By the Casa Marari team Updated about 17 km (35 min drive) from Casa Marari
Staying at Marari puts you on the beach and within easy reach of Kerala’s most famous landscape: the Alappuzha (Alleppey) backwaters. The main houseboat jetties around Punnamada Lake are about 17 km — roughly 35 minutes — from Casa Marari, so a backwater day trip is easy to fit around beach days.
Houseboat or shikara?
| Shikara | Day houseboat | Overnight houseboat | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duration | 1–4 hours | ~11 am – 5 pm | Noon to next morning |
| Best for | Couples, small groups, photographers | Families, groups, lunch on the water | A once-in-a-lifetime night on the lake |
| Canals | Narrow village canals | Main channels and the lake | Main channels and the lake |
Shikaras are small canopied boats that can slip into narrow canals lined with village homes, churches and paddy fields — great for birdwatching and photography. Houseboats (kettuvallam) are converted rice barges with bedrooms and a kitchen; a day cruise usually includes a Kerala lunch on board. Overnight houseboats stop cruising and moor in the evening, so plan to enjoy the scenery in daylight.
What you will see
- Vembanad Lake — Kerala’s largest lake, edged with coconut palms
- Kuttanad — the “rice bowl of Kerala”, where farmers grow paddy below sea level
- Toddy shops, village churches, ducks being herded along the canals and kingfishers on every post
A simple day plan
- 8:30 am — Breakfast at Casa Marari (appam and stew, anyone?)
- 9:30 am — Taxi to the Alappuzha jetty (about 35 minutes)
- 10:30 am – 2:30 pm — Shikara through village canals, or a day houseboat with lunch on board
- 3:00 pm — Alappuzha Beach and the old pier
- 5:30 pm — Back at Casa Marari in time for sunset at Marari Beach
Tips
- Book with licensed operators and agree the route and timing in advance.
- Avoid peak midday heat in April–May; mornings and late afternoons are best.
- Snake boat races: the famous Nehru Trophy Boat Race is held on Punnamada Lake on the second Saturday of August — book rooms early if you plan to watch.
Ask us when you enquire — we are happy to suggest operators and arrange a taxi.
