Exotic Kerala

After breakfast enjoy the city tour visiting Jewish Synagogue, built in 1568, is magnificently decorated by Chinese tiles and Belgian chandeliers. Giant scrolls of the Old Testament can be found here. It is located near the Dutch Palace in Mattancherry. Later visit St. Francis Church, the oldest church built by Europeans in India. On his 3rd visit to Kerala, Vasco da Gama, the Portuguese trader who reached India from Europe by sea, fell ill and died in Kochi. He was buried in the St. Francis Church (closed on Fridays and Saturdays. Timings for the visit: 0900 hrs to 1200 hrs and from 1500 hrs to 1700 hrs). Also visit the Dutch Palace which  was originally built by the Portuguese (it remains closed on Fridays. Timings for the visit: 1000 hrs to 1700 hrs). Chinese Fishing Nets are distinctly unique to Cochin. It is believed that traders from the court of the Chinese ruler Kublai Khan introduced these nets here. Afternoon, get transferred to Alleppey jetty to embark the houseboat for day cruise. The houseboats are huge, slow moving, exotic barge used for leisure trips - are the reworked kettuvallams of olden times. The original kettuvallams were used to carry tons of rice and spices - a standard kettuvallam can hold up to 30 tons - from Kuttanad to the Kochi port. The kettuvallam or ‘boat with knots’- was so called because the entire boat was held together with coir knots only - not even a single nail is used during the construction.  The boat is made of planks of jack-wood joined together with coir. This is then coated with a caustic black resin made from boiled cashew kernels. With careful maintenance, a kettuvallam can last for generations.  Lunch  will be served on houseboat. Disembark the houseboat and check in at your hotel.

Break fast at your hotel. The tourist village of Kumarakom lies in the scenic backwater area, on the shore of the pleasant Vembanad lake. Here an old rubber plantation around the lake has been developed into a bird sanctuary. Visit the bird sanctuary. The main attractions are local birds like the waterfowl, cuckoo, owl, egret, heron and the water duck, as well as the migratory Siberian cranes. Parrots, teal, larks, flycatchers, wood beetle, and other birds are seen here during their respective migratory seasons. Afternoon at leisure.

After breakfast drive to Mararikulam. Marari originates from " Mararikulam ", one of the local fishing villages, where life still goes on much as it did a hundred years ago, with the men going out to sea each day to earn a living bringing in the daily catch. Completely new to the holiday maker. Marari offers endless miles of superb sand beaches backed by swaying palms, virgin territory where you can experience the local charm and traditional Kerala Hospitality at its best. Day at leisure. You may avail the Ayurveda therapy on direct payment basis. Ayurvedic Massage known as the abhyangam is one of the important dincharyas (daily regimens) mentioned in the Ayurvedic classics for maintaining overall good health. Ayurvedic Massage can be taken by healthy as well as diseased people. In healthy individuals a regular Ayurvedic spa therapy provides benefits such as glowing skin, improved vision and healthy mind.

After breakfast check out at 1200 Hrs. Later transfer to the Cochin Airport to board the flight for onward journey.