Kerala Backwater Cruise: Explore Traditional Villages on a Punting Boat Day Tour

Embark on a peaceful Kerala Backwater Cruise and explore traditional villages on a punting boat day tour. Experience the unhurried life of Kerala’s people, witness local craftsmanship, and connect with the beauty of nature.

Duration: 6 hours
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Kochi (Cochin) - Gathering Point and Tour Briefing:
    Please meet at Wilson Tours by 8:30 am.
    A brief introduction to the tour will be provided.
  • Kerala Backwaters - Journey to Vaikom:
    At 8:30 am, set off on a one-hour journey in a comfortable, air-conditioned vehicle to the backwater village of Vaikom.
    Backwater Village Experience:
    Upon…
What's Included
  • In-vehicle air conditioning
  • Bottled water
  • Snacks
  • Lunch
  • Tea and coffee
Additional Information

Embark on a tranquil and scenic adventure with our punting boat day trip through the backwaters of Kerala. Glide along peaceful waterways and explore charming villages where local women skillfully craft items from coconut leaves. These villages provide a window into the relaxed and simple lifestyle of Kerala’s residents.
As you immerse yourself in the…

Location
Wilson Tours
Princess Street
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.9
(333 Ratings)
5 stars
4 stars
3 stars
2 stars
1 star
Wanderer42384466851
Dec 2, 2025
Unforgettable experience in the Kerala backwaters - We had the best time on this full day tour. Our guide was Meera and she was so friendly and informative about our trip. She explained everything so well and showed us the authentic backwater boating experience in the river. We had an authentic Keralan dish for lunch and did punting on smaller canals. Everything felt authentic and special. We were fully immersed in the Keralan experience. The backwaters are so beautiful and it’s such a calming experience. And everyone we met was so friendly and welcoming. It was affordable and everything was included, no extra charges for anything. I highly recommend this as the staff take care of everything. Thanks Meera and team for an unforgettable experience!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Camper35962127785
Dec 1, 2025
Overall amazing! - Activities arranged were great and enjoyed every bit of the tour. Tour guide Meera did a fantastic job explaing every detail of the tour, very helpful through out. A lovely experience!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Z2064msjoannac
Nov 30, 2025
Tranquil, eco-friendly backwaters tour. - Had a lovely day trip on this tranquil eco friendly punting boat. Went along the backwaters with hardly any other boats in sight. Stopped at a local village to see how they made their thatched roofs from coconut tree leafs and rope from coconut husky. Had a traditional Kerala lunch which was lovely and plentiful. In the afternoon, transferred to smaller canoes where we went down smaller lakes. At the end of the tour stopped at a local house for tea. Meera, our guide was lovely and very knowledgeable. Thank you Wilson tours for a lovely trip.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jananne165
Nov 30, 2025
Backwater cruise excursion - What a fantastic trip Stanley organised for us! Our cruise stop was shortened at the very last minute, but it wasn’t a problem at all — Stanley made a few quick adjustments and still had us back with plenty of time to spare. We enjoyed a beautiful backwater tour on a punting houseboat, which was so much more peaceful than the motorised ones. We visited a lovely quiet village with hardly any tourists, which made the experience even better. We also stopped on an island to see how local people make rope from coconut husks and use the palm leaves for roof thatching. Our guide for the day, Meera, was brilliant — incredibly knowledgeable and happy to share so much about the wildlife, plants and local life. A traditional Kerala lunch is usually included, but sadly we had to miss that due to the last-minute change from the cruise port. We were still treated to delicious bananas and fresh coconuts to drink, though, which was a nice touch. Everyone we met on the tour was warm, welcoming and really looked after us.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Tapio
Nov 29, 2025
Relaxing day out of the hassle - The best way to experience the backwaters. The group was small, and the boat glided peacefully through beautiful scenery powered only by muscle strength. Our guide, Meera, was friendly and professional. The food was excellent. We got to see how rope is made and visited a garden where various fruits and spices grow. In addition, local villagers sold their own products. Warm recommendation.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
490yanw
Nov 26, 2025
Perfect for immersion in the backwaters - Very nice day in the backwaters. It is quiet, professional and pleasant because it is done in small groups. Many thanks to our guide Meera who was perfect.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Antomc
Nov 23, 2025
Best way to experience Backwarers. - Environmental friendly trip, experience the local activities and get to meet the villagers. Don’t pollute the river with unnecessary big boat with AC. The guide is very friendly and experienced. The price value ratio is amazing. Will share with all of our friends.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Oliverfarmns
Nov 23, 2025
Experience the green waterways. - It was lovely. Very relaxing. Guide was good, snacks and lunch were good. It was very hot in Cochin but okay in the shade of the larger covered boat and under the canopy of the smaller waterways.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Ben_k
Nov 23, 2025
Unforgettable trip - Such an amazing tour! Nature of India is stunning and our organization is on a high level. We were shared with interesting facts about India and it’s beauty
Review provided by Viator
459rafalm
Nov 22, 2025
Authentic, informative, and well-paced: a delight - A very well-organised, well -paced trip in Vaikom backwaters with a fantastic guide, Meera. You will experience the punting boat on the river combined with local crafts demonstration, a local specialty (Sadhya) for lunch, followed by a canal trip on a canoe boat ending at a spice farm. A perfect blend of informative, restful, and authentic. All of it only half a distance of Allepey from Fort Kochi, which means you do spend more time on the water than in the car.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
From $29
up to 15 guests
1 - Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).