Photos of houseboat neighborhoods and communities around the world

Fern McErlaneJan 12, 2024, 20:48 IST

A houseboat named Buckingham Palace on Dal Lake in June of 2012.Fayaz Kabli/Reuters

Houseboats can be found around the world, floating along rivers or in harbors.
Traditional houseboats have been used for centuries, combining work and home for communities.

Around the world, people live in houseboats along canals, rivers, or in harbors.

In India, extravagant hand-carved cedar houseboats often have several floors, while in Hong Kong fishing vessels known as "sampans" serve as both a workplace and home. In some European cities, like Amsterdam, houseboats are less expensive than traditional houses, though costs are rising.

Take a look at some of the houseboat neighborhoods and communities that span the globe, including a few that are currently facing the threat of demolition or are restricted from doing repairs.

Hand-carved cedar houseboats span the lakes of Srinagar, India, with names like "Buckingham Palace."

Hand-carved houseboats on Dal Lake, India, in June 2023.Eric Lafforgue/Getty Images

These residents now face the loss of their floating homes due to a ban on repairs.

A houseboat named Buckingham Palace on Dal Lake in June 2012.Fayaz Kabli/Reuters

Tourists flock to Amsterdam in the Netherlands, where new and traditional houseboats span the riverbanks.

A range of houseboats moored on both sides of an Amsterdam river by the Noordermarkt.Education Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

Amsterdam is also home to floating flower markets, art galleries, and a houseboat museum.

Amsterdam's floating flower market.sds

Over in the UK, houseboat owners dock on the Thames River at Abingdon.

Houseboats floating on the Thames River at Abingdon, looking towards St Helen's Church.Planet One Images/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

A popular mooring spot along the Thames is St Helens Wharf.

A row of houseboats at St Helens Wharf, Abingdon.Planet One Images/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

For decades, houseboats have been constructed on the River Nile in Egypt.

Houseboats on the bank of the River Nile, Cairo.Tarek Wagih/Associated Press

Now only 30 houseboats remain on the River Nile, and they're facing demolition by local authorities.

Permanent houseboats on the Nile with connected gardens on land.Khaled Desouki/Getty Images

There are many houseboating hotspots across the US. Seattle's Lake Union boats a particularly large neighborhood.

Lake Union in Seattle, Washington State, USA.Wolfgang Kaehler/LightRocket via Getty Images

Lake Union is a popular spot because of its location, according to a houseboat real estate agent.

Moored houseboats can look like typical homes.Wolfgang Kaehler/Getty Images

Berlin's houseboats first became popular in the 1960s and can still be seen along canals today.

Houseboats on the river Spree, Berlin.Ullstein Bild/Getty Images

There are now luxury houseboat options in Berlin, though older boats are still around.

Houseboats travelling on the Rummelsburger See, Berlin.Jens Kalaene/Getty Images

"Sampans," fishing vessels that also serve as houseboats, are tied to the history of Aberdeen, Hong Kong.

Boats in the area of Aberdeen of Hong Kong.Andy Hernandez/Sygma via Getty Images

Tourists can now ride in traditional sampans while visiting Aberdeen harbor.

Tourist rides on sampans at Aberdeen port, Hong Kong.Bob Henry/Getty Images

I flew on a tiny plane to Barra, a Scottish island with the only airport in the world where commercial flights land directly on the beach

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