Alleppey Backwater Weekender with Houseboat Night — 2 Nights / 3 Days
Two nights is the shortest Kerala break that fits a full houseboat night alongside a rested hotel night, so neither the drive nor the cruise feels hurried. Alleppey sits about two hours from Kochi on the NH66, and every meal on the boat is cooked on board.
About this itinerary
This 2 nights and 3 days package pairs one hotel night with one full houseboat night. You reach Alleppey from Kochi on Day 1 and stay one night in a lakeside hotel, board a deluxe houseboat around midday on Day 2 for one night on Vembanad Lake, the Kainakary canals and the Kuttanad polders with all meals cooked on board, then disembark after breakfast on Day 3.
The pacing works because Alleppey is only about two hours from Kochi on the NH66, so you are rested in the lakeside hotel before you board rather than starting the cruise straight off a long drive. Kuttanad's paddy polders sit below sea level, farmed behind earth bunds, which is the part of the cruise most people do not expect.
Everything below is included unless it is listed under Add-ons.
Day-by-day itinerary
Every day below can be moved, shortened or swapped. Replanning is free — you only pay the difference in what you change.
- Day 1AlleppeyArrival day
Arriving in Alleppey
Kochi pickup and drive to Alleppey, roughly 2 hours by NH66. Check in at a lakeside hotel, with the evening free at Alleppey Beach and the old 1862 pier.
The highlight of this day is the 1862 pier at Alleppey Beach, left over from when this was a working port.
Transfer: Private AC vehicleTransfer duration: About 2 hrsStay: Alleppey - Day 2AlleppeyHouseboat night
Boarding the Houseboat at Alleppey
Check out and board a deluxe houseboat at Punnamada or a similar jetty around midday. Cruise Vembanad Lake, the Kainakary canals and the paddy polders of Kuttanad, watching village life along the bunds, then anchor for sunset. All meals are cooked on board.
The highlight of this day is casting off from Punnamada into Vembanad Lake with lunch already cooking on board.
Transfer: HouseboatTransfer duration: About 5 hrs cruisingStay: AlleppeyBreakfast, Lunch, Evening tea, Dinner included - Day 3Departure
Marari Beach: A Working Fishing Village
Disembark after breakfast. Short stop at Ambalappuzha Sree Krishna Temple or Marari Beach, then drive to Kochi for a drop.
The highlight of this day is fresh catch landed and cooked the same evening, at a beach with no resort strip behind it.
Transfer: Private AC vehicleTransfer duration: About 2 hrsBreakfast included
Hotels on this package
Rooms are held on twin sharing with daily breakfast. Switch the category to see the properties it puts you in — the tab you pick here also sets the price shown at the top of the page and on the enquiry form.
The base category — comfortable, well-run properties in walkable locations, picked for reliable power, water and staff more than for the view.
| Stop | Nights | Standard category | Room |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alleppey | 2 | Alappuzha Boat house | AC bedroom, 21:00–06:00 |
Notes
- This package is available with or without flights. To add flights or trains, call us for current fares.
- Every itinerary is customisable.
- Extra bed, child with or without bed, and single supplement are quoted separately.
- Quoted on the Bed and Breakfast (BB) plan: room with daily breakfast. A full meal plan or an all-inclusive plan can be arranged on request. Any meal not listed for a day, including on the arrival day, is on request and payable directly.
- The houseboat night is on full board, while the hotel night is on bed and breakfast only.
- Houseboat cruising runs until about 5:30 pm, after which the boat moors for the night as per government rules.
Popular add-ons
Priced per person unless noted, and added to your quote only if you want them. Everything below can also be booked on the ground once you are there.
| Add-on | Price | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Alleppey shikara cruise | ₹800-1000 per person | Alleppey — Day 1 or 2 |
What’s included
Included
- Hotel or resort stay on twin sharing, BB (CP) plan: room plus daily breakfast
- Private AC vehicle for all transfers as per the itinerary
- Airport or railway station pickup and drop
- Experienced local driver cum guide who knows the routes
- All fuel, toll, parking, inter-state permit and driver allowance
- Sightseeing as per itinerary
- Houseboat night on full board: welcome drink, lunch, evening tea with snacks, dinner and next-morning breakfast, which is standard practice on Kerala houseboats
- 24x7 on-ground assistance from the trip2keralam team in Kerala.
