State to own houseboats to woo tourists

Mumbai, May 13: With the introduction of houseboats by Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) in the coastal waters of Konkan region, the travellers, who have always wanted to have a bit of adventure and, at the same time, enjoy the serene feeling of being home at sea, can now enjoy the charm of South Maharashtra.

Come October and Maharashtra will see its own houseboats, an initiative of MTDC along the coastal tourist spots.

The fleet has different kinds of houseboats catering to different tourist choices like -- ''Luxury'' with two bedroom accommodation with upper deck (sun deck) facility and a restaurant on board.

Another one will be ''Standard'' with two bedroom accommodation with a restaurant on board.

The 80-ft-long plush houseboats are set apart from the conventional ones. It will save the need of planning long trips to enjoy the charm of a houseboat and revel in the experience of staying on a houseboat, an MTDC press release here today said.

To kick start this unforgettable experience that one can avail of closer to home, MTDC will introduce two standard houseboats and one luxury houseboat at Tarkarli-Nerur Par and Aronda Creek.

Tarkarli is a picturesque beauty with a carpet of clear sand, fresh balmy breeze and pristine clear water. It will be a captivating experience while sailing on the houseboats, the release said, adding Aronda Creek was another beautiful route where the houseboats would be available for cruising.

The massive 80-ft-long size makes the houseboats one of the largest and very spacious. These houseboats are made entirely of wood and fibre making them highly eco-friendly. They are equipped with central air conditioning, the release said.

The houseboats will have luxuriously furnished bedrooms, sun deck, spacious living rooms, dining area, hygienic and spacious kitchens with fire extinguishers to offer excellent accommodation facilities.

A professional crew for house-keeping, lifeguards and other amenities will be onboard to ensure safety. An alert maintenance team will also be stationed to check any technical problems.

For the adventurous ones who like exploring places, a small boat would be attached with the houseboats to delve deeper and discover the undiscovered, the release added.

UNI