It seems like making a family vacation is more difficult than expected. The children desire some excitement, the grandparents need comfort, and the parents only need rest from packing and unpacking stuff during their multi-city tour. A Luxury Houseboat in Kerala for Family vacations offers everything mentioned above — you can relax, eat homemade food and explore the backwaters of Kerala in one place, having no need to change hotels at all.
Having a rich experience of more than ten years, we from Rajadhani Holidays have seen thousands of families enjoying their holidays on our houseboats in Alleppey and Kumarakom. If you are hesitating about adding such a vacation to your Kerala travel plan, then the following ten reasons will give you all the necessary motivation.
1. A Luxury Houseboat in Kerala for Family Trips Means One Booking, Zero Hassle
When on holiday, one has to make separate bookings at hotels, arrange for cars and look for restaurants everywhere. Houseboat combines everything in one booking – your bedroom, dining room, means of transportation and the scenery change together with you along Vembanad backwaters.
It becomes especially important for families with children or elderly relatives when traveling from hotel to hotel and from restaurant to restaurant takes away energy, which could be spent on leisure. After getting aboard, the only thing left to choose is snacks to go with the tea.
2. Every Room Comes With Attached Comfort, Not Shared Facilities
It is widely perceived that houseboats do not offer comfort in terms of amenities. However, contrary to the common perception about such accommodation, it should be noted that even the smallest Luxury Houseboat in Kerala for Family comes with its bedroom, bathroom, bedding, and sit-out area.
The fleet of Rajadhani Holidays includes one to five cabins per boat to meet the requirements of different types of families. For instance, one-bedroom houseboats will suit romantic couples and small families while four and five-bedroom houseboats will cater to joint families where grandparents need their privacy but still be close enough to their grandchildren.
How Do You Choose the Right Houseboat Size?
| Family Size | Recommended Houseboat | Best For |
| 2 people | Single-bedroom | Couples, honeymooners |
| 3–4 people | Two-bedroom | Small nuclear families |
| 5–6 people | Three-bedroom | Extended family groups |
| 8–10 people | Four or five-bedroom | Joint family reunions |
3. Home-Style Kerala Food, Cooked While You Cruise
It is essential to ensure that the food on your trip would not ruin the experience as there could be picky eaters among your relatives and you. Chefs onboard will cook food right in your cruise kitchen using locally produced organic ingredients like rice mixed with tapioca, fish curry, and popular Kerala cuisine Karimeen and prawn fry.
Since the food will be cooked specifically for you, you can specify how spicy it should be – it means that you may order less spiced food for your children and easier dishes for your parents. It is one of the benefits of booking the Luxury Houseboat in Kerala for Family Trips.
4. Constantly Changing Views
Contrary to a resort view, which will be static all the time, your views while cruising around backwaters will change each few minutes. Paddy field will turn into coconut tree plantations and later into small villages and Chinese fishing nets. Kids especially will be attracted by such slow-changing landscape instead of the usual static view.
For example, you will notice that many times people take the best photos during the journey, not in some specific places.
5. A Private Crew Dedicated Just to Your Family
The houseboat normally comes with a team consisting of a chef, driver and captain, and a cabin attendant. This entire team is reserved for you during your voyage. Not like hotels where they are available for many others too. It allows you to get better service, food whenever needed in case of children, and more attentive care which can hardly be found anywhere else.
6. Built-In Privacy for Multi-Generational Travel
If you decide to book a hotel for your family of 10 people, you will end up in many rooms on various floors. The five-bedroom houseboat gives the advantage of having everybody in one place with separate bedrooms and common spaces for having food and discussions.
It fits perfectly for:
- Grandparents seeking privacy in order not to be disturbed by the children.
- Parents needing privacy in their cabin after a long day.
- Teens having their own cabins instead of rooms together with little kids.
- Young children staying always within shouting distance from the parents.
7. Safety Features That Give Parents Peace of Mind
The modern day houseboats of Kumarakom and Alleppey have been constructed with multiple internal compartments in a steel hull with the traditional rice boat called “kettuvalam”. Life jackets, trained staff and regulated cruising speed on board are essential features in any properly managed houseboat that are important especially if you are traveling with children.
