Houseboating is spreading, and that’s something we fellow houseboaters love to hear!

The Times of India brings word that the District Tourism Promotion Council (DTPC) is investigating the possibilities of promoting houseboating in Kochi, a major port city on the southwest coast of India, as an effort to open the area to visitors.

The area in question, part of National Waterway 3, includes islands such as Mulavukkad, Kothad, Kadamakudy, and Pizhala. After a meeting with the local islanders and the DTPC secretary, the tourism officials will tour the 18 kilometer waterway route with an eye towards its potential for development.

The DTPC general manager, S Vijayakumar, explains, "Locals have approached us with a proposal to develop houseboat-linked homestay tourism. There are local ferries plying on the route but we have to check the bridges, the waterway's width and the need to develop jetties.”

Cathryn of the UK said in an online comment, "In Ernakulam, I took a tip from a guide and used the local public transport to see life in Kerala backwaters. From the first grunt of the ferry's engine to the final thud of the hull against the wharf, my thoroughly enjoyable two-hour journey was a more authentic experience that the typical tourist cruise.”

The locals in the Kochi backwater area are now launching a Facebook campaign called “Hidden Kochi” in an effort to rally support for the project to open this beautiful area to everyone. Because the area falls under National Waterway 3, the project won’t need major funding, just continued coordination by the locals and DTPC.

To read all of Sudha Nambudiri’s article on this beautiful area and the houseboating potential that is currently being explored there, click here.