A three-hour state ferry across Vembanad Lake and up the canals, through exactly the same landscape as the houseboats for a fraction of the price.
Around ₹20–40 for the whole three hours. No commentary, no air conditioning, no fuss — just the backwaters as residents use them. Timetables change; check at the jetty the day before.
Must visit
A converted rice barge with a bedroom, a cook and a deck, cruising Vembanad's canals and mooring…
Must visit
A punted canoe into the narrow canals that houseboats are too big to enter, past coir-spinning yards…
A wide beach with the remains of a 137-year-old sea pier, a lighthouse behind and the usual Kerala…
A fishing-village beach 15 km north, quieter and cleaner than the town beach, with palm groves behind…