Cochin

Cochin is blessed with one of the world’s finest natural harbours. This has earned the town the title, ‘Venice of the Orient’ and ‘Queen of the Arabian Sea’. Enjoy a cruise through a cluster of islands networked by lagoons and backwaters. Cochin’s natural harbour, almost in the middle of the city, was created by the underwater Malabar mudbanks that ensure its calm waters.

Enjoy your cruise past the famous Chinese fishing nets, which are probably the single most familiar image of the area. These huge fishing nets were introduced by Chinese traders from the court of Kublai Khan in the late 14th century. The harbour is in the heart of the city, where pepper, seafood, rubber and coir are all exported.

Glide past the islands of Vypeen, Gundu, Vallarpadam and Bolghatty and along the Pizhala Canal, where you will see the country boats laden with wares, prawn farms and shell collections from the river bed. The tour gives a glimpse of the traditional coastal and backwater lifestyle of Kerala’s local people.

Enjoy an insightful journey into rustic India and glimpse the unhurried lifestyle of the locals, their simple homes and small workshops. Vaikom village lies on the western side of the Kottayam district of Kerala. During your time in this small rural village you will see the Vaikom Mahdeva Temple and visit the Khadi Weaving Centre, where you will see the dexterity with which these villagers produce beautiful Khadi cloth - a hand-spun and hand-woven cloth made out of cotton.

A short transfer will take you to the jetty where you will board the local country boats for a leisurely cruise down the narrow canals to the local village. In the village centre, you will have an opportunity to see how the local people earn their livelihoods. View the ladies weaving coir ropes from dried coconut husks, see straw mats being woven out of wild pineapple leaves and watch the local potter create a range of pots and vases, depicting ethnic designs in clay.

Refreshments of cookies, crisps, chocolate and juice will be provided during the tour.

Alappuzha (formally called Alleppey) is nestled in the midst of a tangle of lush tropical waterways, and it is here that you will board a smaller boat for an idyllic cruise through the majestic forests and palm-shaded backwaters of the town and surroundings.

The term ‘backwaters’ refers to the extensive network of rivers, lakes, canals and lagoons that lace together the coast and interior of Cochin. For centuries these canals have provided a safe and efficient means of transportation for goods and people moving between the heartland and the port towns along the coast.

Glide along shimmering waterways lined with dense tropical vegetation, and observe the rural lifestyle that you would never see from the road. Views range from narrow canals walled in with thick greenery to open vistas of brilliant green paddy fields. Papaya, mango, jack fruit and cassava grow along the palm-lined banks. Along the way you will see coconut harvesting and coir factories that make up the main industry of Kerala. Watch as the villagers wash their clothes, and sometimes their buffalos, at the water's edge.

A walk through the streets of Fort Cochin is an ideal way to discover this historic town, brimming with tales of seafaring traders, who made Cochin the first European township in India.

You’ll transfer by coach to Fort Cochin and walk along the old colonial, tree-lined avenues. A visit will be made to one of India’s oldest churches, St Francis Church, before continuing past Princess Street and Loafers Corner. One of the earliest streets in Fort Cochin, this area still retains its old world charm with European style quarters. View the gothic exterior of the Santa Cruz Basilica, a Roman Catholic Cathedral, which is a place of devotion as well as a centre of historic significance. A short photo stop will be made at the Chinese fishing nets, one of the area’s famous landmarks.

Continue on your trail to the Dutch Cemetery, an interesting and quiet site, to see the history of the many Europeans who came here on a mission to expand their colonial empire. You’ll see many examples of Indo-European architecture as you pass by private colonial homes.

Embark of a journey through the distinctly characteristic city of Cochin to Fort Cochin, where a stop will be made at St Francis Church, the oldest European church in India. You’ll then visit the Indo-Portuguese Museum. This Museum was established in a bid to protect and showcase the rich cultural heritage and Portuguese influence. Take a short walk past the local fish market, where locals have their catch cooked and served to them, to the Chinese fishing nets. These nets are set up on bamboo poles and held horizontally by huge mechanisms, which lower them into the sea. This is a unique symbol of the centuries-old influence on this coastline.

