Kochi to Goa Tour – The Malabar Coast

Day 1: Arrival Cochin

On arrival at Cochin airport assistance & transfer hotel check-in (hotel check-in/ out time 12 pm). Later city tour of Cochin the lovely seaside city flanked by the Western Ghats on the east and the Arabian Sea on the west. You will find here a unique mix and match of traditional as well Western architecture and lifestyle. Visit Fort Cochin a charming seaside area known for its Dutch, Portuguese & British colonial architecture and elaborate bamboo fishing nets at Fort Kochi Beach. St. Francis Church was the original burial site of explorer Vasco da Gama. Upscale eateries and chic cafes serve Keralan specialties, and quaint shops sell cotton clothing and handmade souvenirs. Heritage buildings house contemporary art galleries. Also, visit Jewish Synagogue & the Mattancherry Dutch`s Palace. In the evening enjoy Kathakali, a traditional dance form of Kerala with lavish costumes, exotic makeup, masks, etc. Overnight at the hotel.

🏚️ Hotel Option: Casino Hotel/ The Avenue Regent or similar.

Day 2: Cochin (60kms one way)

Transfer to Alleppey boat jetty to board the houseboat and sail through the tropical countryside enchanting backwaters. While sailing enjoys palm fringed narrow canals winding through the vast expanse of paddy fields and the neat tiny hamlets lined up along either side of the canals, the panoramic sights one can never forget. Pass through one of the few areas in the world where farming is done below sea level. Alleppey is referred to as the Venice of the East, due to canals, backwaters, and lagoons. Boats are the main mode of transportation here, you can see Shikara boats, small motorboats, passenger boats, cargo boats, and houseboats. Evening enjoys the sunset from the sun deck of the houseboats. The Houseboats have generated electricity, sitting cum dining area, separate bedroom with attached English toilets, sun deck and fully loaded kitchen with a chef & driver. Lunch on board then enjoys canoe ride for 1hr. Thereafter drive back to Cochin, Overnight at the hotel.

🏚️ Hotel Option: Casino Hotel/ The Avenue Regent or similar.

Day 3: Cochin – Kozhikode (190kms) (B)

Drive to Kozhikode en-route visit Guruvayoor Temple, one of the most sacred pilgrim hubs where the deity Lord Vishnu is worshipped in Balkrishna Avtar. The idol of the Lord is made out of a rare mixture called Padala Anjanam, instead of stone or metal. Lord idol is adorned with four hands each carrying a conch, a mace, a discus, and a lotus and garlanded with the Basil and pearl necklace. Only Hindus can enter the sanctum of the temple. And Mammiyur Mahadeva Temple, famous for its large murals, is this temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. It is believed that Lord Shiva was the original owner of the Guruvayur temple and decided to relocate to the current site to place the Vishnu idol in the Guruvayur temple. Hence, every pilgrim completes their pilgrimage by visiting this temple located just 500 meters from Guruvayoor temple housing the shrines of Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu.
Arrive at Kozhikode & check-in at the hotel. Later visit Kappad Beach, famous for being the destination of Vasco Da Gama, the famous Portuguese explorer to reach India by the sea in 1498. It is lined with palm trees and sedimentary rocks that decorate the shore and give any visitor a serene feeling. Mishka Palli Mosque is believed to be constructed around 700 years ago by an Arab merchant Nakhooda Mishkal it doesn`t have any minarets making it unique. Overnight at the hotel.

🏚️ Hotel Option: Malabar Palace/Copper Folia or similar.

Day 4: Kozhikode – Mangalore (250kms) (B)

Drive to Mangalore en-route visit Thalassery Fort, built-in 1703 by the East India Company as a testimony to show the power and ability of the imperial rulers, it played a prominent role in the military as well as commercial activities of the English during their colonial rule in India. The fort has a square shape, massive walls, and doors that are artistically carved. It has laterite blocks and walls with holes of loops which are aided by strong supporters. The fort comprises a large gateway as well as a lighthouse. Near the fort lies the bungalow of the sub-collector, St. Rosary Church, and Brennen cemetery.
Further, drive to Kannur & visit St Angelos Fort, famous for the gripping history and the intriguing tales it has to tell. This fort was a point of interest for many dynasties of domestic as well as international origin and has seen many bitter battles in the quest to conquer it. Walking around the walls of this majestic fort, you can almost picture the battles that this fortress has seen. There are tombstones of the soldiers who lost their lives fighting for the fort, barracks, and an old chapel here that you can explore. Kannur`s first-ever lighthouse also stands next to the fort.
The next stop to visit the Bekal Fort, built-in 1650 by Shivappa Nayaka, is one of the largest and most preserved forts in Kerala. Nestled in the lap of nature, Bekal Fort is surrounded by a beautiful beach offering an enchanting view of the Arabian Sea from its high observation tower where once the cannons were placed. Bekal Fort is a keyhole-shaped lofty structure that stands still against the rocky shores of the sea. The beautiful walkway, illuminated beach, and the grand architecture of the Bekal Fort amuse its visitors with its finesse.
Continue to drive to Mangalore, check-in & overnight at the hotel.

