Cruise languidly along the Keralan backwaters in a floating wooden hotel and watch the world go by. Kerala is famous for its backwaters – the beautiful, palm-fringed network of canals linking towns along the Arabian Sea and inland. These waterways are still used today by boats ferrying cargoes of spices, fish and newspapers, not to mention locals propelling little dug-outs to visit friends or tend fields.

And you can join this picturesque fleet by boarding a luxury Kerala houseboat. These are traditional country boats built from bamboo and jackfruit logs lashed together with coconut fibre, converted into comfortably furnished houseboats. You can board at any backwater dock and spend a day or two cruising to your destination.Luxury Kerala Houseboat with IndianExplorations.com

Your favourite part while on the Kerala luxury houseboat will be waking up and watching what feels like a living film; a young children brushing their teeth by the shore, women washing clothes, ducks floating by, the duck farmer smiling and waving. The sleeping areas are spacious and plywood-partitioned, with curved bamboo ceilings, arched windows and rush-mat floors. The odd section of dark wood paneling is offet by soothing cream walls, and the occasional splash of lime green or zingly yellow is provided by the cushions and throws. Some of the boats have 2 or 3 bedrooms (each with an ensuite bathroom) with a choice of comfortable double or twin beds. The boats also have covered outdoor areas (lit by lanterns after dark), whose wicker sofas are scattered with luxuriously squashy cushions, and wooden tables for dining while you watch the world float by. The Honeymoon Houseboat has a greater emphasis on privacy as you can access the deck area at the front of the boat from the room.

At sundown, it’s time to moor and make way for local fishermen and their boats. Some of their nightly catches perhaps pearl-spot or prawns may appear on your plate at dinner or lunch, seared and seasoned with local spices. On board the Kerala luxury houseboat the chef will also prepare delicious chicken and creamy vegetarian curries in his kitchenette which is where the superbly chilled beer is kept!. Food is tailored to preferences, so you can ask for dishes to be as spicy or as mild as you like. Meals are set appetizingly on the supper table in the lounge, where one of the helpful crew will have raised the window’s bamboo flaps to frame the shimmery sunset. Breakfast – tea, fresh juices, fruit and pancakes – is taken on the deck as you set off on another magical meander down the waterways

Journey by houseboat between coconut forests and lotus-filled lagoons on Kerala’s peaceful rivers and canals should be on the top of your list whilst on a luxury Kerala holiday.

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A  recent addition to taking in your wider surroundings is MV Apsara that offer an exotic experience that couples the comfort of a boutique hotel stay with luxurious cruising. Witness Kerala’s rich heritage in style. Providing unparalled standard perfect for a luxury Kerala holiday, the cruiser is built on two levels. The Apsara consists of eight rooms, a galley, dining area, a sundeck and a picturesque forward seating area.  It offers contemporary and modern amenities offering inspiring design, innovative dining and sensuous entertainment.  The tented spa offers Ayurvedic and international treatments. The dining area and salon, situated on level 1, with their grand décor create an ambience of luxury. The corner sofas with cushions and tables on level 2 provide ample space for guests to sit back and enjoy the panoramic view of the backwaters. The impeccable services extended to the guests combined with the enhanced display of sophistication makes your luxury Kerala voyage memorable.

Luxury Kerala Holiday with IndianExplorations.com

The itinerary is superb and extremely interesting. On day one, the Apsara sets sail and heads to the north of Vembanad Lake, sailing through Taneermukkam, famous for the salt water barrier dam and its ancient temple. The next day you set sail through Punnamada Lake which hosts the Annual Nehru Trophy Boat Race. Past the finishing point, you dock at Kanjipadam village with its rice fields, little houses and constant gaggle of geese and ducks. And there’s the 100 year old temple of Shree Bhagavathy Kshetram which hosts a 5 day annual cultural Ulsavam (festival).  During this luxury Kerala holiday you will be transfered to rice boats and weave your way through the picturesque, narrow canals in Chambakulam, known for its annual snake boat races and the oldest market. You will also get a chance to walk through the paths and lanes of this craft and coir village and also visit the St. Mary Florence Church built in 1870.  The cruiser then proceedes to the Pamba River, also known as Dakshina Ganga – the Ganges of the South. A traditional Kerala astrologer on board reveals your planets and the influence on your life. Allow him to chart your past and your future based on the traditional science; or just watch the play of the sky, the water, the birds as you sail back. There are, of course, the relaxing on-board activities arranged just for you.  Day three and four includes sailing via Punnamada jetty and Chithira Kayal to arrive at the uninhabited Padiramnal Island, home to over 90 local species and 50 migratory boards. You will return to the Vembanad Lake where your nostalgic luxury Kerala journey comes to and end.

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Enjoy your luxury Kerala holiday in a perfect eco-setting – a pleasant escape to the lap of nature.

Kerala luxury safari holidays are a fantastic option to get away from the crowds and really explore this magical slice of coastal India which encompasses such a variety of landscapes. Start off in the balmy backwaters at sea level and head inland rising to the middle hills and then up into the magical high country of the Western Ghats, the range of mountains that run parallel to the west coast of India for 1500 kms north to south. The coastal strip is narrow and the mountains that back it rise sharply catching the full weight of the monsoon with some parts receiving up to 200 inches of rain.

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Dense rain forest clothed these slopes once housing an incredible diversity of life. And even today – despite the surge of humanity up these mountains – they are counted amongst the worlds 24 biodiversity hotspots. Elephants roam these forests and I’ve seen tracks of tiger at over 600 feet high in the Munnar hills. Endemic species like Nilgiri Tahr (wild goat) and lion-tailed macaques make their home here. Coffee and cardamom with their dense cover are favourite haunts. At the edge of Periyar Tiger Reserve, in the buffer zone forests many of which now have an understorey of cardamom, it is possible to walk and camp in the wilderness. A single fruiting fig can hold one mesmerized as it attracts insects and birds to fruits and more birds hunting the insects and more birds hunting birds.

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As evening falls the canopy comes alive with palm civets, eyes gleaming emerald in the torchlight and the distant trumpeting of elephants is suddenly drowned by the explosive alarm calls of sambar deer that sets the hair on the nape of your neck erect. In the morning you emerge from the tents and head out for another adventure packed day along trails that plunge across streams and then climb out to high clearings with the most exhilarating views you can imagine. And one of the joys of Kerala is that a luxury pad is never far from reach. I’ve always felt a little bit guilty ‘adventuring’ from such a luxury base – but the feeling passes quickly.

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