Refreshments of tea, coffee and cakes will be served at a local hotel, before heading to the Mattancherry area, for a visit to the Dutch Palace. Now a museum, it features India’s finest mythological murals depicting Hindu temple art, portraits, exhibits of the Rajas of Kochi and a rare example of traditional Kerala flooring. Afterwards, take a walk through Jew Town past the oldest Jewish Synagogue in India and the local shops selling spices, handicrafts and antiques.

Finally, enjoy a relaxing cruise on the backwaters surrounding the harbour, where you’ll see country boats laden with various wares. As you pass the islands of Vallarpadam, Gundu and Bolghatty, you’ll get a glimpse of local life on the various islands.

Take a brief coach orientation of Fort Cochin where you will pass St Francis Church, the oldest European Church in India, before stopping for a photo at the Chinese fishing nets.

You will then be transferred to a hotel to enjoy the traditional Kerala Art Performance of Kathakali. Kathakali is the classical dance-drama of Kerala, South India, which dates from the 17th century and is rooted in Hindu mythology. It is a harmonious combination of 5 forms; literature, music, painting, acting and dance. The role of each of these art forms has led Kathakali to become the ‘King of performing arts’.

The headgear worn by the various characters in Kathakali are excellent specimens of intricate wood carving, an ancient speciality of the region. Even the shiny finishing of trinkets takes hours of painstaking labour by expert craftsmen. Most of the ornaments donning each character are made in this fashion too.

A considerable part of the script is in the form of lyrics, sung by vocalists. The only accompaniments are percussion instruments like Chenda (drum played with sticks), Maddalam (drum played with fingers), Chengila (gong) and Ilathalam (cymbals). Drumming especially of Chenda is the salient feature of Kathakali. Refreshments of soft drinks and a martial arts demonstration of ‘Kalaripayattu’ will follow the dance performance.

Begin by exploring the Fort Cochin area, with visits to St Francis Church, the Indo-Portuguese Museum and the Chinese fishing nets.

St Francis Church, built in 1503, is India’s oldest European church. The history of this Church reflects the colonial struggle of European powers in India, from the 15th to 20th centuries. The Indo-Portuguese Museum was established to showcase the rich cultural heritage and Portuguese influences in both the art and architecture of the region. The Chinese fishing nets are fixed land installations for an unusual form of fishing using shore operated lift nets. Their size and elegant construction is remarkable, whilst the slow rhythm of their operation is quite hypnotic. Enjoy a brief stroll past the local fish market, where locals purchase the fish and have it cooked in front of them.

Travel to the Mattancherry area to visit the Dutch Palace. Even though the Dutch Palace is austere in its appearance, its main glory rests on the large number of murals, executed in the best traditions of Hindu temple art, which are religious, decorative and stylised. Finally, a short walk through Jew Town will take you past various shops selling a wealth of goods from spices to antiques.

Begin by exploring the Fort Cochin area, with visits to St Francis Church and the Chinese fishing nets.

St Francis Church, built in 1503, is India’s oldest European church. The history of this Church reflects the colonial struggle of European powers in India, from the 15th to 20th centuries. The Chinese fishing nets are fixed land installations for an unusual form of fishing using shore operated lift nets. Their size and elegant construction is remarkable, whilst the slow rhythm of their operation is quite hypnotic. Enjoy a brief stroll past the local fish market, where locals purchase the fish and have it cooked in front of them.

Travel to the Mattancherry area to visit the Dutch Palace and the Jewish Synagogue. Even though the Dutch Palace is austere in its appearance, its main glory rests on the large number of murals, executed in the best traditions of Hindu temple art, which are religious, decorative and stylised. The Jewish Synagogue is the oldest in the Commonwealth, and was built in 1568 by the Cochin Jewish community. Its interior contains Belgian chandeliers, a ladies gallery and an elegant brass pulpit. Finally, a short walk through Jew Town will show you the various shops selling a wealth of goods from spices to antiques.