After breakfast drive to Poothotta Backwater Village for a country boat cruise to watch the backwater village life, followed by lunch at a farm house. PM for sightseeing of Cochin. Overnight stay at the Hotel.
Village backwater Cruise - A journey in a country boat into a typical village backwater of Kerala.... zigzagging narrow canals and paddy fields fringed with coconut palms.....watch rare birds....country boat making....a natural fish farm where you can go fishing....a delicious traditional Kerala meal under a tree.....
Cochin Sightseeing - St Francis Church, built in 1510 by friars brought to India by Vasco da Gama, is the first European church built in India and is the site where Vasco da Gama was buried. The Jewish Synagogue was built in 1568; Chinese hand-painted tiles are one of the attractions. This is the only Synagogue in India with a nostalgic past of a Jewish Diaspora. The "Dutch Palace" was built in the 1550s; the palace contains excellent mythological murals and a rare example of traditional Keralite flooring - a subtle mix of burnt coconut shells, lime, plant juices and egg whites - which gives the effect of polished marble.

After breakfast drive to Tripunithura, the abode of the Cochin Royal Family, to watch Athachamayam, a marvelous procession with colourful art forms and musical accompaniment piloted by decorated elephants. After lunch visit Hill Palace Museum at Trippunithura. Overnight stay at the hotel. Come to Onam, the annual harvest festival of Kerala, when a myriad of cultural events take place along the length and breadth of Kerala. Thripunithura Athachamayam is a spectacular event which marks the beginning of Onam celebrations. The Athachamayam festival includes a dazzling procession of caparisoned elephants, colourful floats, and the staging of some of the awesome art forms of Kerala that include the Theyyam, Panchavadyam, Chendamelam, Pambamelam, Karakattam, Mayilattom, Ammankudam, Aattakavadi, Pulikali and so on. Elaborate floral carpets, an interesting and traditional aspect of Onam, can also be seen.

TRIPUNITHURA HILL PALACE
The largest archaeological museum in Kerala and the erstwhile official residence of the Kochi Royal Family, was built in 1865. It is situated about 12kms from Kochi on the Ernakulam-Chottanikkara route. The palace complex consists of 49 buildings in the traditional architectural style of Kerala and is surrounded by 52 acres of terraced land with ponds, fountains and lawns. A full-fledged ethno archaeological museum and Kerala's first ever Heritage museum are the main attractions here. The oldest building in the complex is a single-storeyed Kerala style 'ettukettu' constructed around 1850 AD with an adjacent pond, temple and urappura. The other buildings are a combination of traditional and western architecture. The latest construction was a three-storeyed western style building constructed in 1950 which used to function as the office. In 1980, the palace was taken over by the Department Of Archaeology and later converted into a Museum. It was opened to the public in 1986. This palace-turned-museum displays 14 categories of exhibits including paintings, murals, sculpture in stone and plaster of Paris, manuscripts, inscriptions, carvings etc. The collections displayed in the museum are mainly from the Travancore Royal House, Paliam Devaswom and from the department of Archaeology. It has a gold crown embedded with precious stones and many valuable coins, ornaments, majestic beds and samples of epigraphy.
The museum also displays 200 antique pieces of pottery and ceramic vases from China and Japan, Kudakkallu (tomb stone), Thoppikkallu (hood stone), menhirs, granite, laterite memorials, rock cut weapons belonging to the stone age and wooden temple models. There is an amazing array of plaster cast models of objects from Mohanjodaro and Harappa of the Indus Valley civilization of North India. The museum also houses a gallery of contemporary art. Paliam gallery in the museum contains the collections donated by the Paliyathachans family. Paliyathachans were hereditary Prime Ministers to the Cochin Maharajas for a long period. This gallery was opened in 1991. The gallery of the cabinet hall displays royal furnitures including the 'Simhasana' (the throne or the king's chair). Exhibits in the numismatic gallery are dinarius (roman silver coins), punch marked coins, coins during the British period etc. In the portrait gallery, oil portraits of the Maharajas of the Cochin State and some Thanjavur paintings can be seen. Various wood carvings, which are part of Enadimangalam Temple, belonging to the 14th century as well as unique ivory items, wooden sculptures etc. are displayed. The heritage museum, which was opened in 1995, exhibits traditional household utensils, art effects and items of religious worship.

