With its varied landscapes, unique cultural traditions, European influences and laidback lifestyle, Kerala is the perfect introduction to southern India. Additionally, its location at the tip of the Indian subcontinent means it can also be easily combined with the Maldives.
This journey begins in Kochi. An historic town with links to Vasco da Gama and the ancient spice trade, Kochi is a fascinating introduction to the region. Leaving Kochi drive east and ascend the Ghats to the tea growing centre of Munnar before returning to the coast to board an authentic houseboat for a two-night backwaters cruise. End your holiday in comfort with a relaxing stay in the Maldives on Baros Island.
Kochi – Munnar – Keralan Backwaters – Maldives
Trip Highlights
- Spectacularly sited high in the Western Ghats, Munnar is surrounded by tea estates
- For your private use, enjoy a memorable stay on a traditional backwaters houseboat
- Discover historic Fort Kochi with its picturesque old town and scenic harbour
- Marvel at Maldivian marine life where there is unparallelled snorkelling in warm seas
- Baros Maldives is a beautiful boutique resort and the perfect place to unwind and relax
Itinerary
Day 1
Depart the UK
Today depart the UK on the Emirates flight to Dubai.
Day 2
Arrive Kochi
Arrive into Dubai and connect onto the Emirates flight to Kochi where you will be met and transferred to your hotel for a two night stay. An ancient trading centre on Kerala’s Malabar Coast, under Portuguese rule Kochi soon developed into one of the region’s most important and wealthiest settlements. A picturesque town of timeworn buildings, old churches and an attractive working harbour, Portuguese, Dutch and British influences have all contributed to the formation of this charming city.
- Breakfast
Eighth Bastion
Malabar House
Brunton Boatyard Hotel
Day 3
Kochi
Today explore historic Fort Kochi with your guide. Begin the day at the oldest European church in India - St Francis, before walking to the town's waterfront – site of the instantly recognisable Chinese fishing nets and fish stalls selling the catch. In the afternoon visit Mattancherry Palace, built by the Portuguese in 1557 as a gift to the Raja of Kochi, and the town's Paradesi Synagogue. Finish the day on a sunset cruise around the scenic harbour.
- Breakfast
Eighth Bastion
Malabar House
Brunton Boatyard Hotel
Day 4
Kochi to Munnar – 130kms
This morning drive from Kochi to Munnar. Situated in a part of the Western Ghats known as the High Ranges, Munnar occupies a beautiful location among some of the world’s highest tea-growing estates. At over 1500m above sea level the ascent to the town is interspersed with spectacular scenery, sandalwood forests and tea plantations.
- Breakfast,
- Dinner
Windermere Estate
Day 5
Munnar
Today explore Munnar. Highlights include the century-old Christ Church with its fine stained-glass windows, the local Tea Museum and the Munnar Supply Association, the oldest department store in the area and one that has been a feature of town life for over one hundred years. Another place of interest is the town market which comes to life in the evenings. Alternatively, Munnar and the surrounding countryside is perfect walking territory with a number of excellent day treks and hikes.
- Breakfast,
- Dinner
Windermere Estate
Day 6
Munnar to Alleppey – 175kms
Leaving Munnar, return west towards the country town of Alleppey which serves as the gateway to the Keralan backwaters. Once here board your own private houseboat for a two night cruise. The houseboats we use are authentic, comfortable and in keeping with their surroundings, all meals are freshly prepared on board and the boat is staffed with a captain, deckhand and cook. Spend the remainder of day cruising the beautiful and peaceful backwaters.
- Breakfast,
- Lunch,
- Dinner
Spice Coast Cruises
Day 7
Kerala Backwaters
Spend the day at leisure as you cruise down the famous Keralan backwaters. The backwaters consist of a network of lakes, coconut shaded canals and riverine estuaries. Enjoy life aboard your houseboat as you watch children swimming and playing in the water, people transporting produce or attending to their daily chores and men fishing from their small wooden canoes.
- Breakfast,
- Lunch,
- Dinner
Spice Coast Cruises
Day 8
Alleppey to Kochi – 75kms
After breakfast leave the houseboat mid-morning and return by car to Kochi where you will stay overnight. The remainder of the day will be at leisure.
Eighth Bastion
Malabar House
Brunton Boatyard Hotel
Day 9
Kochi to Male – by air / Male to Baros Maldives – by speedboat
This morning you will be met and transferred to Kochi Airport to catch your flight to the Maldives. On arrival at Male Airport you will be taken by speedboat to Baros Maldives where you will stay for the next seven nights.
- Breakfast
Baros Maldives
Day 10-15
Baros Maldives
At leisure to relax and enjoy Baros Maldives.
- Breakfast
Baros Maldives
Day 16
Male to the UK
This morning take the return speedboat transfer back to Male Airport in good time to catch the Emirates flight to Dubai. On arrival connect onto the Emirates flight back to the UK.
- Breakfast
Extending your stay...
Experience the very best of rural Kerala at the Indian Summer House. Located in the hidden Keralan hamlet of Muvattapuzha to the east of Kochi, explore the local area, take a yoga class, enjoy an Ayurvedic treatment or simply relax beside the inviting swimming pool.
Relax at Philipkutty’s Farm, a charming family-owned property set in a small backwaters village south of Kochi. There are few better places in which to experience authentic Keralan life. Bird watch, take a cookery class or visit local temples and rural settlements.
Spend an extra day in Kochi or travel outside of the town to historic Chendamangalam. This small village is particularly noted for its fine synagogue and it is thought that Jewish settlers first arrived here in 69 AD.
