"Traditionally, the houseboats were called Kettuvalom, which means a boat made by tying together pieces of wood. Not a single nail is used in the making of a Kettuvallom.The material used for the making of Kettuvallom is all from the nature-Jack wood planks are joined together with coir ropes and beaten coconut fibres. The wood commonly used to make Kettuvallom is "Anhili". Bamboo poles, bamboo mats, coir carpets etc is used for the making of Houseboats. These 80 feet long crafts have been adapted into luxuriously furnished houseboats. The interior of the houseboat is really unbelievable – It's a House on Water! Each houseboat is beautifully decorated with coir mattress on the floor. Houseboats normally have spacious living/dinning area and sun deck. It is attached with toilets, separate toilets for crew. Spacious passage and neat kitchen. Clean towel and blankets are provided. Three workers are appointed on the houseboat, one cook and other two to drive the houseboat.
A Shikara offers seating capacity for four men to twenty men. It is truly meant for cruising remote Alleppey back water villages which are not accessible by huge vessels. One can enjoy , terribly we mean it , shallow water cruise which call to mind the Amazon deep forest canals and would be a feather touch for one's bleeding heart by the ogling and hectic humanity as it allows a very close sight to the back waters , you can even dip your hand into the cool wonderful liquid what we call water, the back waters of Alappuzha in a shikara is quiet worthy. In a shikara you can closely watch the rustic lifestyle of back water villages absolutely genuine in its class.
