Kochi is set to receive its first reported luxury houseboat with overnight accommodation on the city’s backwaters, as the eight-bedroom Sunrise is scheduled to be inaugurated at Marine Drive on November 13. The vessel, built at an estimated cost of Rs 3 crore by Greenix Experiences Private Limited, can accommodate up to 24 overnight guests.
The inauguration is scheduled for 5pm at the Cochin Boat Club jetty at Marine Drive. Kerala Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan is expected to inaugurate the vessel, with Ernakulam MP Hibi Eden listed as the chief guest, according to Malayala Manorama’s report.
The Sunrise has eight bedrooms and a large conference hall. Its offerings include day packages, dinner packages and overnight stays, with the operator positioning the service as a way for visitors to experience Kochi’s urban waterfront and rural landscapes in a single cruise. Groups of up to 30 people can use the packages, while the vessel’s overnight accommodation capacity is listed as 24.
The cruise packages are also linked to Pepper Island, a private island where visitors can take part in activities and stay overnight. The day package is expected to include island activities, rural experiences and photography-oriented experiences. The operator has also described the service as part of a wider move towards customised tourism, island-based experiences and backwater tourism.
Greenix Experiences has operated in the tourism sector for about 20 years. Its managing director Saritha Babu, chief executive officer Stalin Benny and JCT director Aju Jacob Mathew said the company’s move into luxury cruises followed the disruption faced by cultural tourism after the Covid-19 pandemic. The company said it was seeking new opportunities in Kerala’s premium tourism market and aiming to attract domestic and international visitors.
The project also highlights the infrastructure requirements involved in expanding water-based tourism in Kochi. Benny said the city could develop a stronger water-tourism culture if supporting infrastructure was created. He specifically identified the need for facilities where boats can anchor and for measures to provide technical expertise for building such vessels.
The launch therefore combines a new private tourism service with a broader demand for better-managed waterfront infrastructure. The operator has said its longer-term objective is to position Kochi as a hub for experiential cultural tourism and luxury water tourism. The immediate milestone is the scheduled inauguration of the Sunrise at the Marine Drive jetty on November 13.
