About us
Three generations on the backwaters.
Thomas Kurian's grandfather built rice barges, the kettuvallams that carried paddy across Vembanad lake (sample story). When the barges were no longer needed, the family turned them into houseboats.
Today we run six boats, each with a crew who has worked with us for years. We are a small company, and we like it that way.
How we travel
Always private
Your boat, your crew. No sharing with strangers.
Clean backwaters
Bio-toilets on every boat and no plastic bottles.
Home cooking
Fresh fish from the lake, vegetables from the market.
Fair to the crew
Our crews are paid well and get a weekly day off.
Captains and cooks
Thomas Kurian
Owner and captain
Third generation of a boat-building family (sample)
Lissy Varghese
Head cook
Her fish curry has a fan club
Biju Raghavan
Captain, Paddy and Vembanad
22 years on the backwaters
Anjali Menon
Bookings
Plans your cruise around your train
Postcards from the lake
The availability strip showed our boat was free on the 14th but not the 15th. We changed our train and got the Kingfisher.
Neha and Vikram, Mumbai, February 2026 (sample)
Lissy's karimeen fry is the best thing we ate in Kerala. The kids ate everything because she made it mild.
The Krishnan family, Chennai, December 2025 (sample)
Waking up on Vembanad with mist on the water and a cup of chai. Pure magic.
Arjun Bose, Kolkata, January 2026 (sample)
See which boats are free on your date
Live-looking availability for every boat, with the price for your group.