Honeymoon on Houseboats

Imagine the golden period of your life being spent in the romantic setting of a houseboat in India. Away from the hustle bustle in the lap of nature, the slowing cruising houseboat takes you to a different world all together.

In India nestling in the lap of dazzling, snow-capped Himalayas, the Kashmir valley is a jewel in the crown. An inspiration for art, music and poetry, Kashmir is also a honeymooners' paradise, a nature lover's wonderland and a shopper's dream come true. Srinagar is a unique city because of its lake-the Dal, Nagin and Anchar. The river Jhelum also flows through a part of the city.

The Dal, Srinagar's largest lake, has the most number of houseboats, followed by the Nagin and the Jhelum. As a general rule, houseboats in the Dal are of all categories, from deluxe through to D class, while those in the Nagin are largely luxury class and those in the Jhelum largely economy class.

Most houseboats on the Nagin and the Jhelum are situated on the banks of the lake, and can be accessed directly from land without the help of a shikara, while all those on the Dal require a shikara to get to and from them.

A honeymoon couple would love to escape into lap of nature with the houseboats. When your houseboat is in a busy area of the Dal, it is enjoyable just to sit on the balcony and watch the world row by. The cruise on the houseboat is a luxurious one. A shikara ride is one of the most soothing, relaxing aspects of a holiday in Kashmir. It can be an hour-long ride to see the sights of the Dal, a shopping-by-shikara expedition to visit handicraft shops within the periphery of the lake or a whole day trip to visit important city landmarks.

India also happens to have houseboats down south in the state of Kerala. The breathtakingly beautiful backwaters offer an enchanting honeymoon on the houseboats.

The houseboats of Kerala are huge, slow moving, exotic barge used for leisure trips and honeymoon tours are the reworked kettuvalloms of olden times. Now there are over 100 houseboats on the backwaters of Kerala.

The houseboats have all the creature comforts of a good hotel including furnished bedrooms, modern toilets, cozy living rooms, a kitchen and even a balcony for angling. Parts of the curved roof of wood or plaited palm open out to provide shade and allow uninterrupted views. While most houseboats are poled by local oarsmen, some are powered by a 40 HP engine. Boat-trains - formed by joining two or more houseboats together - are also used by large groups of sight-seers.

What is truly magical about a houseboat ride is the breathtaking view of the untouched and otherwise inaccessible rural Kerala that it offers - while you float!

Now, wouldn't that be something great for your honeymoon?