Nestled amidst the azure Arabian Sea, Kerala is a gem of southern India. Kerala’s sun-kissed beaches, fabled backwater destinations, picturesque hill stations and rich flaura and fauna make it a very different incentive experience to the more traditional Golden Triangle tour.
Here are just a few of the highlights.
Moored on an historic stretch of Cochin’s farmed harbour, the Brunton Boatyard Hotel is a tribute to another age. Resurrected from the remains of a Victorian shipbuilding yard, it gives the modern traveller a unique opportunity to dwell amidst the shadow-plays of the 19th century history.
Visit the Chinese fishing nets - fixed installations where you’ll see the local fishermen lowering down huge nets, tied to beams, into the water and then pulling them out with this extensive wooden pulley system. Each of these fishing nets stand at least 10m tall and are a fascinating site to watch.
Get involved in the cooking at the Padua house in Kochi. This century old heritage house and the first European Bungalow in Fort Kochi, can accommodate up to 100 people for lunch. Interact with family members and gain some hands-on experience in the kitchen.
Board the traditional House Boat Kettuvallam for a 2 hour cruise. These Houseboats were primarily used for transportation of paddy and other commercial goods. The ‘hull’ of these houseboats are made of ‘Anjali’ woods, using small planks of wood joined together with coconut husk packing and stitched it with coconut fiber ropes - no nails are used! These palm-covered boats are designed to navigate the narrowest of canals. During the cruise, you can see a different face of India. Witness river life close up as local people living on the banks of the backwaters wash, fish and travel.
Visit Kumarakom - an unbelievably beautiful paradise of mangrove forests, emerald green paddy fields and coconut groves interspersed with enchanting waterways and canals adorned with white lilies. Situated on the Vembanad Lake, you'll come across plenty of traditional country crafts, boats and canoes which will take you into the heart of the scenic lake.
Get up close to the traditional experience of the snake boat races of Kerala – magnificent fiestas that bring alive the tranquil backwaters. Scores of long snake boats and other smaller crafts participate the largest team sport in the world and are preceded by colourful water parades. Usually, a snake boat is manned by four helmsmen, 25 singers and 100-125 oarsmen, who row in unison to the fast rhythm of vanchipattu (song of the boatman). Thousands of people crowd the water's edge to cheer the huge black craft as they slice through the waters to a spectacular finish. An incentive group can participate in a bespoke, mock snake boat race, manned by more than 100 oarsmen in each boat!
And there are still rickshaw (tuk-tuk) rides, paddy fields, prawn farms, sunset cruises, traditional dinners and first class beach life.
