Kerala Holidays

Head out into Fort Cochin and Mattancherry with a local guide to discover more about the fascinating heritage of these historic regions. Learn about the importance of Fort Cochin as the entrance to the port and how the Arabic, Chinese, Dutch and Portuguese settlers shaped its architecture and culture. Mattancherry is the heart of historic Cochin and is home to many of the city’s main sights such as the Mattancherry Palace, Jewish Synagogue and Jain Temple.

Enjoy views of the skyline of the ‘Queen of the Arabian Sea’ from a different perspective on a two-hour sunset cruise. As the sun dips below the horizon, catch the ever-changing colours of the sea and buildings that line the shores of Lake Cochin. Keen photographers will have the opportunity to catch an iconic shot of the famous Chinese fishing nets silhouetted against the vibrantly coloured skies (weather dependent).

Thekkady is a special place and famous for its spices. You will start at a viewpoint for a lovely view of Thekkady’s town below. Those who can handle the rolling terrain can also do this by bicycle. Here, your guide will explain about the importance of the land. You’re in the Western Ghats, one of the biodiversity hot spots of the world, packed with a huge number of different species, plants and birds. The government now employs natural fertilisers and traditional methods to cultivate the land rather than products such as pesticides. Descending into the village you will meet a couple who grow spices in the surrounds of their family home. The farmer will take you around the plantation to show you all the different plants and spices they grow such as coffee, jackfruit and black tamarind. You will be welcomed as a friend and may offer you some tapioca or home-made chocolate from their cocoa plantation.

The day starts with a lovely walk perhaps spotting elephants, birds and small deer along the way. Munnar has the perfect British summer climate ranging from 18-28 degrees Celsius. Traverse the tea plantations for first-hand experience of harvesting, speaking to the local tea pickers who often offer insight into the art of leaf picking. Next it’s onto the tea museum to learn how tea is made followed by a tasting in the dedicated café. This is no ordinary tasting but more of a ceremonial introduction into the nuances of tea and what makes the perfect cup.

In the early days, Keralans used kettuvallam boats to transport rice, passengers and spices between different villages, hence why they were often referred to as rice barges. They weren’t motorised so the crew would punt them slowly along the canals stopping at all the markets. After the 1980s, Kerala saw more roads being built and slowly the dominant transport changed from water to land. Responding to the change, the locals transformed their barges into houseboats for visitors who wanted a taste of Lake Vembanad’s idyllic backwater life.

Spice Coast Cruises have two kettuvallums. They are in keeping with the traditional style woven with bamboo and coir and narrow enough to navigate the canals. They both have one bedroom for exclusive use only, so you don’t have to share the views as you sit on the open deck and watch the water world go by. The talented boatmen whose families have navigated the lake over generations, double up as private chefs and cook amazing feasts. Enjoy fish caught from the lake that same morning and cooked in a banana leaf with chilli, ginger and lime. Or the prawns picked from the ponds accompanied by red rice and locally grown vegetables. It’s always fun to buy the fresh catch of the day from a local market and ask the chef to cook it up for supper.

Stay for one night and you’ll experience a slice of Lake Vembanad’s unique lifestyle. You could go for a stroll around a village known for its coir rope making, see fishermen casting their nets and end the day admiring those melting sunsets from the deck. Stay for two nights and you can explore smaller canals and get even closer to village life where farmers work in the paddy fields, people washing their clothes in canals and children racing along the banks after school without a care in the world. Cruising on a traditional rice barge is a wonderful way to explore a peaceful side of India.