Most houseboats are not motorized, because they are usually moored or kept stationary at a fixed point. These houseboats are common as permanent dwellings in Southeast Asia; whereas in places like Australia and Europe they may serve more frequently as secondary homes or vacation homes or for tourism purposes.



On Murray River in Australia there are many motorized, pontoon-based houseboats with two or more bedrooms; some of these houseboats have levels or storeys. Some are privately owned as either a primary place of residence or as a holiday resort.

These are also available for rent with accommodation for four to twelve persons. Europe offers some of the costliest houseboats in the canals of Amsterdam, Netherlands, which even has houseboat hotels. In India, houseboats are common on the backwaters of Kerala and on the Dal Lake in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir.

Houseboating in the United States became popular only in the 1940s; the Lake Cumberland in Kentucky is considered the birthplace of houseboating in USA. Presently there are motorized houseboats with over 2000 sq. ft. of living space at places like Seattle on Lake Union and Portage Bay. Most houseboats are designed and built for traversing inland lakes and waterways only.

Houseboating is a popular recreational activity for all age groups of people, on houseboats ranging from 30ft. to more than 70 ft. luxury houseboats. Houseboating is a great experience because :

1. Great variety of natural terrain depending on lake and time of year.

2. A lot of water-based recreation choices when you go on a house-boating trip. Fishing, waterskiing, camping, hiking, power-boating, exploring, sunbathing and just relaxing are some of the things you can do.

3.In some places on a smaller houseboat you can navigate lakes leading to more secluded areas.

4. On luxury houseboats, you can get all amenities as in a posh hotel such as hot tubs, big-screen TVs, fireplaces, DVD players, and deluxe accommodations with private rooms.

5. As houseboats can accommodate from 4 to 15 or more people, it's very common to share the cost of a houseboat vacation between multiple families or groups.

Some of the most popular house-boating lakes in US are on Lake Powell, Lake Mead, Lake Shasta, Lake Cumberland, Lake Amistad, Trinity Lake and Lake Mohave.

Houseboat rentals are generally calculated on per trip or week or monthly basis. In each scheme which you choose, the type of facilities offered and the size of boat will determine the final price you pay.