Stories

Kerala’s houseboats have achieved iconic status that normally belongs to places like the Taj Mahal, which is a bit odd when you really consider it. The Taj took decades to build and represents extraordinary architectural achievement. Houseboats are floating rooms … Read More

October hits Kerala and something shifts in the air. Those heavy monsoon rains finally back off, the humidity eases from unbearable to merely tropical, and suddenly the backwaters start resembling those photos that made you want to come here. If … Read More

There’s something about those houseboat photos that makes the decision seem obvious. Traditional kettuvallam gliding across glassy water, palm fronds reflected below, the whole scene drenched in amber evening light. Then reality hits when you start comparing prices and realise … Read More

Kerala’s backwaters run year-round. Houseboats operate in every season. But timing a cruise between October and March versus any other time of year makes a difference you’ll feel within the first hour. Weather shapes the entire experience on a houseboat. … Read More

Kerala’s backwaters show up on every “romantic destinations in India” list. For good reason; narrow canals lined with palm trees, villages appearing through the mist at dawn, water so still it mirrors the sky. The setting does half the work. … Read More

Traditional thatched roofs from the outside. Five-star facilities inside. That’s the contradiction that makes Spice Routes houseboats work so well. Most Kerala houseboats stick to one aesthetic or the other; either rustic and basic, or attempting modern luxury but losing … Read More

Twenty browser tabs. Three comparison websites. You’re toggling between hotel reviews, trying to decode if “cozy” actually means tiny, and wondering whether that Kerala houseboat photo was taken with a very good camera or if it really looks like that. … Read More

Walk through any travel forum discussing Kerala houseboats and Spice Routes gets mentioned repeatedly. Not because of aggressive marketing, but because guests keep talking about their experiences years later. After 17 years in business, the company has become shorthand for … Read More

Walk down to any jetty in Alappuzha and you’ll face dozens of boat operators promising amazing backwater experiences. Problem is, they all look basically the same from the dock. Curved roofs, similar sizes, crews in matching shirts waving you over. … Read More

Saturday wasn’t a good day for houseboat tourism in Kerala. Around 3:30 PM, a tourist boat caught fire at R Block in Kuttanad. Five people were aboard – two tourists and three crew members. Everybody got out unharmed because the … Read More