Share this guide
Houseboats board from real jetties on real canals, and boarding is the part of the trip people think about least and notice most. These are the points worth settling before you travel, especially with elderly parents, small children, heavy luggage or limited mobility in the group. Our desks are not on every jetty, and canal-side infrastructure varies from one boarding point to the next, so a genuine answer has to come from the boat's operator for your specific jetty. Alappuzha travel guide →
Boarding location and jetty access. Every booking names its boarding point; Alleppey's main houseboat areas include Punnamada, the Finishing Point side, Kainakary, Nedumudy and Champakulam, and each behaves differently for vehicles, drop-offs and walking. Ask: which jetty exactly, is there a road or yard directly at the jetty, and how far is the walk from where a car or auto can stop?
Stairs and level changes. Gangways, steps down into the hull and cabin doors are the physical realities of a kettuvallam. Ask how many steps between the jetty and the deck, whether the main deck is level, and whether the cabin is reachable without climbing. If someone in your group uses a stick, a walker or a wheelchair, say so when you enquire — the operator needs to confirm what is actually possible at that jetty and on that boat, not what is generally true of houseboats.
Upper decks. Some boats have an upper deck or a sun deck reached by a narrow stairway or ladder. It is the best seat on the water and it is not accessible to everyone. Ask whether your boat has one, how it is reached, and whether the main deck alternative is comfortable for the evenings.
