Dhow is the generic name given to a sailing vessel with lateen sails in the Red Sea and also used in the Indian Ocean. It was called a trading vessel and it helped carry trade around the Indian Ocean. The vessel was constructed with a traditional Merikani cloth and is quite sturdy. Dow is a two- masted sailing vessel found in Arabia with triangular sails that are slanting with rigging lateen. The larger size dhows are called baggalas or booms where a bigger size of the mainsail is observed. The sterns if the larger dhows are decorated and the bows are sharp with an upward thrust in the forward direction. The smaller version called the dhows is very popular in the Arab area, reaching up to the west coast of India. The small vessel takes advantage of the monsoon winds and a whole lot of products are shipped in these areas.
Nobody knows the exact origin of the dhows. As far back as 600 BCE dhows appear to have originated in India. The ‘sambuk’ dhow, which is the small dhow, seemed to have originated from Portuguese Caravel. Kerala forests in India had some good timber and as a result the Omanis and Hadhrami people of Yemen came to Beypore, Kerala. The skilled carpenters in that area were experts in ship building. Beypore dhows called ‘Urus ’in Kerala are still being made by settlers from Yemen. Dhows have struggled their way through history and somehow managed to survive under strict competition from the motorized version.
A dhow is very austere and simple in its appearance. There are certain tips one must follow in a Dhow Cruise. There are certain fears on the mind of the average traveller. The most primary fear is that they would get ‘sea sick’. Other reasons could be that they would get claustrophobic given the limited space in the Dhow. The reality is that they just have to take the first plunge and all their fears would be put aside. The Alexandra Dhow cruise provides a gentle touch and soft feel, for e.g. gazing at the huge sea before the Dhow.
There are some choices while booking a cabin with Dhow Cruise. The first choice is to book in advance, as early as six months before the travel date. The other choice is to book just at the time of the Cruise. The greatest advantage of booking very early is that one can get the cabin that one desires. Certain categories of cabins are very popular with customers for e.g. some suites and balcony ones and tend to sell out early. Booking late also has its advantage in that the ticket costs go down considerably. Alexandra Dhow Cruise gives out discounts on tickets that are purchased before. Once the traveller has decided to put in the money for the trip there are several options to book the tickets. The traveller can call Dhow Cruises and directly book the tickets, book online or book tickets with the help of a travel agent.
