Day 1 & 2Depart from London and fly to Cochin via Colombo. You will be met on arrival by a Red Dot representative and transferred in one of our comfortable Ambassador cars to Fort Cochin, an old trading post on the ancient Malabar Coast. The journey from the airport will take about one hour. Check-in for your two night’s stay at the Brunton Boatyard, a boutique hotel ssituated at the edge of an estuary where the vast Vembanad Lake meets the waters of the Arabian Sea. Experience the fascinating sites and sounds of Fort Cochin. Stroll down to the Vasco da Gama square, a narrow promenade that parallels the beach where huge Chinese fishing nets are tended by fisherman. These large contraptions are built out of teak wood and bamboo poles, almost in the shape of a preying-mantis, and date back to the 14th century. Traditional Kathakali and Bharathanatyam dance performances are held at the Greenix Village down Kalvathy Road. Go early and catch the intriguing ritual of the Kathakali dancers putting on their make-up before their performance. Visit the Mattancherry Palace, once occupied by the local Verma Kings and now a museum that tells of their lifestyle. Explore Jewish Town with its narrow cobbled stone walkways where wayside shops overflow with antiques and silk shawls; the 16th century synagogue with intricate chandeliers and porcelain tiled floors; the Santa Cruz Basilica; the Dutch Palace and the St. Francis Church.

Day 3 & 4Leave 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 legendary spice plantations. Your destination is the picturesque Periyar National Park where you will stay two nights at Lake Palace, a small six-bedroom former Maharajah’s game lodge situated on a peninsular within the park. Periyar National Park is one of the most popular in India, and is situated around a reservoir. The park was first declared a forest reserve by the Maharaja of Travencore over a century ago and was incorporated into Project Tiger in 1973. You are likely to see elephant grazing by the lakeside, bison, sambar, wild boar, barking deer and numerous birds. But the tigers are shy and are usually heard not seen, especially during the nights as they prowl the jungle for their prey. 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. This lakeside wildlife sanctuary is best explored by boat or on foot with a trekking guide. Relax 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.

Day 5 & 6Leave the jungles of Periyar and travel south to Kumarakom for an experience of Kerala’s tranquil backwaters. Check into Coconut Lagoon, a unique hotel with an ethnic feel situated on the banks of the magnificent Vembanad Lake. Stay two nights. The serene backwaters edged with dense tropical greenery and rural villages where daily life unfolds at an unhurried pace, was the setting for Arundhati Roy’s Booker prize-winning novel `The God of Small Things’. Explore Coconut Lagoon’s gardens which represent a unique biosphere and are a treasure trove for naturalists. Stroll through the gardens scattered with fruit and medicinal trees, the butterfly garden, and the adjoining Kavanar bird Sanctuary. Village expeditions past paddy fields, waterways and village homes are organised by the hotel accompanied by the in-house Naturalist.

Day 7Today you board a Kettuvalam house boat from Kumarakom and journey through Kuttanad country to Kollam. The Backwaters of Kerala consisting of lagoons, lakes, canals and a network of upto 41 rivers meet at specific estuaries leading to the Arabian Sea. Over 900 kms of this massive water body can be explored by boat. Views change constantly as you move along. Lush green paddy fields and coconut groves, tranquil waters momentarily disturbed by cormorants and brahmini kites diving down in search of their catch, fisherman tending to their Chinese nets, and villages passing by in canoes filled with coir and vegetables. Stop enroute and explore rural villages, Hindu kovils and churches. At 6pm the houseboat will moor up and the staff will cook a sumptuous traditional feast. Dine on the helm under a starlit sky with the sound of crickets in the background. Sleep contentedly in your cabin overnight and meander on to Kollam the next morning.

Day 8Today you check into Leela in the south west coastal town of Kovalam for your final night’s stay in Kerala. Stay over night and relax on the sunkissed beaches of the Arabian Sea. Along with Goa in the North and Mamallapuram in Tamil Nadu, Kovalam has a reputation for some of South India’s finest beaches. Rejuvenate with a relaxing Ayurvedic massage at the hotel spa.

Day 9 - 14Head to Trivandrum International Airport to take the mid-day flight to the Maldives, the Indian Ocean’s most sought-after beach escape, an archipelago of 1,190 coral islands south west of Sri Lanka. Its fascinating marine life gives it some of the best diving spots in the world. Spend six nights at Makunudu Island Resort situated on its own six-acre island rich in tropical vegetation surrounded by a coral reef and the shimmering tropical seas. Spend your days relaxing on a hammock under the shade of a coconut tree. Explore the magnificent coral gardens and marine life of the Indian Ocean. Go scuba diving, surfing, snorkelling, and island hopping.