Alleppey or Kumarakom for a Houseboat?
Alleppey and Kumarakom sit on opposite shores of the same water, Vembanad Lake. Both are places people come to for the backwaters, and both are searched together as "Alleppey Kumarakom" by travellers deciding between Alleppey or Kumarakom as the base for a houseboat trip.
We should say up front: our office is at Punnamada in Alleppey, and every boat we book leaves from there. We are not neutral. But we will set out the difference as plainly as we can, and explain how you can see both sides on one trip.
What the Alleppey side offers
A houseboat trip from Alleppey mixes open lake with a dense network of canals. From Punnamada, the route crosses Vembanad Lake, passes the R Block and C Block paddy fields that lie below sea level, then winds through the island villages of Rani, Chithira and Marthandam and on to Kainakari. Overnight boats moor near Kuppapuram village and return in the morning through Meenapally Kayal and Pallathuruthy.
So an Alleppey cruise alternates between wide water and village life at close range. There are also narrow canals only about five feet wide, reached by shikara.
What the Kumarakom side offers
Kumarakom is on the eastern shore of Vembanad Lake and is known for its lakeside resorts. A houseboat that starts there spends more of its time on the open lake.
How to choose
- You want canals, villages and paddy fields: start in Alleppey.
- You are already staying at a Kumarakom resort: a boat that starts nearby saves travel time.
- You want both: board in Alleppey and add our Kumarakom round trip, which crosses the lake to the Kumarakom side and back.
- You only have a few hours: a shikara ride from Alleppey reaches the narrow canals in 2 to 4 hours.
Seeing both on one trip
Our Kumarakom round trip is available for an extra fee on top of the houseboat rate. The boat, crew, meals and timings are the same as on our overnight stay: board at 12:00 PM, back by 9:00 AM, five meals cooked on board. Houseboats do not cruise after dark, so the Kumarakom leg is planned for daylight.
Where the best place for a houseboat in Kerala is
It depends on what you want to see. For the classic mix of lake, canals and village life, Alleppey is where most houseboat routes begin, and where the boats we book start. For a stay built around a lakeside resort, Kumarakom is the obvious base. Either way, the water you cruise is the same lake.
Questions to ask yourself
- Where are you sleeping the nights before and after the houseboat? Board on the side that saves you travel.
- Do you want village canals, or mostly open water?
- Is one night on the water enough, or do you want the extra hours a Kumarakom leg adds?
How to book
Send your dates and whether you want the Kumarakom route on WhatsApp. A 25% advance holds the boat, with the balance paid at check-in.
FAQ
Alleppey vs Kumarakom questions, answered.
Is Alleppey or Kumarakom better for a houseboat?
Alleppey for canals, islands and paddy fields; Kumarakom if you are staying at a resort there. Both are on Vembanad Lake.
Can we see Kumarakom on a houseboat from Alleppey?
Yes. We offer a Kumarakom round trip from Alleppey for an extra fee.
Where do the houseboats start?
At the jetty at Punnamada Finishing Point in Alleppey.
Is the houseboat the same on the Kumarakom route?
Yes. Same boats, crew, meals and check-in times; only the route changes, for an extra fee.
Cruise Alleppey, visit Kumarakom.
Ask for the Kumarakom route on WhatsApp and we will confirm the timing and price.