The village of Alumkadavu at Karunagapally in the Kollam district of Kerala, India is famous for its backwaters and also as a centre for houseboat making.

One may watch here how the magnificent houseboats are being built using the wood of Aanjili, a commonly found tree in Kerala and jackwood tree. Planks of jack wood are joined together with coir rope and coated with a caustic black resin made from boiled cashew kernels. With careful maintenance they last for generations. Today, widely and appropriately called house-boats, they carry furnished bedrooms, modern toilets, cozy living rooms, a kitchen and even a balcony for angling. Some are powered by a 40 HP engine.