Kerala

Dear Pete,

i just posted to your other posts
Please help with Kochi Itinerary

Dear Pete,

love to hear that you have already booked your flight for Feb 2013 ( as against the early plans for March)
I think that is a good time to be here, just towards the end of peak tour season ( dec- Jan), rates down and the summer months not yet in ( March onwards... ) so overall a good time of the year

there is another thread here A month in Trivandrum - ideas needed , where you could have a look at and select( based on your travel philosophy) only places from that you would like to visit in Trivandrum/ Kovalam area. each places and what to see is there on the offical tourism department website www.keralatourism.org

BACKWATER CRUISES


coming to do the cheaper options to do backwater cruise , you can take the
Kollam- Alleppey ferry . this starts at 10:30 hrs and reach Alleppey by 1800 hrs . This is an 8 hours long cruise with stop over for lunch and snacks. This covers the entire backwater from Kollam to Alleppey . The cost would be around 400 per head

or

for houseboats in Alleppey you can book your boat through the District tourism promotion council (DTPC) pre paid counter - a govt initiative. The pre paid counter is right at the boat terminal . You can also contact them over email or phone , the contact number is (0091) 9400051796. it would cost approx INR 5500-6500 for a cruise for 2 people with lunch, dinner and breakfast on board . Check in time is 12 noon adn check-out time is 9 AM the next day. Then there is another option called day cruise, that normally starts at 11 AM and ends by 5 PM .
But beware of touts when you reach here and shop around for a cruise
http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper...cle3565060.ece

or

shikkara Boats- Traditional canoes ( larger size) with roof and seats. These neednot be prebooked , As you can get it on arrival . they are parked in the canal or or mostly in the canal area near the KSRTC bus stand area or behind the DTPC office in Alleppey town. they cost approx INR 400-450 for an hour

or

Motor boats - These are smaller wooden boats with roof and seating inside the boat. This cost approx INR 350-400 per hour

or

Canoe trips - good for shorter cruises , either morning or evening times , when the mercury is not burning - it cost approx INR 300-350 per hour

or

SEE KUTTANAD CRUISE - government conducted
The government water transport department ( SWTD) has begun its backwater cruise for tourist . The cruise duration would be 2 hours and the cost per person for upper deck seats ( which is reserved for tourist) in INR 25

This budget option is of great help to visitors to backwaters
more news here on this link
http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper...cle3567662.ece
http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/...cle3367518.ece

Apart from this there is numerous other backwater ferries conducted by Kerala state water transport from its boat jetty in town , near to DTPC( district tourism promotion council) office
(NB:The SEE KUTTANAD CRUISE also commence from here ). The most popular one among tourist is the Alleppey - Kottayam Ferry , it is 2 and 1/2 hours cruise and it cost just INR 15 .

As ever NeenuRaj a fantastic reply!! Did Kollam used to be called Quillon? the reason I ask is that many years ago when I was last in Kerala, 1977, i think it was. I went from A to B and it took about the time you said. I can recall it stopping occasionally to pick up and drop off. Meals were definitely not included. We just stopped somewhere for the 'plate meal' costing about 2 rupees. I dont think it is the same sort of 'cruise' you mentioned though?

Are the motor boats driven by the tourist or is there a driver, so to speak. Are they just for a couple or do they wait till they have enough passengers aboard before setting off.

The same goes for Shakira boats- are they self paddled so to speak? I like the idea of those and the Shakira. Must try and see if I can see some pics of those.

I dont really fancy the overnight houseboat now- there is so much else that is better, I think.

Would you know of any reasonable Homestay B/B's that is well located for these things?

regards.

Thanks again!!

Yes, you are right , Kollam used to be Called Quilon , now officially it is called Kollam (and still you see Quilon in many places though not in official records . same way Alleppey is now Alappuzha , oficially)

The boat that you have used in 1977, should be the ferry boat operated by state water transport department . now it is not a public ferry , it is a tourist boat now . you will see mostly tourist in that . The cost is approx INR 400 per person

Motor boats have driver in it , and they are just for a couple or who ever there in your group. Unlike many other places where the boats waits to get filled with tourist, here in Alleppey / Kumarakom backwaters you can hire it exclusively for yourself

Shikkara are aslo motorised boats , have driver in it and it is hired exclusivey. you can google for some pics

if you like to paddle , then there are canoes for hourly trip and also hired exclusively . there is a person in the boat who paddles it . you can also paddle it together with him

apart from this there are kayaks available in alleppey for self paddling

Palmy lake resort ,mentioned by Nick_H , here in one of the post above is a good option


Then , malayalam lake resort , they are by the lake side . it is a good option

Venice castle , is another homestay that is centrally located
opp to the DTPC office , easy reach with in bus station , boat jetty, restaurants etc

Snehadhara , Gowri residency , Temple view residency are 10 minutes walakable distance from the centre of town

now this sounds exciting... how does one avail of this? is it run by the same DTPC?

Hi,

you mean the Alleppey - Kollam boat cruise ?

it is organised by the state water transport department( SWTD) . DTPC used to have it's Alleppey - Kollam boat until two years ago

But now the boat from Alleppey - Kollam and another one Kollam to Alleppey are operated by SWTD . it starts at 10:30 from Alleppey boat jetty ( simulataneously another one from Kollam boat jetty , near KSRTC bus station). it reaches at the destinations by around 6 PM

The old news paper reports at the time of inauguration
The Hindu newspaper - Alappuzha-Kollam boat service resumes after 14 years
http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/...icle103798.ece

The Hindu newspaper-Kollam-Alappuzha boat service to resume on Monday
http://www.hindu.com/2010/02/06/stor...0656181500.htm

The Hindu newspaper
http://www.hindu.com/2010/02/10/stor...1057660500.htm

Times of India -
http://articles.timesofindia.indiati...ater-transport

no, i meant 'apart from this there are kayaks available in alleppey for self paddling'

is this provided by DTPC as well?

NeenuRaj,

Question about Kovalam beaches. have seen a place called Molly's Retreat which is on Samdura Beach. Apparently it is supposeed to be about a 10 miniute stroll along the beach to LIghthouse Beach. Would you be able to confirm if that is in fact true?

is Samdura Beach the beach where one sees the fishermen hauling in their boats in the morning?

Would you recommend that beach to stay?

thanks.

not By DTPC, these are provided by private operators

sorry to have missed this post!
but i am happy that it is answered elsewhere!