South India - The Malabar Holidays
14 days : River Cruises, Spice Plantations, Beaches
Malabar, the northern region of Kerala in Southern India was once a British Principality of India. Malabar has no geographical boundaries, no presence on a map of India, yet it still exisits as a state of mind; laid-back, tranquil and forgiving. This spirit is captured on this journey beginning in historical Fort Cochin, drifting along the backwaters and River Nila, up to the mountains of Wayanad and concluding at the virgin beaches of Kannur. Itinerary
Day 1 Kochin (Cochin):
Amble around the heritage area of Fort Kochi. Once a thriving centre of the spice trade, Fort Kochi is a melting pot of different cultures and influences. Visit the key historic monuments of the Dutch Palace, Jewish Synagogue and Jew Town.
Day 2 Alleppey (Alappuzha):
Transfer to Alleppey, the popular launchpad for Kerala's backwaters. Board a houseboat and cruise through Kuttanad; the rice bowl of Kerala. Drift by vast stretches of paddy fields, fishing nets, coconut groves and local villages. Anchor at dusk and watch the sunset colours float on still waters.
Day 3 Karimbavalavu:
A tranquil morning cruise after sunrise with breakfast aboard eases into the day. Transfer to a peaceful retreat on a secluded island on the backwaters. Birdlife abounds on the island which is perfect for relaxation, cycling, village visits and canoe rides.
Days 4 - 6 River Nila:
Drop into local handicraft and pottery centres on your way to River Nila. Spend twilight in the courtyard of a local household being entertained by young performers showcasing rich folk heritage. Soak up various rhythms of music and dance.
Spend a day with classical arts masters at Kerala Kalamandalam and the evening unwinding in a 400 year old heritage house. The traditional farm stay is part of a responsible tourism initiative to encourage sustainable lifestyles.
Meet a family of musicians who’s demonstration of numerous percussion instruments never ceases to astound. Board a country boat cruise to charter the smaller canals, rivers and backwaters of Tirur. Navigate through islands home to communities of toddy tapers, coir rope workers and fishing communities.
Days 7 - 8 Nilambur:
Set amidst two acres of sacred grove, the farm strikes a perfect balance between the age old traditions of a Kerala Brahmin family and modern living. Explore the farm, surrounding villages and nearby bathing ghats.
Days 9 - 10 Wayanad:
Drive up to the hills of Wayanad. Discover locally grown spices and hear from planters about life in a spice garden. Go wild at a Wildlife Sanctuary and visit a local bamboocraft workshop.
Days 11 - 13 Kannur:
Drive to Kannur (3hrs drive). The most idyllic beaches in the Malabar region, gives you the most relaxed time to spend. Far away from any of the crowd, the locations gives you opportunity to go in a boat to near by towns if you wish. Kannur, known for its traditional folk art forms is an ideal setting to watch them in rural villages nearby.
Day 12 Kannur:
Descend the hills for the coastline and discover the most idyllic beaches in the Malabar region. Far from the maddening crowds, the beachfront is refreshingly quiet. Visit St. Angelo Fort, Arakkal museum and the Cannanore Lighthouse. You have the opportunity to explore nearby towns by boat or observe traditional folk art forms in nearby villages.
Day 14 Depart Calicut:
Transfer to Calicut Airport or Train Station for onward journeys or stay on and enjoy the relaxed ambience.
Route map
This is an indicative map of the trip. Please use the navigation tools to zoom, pan etc.
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Making a Difference
Spice tours were initiated to support small time farmers and spice planters in and around Wayanad areas to find alternative, supplementary source of income. This provides a glimpse of the issues surrounding the struggles of spice farmers in terms of price crash and issues of globalization.
Visit to Rainforest Garden involves interaction with community who initiated the rainforest regeneration and the later half of the visit benefits the community living in the alternative school campus.
Trekkers and guides are from the local communities and the programs are operated by them. These are people who live on the fringes of the wildlife areas. All parts of our trek routes and campsite follows zero waste management. During and after every trek, we collect and dispose plastic waste that might have been left behind by other tourists and local people.
Visit to potters community is an appreciation to the efforts to rehabilitate the potters. Our visits expand the knowledge about the program and provide them financial support.
The day with the musicians help them to promote their art forms, make known to the rest of the world their musical styles and also provides with them a source of income which given the nature of festivals in Kerala is seasonal. These are also lower caste members of the communities who otherwise, wouldn’t get an opportunity to perform in esteemed musical gathering.
