A houseboat on the Kerala backwaters costs somewhere between ₹6,000 and ₹25,000 a night. The state ferry along much of the same water costs under ₹50 and takes two and a half hours.
The route worth taking
The Alleppey to Kottayam service crosses Vembanad lake and threads a series of narrow canals, passing rice paddies that sit below sea level, village jetties, church spires and toddy shops. It runs several times a day and carries schoolchildren, workers and shopping.
There is no commentary, no lunch and no upper deck bar. There is a bench, an open side and the actual working landscape.
What you give up, and what you gain
A houseboat gives you a bedroom, meals cooked on board and the ability to stop where you like. If you are travelling as a family or want a night on the water, it is a real experience — choose a boat that anchors in a village rather than midstream, and one with a solar or low-emission setup.
The ferry gives you scale, contact and about a hundredth of the cost. Many travellers do both: one ferry crossing, one night on a boat.
Practicalities
Buy tickets at the jetty; the fare is collected on board on some services. Sailings are published locally and change seasonally. Bring water, sun protection and small notes.
For the wider state, see the Kerala destination guide.