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| Kerala
& Maldives Combo – 13 nights |
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 About
this holiday:
The Kerala & Maldives Combo brings together the best of
two nations. First, fly to Kerala to experience South India’s
historic sights, the spice-growing foothills of the Western
Ghats, the tranquil backwaters and Periyar National Park.
This is followed by a short flight to Maldives and a few days
of peaceful relaxation. Enjoy its famous turquoise-coloured
sea, fine sandy beaches and a kaleidoscope of underwater life
Holiday highlights
• An exciting cruise on a houseboat
in Kerala.
• Kochi’s ancient Fort.
• Spice-growing foothills of the
Western Ghats.
• Picturesque Periyar National Park.
• Spectacular Kathakali
dance performance.
• Turquoise blue waters of the
Maldives Islands
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Depart: Leave London
and fly to Cochin via Colombo on Sri Lankan Airlines
Day 1 & 2:
Depart from London and fly to Cochin via Colombo. You
will be on arrival by a Red Dot representative and transferred
in one of our comfortable Ambassador cars to Fort Cochin, an
ancient trading port since at least Roman times that provided
a safe port of call for sailors on the main trade route from
Europe to China. The journey from the airport will take approximately
one hour before you check-in to Malabar House. After resting
at the hotel, dipping into the cool courtyard swimming pool
and enjoying you first taste of Kerala’s distinctive,
spicy cuisine, we suggest you wander around the fort in the
late afternoon. Walk along the fort promontory and see the unique
Chinese Fishing Nets and generally soak up the atmosphere of
the town. During the evening you may wish to watch a Kathakali
dance performance – a noisy, colourful and spellbinding
400-year dance-drama. The following day, hopefully after a refreshing
night’s sleep, we will show you around the fort, the highlights
of which include Mattancherry Palace, a gift to the Raja of
Kochi back in 1557, St. Francis Church, first built in 1510
and the resting place of Vasco de Gama, and a magnificent synagogue
dating back to 1568.
Accommodation profile: The Malabar
House is a fascinating and sophisticated boutique hotel that
has become, quite understandably, one of the most sought-after
properties in Fort Cochin. Formerly a Dutch colonial mansion
which has been lovingly restored, there are 17 individually
designed suites that mix contemporary design with vibrant colours
and local antique furnishings. The atmosphere is serene and
peaceful. The staff is friendly, cheerful, attentive and discreet.
The fusion food is acclaimed.
Day 3 & 4:
Leave Cochin and travel south-east across dramatic
ridges and Through thick forests to the spice-growing foothills
of the Western Ghats, an area dubbed Cardamom Hills after its
most important crop. Your destination is the picturesque Periyar
National Park, the leading wildlife park in South India, which
was designated as part of Project Tiger in 1972. The lakeside
sanctuary, best explored by boat or on foot with a trekking
guide, is home to a relatively small population of game but,
encouragingly, thanks to enlightened anti-poaching policies
of the Kerala Forest Department, the game numbers are increasing
fast. The forest department have successfully co-opted the support
of the indigenous Mannan community who now conserve the reserve
in exchange for money from eco-tourism. You are likely to see
elephant grazing by the lakeside and bison, sambar, wild boar
and barking deer are also commonly spotted. But the tigers are
shy and are usually heard not seen, especially during the nights
as they prowl the jungle for their prey. We recommend staying
in the middle of this national park, in a small six-bedroom
former Maharajah’s game lodge called Lake Palace. Spend
two nights here, relaxing on your island, cruising around the
lake and trekking through the jungle. We can also organise a
spice plantation tour, a night trek, elephant rides and even
a bullock cart ride (an innovative idea to prevent unsustainable
sandalwood logging) if you can tear yourself away from your
island home.
Accommodation profile: Lake Palace, a former
Maharaja’s holiday home now managed by the Kerala Tourism
Development Corporation, is a very special six-bedroom property
because of its idyllic peninsula location inside the heart of
Periyar Wildlife Reserve, overlooking the lake and surrounding
jungle. Supplies and guests are ferried in across the lake,
a tranquil a beautiful 20-minute journey. Elephants stroll close-by
and in the night tigers, leopards and wild dogs can often be
heard hunting their prey.
