Kerala & the Maldives

Explore Cochin today with your local guide. Fort Cochin is home to some of the oldest European architecture in India and has been a significant settlement ever since Cochin Harbour was discovered. This evening, you'll visit a family home where you can interact with the family, learn some secrets of mouth-watering Keralan recipes, and enjoy the fruits of your labour in an authentic atmosphere.

As you cross Cochin's many islands and rolling countryside, a three-hour drive will bring you to Muvattupuzha. Enjoy a relaxed two-night stay at a family-run hotel in the beautiful countryside, with many on-site activities available if you wish to explore the surroundings.

If you can peel yourself away from the enchanting grounds and swimming pool of Indian Summer House, then you'll find an abundance of activities available to book and pay for locally; all can be arranged upon arrival. Market tours, a local temple visit, traditional Keralan martial arts displays, or a canoe ride, the list is endless.

Drive onward to Munnar through changing landscapes, heading up to the hill plantations, passing en route rubber, pineapple, and coconut plantations. Check in to your hotel — you might have time to wander through the hotel's gardens.

Enjoy a tour that takes you back in time to the early 1800s, to learn about the houses, bungalows, and dams of this area that date back to the British era, and the machinery that’s still used today. After a walk through some plantations, you'll end the tour with a high tea, served just as it was centuries ago.

Head back toward the coast and spend your afternoon and evening cruising along the backwaters on a traditional rice barge. A private chef on board will provide you with a freshly cooked dinner made from local ingredients.

After breakfast on board your houseboat, your driver will be waiting to transfer you to Cochin Airport for your flight to Malé. On arrival in the Maldives, you'll be met by our representative and guided to a speedboat. After a 25-minute journey, you'll arrive at Niva Velassaru Maldives, your home for the next four nights.

Today is yours to enjoy the Maldives. You might like to try the resort's spa, which offers a huge range of treatments as well as private yoga tuition. Treatments can also be arranged in your bungalow.

You may like to book a boat trip today to visit some nearby reefs. Bring your snorkelling equipment and enjoy the opportunity to spot a variety of vibrant fish, turtles and, hopefully, a few manta rays.

You might like to make your last day in the Maldives even more memorable by booking a private dining experience. You can enjoy a picnic on a nearby private sandbar or a candlelit dinner on the beach.

Today you'll begin your journey home, starting with a speedboat back to Malé in time for your international flight. Your return flight will arrive the same day.