Southern India Honeymoon
India is a country that totally envelops every one of the senses with vivid colours, sounds and smells and the tastes of its regional cuisine. Everywhere you turn there is something of interest to enjoy, the architecture is both spectacular and diverse, the culture; food, dress and customs vary from region to region and the scenery boasts mountain vistas, lush jungles, desert plains and palm fringed beaches. Historic monuments are rife and the variety of activities on offer, are endless. From the bustling north to the sleepier south, time spent in India will certainly be memorable!
As an alternative, we would highly recommend combining a trip to India with either the staggeringly beautiful Maldive islands - a two hour flight from Bangalore, or with the magical mountainous country of Bhutan - less than two hours by air from Calcutta.
Journey Idea Outline
Day 1: Depart London Heathrow to Mumbai, flying overnight.
Day 2: Arrive in Mumbai and fly on to Cochin and the Marari Beach Hotel.
Day 3 to 4: Two full days at leisure to relax on hammocks slung between palm trees by a vast turquoise pool and miles of beach on which to walk and watch the local fishermen launch their canoes.
Day 5: Drive to the backwaters to stay at Privacy, sister to the famed Malabar House in Cochin.
Day 6 to 7: Lying on the palm-fringed shores of Lake Vembanad just 1½ hours south of Cochin, you will have two full days to explore the surrounding area and experience life in the backwaters.
Day 8: Embark for a night on board your private boat. These beautifully crafted vessels have, for hundreds of years, plied the backwaters. Today you can stay onboard and cruise the waterways at your own pace.
Day 9: Transfer to Cochin, set on a cluster of islands and peninsulas. One of India's largest ports, the older parts of Fort Cochin and Mattanchery are an unlikely blend of medieval Portugal, Dutch and English, grafted onto the tropical Malabar coast.
Day 10: Explore Cochin, the 'Queen of the Arabian Sea' with its Mattancherry Palace, Jewish Synagogue and Chinese fishing nets.
Day 11: Transfer to Cochin for your flight to Heathrow via Bombay.