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A former Maharaja’s palace
that was handed over to the state government, it also contains
many old-world memories and has, thankfully, been preserved
as a heritage property. Very little has changed since its royal
past.
Day 5:
You will leave Periyar and travel south to Kumarakom, an island
on the large Lake Vembanad that is blessed with an idyllic location.
The area has attracted several exotic hotels offering backwater
and Ayurveda holidays. There is also a wonderful bird sanctuary.
We head straight for Coconut Lagoon, one of Red Dot’s
favourite properties in Kerala for a relaxing two-night stay.
Spend one night in this unique and ethnic property
Accommodation profile: Coconut
Lagoon is an architectural triumph, a boutique hotel that has
been cleverly crafted from the fragments of ancient village
homes and palaces. In some cases whole houses, complete with
beautiful woodcarvings and its original brass work, have been
painstakingly transplanted into the property piece-by-piece.
The result is the ultimate backwater resort, a property where
fine traditional craftsmanship and the stunningly beautiful
natural surroundings makes it utterly impossible not to relax,
unwind and dream. The Keralan cuisine is delicious and the staff
is friendly and attentive. Like the other Casino Hotels, there
is a special emphasis on caring for the environment. In fact,
they are so serious about the natural environment that there
is a fulltime director in charge of there environmental policies,
which include comprehensive waste management schemes and a breeding
programme to protect the endangered Vechoor cows.
Day 6 & 7:
Relax during the morning at Coconut Lagoon and wait for the
arrival of your traditional Kettuvallum houseboat (reconverted
rice barges) around noon for one of the highlights of your holiday
– a journey through Kuttanad country to Kollam, a land
of shimmering waterways, dense tropical greenery and age-old
village livelihoods so vividly described in Arundhati Roy’s
remarkable novel The God of Small Things. Your houseboat, fully
staffed with a friendly and attentive crew, will chug slowly
through canals and creeks allowing you to relax and unwind.
Hours slip by easily as you gaze ashore, soaking up a myriad
of views as you pass homes, farms, paddy fields, playful children,
fisher folk in traditional dugouts and bathing buffaloes. See
fish eagles circling for prey and wise cormorants perched on
the riverbank. At 6pm the houseboat will moor up and the staff
will cook a sumptuous traditional feast. Sleep contentedly in
your cabin. Spend the following night on the houseboat as well.
Day 8 to 13: Take a 3.5 hour journey to the
Trivandrum airport to take the mid day flight to the Maldives,
the Indian Ocean’s most sought-after beach escape, an
archipelago of islands offering turquoise blue waters, fine
sandy beaches and, for snorkelers and divers, a kaleidoscope
of underwater life. Spend six nights relaxing at Makunudu Island
Resort, a six-acre isle in the North Male Atol.
Accommodation profile: Makunudu
Island resort is found in the North Malé Atoll on its
own six-acre isle. It is reached easily from Malé International
Airport by a 55-minute speedboat trip. Makunudu is perfect for
a short break of sun worship, especially for couples. With comparably
few facilities, Makunudu's reputation relies upon its excellent
dining and beautiful location whilst providing a few quality
excursions such as fishing trips. The accommodation is in a
traditional Maldivian cottage-style, all leading onto the beach
and have been tastefully decorated by removing the sight of
any modern appliances. Makunudu is a value for money, good-quality
resort perfect for those wanting to relax rather than pursue
an active holiday.
Day 14: Depart Male Airport to Colombo to take
the flight to London. |
| Cost: TBC |
Package price includes:
• Return flights
with SriLankan Airlines and Indian Airlines
• 5 night’s BB hotel
accommodation on twin-sharing basis (FB at Lake
Palace) in
Kerala
• 2 night’s full-board
accommodation on non-a/c houseboat in Kerala
• 6 nights HB accommodation
in Maldives (Deluxe Bungalow)
• Speedboat transfer from
Male to Maldives Resort
• Airconditioned car and
English-speaking driver for transfers and tour
• Entrance fees: St. Francis
Church, Mattancherry Palace, Synagogue, Kathakali
dance performance, spice plantation tour, one guided
trek in Periyar
National Park, unlimited boat rides in Periyar
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