Tours/Kochi/Half Day Village Houseboat Tour (from Cruise terminal in Kochi)
Viator · group up to 20 pax

Half Day Village Houseboat Tour (from Cruise terminal in Kochi)

4.8(20)Kochi1 hour
VIATOR4.3(3)TRIPADVISOR4.8(17)

Description

Step into a serene and picturesque world on our punting boat day trip through Kerala's backwaters. You'll glide along calm waterways, visiting charming villages where you can witness local women expertly crafting things from coconut leaves. These villages offer a glimpse into the unhurried and simple life of Kerala's people. As you soak in the breathtaking natural beauty, you'll encounter a variety of birds and lush greenery. You'll also have the chance to see how coconut husks are turned into useful ropes and mats, a skill that has been passed down for generations. This journey is an opportunity to connect with the heart and soul of Kerala's backwaters, appreciating its rich culture and traditions, while enjoying the beauty of nature and the warmth of its people. It's a day filled with unique experiences you won't want to miss! ( Please note : This is a group tour not a private tour)

Tour Options

Half Day Village Houseboat Tour (from Cruise terminal in Kochi)

Itinerary

Pass by

Meeting Point and Tour Introduction: Please assemble at Wilson Tours at 08:30 AM. We will provide a brief overview of the tour.

360 min

Departure to Vaikom: At 08:30 am, embark on a one-hour drive in an air-conditioned car to the backwater village known as Vaikom. Backwater Village Experience: Upon reaching the village, enjoy a two-and-a-half-hour cruise on a non-motorized punting houseboat. Indulge in a delicious vegetarian lunch served in the village on banana leaves. An English-speaking guide will elaborate on village activities, showcasing rope making from coconut fiber, mat weaving, and various spice plants. Canoe Boat Ride and Tea Session: Post-lunch, experience a one-hour canoe boat ride. Relax and enjoy a tea session during the boat ride. Return to Cochin: After the activities, we will drive back to Cochin. Tour Conclusion: The tour concludes at 02:30 pm in Cochin.

Highlights

Bottled water
Snacks
Lunch
Air-conditioned vehicle
Coffee and/or Tea

What's included

Included
Bottled water
Snacks
Lunch
Air-conditioned vehicle
Coffee and/or Tea

Traveller Ratings

4.8
20 reviews
5
16
4
3
3
1
2
0
1
0

Important Information

  • Public transportation options are available nearby
  • Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
  • Suitable for all physical fitness levels

Reviews(20)

N
Neelesh D
May 26, 2026
Very nice experience guide was very informative and helpful also driver of transport was spot on with timings.

Very nice views of conniving also house boat experience was beautiful with great conoving skills even in wind and heavy rain while we on board Traditional food was great too

Operator response

Hi Neelesh .Thanking you for the wonderful review about us. We are thrilled to hear that you had a great experience in the backwater with our guide Meera and our driver Shajahan .Thanking you once again for the review and also for choosing our service. We look forward to the opportunity of meeting again in the future. Warm regards Stanley Wilson and Team

K
KerriH207
April 19, 2026
Houseboat tour in Cochin

Excellent tour , Would highly recommend , tour guide spoke great English and everything went according to plan . The lunch provided was tasty and the seeing the locals do the weaving with the coconut husks to make rope was amazing.

Operator response

Hi Kerri .Thanking you for the wonderful review about us. We are thrilled to hear that you had a great experience in the backwater with our guide Meera. Thanking you once again for the review and also for choosing our service. We look forward to the opportunity of meeting again in the future. Warm regards Stanley Wilson and Team

R
rigpig
March 24, 2026
Gentle punting on the Keralan backwaters

I thoroughly enjoyed my day gently boating on the Keralan backwaters. Picked up as arranged and transported to our coconut leaf covered boat. We were punted down a large expanse of river before stopping for a demonstration of coconut husk fibre rope making. This was an interesting interlude before further punting to where we had lunch. This was a simple but delicious meal served on a banana leaf. Lots of lovely aromatic flavours. We then transferred to an open canoe and went down a side channel. This was very peaceful with crystal clear water and lots of wildlife. After this was completed we stopped at a family home for tea and a savoury biscuit which was very pleasant. Our lively young lady guide was kind and attentive, our punters were smiling and equal to the task and our minibus driver was good too. A really enjoyable day.

Operator response

Hi Rigpig.Thanking you for the wonderful review about us. We are thrilled to hear that you had a great experience in the backwater with our guide Meera. Thanking you once again for the review and also for choosing our service. We look forward to the opportunity of meeting again in the future. Warm regards Stanley Wilson and Team

T
Tour20068136872
February 7, 2026
Wonderfully peaceful, natural experience

Unbelievable experience.. everything I was hoping for and more. I would recommend Wilson Day Tours, to anyone that is interested in this kind of trip. I did my research and many of the tour operators use.motor boats, but this agency doesn't use motors ... it's punting and paddles ... the guide is amazingly friendly and very knowledgeable..