After breakfast check out and proceed to Thattekad Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary (2 hours drive). Enjoy your lunch at Thattekad. Day to explore the rich and varied birdlife of Thattekad. Lunch at Bird’s Lagoon. In the afternoon visit Kodanad Elephant Training Centre. By evening drive to Nedumbasserry to stay at an Airport Hotel. Overnight stay at the hotel.
Thattekad Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary is one of the low altitude evergreen forests. It is a home for 280 species of birds including Grey hornbill, White-bellied tree pie, Rufous babbler, Wayanad laughing thrush, Grey headed bulbul, White-bellied blue flycatcher, Crimson-backed sunbird, Nilgiri wood pigeon, Malabar parakeet etc. and a number of water birds.
Located on the shores of the Periyar river, Ernakulam district, Kodanad is also the headquarters of Malayattoor forest division. This village is famous for its elephant kraal and a mini zoo. Baby elephants from nearby forests, either washed away in the floods or abandoned by herds, are brought here and domesticated. They are housed in Kraals, traditional wooden cages. One can watch trained mahouts groom the animals and train the animals. About five babies are received every year. In olden days elephants were captured from the Malayattoor forests and domesticated here. But it is no longer the practice since the government has banned capturing of elephants. Elephant safaris are another attraction here. Large numbers of wild life enthusiasts and tourists from around the world visit Kodanad.

Today you will be transferred to Periyar, the famous wildlife destination of Kerala (3-4 hours). Overnight stay at Spice Village.
One of India's most fascinating natural wildlife sanctuaries, where you can watch wildlife at close range. The vegetation, the flora and fauna and the birds of Thekkady are so uniquely rich, vast and varied that it does not bear resemblance to any other wildlife sanctuaries in the world. Even a casual visitor to this place will not fail to observe the special ecological significance of Thekkady!

Full day explore the wildlife of Periyar. By morning, proceed for 03 hours guided trekking at the sanctuary. In the afternoon visit a spice plantation. In the evening enjoy a boat cruise through the Periyar Lake. Overnight stay at Spice Village.
The Thekkady sanctuary is one of the best in the country for watching and photographing wild life. A cruise through the waters of Periyar Lake around which the wildlife sanctuary is situated, offers a soul-stirring experience. This is the only sanctuary in India where you can have the unique experience of viewing wildlife at close quarters from the safety of a boat on the lake. The greatest attractions of Periyar remain the large herds of wild elephants that come down to the lake's edge. The tiger and leopard are sighted when the forest water holes dry up and these animals come and drink water from the river.

After breakfast, drive to Kumarakom (4 hours drive), which is famous for its backwaters & scenic beauty, sprinkled with traditional houseboats, country crafts, rural lifestyles and tranquility. On arrival at Kumarakom, check in at The Coconut Lagoon. Overnight stay at Coconut Lagoon (set in an island full of coconut palms in the very heart of these fascinating backwaters, designed to give visitors an authentic insight into Kuttanad life).

After a leisurely breakfast, board the houseboat from the resort boat jetty for a one night stay with on-board lunch and dinner, covering Alleppey villages and nearby paddy fields. Overnight stay on the houseboat.
What is truly magical about a houseboat ride is the breathtaking view of the untouched and otherwise inaccessible rural Kerala that it offers. The houseboats have all the comforts of a good hotel including furnished bedrooms, modern toilets, cozy living rooms and a fully equipped kitchen. Meals would be cooked on board and supplemented with fresh fish from the backwaters. Today, the tradition is still continued and the food from the local cuisine is served by the Kuttanad locals on board.

In the morning after breakfast check out from the Houseboat and drive to Marari Beach (30 minutes drive). On arrival, check in at Marari Beach Resort. Day free to enjoy the beach activities. Overnight stay at the resort.
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. Marari Beach is an endless vista of sand and surf, but it is more: An authentic experience of the world of Kerala's traditional fishing villages, and a recreation of an ancient, harmonious way of life. The village of Mararikulam lies on a forgotten shore, midway up the Malabar coast, where the Indian Ocean finally decides that it has now become the Arabian Sea.

Day free to enjoy the beach activities. Overnight stay at Marari Beach Resort.
Marari Beach sprawls across 55 acres of lawns, far-flung lotus ponds and whispering coconut groves, all threaded through with stone-flagged pathways. A windbreak of palms runs the length of the property, a protective cover that reduces even the gustiest sea winds to a mere caress. And beyond it is a milk-and-azure ocean, fringed by a beach more ochre than yellow, a sand-meets-sea combination you're not likely to find anywhere else.

04 Sept 09: Marari
Day free to enjoy the beach activities. Overnight stay at Marari Beach Resort.

05 Sept 09: Marari
Day free to enjoy the beach activities. Overnight stay at Marari Beach Resort.

06 Sept 09: Marari-Aranmula
Today you will be driven to Aranmula (2 hours drive) to watch the spectacular Uthrattathi Boat Race. Return to Marari by late evening. Overnight stay at Marari Beach Resort.