Selecting a company with at least ten years experience ensures that much of the uncertainty that parents usually face while planning water journeys is eliminated.
8. Flexible Duration to Match Your Family’s Pace
Every family may not be ready (or even able) to undertake a long journey. You could book the houseboats for day cruises to experience the water journey or for one-day /two days packages where you get a romantic candle-lit dinner and a night spent floating in the water.
Which Duration Should You Pick?
Day cruises will be best suited to families with very young kids or those having less time to spend on backwaters. This will include drinks, lunch, and snacks at the evening hour. Overnight cruises would suit the ones desiring an experience more extensive as these would include dinner, breakfast, and an enjoyable sleep on the moving backwaters. It may be worthwhile to check out different types of cruises available before asking for the quotes.
9. Eco-Friendly Design That Doubles as a Talking Point for Kids
Most of the houseboats found in Kerala have been made from eco-friendly material such as bamboo, areca wood, and coir, among many others. This is not only unique but educational to children, who can be taught about sustainable development through the use of such material for house boats. Explaining how a boat can be woven through coconut fiber rope instead of being nailed makes a great story.
Luxury Houseboat in Kerala for Family Trip, thus, is not only luxurious but informative.
10. Better Value Than It Looks on Paper
Combining accommodation, food, driver-guide, and sightseeing into one price tag, houseboat vacations can turn out cheaper than booking hotels, taxis, and dining for the same number of people separately. As the prices are calculated according to the size of boats, and not people, families travel by bigger boats will benefit from it more.
The best way to compare is to ask, as a small discussion with the houseboat operator will answer many questions and reveal some nuances.
Making the Most of Your Houseboat Holiday
Several simple pieces of advice will help travelers to make the most of the vacation:
- Book 5-7 days in advance during the peak season – November-February, when the best houseboats run out quickly.
- Specify your needs related to the diet (level of spices, allergies, food for older people) upon making the reservation.
- Take only necessary things – there is less space on the houseboats than in hotel rooms.
- Know the route in advance – there will be certain villages, temples or fishing sites on the way.
Conclusion
The perfect family vacation is one where no efforts on your part are required, and a Luxurious House Boat in Kerala for Family Vacation is designed precisely for that purpose. The luxury houseboats will provide you with your own rooms, tasty homemade food, dedicated staff, and ever-changing vistas without even packing your bags once.
If you are willing to know more, Rajadhani Holidays have been providing house boat trips all around Alleppey and Kumarakom area for over ten years now, from single room to five bedroom family cruises. You can contact us anytime if you wish to get a quotation, know about availability, or need some help with deciding the house boat size for your trip.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What kind of package do I get while going on a luxury houseboat in Kerala?
Generally, the houseboat rental, a crew that includes a chef, driver, and cabin attendant, and meals including welcoming drinks, lunch, dinner, and breakfast are included in the package. Backwater tours are also part of the boat tour, hence there is no need for any transport during the tour.
2. How many guests can use the houseboat?
The size of the houseboats goes from one room houseboat for two persons to a five-room houseboat that accommodates ten guests. A two-room and a three-room houseboat are the most commonly opted by average sized families.
3. Can we take our little kids and elderly family members on a houseboat?
Yes, if the houseboat is reserved from an experienced agency. The houseboats have steel construction in order to ensure stability; life jackets are available, and the speed of the cruise remains low all the time.
4. How early should I make arrangements for hiring a luxury houseboat in Kerala?
It is enough if you make your arrangements 5-7 days in advance. However, in the peak period from November to February, it is better to make your arrangements at least two-three weeks in advance because good houseboats are booked fast. Making last minute arrangements is also possible but in this case you have less choice of the size of the houseboat.
5. What is the food like on Kerala houseboats?
On the houseboats you can expect tasty dishes of local cuisine – steamed rice, tapioca, fish curry, Karimeen and prawn fry. In most cases the chefs are able to prepare mild food for children and simpler food for the elderly passengers.
6. One-day cruise or overnight journey on a houseboat – what is preferable for the families?
One-day cruise is appropriate for families with very small children and for those who have not much time. Overnight cruise allows enjoying a full program including dinner, breakfast and staying overnight on board.
