Kerala Backwaters, Kerala, India

5PaulD 5:00 PM Feb 20, 2020

Goodearth Houseboat and Village Ways Holiday
I have only seen one other review on Goodearth Houseboat and that from 2015; our experience was completely different; it was superb. In the 3 days cruising on the quiet backwaters we saw no other tourists, at each stop the village tour was delightful and the cookery demonstration when the ladies came aboard fun and informative. We stayed in 4 VillageWays village house locations, plus some other short stops arranged by the company during our extended holiday in Kerala. All experiences were first rate. We did not however sign up for a 5 Star Hotel tour with the same bland hotel room encounter wherever you stay. On our VillageWays experience we met and were hosted by genuine people, farmers, fishermen, local craftsmen and their families. Our tour guides, drivers and super cooks were local people who proudly showed us the real India, their produce, authentic cooking, their homes and countless new experiences. We made 3 enjoyable train trips, and many road transfers, at each stage we were met on cue and hosted by wonderful people. The VillageWays accommodation was clean, comfortable, more than adequate and the food prepared to a quality restaurant standard by the ladies of each village house we stayed in, and the crew when on Goodearth. If we had any queries our tour organiser, Madhu, was easy to contact. When we wanted to tailor or adjust our programme before and during the holiday, she was attentive and efficient. I can highly recommend the VillageWays experience particularly if you want to see authentic India and ensure fair payment to your hosts, rather than profits to a multinational hotel chain.

5Irishbarry78 5:00 PM Jan 23, 2023

Kerala backwaters with lakes and lagoon “indulge” houseboat
Well that was a truly special experience, super chilled out, nothing to do all day every day only soak up the beautiful views and watch river life go by. Listening to the birds chirping, admiring the beautiful kingfishers, we just about had time for a village visit and an Ayurvedic massage. I would highly recommend to anyone if visiting India / Kerala. We did the two night trip on the lakes and lagoons “indulge” “super luxury” boat (floor to ceiling windows in bedroom, outdoor seating and dining area, upstairs outdoor chill out area, huge en-suite with jacuzzi) and we’re so glad we spent the extra for this boat. It was beautifully decorated, it felt indulgent! We’re also delighted we did two nights because we really felt like we got “off the beaten track” and cruised along waterways that were much quieter than the ones used by day trippers. Our crew were fantastic- thank you Baby, Mobin and Manu. The food was so delicious!