Where to Book India Dinner Cruises: Our 5 Favourites

1.Private Kerala Backwaters Houseboat Cruise with Lunch from Kochi

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 64 reviews · from $138Our pick

Travel from Kochi to Alleppey or Kumarakom in a private vehicle, then spend about five hours aboard a traditional Kerala kettuvallom. Expect quiet canals or lake water, paddy fields when conditions allow, a generous South Indian lunch, tender coconut, tea, and coffee. Crew members may include Girlish and Jobu.

“It was beautiful tour. Two friendly staffs provided good services during our tour. The lunch was also good. But the attitude of the driver for private transportation between hotel and tour location was not good…”

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2.Goa: Dinner Cruise Party with Hotel Transfer Option

★★★★★★★★★★3.2 · 15 reviews · 3 - 4 hours · from $18

Spend about three hours on a party boat along Goa’s Mandovi River. You get a welcome drink, starter platter, buffet dinner, selected drinks, DJ music, laser lights, magic, games, and short Goan dance shows. Shared pickup may be available from a nearby main road, but boarding and food queues can be crowded.

“not as advertised. it looked nothing like the photos. we did not get picked up by a bus, it was public transport. and the cruise wasnt the same in the photos. we just left. looked too dangerous to get on.”

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3.Panaji: Dinner Cruise in Goa with Hotel Transfer and 2 Beers

★★★★★★★★★★4.1 · 13 reviews · 2.5 - 3 hours · from $20

Start with hotel pickup in Panaji, then board an evening cruise on the Mandovi River. Enjoy Goan and international buffet dishes, two beers, soft drinks, juice, whiskey, a live DJ, magic, traditional dance, games, and Bollywood-to-Hollywood music. The cruise runs about three hours and returns you to selected Goa drop-off points.

“It was really amazing! They had some Goan-Portuguese dance performances which was really nice along with games etc. overall, it was a vibe and we really enjoyed”

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4.Goa: Triple Deck Family Dinner Cruise and Performances

★★★★★★★★★★3.4 · 11 reviews · 4 hours · from $16Best value

Spend about four hours on Goa’s Mandovi River aboard a three-deck family and couples cruise. You get a buffet dinner, selected drinks, Bollywood DJ music, Goan folk dance, games, karaoke, and views of Panaji, Atal Setu Bridge, casino boats, and Agauda Bay.

“Very bad food higly priced will never recommend this place please don't go”

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5.Alleppey / Alappuzha Houseboat Day Cruise with Lunch: Cochin

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 3 reviews · from $155Top rated

Travel from Cochin to Alleppey by private vehicle, then cruise Kerala’s backwaters from noon to about 5:30 pm. Your English-speaking driver handles transfers, while the onboard chef serves traditional lunch and afternoon tea or coffee with snacks. Pickup and drop-off are available at your hotel or Cochin airport.

“We took the Alleppey Houseboat Day Cruise from Cochin and it was amazing! The boat was clean and nice, and the staff was friendly. We saw beautiful views of the backwaters, villages, and birds. The lunch on the boat was delicious and traditional. We also got to see how people live in the villages, which was really interesting. The staff was great and told us lots of interesting things. We highly recommend this trip for a fun and relaxing day in Alleppey!”

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