Kerala Houseboat Building – The Craft of the Kettuvallam

Today, these goods carriers of a long-gone era have been adapted to make the most exciting tourism product in India — the luxurious furnished houseboat. A kettuvallam usually has one or two attached-bath bedrooms, an open lounge, deck, kitchenette and a crew comprising oarsmen, a cook and a local guide.

Showcasing a unique heritage, the kettuvallams (houseboats) of Kerala are giant country crafts, measuring up to 120 feet in length. It took great skill and meticulousness to construct these giants by tying huge planks of jack wood / Anjili wood together, without the use of a single nail.

The houseboats do not have standard floor plans, as each boat is designed to meet the customer's specific needs. The plans built in the past highlight the concepts and capabilities of the company — placing the bathrooms at the centre of the vessel to minimize listing due to waste-tank fluctuations, and providing adequate headroom, both standing and seated on the bed, in all upper and lower berths.