Kumarakom has a wide range of houseboats, and houseboat experience is well known around the world. These days they are used exclusively by visitors. The people use a separate boat known as Kettuvallam to go fishing or bring goods. In addition, elegant special boats such as Kochu-odi Vallam, Odi-Vallam, Iruttukutthi Vallam, Churulan Vallam and Chundan Vallam (Snake Boat) take part in the boat races around Onam like Nehru Trophy Alappuzha. Kumarakom's pride in boat races in Kerala is two major boat clubs called KBC (Kumarakom Boat Club) and KTBC that have won Nehru Trophy many times.