The Famous Backwaters And Houseboat Tour Of Kerala Experience

After breakfast, Full day city tour of cochin visiting Dutch Palace (Mattancherry Palace): The Portuguese constructed The Mattancherry Palace in 1557, and presented to the Maharaja of Cochin, Veera Kerala Varma (1537-61) as sign of goodwill. After 1663, the Dutch carried out some constructions and renovations in the palace, and from that day it was widely called as the ‘Dutch Palace’. The most significant thing about this palace is the amazing paintings in the bedrooms and other rooms. The paintings portray scenes from the Ramayana, Mahabharata and Puranic legends connected with Shiva, Vishnu, Krishna, Kumara and Durga. These paintings are certainly the most extensive and attractive paintings to be seen anywhere in India.

The Jewish Synagogue- The Jewish Synagogue is located near the Dutch Palace. This synagogue was constructed in 1568 and was brilliantly decorated by Chinese tiles and Belgian chandeliers. The Synagogue has a giant scroll of the Old Testament.

Cochin Harbor: The very popular tourist attraction in Cochin Harbor is the Chinese Fishing nets. These fishing nets are one of its kind and are found only in India. The fishing nets were popularized in Cochin Harbor by the traders from the court of the Chinese ruler Kublai Khan.

St Francis Church - St. Francis church was constructed by the Europeans in 1503. St. Francis Church is the oldest European church in India. The Portuguese trader, Vasco da Gama died in Kochi, during his third visit to Kerala. Initially, his body was buried in this church, but after a few years his remains were moved to Portugal. In spite of all this the place where he was buried has been marked out inside the church.

Fort Kochi Beach: Fort Kochi beach is an ideal location to saunter in a peaceful and relaxing way. This beach happens to be one of the favorite tourist spots in Kerala. The view of the sunset with the Chinese fishing net and the sailing ships in the background is a fine experience. Many European style bungalows can be seen alongside the shoreline.

Later in the evening you will be picked up by the guide and will be taken to a Kathakali Dance Performance at a local theatre. Kathakali is a classical dance form, portraying Indian epics (Ramayana and Mahabharata). The costumes of the dancers are very colorful and elaborate. Dancers with painted faces depict the various characters of the ancient epics. The Kathakali dancers portray a lot of facial expressions and articulate body movements.

Overnight stay at Hotel. (Breakfast)

After breakfast, we drive to Alleppey (60 km/1½ hours drive) to board a private, deluxe Kettuvallom (traditional rice boat) for an overnight tour of the backwaters.

House Boat - One of the highlights of your Kerala Backwater and Houseboat tour.
A series of canals thread their way through the state to the sea, allowing you a glimpse into local life in Kerala that would be impossible to get from road transport. Along the way you will pass rice fields, tiny villages, boats transporting children to school and farmers transporting their produce to the market, and women completing household tasks such as laundry and washing utensils. You will disembark from the boat to wander in the villages and meet some locals. The rice boats are made completely of natural material. Each houseboat has furnished bedrooms with attached showers and toilets. At night the boat will anchor midstream and the Houseboats crew serve authentic Keralan cuisine.

The overnight stay on the Houseboat is an extraordinary experience. (B,L,D)

After breakfast, disembark the houseboat in Kumarakom and check in at your pre-booked resort.

Kumarakom : Kumarakom is a small village on the Vembanad Lake in Kerela. This beautiful paradise stocked with mangrove forests, beryl green paddy fields and coconut groves comprises with water ways and canals adorned with while lilies. Kumarakom charms the tourist from all over the world. It offers a wide variety of flora, beautiful sightseeing, boating and fishing experiences. It is a part of Kuttanad region and the bird sanctuary spread over 14 acres is a safe home for many migratory birds. It is a fascinating sight for the visitors. The best way to watch the birds of the Kumarakom sanctuary is a boat ride round the islands, as hundreds of swaying verdant coconut palms lining the rivers lean to brush the tops of your heads.

No activities are scheduled for this day. Spend rest of the day enjoying the resort’s facilities.

Overnight stay at the Resort. (B,L,D)

Spend the day relaxing and enjoying the Kerala backwaters, or, pamper yourself with the famous Ayurvedic massage. In Kumarakom, you could also visit the Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary, which is known for it’s avion population.

Overnight stay at Resort. (B,L,D)

After breakfast, The morning is free for you to relax and enjoy the facilities of the resort. Check out of the resort at 1200 hrs (noon) and depending on your departure flight from Cochin, transfer by road from Kumarakom to Cochin International airport for your onward journey.