Long before they became an icon of tourism, houseboats were workaday boats. The original kettuvallam was designed to cart rice and goods across Kerala’s backwaters. Boats were massive-makes from native wood all tied together with coir rope. No metal nails, just craftsmanship and knowledge handed down through generations.
They were not designed for comfort. They were floating warehouses, moving harvest from villages to markets. Over time, as roads improved and cargo transport changed, these boats lost their original purpose.
Tourism gave them a second life.
Slowly, builders started converting the kettuvallams into living spaces. They added rooms, fitted kitchens, cut out windows to frame the water outside, and installed air-conditioning, bathrooms, and dining areas-all within a shell that still follows traditional methods of boat-making.
That’s what makes modern houseboats interesting-the mix. Outside, they still look like the old working boats. Inside, they feel like boutique hotel rooms floating on water. It’s not just accommodation but Kerala’s boat-building heritage continuing in a new form.