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Kerala Backwaters: Deluxe Houseboat Night Tour
4.8
38 Ratings
Kerala Backwaters
Experience a private overnight houseboat cruise on Vembanad Lake from Kochi. Enjoy Kerala’s backwater village life, local cuisine, and serene landscapes.
Experience a private overnight houseboat cruise on Vembanad Lake from Kochi. Enjoy Kerala’s backwater village life, local cuisine, and serene landscapes.
Duration:
1 day
Cancellation:
24 hours
Highlights
- Kerala Backwaters - Kerala Backwaters, Kerala, India
- Vembanad Lake - Vembanad Lake, Kerala, India
- Fort Kochi Beach - Fort Kochi Beach, Kochi (Cochin), India
- Kerala Backwaters - Kerala Backwaters, Kerala, India
- Vembanad Lake - Vembanad Lake, Kerala, India
- Fort Kochi Beach - Fort Kochi Beach, Kochi (Cochin), India
What's Included
- Overnight accommodation in 1 bedroom, private premium houseboat
- Private, round-trip transfer
- Hotel/port pickup and drop-off
- Lunch
- Afternoon tea
- Snacks
- Tea and coffee
- Bottled water
- Air-conditioning
- Television in the room
- Overnight accommodation in 1 bedroom, private premium houseboat
- Private, round-trip transfer
- Hotel/port pickup and drop-off
- Lunch
- Afternoon tea
- Snacks
- Tea and coffee
- Bottled water
- Air-conditioning
- Television in the room
What's Not Included
- Alcoholic drinks (available to purchase on prior request)
- Expenses of any personal nature (phone calls, laundry, and camera entry fee etc)
- Any other services not specified above
- Alcoholic drinks (available to purchase on prior request)
- Expenses of any personal nature (phone calls, laundry, and camera entry fee etc)
- Any other services not specified above
Additional Information
This private, small-group tour for no more than 10 travelers is ideal for anyone who has a night to spent around Kochi. Cruise the Kerala Backwaters and relax on a deluxe houseboat as your eyes, first lazily, then passionately enjoy the bewitching Vembanad Lake, the largest backwater stretch in Kerala. The lake offers you sights of backwater village…
This private, small-group tour for no more than 10 travelers is ideal for anyone who has a night to spent around Kochi. Cruise the Kerala Backwaters and relax on a deluxe houseboat as your eyes, first lazily, then passionately enjoy the bewitching Vembanad Lake, the largest backwater stretch in Kerala. The lake offers you sights of backwater village life and many backwater activities. The green shores, throbbing with vigor and pure beauty, will never tire you. The soft sunlight lends the calm water a new enchantment as the palms on both shores welcome you with a gentle whisper in the wind. While on the cruise, enjoy local Kerala food, served on a banana leaf for lunch, and traditional Kerala snacks in the evening, such as banana fritters and sukhiyan.
- A minimum of 2 people per booking is required
- A maximum of 10 people per booking
- Please advise any specific dietary requirements at time of booking
- May be operated on multiple houseboats to accommodate all guests
Location
Kerala Backwaters
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.8
(38 Ratings)
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William_j
Jan 30, 2026
Exceptional !!! - Exceptional!!! First, we easily obtained all the information before our cruise via WhatsApp. Then, the taxi was punctual and the vehicle was clean and comfortable. Next, we received a warm welcome aboard the boat. The boat is traditional, very clean, and comfortable. The hosts are very calm, welcoming, punctual, and kind. Activities were offered but without being pushy. The meals were plentiful and varied. We wanted for nothing. It was simply perfect!!!! I highly recommend this unforgettable cruise. Thank you again to the entire team! William
Review provided by Viator
Juozas
Jan 28, 2026
Unforgettable Kerala. - We have had the prearranged tour from Iris Holiday (thank you, Saranya) with driver Akhil for 13 days. All points visited were worth seeing.Akhil is very responsible and contributed a lot to the success of our trip: helpful, always in time, experienced and skillful driver.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Agnes_v
Oct 23, 2025
Great time on the water,... - Great time on the water, with a peacefully trip. Landscape is beautiful. The food was good and the crew very nice.
Review provided by Viator
Sheila
May 14, 2025
Timely in every way - I was so impressed with the timely responses I received from IRIS while I was planning my trip. The patience shown to me was commendable. Everything worked out without a hitch. It was so well planned everything was on time. I can’t say enough good about it.
Doing the back waters of KERALA by houseboat has been a dream of mine for over 20 years. It exceeded my expectations.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Laura_i
Mar 9, 2025
Wonderful Experience - We had an amazing and very relaxing time - the food was also incredible.
Just a couple of things to note, that we didn't know would happen and could catch people out - you are taken off the boat when docked for the night to buy shellfish for dinner (at your own cost but worth it) also the staff do stay on the boat with you overnight - these did not affect our experience and we had a wonderful time, and have already recommended to friends and family!
Review provided by Viator
Sureshmohanb
Feb 26, 2025
Kerala backwaters - It was a comfortable and relaxing holiday on the houseboat. Our driver Vipin was polite and helpful and always on time. Overall a very satisfying experience.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Curiosity66738392363
Jan 29, 2025
Nice place to visit - This is our first time visiting kerala and our trip is amazing and the driver Mr shijo is really nice person ever time is very punctual,and he know everything will come back in future look for him, give him five star review...
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Daydream802703
Feb 24, 2026
Worth doing - We spent one night on the houseboat, overall it was a lovely relaxing day and evening. We had a two man crew who were very experienced with the boat.
The food was excellent . Lunch was very good and so was the evening meal there was only the two of us but both meals could have fed six people.
We were asked the night before what we would like for breakfast I chose fruit and my husband chose an omelette both were very good.
The boats are very old and understandably tired looking, we didn’t have a problem with that however the bedding was stained and very dirty and I couldn’t bring myself to complain as they were so proud of their work.
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Cruising around the back waters was a lovely experience with lots of wildlife to see and a wander around a village to stretch our legs.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Lottej359
Jan 28, 2026
Nice tour but incomplete - Great boot and excellent food on the boat! The area is lovely and communications beforehand were quick and punctual.
The communication on board was not possible since there was no English speaking staff on board. There was miscommunication about the food, where we thought we had to pick fish for dinner, whereas there actually was food already and we ended up paying almost 2000 rupees extra for food we didnt need. Also, in the description it says that on the second day you get a tour in Kochi by car and see the highlights. That didnt happen, the only thing we got offered on day 2 was to do another boat tour for extra money. When we thanked for that we just got dropped off at our hotel, with no sightseeing in Kochi.
The quality of the tour was again very nice and relaxing, but more clarity about what is included and what not & more information about the surroundings and nature by an English speaking captain or crew would have given this 5 stars.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Andor944
Oct 21, 2025
Peaceful and Beautiful Houseboat Trip - This overnight houseboat trip from Kochi was very calm and relaxing. The car ride to Kumarakom with Sanju was great—he was friendly and made the drive comfortable.
Once we got on the boat, everything felt peaceful. The water was quiet, the air was fresh, and the boat moved slowly. It was the perfect way for us to rest and enjoy nature.
The food was delicious! The best part was the fresh prawns. We bought them by the river, and they were cooked right away. They tasted amazing and were full of flavor.
Before sleeping, we had a massage on the boat. It helped us relax even more. After that, we slept very well with the soft sounds of the water around us.
In the morning, we woke up to birds singing and a beautiful view. We really recommend this trip if you want peace, good food, and a special experience in Kerala.
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Review provided by Tripadvisor
