If you are thinking of a place for a honeymoon then would there be anything more surreal than floating on the romantic backwaters of Kerala while watching a mesmerizing sunset, hand in hand with your partner. Yes, this is the kind of experience that awaits you at the Spice Routes Luxury Cruises in Alleppey in the southern Indian state of Kerala, also dubbed as the Venice of the East.
Spice Routes Luxury Cruise Overview
If you are looking for an exotic honeymoon, then Spice Routes Luxury Cruises is as exotic as it gets. A scenic road trip takes you to Alleppey which is at a distance of about 82 kilometers from the Cochin International airport. Alleppey is a picturesque town of Kerala known for its criss-crossing waterways. This is where the Spice Routes Luxury Cruises is based in. They have luxury houseboats exotically named after spices, after all this region is known as being part of the historic Spice route when spices from Kerala traveled across the world to earn it the sobriquet, “Spice Bowl of The World”. Thus the houseboats are named as Fennel, Saffron, Pepper, Clove, Cinnamon, and Tamarind.
Amenities
Each boat is staffed by a Driver, Cook, and Assistant to ensure the needs of the guests are taken care of. All the houseboats have aesthetically designed interiors and include separate living and dining areas as well as luxurious bedrooms. A kitchen and Sun Deck too are part of each houseboat. All houseboats are fully air-conditioned and one can cruise on the backwaters oblivious to the heat outside even in the summer season.
Room Types
The houseboats all offer exclusive comfort and luxury but one can choose based on requirements. There are boats that have 3 bedrooms, boats with two bedrooms and of course the ideal boat for a honeymooning couple would be the houseboat named Saffron.
Saffron is called the Presidential Suite and is a complete indulgence for the senses. It has a luxurious and lovely bedroom, a living room, an exclusive dining room on the upper deck and also includes a Jacuzzi and mini bar. The Saffron is a boat that promises to become the private paradise of honeymooners. They can indulge in pampered luxury in a secluded and exclusive manner and also experience the delights of a cruise along the magical waterways of Alleppey.
Nearby Activities & Attractions
A stay aboard the Spice Routes Luxury Cruise is in itself an experience to savour but for those who are looking to explore and experience more there are many attractions and experiences. The best part is your temporary home, the boat goes with you to most places and most of the way. Some of the activities that are curated for guests include a cruise to an island called Pavithramanal in the backwaters where thousands of exotic migratory birds can be seen.
Another interesting place is a beautiful Church in a village called Champakulam that is more than 500 years old. An experience to be cherished is riding on canoes to get a feel of rural life in the backwaters. It is a thrilling experience as you glide in narrow waterways past homes and see kids going to school in boats, women going about their daily chores, water birds preening and gliding in the water and much more. Evenings are for relaxing on the sundeck and losing yourself in the magical moments strung together by a spectacular sunset against the backdrop of the waters. There are many other local experiences that are curated based on the interests of the guests.
Pricing
The pricing depends on the boats selected as well as the season. Generally for the Saffron it is around USD $530 for a night. This includes all meals. The Saffron is recommended for couples and is an exclusive accommodation for them. Other boats can accommodate upto 9 persons as they have 3 and 2 bedrooms.
Our Experience
We had a magical experience during our stay with Spice Routes Luxury Cruises. We spent 3 days and 2 nights on the luxury houseboat named Fennel. It was an experience to be cherished as cruised the backwaters gently in our floating home, pampered by the crew. The food was customized as per our needs and our vegetarian preferences were catered to very well. The memories of our stay still linger with us and we look back with pleasant feelings always.
Contributed by Sandy and Vyjay, a travel blogger couple. Travelling has been our passion and we love exploring world cultures, seas, mountains, nature, food, art, history and urban places. We share our stories and experiences of our amazing travel journeys on our blog Voyager and aim to inspire other travel lovers to see what this amazing world has to offer through our stories, videos, and photos.