Southern India: Beach & wellness escape in Kerala

Welcome to Kerala. A private transfer will greet you at the hotel, ready to whisk you to your hotel in Fort Kochi. Meet your fellow travellers at the hotel, then you’ll head out together to explore Fort Kochi’s charming streets. Offering a rich blend of colonial history, ancient mosques and trendy cafes, Fort Kochi is a delight to discover. Stroll along the harbour, where you’ll see fishermen casting giant Chinese nets out to sea, or weave through alleyways lined with galleries and boutiques. Enjoy a few sundowner drinks with your group, before making your way to a traditional restaurant for dinner. Keralan cuisine is renowned for its unique flavours; we recommend the seafood curries and crispy dhosa, in particular.

Begin your day with a yoga session, then you’ll catch a ferry over to Vypin Island – think long sandy beaches and uninterrupted sea views. It’s here where you’ll be divided into two teams, each given mystery box containing a selection of secret ingredients. Under the guidance of local chef Neema, you’ll learn how to transform these ingredients into traditional dishes, before feasting on your creations. After lunch, catch your transfer over to the tea hills of Munnar. Home to South India’s largest tea-producing region, you’ll find a canvas of terraced plantations shrouded by mists of cloud forest. Check into your beautiful mountain resort and take the rest of the evening to relax. Our recommendation? Sink into the outdoor pool, with panoramic views of the mountains unfolding around you.

Today will see you head over to the Lockhart Estate, a tea plantation dating back to 1879. Spend the morning exploring the plantations, where you’ll learn how to cultivate tea leaves alongside local farmers. Tuck into a freshly-made lunch on the estate, before spending the rest of the afternoon learning about the methods of tea production, with the opportunity to process your own pickings.To round off your visit, you’ll enjoy an exclusive tea tasting with a range of local flavours to sample, before a relaxing evening at the resort.

Rise at dawn to admire the highlands glowing with sunrise through the morning mists. You’ll then catch your transfer back down to Kerala, where the rest of the day is yours to enjoy the coast as you please. Settle into your new hotel, a beautiful Keralan home on Vembanad Lake with an Ayurvedic spa and open-air bathrooms. Then, as evening draws in, hop aboard a kettavallum houseboat for a memorable sunset cruise.

Welcome the day with a morning yoga session. Then, you’ll want to fill up on breakfast at the hotel, because you’ll be embarking on a day-long kayaking adventure through Kerala’s famous backwaters. Navigate your way through hidden rivers and lush mangroves, with tall coconut trees arching gracefully overhead. Here, you’ll encounter a peaceful world secluded in Kerala’s backwaters: groups of school children flying kites, crab fishermen reeling in their catch, women in vibrant saris spinning reels on the riverbanks. Back at the hotel, enjoy a massage in the spa or head to the lakeside restaurant for local dishes such as karimeen: crispy fish wrapped in plantain leaves, served with a chilli marinade.

Start your day with relaxing yoga session, before venturing half an hour up the coastline to Mararikulam. With azure sea, endless white sands and fishing boats dotted along the horizon, this is Southern India at its most picturesque. Check into your hotel, a luxurious retreat nestled between 30 acres of lily ponds and fruit trees, with the rest of the day all yours to spend however you please. Explore the boathouse library along the coast, book yourself into the Ayurvedic spa or unwind in an afternoon meditation session at the hotel. Then, as sunset falls over the coast, head to the open-air bar for a cold beer, or enjoy some fresh masala-fried squid at the nearby ocean grill.

Your day begins with an immersive yoga and meditation session, with another sun-soaked day on the beach ahead of you. There’s plenty to be savoured here, from organic cooking classes to wildlife walks led by local naturalists. Explore the fishing villages dotted along the coast, or visit the harbour to see the daily catch hauled in. Or, simply relax on the beach with a book in hand and the warm Arabian Sea at your disposal – the choice is yours. In the evening, gather with your group for a candlelit feast, with a spread of fragrant curries and seafood dishes to tuck into.

After a buffet breakfast at the hotel, you might have time for a last dip in the pool before arranging your transfer back to the airport. It’s a 90-minute drive, but the hotel can help organise taxis for a reasonable price. Want to see more of India? Enjoy a prequel to this trip with our longer adventure in Rajasthan, Kerala’s majestic northern neighbour.