Tharangini Houseboats

We booked a premium, full time AC room on a sharing houseboat for three people, me, my father and mother, with lunch, dinner and breakfast included. The rooms matched the Google pictures, which was a big plus. Ours was spacious, with a queen sized bed, AC, a bathroom, a makeup mirror, and a compartment beside the bed for phones and wallets. It got cold at night because the AC temperature couldn't be changed, so thicker blankets would have helped. The bathroom was clean and had a toilet seat, shower and sink, plus soap and towels. Toothbrushes, toothpaste and shampoo would have been useful, since they're not easy to buy on a houseboat and few people bring them on a trip. All three meals were tasty, authentic Kerala food, like home cooking, with vegetarian and non vegetarian choices. At a stop, you can buy fish, prawns or crab and ask the staff to prepare it for dinner, though it costs a lot. We got half a kilo of tiger prawns, fried with masala, and they were spicy and delicious. They also arranged a candlelight dinner. There were four helpful staff members who spoke several languages, so communicating was easy. One main staff member spoke Tamil, Kannada and Hindi and took great care of every family. The dining area was spacious. Upstairs there were good spots to enjoy the backwaters and villages along the way, and speedboat and motorboat trips were available too. The whole boat was neat and clean, with enough bins. Check-in was well guided and smooth, and they kept to the schedule. There were enough life jackets and a throw ring, and the staff were watchful and helpful as people got on and off. The ride and views are from the open viewing areas, with speedboat and motorboat trips as the other options. If you're more into sightseeing than adventure, you can still spend a day there. We had a great stay, especially for the room, food and hospitality, and felt it was good value.