The Houseboats of Kerala ( earlier known as rice barges or kettuvallams ) are giant country crafts, measuring up to 80 feet in length, retrieved from being lost to the State altogether. Once they ruled the backwaters, poled along by one or two men, heavily loaded with rice, coconut and other commodities. But in the recent times, the kettuvalloms or rice barges have been replaced by more and modern modes of transport, relegating them to neglect and decay

The Kettuvalloms or Rice barges of Kerala are constructed with great skill and meticulousness by tying huge planks of jack wood together without the use of a single nail and coated with a caustic black resin made from boiled cashew kernels. Today, appropriately called houseboats they have furnished bedrooms, modern toilets, living rooms, kitchenettes and even balconies for angling. Sections of the curved roof of wood or plaited palm leaves open out to provide shade and allow an uninterrupted view of the backwater country

The Kerala houseboats that cruise these emerald waterways are an improvisation on the large country barges which were an essential part of the land's ethos in days gone by.  There used to be an entire clan of artisans who were involved in kettuvallom construction. Today, an innovative holiday idea has restored these majestic representatives of a unique culture and with them their makers

The Kerala House boats are either poled by local oarsmen or powered by engines. All of them have a crew comprising oarsmen, a cook and a guide.  Gliding along the calm and serene backwaters flanked by green palm groves, watching rural Kerela is a unique experience to any visitor

The houseboats of Kerala have become one of the most exciting tourism products in India.   Today there are A/c and Non A/c house boats with with Deluxe and Luxury facilities.  The houseboat holidays of Kerala are increasingly becoming popular with domestic as well as international tourists.

Consequently, the number of houseboats plying the backwaters of Kerala have increased dramatically.  So inorder to evaluate the safety and service standards of houseboats and classify them accordingly, the Government of Kerala has conceptualized a scheme to grade the existing house boats which maintain the quality standards intoGold and Silver Star categories and also to give Green Palm certificate as a symbol of eco-friendliness to those house boats which adopt environment friendly practices in its operation