Published by Sunday Herald Travel, India

Houseboats are no longer a Kashmiri speciality. Kerala has been offering those for some years now. However, unlike the Kashmiri ones, the Kerala counter parts offer trips around their famous backwaters that are fed by numerous rivers. Kerala’s backwaters abound in Allapuzha, on the state’s western shore, abetting the Arabian sea. Snaking their way through palm and banana trees and paddy fields, the shimmering canals are a wonderful way of exploring the country side in a non-frenetic and restful way. If you’re not keen on getting off anywhere, you can doze off on the deck or in your room,lulled by the gentle movement of the boat, that cruises smoothly with noiseless engines.