Dal and Nigeen lakes, and a shikara takes you out to them. Kerala is driest from December to March; Srinagar is most pleasant from April to June and in October.
Reviewed by Experience My India Editorial Team
How to choose between Kerala and Kashmir
Kerala is the choice for a night on the move. The Alleppey houseboat cruise boards around midday and returns the next morning, about 20 to 22 hours in all, with the crew cooking on board; cabins range from fan-cooled on a standard boat to air-conditioned on a deluxe one. With no night to spare, the Kumarakom backwater day cruise covers the same lake, Vembanad, Kerala's largest, in a half or full day, with a stop at the bird sanctuary. Our houseboats in Kerala page sets the two side by side.
Kashmir is the choice for a night that stays still. On our Kashmir shikara ride and houseboat stay, a shikara takes you out to a carved cedar houseboat on Dal or the quieter Nigeen Lake. Shikara rides pass the floating gardens and, at dawn, the floating vegetable market; on land, you see the Mughal gardens and the old city. Dal Lake covers about 18 square kilometres, and its shore is lined with Mughal-era gardens, parks, houseboats and hotels (Srinagar district administration). Kashmir is a sensitive region: check your own government's travel advice and your insurance before you book.
For a boat to yourselves, the Kerala honeymoon houseboat is a private charter for a couple from Alleppey or Kumarakom, usually for one or two nights, and the luxury houseboat charter books a premium boat, with larger cabins and a dedicated crew, on Kerala's backwaters or on Dal Lake.
What to expect
In Kerala, the boat moves at walking pace through village canals and out onto Vembanad, past coir-making, toddy-tappers climbing palms, and paddy fields drained below the lake's level. Lunch is cooked in the boat's small galley, dinner is served on the deck, and the boat moors for the night rather than cruising after dark. Kerala Tourism notes that the original kettuvallams, built of jack-wood planks joined with coir, carried rice and spices before they were fitted with rooms for travellers. Expect patchy mobile signal on the quieter stretches; swimming is not part of the trip.
In Srinagar, the houseboat is your hotel for the night. You arrive by shikara, the boat stays where it is, and you go out on the water by shikara at sunset or dawn. Houseboat standards range from simple to luxurious, so tell us your preference and budget.
When to go
The two seasons are almost opposite.
- Kerala: IMD's normals for Alappuzha show December to March as the driest months, each under 55 mm of rain, against more than 580 mm in June. October is still wet, at about 350 mm. The cruises run all year; in the monsoon, heavy rain can cut the time you spend on the open deck.
- Srinagar: IMD describes April to June and October as pleasant. The cold season runs from mid-November to mid-March, January nights average –2.1°C, and most of the snow falls between January and March. The district administration notes that winter temperatures sometimes reach –11°C, freezing the lake. Houseboats are heated in winter.
Our Srinagar travel guide covers the rest of a stay by Dal Lake.
Who it suits
- Families: the Alleppey overnight suits most families, with a gentle pace and the roof deck for children to move around; tell us their ages so that we choose a suitable layout. The Kumarakom day cruise is the easier option.
- Couples: the private honeymoon charter in Kerala, or a Dal Lake houseboat, which our Kashmir stay suggests for honeymooners.
- First-time visitors to Kashmir: Dal Lake needs no acclimatisation or particular fitness.
- Travellers short of time: the Kumarakom day cruise, with no night aboard.
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