Not included
- Air and rail fare
- Lunch and dinner except where houseboat full board is stated
- Any site, ride or activity not named in the day-by-day itinerary, including wildlife safaris, bamboo rafting and adventure activities
- Ayurveda treatments and spa unless listed, camera fees, tips and personal expenses
- Extra bed, child with or without bed, and single supplement, all quoted separately
- Travel insurance
- Early check-in and late check-out beyond standard hotel timings
- GST as applicable on tour packages
- Anything not mentioned under inclusions
Good to know before you book
- 50% of the package amount confirms the booking. The balance is due before departure or on arrival.
- Prices are per person on twin sharing, land only, and do not include air or rail fare. Adding flights or trains will move the price up.
- Rates move during peak dates: 20 December to 5 January, Onam, Christmas, New Year, festive holidays and long weekends.
- Quoted rates hold for the hotel category confirmed at booking. Room and meal plan upgrades are re-quoted.
- Standard hotel check-in is around 2 PM and check-out by 11 AM or 12 noon. Early check-in and late check-out depend on availability and are not guaranteed.
- Guests must carry a valid government photo ID at every hotel. Foreign nationals must carry a passport and visa.
- Houseboats stop cruising by evening and anchor for the night, as required by Kerala government rules, with air-conditioning running for fixed night hours. This is standard across all operators.
- The itinerary may be re-sequenced on the ground for weather, traffic, forest department closures or temple and festival restrictions. Inclusions stay the same.
- Entry rules and dress codes at temples, and permit rules inside forest areas, are set by the authority concerned and are not within our control.
- Costs arising from events beyond our control, including hartals, floods, landslides, roadblocks and other natural calamities, and from any delay or change they force, are borne by the guest and are not refundable.
- The vehicle is provided as per the itinerary. It is not at disposal for unplanned running.
Cancellation and Payments
- Payment by bank wire transfer to our account. Confirmation follows receipt.
- Confirmed dates may be changed, shortened or cancelled with 30 days' written notice to the company, subject to availability.
- Eligible refunds are processed to the original bank account within a reasonable period after cancellation. Bank or wire transfer charges are deducted from the refunded amount.
- Inside 30 days, the reservation cannot be changed, postponed or cancelled, and the package amount is retained in full.
- No-shows are not eligible for any refund.
- No credit is given for unused nights or an early departure.
- Peak-date bookings (20 December to 5 January) may carry stricter hotel cancellation terms, which we confirm at the time of booking.
Traveller reviews — 4.9 average from 412 trips
Questions about this package
How much does the Alleppey Backwater Weekender cost?
The standard package starts from ₹4,971 per person on twin sharing, land only, on BB (CP), as of August 2026 and subject to approval. Rates move during peak dates: 20 December to 5 January, Onam, Christmas, New Year and long weekends.
Are meals on the houseboat included?
Yes. The houseboat night is served on full board: welcome drink, lunch, evening tea with snacks, dinner and next morning's breakfast, all cooked on board. That is standard practice on Alleppey and Kumarakom houseboats. On the hotel night, only breakfast is included.
Does the houseboat keep cruising at night?
No. You board at Punnamada around midday and cruise through the afternoon, then the boat anchors for sunset and stays moored overnight. Breakfast is served on board the next morning before you disembark.
How far is Alleppey from Kochi?
Roughly 2 hours by road on the NH66. That short drive is the reason this package works in three days without feeling rushed.
What will I actually see from the boat?
Vembanad Lake, which is Kerala's largest, the narrow Kainakary canals, and the paddy polders of Kuttanad that sit below sea level behind earth bunds, with village life going on along the bunds as you pass.
Is there a dress code at the temple stop on Day 3?
Yes, and it matters. Entry rules and dress codes at Kerala temples are set by the temple authority and are not within our control, so our team briefs you before the stop. Marari Beach is the alternative if the temple stop does not suit your group.
How do I book and pay?
50% of the package amount confirms the booking, and the balance is due before departure or on arrival. Payment is by bank wire transfer to our account, and confirmation follows receipt.
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Want this trip on your dates?
- The same day-by-day plan, priced for your dates and hotel category
- Your houseboat blocked the moment your trip is confirmed
- Free replanning — swap Thekkady for Kumarakom, add nights, upgrade the boat