Muziris Heritage Project rolls out array of boat tours to attract visitors

Water taxis under the Muziris Heritage Project can be hired for heritage tours, with packages starting from ₹3,570 an hour.
| Photo Credit: File photo for representational purpose only

Aimed at attracting more visitors to heritage buildings and sites in the Muziris region that is spread over North Paravur and Kodungalloor, the Muziris Heritage Project (MHP) authorities have readied an array of boat rides to choose from, considering that most of the locales can be accessed faster and more easily by boats than through land.

The State government launched the heritage project to affirm the historical and cultural significance of the legendary port of Muziris that is said to have been located in the region.

The package tours by boat cover the heritage buildings and locales that were renovated as part of the project. “Keeping in mind the demand from some visitors to cover the locales within a limited period, we have introduced a 15-minute ‘flash trip’ by speed boat, priced at ₹1,300. A good number of guests opt for hop-on-hop-off boats that take them around all the heritage museums,” sources said.

A five-hour package tour of the locales in a 24-passenger boat, with lunch, costs ₹22,000, while it is ₹16,500 for students. A four-hour trip in a six-passenger water taxi, along with lunch costs ₹8,550. Water taxi can also be hired for ₹3,570 for an hour. There is also a special one-hour-long sunset cruise for ₹250, in which tea and snacks are provided. Guests also come seeking Paliam, Kottayilkovilakom and Chendamangalam cluster tours, which were added recently to the tour packages. Most guests visiting the Muziris heritage sites that are spread over North Paravur and Kodungaloor in Ernakulam and Thrissur respectively prefer to commute by boat through the Periyar, or opt for bicycle tours through the largely rural settings. They also have the option of choosing circuit tours, the sources said.

Around three dozen heritage sites in the region were renovated over the past decade, helping visitors travel back in time to a place where vibrant cultures of the East and the West met.