Operator response

Hi .Thanking you for the wonderful review about us. We are thrilled to hear that you had a good experience in the backwater with our guide Meera.Thanking you once again for the review and also for choosing our service. We look forward to the opportunity of meeting again in the future. Warm regards Stanley Wilson and Team

M
markkH2827VE
February 5, 2026
Half day village house boat sunset tour

Great tour with pick up from cruise port, driver Shaji was excellent navigating the traffic to and from our destination, our guide for the day was friendly and knowledgeable and answered all of our questions, the tour though the beautiful back water islands and water ways was very relaxing and peaceful.

Operator response

Hi Mark.Thanking you for the wonderful review about us. We are thrilled to hear that you had a wonderful experience in the backwater with our guide Meera and Shaji.Thanking you once again for the review and also for choosing our service. We look forward to the opportunity of meeting again in the future. Warm regards Stanley Wilson and Team

L
lizzibee2019
December 15, 2025
Peaceful & relaxing trip.

After a full on couple of non stop weeks, we enjoyed this relaxing and peaceful backwater trip so much. We drove just over an hour to board the boats, which thankfully were covered as an incredibly hot day. A stop off at a small village to see some traditional crafts including rope making and banana leaf weaving. After travelling further through the channels watching day to day life, we stopped off at Green Island for a yummy meal served on banana leaves 😋 Transport picked us up after lunch for return journey to Kochi. Excellent day and value for money.

Operator response

Hi Lizzie.Thanking you for the wonderful review about us. We are thrilled to hear that you had a wonderful experience in the backwater .Thanking you once again for the review and also for choosing our service. We look forward to the opportunity of meeting again in the future. Warm regards Stanley Wilson and Team

J
julianhopkins235
December 14, 2025
You won’t get better value than this!

This was without doubt one of the best value tours we’ve ever been on. We were picked up on time and taken to the houseboat where,along with six others, enjoyed being “punted” along the river taking in all of the fabulous scenery and wildlife. Then onto a local village followed by lunch, which we didn’t expect all included in the price, before being driven to a nearby canal tour again being punted through Mother Nature. A walk through the trees and gardens ending with a timely return to our cruise port. With a brilliant guide the tour was so far away from our normal life in the fast paced world that it was a thorough delight and one we’d recommend to everyone. The slight caveat worth noting is that the half day trip actually ran from 8-4 so if you are on a cruise with an early disembarkation do take that into account. We were fine as were fellow cruise passengers and staff who had enjoyed the same tour the day before.

Operator response

Hi Julian.Thanking you for the wonderful review about us. We are thrilled to hear that you had a wonderful experience in the backwater .Thanking you once again for the review and also for choosing our service. We look forward to the opportunity of meeting again in the future. Warm regards Stanley Wilson and Team

G
GritKr
December 4, 2025
Highly recommended

Very nice tour, very well organized, with pickup from the cruise terminal. There was free water and a coconut to greet on the boat. The food was excellent. Unfortunately, the drive after dinner was a bit short, only went across the river, we had embarked on a somewhat longer return journey Happy to meet you. But the schedule was kept well, so we were back on board in time.

Operator response

Hi Grit, We're delighted you enjoyed exploring our quiet backwaters with Meera. Thanking you for the wonderful review about us. We are thrilled to hear that you had a wonderful experience in the backwater .Thanking you once again for the review and also for choosing our service. We look forward to the opportunity of meeting again in the future. Regards Stanley Wilson & Team

4
487garya
November 23, 2025
River punting

Good guide, decent houseboat and serene punting experience1. Lunch was good with 7 spoonfuls of vegetarian curries and chutneys with rice and poppadum. More river than backwater and enjoyable overall

Operator response

Hi Garya , We're delighted you enjoyed exploring our quiet backwaters with Meera. Thanking you for the wonderful review about us. We are thrilled to hear that you had a wonderful experience in the backwater .Thanking you once again for the review and also for choosing our service. We look forward to the opportunity of meeting again in the future. Regards Stanley Wilson & Team

S
Susanne_B
November 22, 2025
A very nice and...

A very nice and quiet tour. Perfectly organized. At the beginning of the boat tour there was a coconut to drink.

Operator response

Hi Susanne,We're delighted you enjoyed exploring our quiet backwaters with Meera. Thanking you for the wonderful review about us. We are thrilled to hear that you had a wonderful experience in the backwater .Thanking you once again for the review and also for choosing our service. We look forward to the opportunity of meeting again in the future. Regards Stanley Wilson & Team

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