🏚️ Hotel Option: The Ocean Pearl/ Goldfinch Mangalore or similar.

Day 5: Mangalore – Gokarna (235kms) (B)

City tour of Mangalore visit Kadri Manjunath Temple, built-in 1068 AD, this temple has the typical Hindu architectural style on the basic Vijaynagri style. The temple has many caves around it as it is located on hillocks. These caves have depictions that go back to prehistoric times. Mangaladevi Temple is dedicated to Goddess Shakti, it is the oldest temple in Mangalore built in 900 AD. The grand temple’s spacious complex allows devotees to sit and meditate or chant after offering their prayers to feel rejuvenated and at peace.
Also visit St Aloysius Chapel, a Catholic Church and a famous attraction set atop the Lighthouse Hill and has a regal look which is breathtaking right from the entrance. The unique wall paintings of St. Aloysius Chapel are stunning. The view of the Arabian Sea from the campus is worth the trip if one wishes to capture a part of the history and the natural landscape of this part of the city. Rosario Cathedral, a 16th-century Roman Catholic church, is a magnificent structure with a beautiful interior. The cross and the dome on the Cathedral are easily visible to the ships approaching the Mangalore Harbour. The Cross is lit every evening and serves as a guiding light for fishermen and seamen.
Drive to Gokarna en-route visit 13th-century Sri Krishna Temple, adorned with jewels and a golden chariot. What makes the temple unique, is its worshipping pattern. The prayers and process of the whole worship take place only through a silver-plated window with nine holes called the Navagraha Kitiki. A temple known as Udupi Anantheshwara Temple surrounds the Shree Krishna Matha. This temple traces back 1,000 years. The temple bears a resemblance to a living ashram, fostering daily life and devotion.
Arrive at Gokarna check-in at the hotel. City tour of Gokarna a town on the Arabian Sea, and a popular pilgrimage destination for Hindus, known for sacred sites Mahabaleshwar Temple, which has a shrine dedicated to the deity Shiva. A 6 feet tall Shiva Linga here built using white granite is a classic example of the beauty of Dravidian architecture. A 1500 years old carved stone Lord Shiva idol in the standing position represents the main deity. The temple has been mentioned in the Hindu Mythics of Mahabharata and Ramayana and it is said to be as significant as Kashi. Nearby, Koti Teertha is a temple tank where devotees wash in the holy waters. The town is also home to beaches such as palm-lined Gokarna, Kudle, and Om beach, a hippy paradise.
Rest time-free and easy to relax on the beach. Overnight at the hotel.

🏚️ Hotel Option: Kudle Beach View Resort & Spa/ Namaste Yoga Farm or similar.

Day 6: Gokarna – Goa (235kms) (B)

Drive to Goa en-route stop at Karwar to visit INS Chapel (K94) Warship Museum, situated in Rabindranath Tagore beach. INS Chapel is a missile warship and was used in the 1971 Indo – Pak war. In 2006, the ship was converted into a museum to display sea artifacts, a video of the ship being converted into this museum among other collectibles. And Sadashivgad Fort, built atop a hill on the north bank of the Kali river. It is mostly in ruins, having been pulled apart by the British, after multiple changes of hands. A Durga temple is situated in this fort, the Shantadurga deity being installed by Shivaji for the locals to worship. Arrive Goa check-in & overnight at hotel.

🏚️ Hotel Option: Lemon Tree Hotel Candolim/ The Chances Resort & Casino or similar.

Day 7: Goa (B)

City tour of Goa. Visit the Old Goa monument the Basilica of Bom Jesus a 16th-century church dedicated to infant Jesus housing the tomb of St. Francis Xavier. The other Churches in the same area are St. Cathedral, Church of Our Lady of Miracles, Church of our Lady of Rosary, and Nunnery of St. Monica. The Aguada Fort was built by the Portuguese on the mouth of the Mondovi River and is a 4-story Portuguese lighthouse oldest of its kind in Asia. In South Goa visit Mangueshi Temple, Shanta Durga Temple & Margao the headquarters of South Goa. Drive Pass the charming beaches such as Calangute, Dona Paula, Miramar, and Baga Beach. Overnight at the hotel.

🏚️ Hotel Option: Lemon Tree Hotel Candolim/ The Chances Resort & Casino or similar.

Day 8: Goa (B)

Day free and easy to relax on the beach and explore the city with your driver. Overnight at the hotel.

🏚️ Hotel Option: Lemon Tree Hotel Candolim/ The Chances Resort & Casino or similar.

Day 9: Goa – Departure (B)

As per flight schedule transfer to airport to board flight for onward destination.