KERALA TOURISM NEWSLETTER
Innovative boat cruises in Kochi soon
The Kerala Tourism Development Corporation has joined hands with the Kerala Shipping and Inland Navigation Corporation (KSINC) to ensure the safety of conducted boat tours operated by the former. As per an MoU signed between the two agencies, the KSINC will provide boats for the services while the KTDC will manage the reservation, ticketing and other activities.
Initially KTDC will use these boat services for sightseeing tours in Kochi. Starting from Marine Drive, the KTDC would operate three conducted tours in Kochi. Among these, tours to historic locales in Fort Kochi and Mattancherry in Ernakulam district are in much demand. Besides these tours, the Kochi metro village backwater tour; a customized boat tour to Cheranalloor and other picturesque locales situated away from the city will also be introduced.
KTDC will utilize KSINC's premium boats - Sagara Rani I and II, as these are the only vessels that can venture into the sea off Fort Kochi. The KSINC also offers exclusive dinner packages, where singers render ghazal songs. Exclusive package trips will be operated all through the day. Later, KTDC will make use of KSINC vessels to operate backwater tours at Vaikom in Kottayam and Central Kerala.
KTDC also plans to rebuild the boat jetty on Marine Drive, for providing more berthing facility to boats and to construct an aesthetically-designed office building. The project will help in extending the Marine Drive walkway in a north-westerly direction. A restaurant in the first floor, air-conditioned passenger lounge, toilets and solar lighting are also part of this project.
The boat tours usually begin at 0930 hours and 1430 hours. For more details, contact KTDC over + 91 471 2353234.
