Leisure In India: Kashmir Houseboats
If
you've longed for the delights of a houseboat holiday, now is the time to
try one out Srinagar is a unique city because of its lakes - the Dal,
Nagin and Anchor. The River Jhelum also flows through a part of the city.
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. Most houseboats on the Dal are situated in long straggling
rows; some face the Boulevard, Srinagar's most exciting address, while
others are situated singly or in groups of two and three.
The
location of a houseboat tells us nothing about its class, but before
checking into one, there are a few factors, which you may like to
consider. A honeymoon couple may want to be away from it all, and may
choose a houseboat with few, if any, close neighbours. To them, it will be
an advantage to stay in the interior of the lake, accessible by a
half-hour long shikara ride. A family with young children on the other
hand may find themselves better served in an area, which overlooks the
Boulevard where a crossing takes just five minutes. 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.
Each
houseboat has anything between two and four bedrooms in it with attached
bathrooms and a common sitting and dining room. The charges of a houseboat
always include all meals and a certain number of crossings by shikara to
and from the houseboat. Houseboats offer far more personalized service
than hotels because of the far higher host guest ratio. On the other hand,
fellow guests at the same houseboat tend to interact much more than if
they were staying at the same hotel. Which is why houseboats are ideal for
a large group of eight or more adults.
Home »Leisure In India
» Kashmir Houseboats