Extend the length of your holiday by flying to Bangalore. Depending on the time available, it is possible to travel to historic Mysore, include wildlife viewing in Nagarhole National Park and ride the famous Nilgiri Mountain Railway before continuing on to Kochi.
Guide to Price
16 days from £5500 per person
What's Included
- International flights
- Private car with English speaking driver
- Sightseeing with local English speaking guides
- Hotel accommodation and taxes
- Return speedboat transfers in the Maldives
What's Not Included
- Visas
- Travel Insurance
- Expenses of a personal nature
from £5500
Travel Information
Getting There
British Airways currently fly non-stop from London to the Maldives. There are a range of alternative airlines which include Emirates, SriLankan Airlines and Qatar Airlines connecting in Dubai, Colombo or Doha.
Flying Times From UK
Direct flights from London to the Maldives take approximately 10 hours. Flights with stops en-route take from 12 to 15 hours.
Time Zone
The Maldives are +5 hours ahead of GMT.
Visa Requirements
British nationals can obtain a tourist visa for up to 30 days on arrival in the Maldives.
Do’s & Don’ts
Alcohol is available only on the resort's islands but is prohibited elsewhere. It is advisable not to buy any on the flight or at the duty free shops en route to the Maldives as it will be confiscated on arrival at customs.
The use, possession or distribution of vaping products is prohibited. If found with a vaping device, it will be confiscated.
If you need regular medication a valid medical prescription, issued by your registered medical practitioner, is required. Without one you may not be able to take the medication through customs.
Dress standards are generally informal but tourists should be sensitive to local dress requirements when visiting non-resort areas. A degree of modesty while sunbathing is required even on resort islands.
Money
The Maldives' currency is the rufiyaa, which is made up of 100 larees. Notes are available in denominations of 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100 or 500, although the two and five-rufiyaa notes are rare. Coins are in denominations of one and two rufiyaa and 10, 25 and 50 larees. However, many visitors to the resorts will never see rufiyaa with US dollars commonly used and accepted everywhere. Cash and credit cards are accepted and, unless otherwise specified, US dollars are preferred. Some resorts which are popular among European visitors will also accept Euros.
Tipping
There are no clearly-defined rules to tipping in the Maldives. A service tax of 10-12.5% is added to almost everything, from minibar drinks to snorkelling trips. In many places, this means there is no need to tip additionally but, in some cases, the people serving you personally will expect a tip. Leave a tip for room staff including the butler if there is one. Acceptable currencies for tips are US dollars, local currency and Euros. It is not usually necessary to tip bar staff or waiters as the tip is added to your bill.
Food & Drink
The resorts in the Maldives usually offer a wide variety of international cuisine. Locally, fish is common and the most popular is tuna, including skipjack, tunny, yellowfin and frigate. All is caught locally and prepared in several ways including boiled, sun-dried or smoked. Tuna is also used as a filling. Another popular local delicacy is garudiya, a traditional fish soup, often with chillies, onions and curry flavourings. It is served with rice, onion, lemon and chilli. Coconuts are also used in many recipes – in particular for desserts – and rice too is popular either boiled or ground into flour. A flat bread called roshi, like an Indian chapatti, generally accompanies meals.
Accommodation
There is a huge range of accommodation to choose from in the Maldives from exclusive island retreats offering barefoot luxury to larger more family-friendly resorts. As each hotel is a self-contained island resort they all have their own restaurants and bar and, depending on the specific property, spa and water sport facilities too. The Anantara Dhigu Resort is a fantastic option if you wish to travel with your family, Baros Island Resort is perfect for those seeking intimate luxury whilst the Taj Exotica Resort and Spa is consistently known to be one of the best five-star options and is a short speedboat ride Male Airport.
Shopping
Shopping on the Maldives is limited as the majority of visitors spend most of their time on the resort islands. Local gifts at the hotel can be bought and if visiting the main island of Male local jewellery and fabrics may be found.
Suggested Reading
The Footprint and Rough Guide offer a good general introduction to the Maldives. Some other suggestions include: ‘Maldives: The Very Best Of’ by Michael Friedel ‘A Brief Guide to the Maldives’ by Adrian Neville ‘Maldives’ by Stefania Lamberti ‘Maldives, God's Masterpiece on Earth’ by BK Adhitya
Health
Your doctor is the best person to advise you on staying healthy whilst abroad but current recommended vaccinations are Hepatitis A, Typhoid, Tetanus and Diphtheria. Yellow Fever is compulsory, but only if you have visited an affected Yellow Fever area within 5 days prior to your arrival. In some instances anti-malarial tablets may also be needed. For current information on health advice you may wish to visit the National Travel Health Network and Centre (NaTHNaC) website Travel Health Pro on https://travelhealthpro.org.uk/. The Medical Advisory Services for Travellers Abroad (MASTA) website (www.masta.org) is also a useful resource.
Travel Advice
For current information on the Maldives the best resource is the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice) which is a comprehensive resource and updated regularly. We would also recommend visiting the Safer Tourism Foundation website (safertourism.org.uk) before you travel and will be happy to address any questions or concerns you may have.
Looking for something more bespoke?
Our Maldives travel consultants can help you to create your perfect trip
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Our Reviews
What our clients say
Thank you for an epic and amazingly unforgettable holiday
SC & DC - Maldives - April 2023
Just wanted to say thank you for such an epic and amazingly unforgettable holiday experience. We made some fantastic family memories...and it was exactly what I wanted and needed.
Thank you so much...for the time and effort that you spent on getting this right for me and dealing will all my questions and emails.
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Helping you to design your trip
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