Instagram: Alappuzha (Alleppey) in Kerala, India

One of my favorite experiences in Kerala, India was our overnight stay on a houseboat. We did this in the backwaters of Alappuzha (Alleppey) and Vembanad Lake, the largest lake in Kerala. Kettuvallams were previously used as rice transport boats. When roads were built, they fell into disuse and the boatmen lost their livelihood. In the 1990s, someone thought of converting them into houseboats. They started with three. Now they have over 800. For more photos, follow @ivanhenares on Instagram.

Vembanad Lake is the largest lake in Kerala & the longest in India. We are staying overnight in a houseboat in the backwaters of Alappuzha (Alleppey)

School bus! Errr... Here's a school boat taking children home in the backwaters of Alappuzha (Alleppey) in Kerala, India

Instagram: Kollam in Kerala, India

We're still in Kerala, India. After Thiruvananthapuram District, we proceeded to Kollam. We spent an afternoon touring the backwaters of Kollam, particularly Ashtamudi Lake. Ashtamudi Lake in the backwaters of Kollam in Kerala, India is a freshwater lake with a high level of salinity. During high tide, salt water from the Arabian Sea flows in. We saw many of these fishing boats docked in the lake. Most of them fish at night or before sunrise and return early in the morning. For more photos, follow @ivanhenares on Instagram.

Kettuvallam was a Kerala boat traditionally used for carrying rice. They fell into disuse when the road networks were built & were converted into houseboats for tourists about 25 years ago

Cheena vala (Chinese nets) were introduced to Kerala, India in the 14th century and are a popular method for fishing in the backwaters of Kerala

Instagram: Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum) in Kerala, India

We're currently on the Kerala Blog Express, touring the state of Kerala, India. Here are some photos from the city of Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum), the capital city of Kerala. For more photos, follow @ivanhenares on Instagram.

Only Hindus are allowed to enter the main sanctuary of the Sree Padmanabha Swamy Temple in Trivandrum, Kerala, India. And there is a strict dress code. Men have to wear a mundu with their shirt off. While women have to wear a sari or long skirt

Napier Museum, an Indo-Saracenic structure built in the 19th century, is among the many grand colonial buildings in Trivandrum, Kerala, India

Kathakali is a classical dance drama from Kerala, India known for the colorful make-up, elaborate costumes, detailed gestures, facial expressions and well-defined body movements. We were treated to a short Kathakali performance at the Vivanta by Taj Kumarakom