Afternoon: Visit the Jewish Synagogue - Constructed in 1568, this is the oldest synagogue in the Commonwealth. A stone slab from Kochangadi synagogue (built in 1344, and has then disappeared), inscribed in Hebrew, can be found on the inner surface of the wall.The synagogue has hand-painted, willow pattern floor tiles brought from China.

Mattancherry Palace - The palace (Dutch Palace) was built by the Portuguese in 1557 and presented to the Cochin Raja, Veera Kerala Varma. The Dutch renovated it after 1663, and hence the palace has another name, 'Dutch Palace'. The most interesting feature of Mattanchery Palace is the murals in the bedchambers and other rooms, which depict scenes from the Ramayana, Mahabharata and Puranic legends connected with Shiva, Vishnu, Krishna, Kumara and Durga. These murals are some of the most beautiful and extensive, and are one of the wonders of India. The Shiva temple in Ettumanur ( near Kottayam) has similar murals.

St. Francis Church, built in 1503 by Portuguese Franciscan friars, is India's oldest European-built church. The original structure was wood, but was rebuilt in stone in mid-16th century. The tombstone of Vasco da Gama (the first European to reach India) still stands here even though his remains were transferred to Portugal.

Chinese Fishing Nets - Lined along the sea-front, these fishing nets exhibit a mechanical method of catching fish, introduced by Chinese traders from the court of Kublai Khan. These nets are also seen along the backwaters between Cochin and Kottayam, and between Alleppey (Alappuzha) and Quilon (Kollam). They are mainly used at high tide. You can actually buy freshly caught fis at the stalls near the nets, and have it cooked to your taste at the adjacent food stalls.

Evening: A Special Moonlit Welcome Dinner will be arranged at the gardens overlooking the Backwaters. The ambience will be typically Kerala, with coconut and banana palms and an exotic "Mohiniyattam" Dance performance, accompanied by traditional live Indian music. A wonderful setting that will be long remembered.
Overnight In Cochin.

Day 2
COCHIN - MARARIKULAM

Breakfast at the hotel. Morning drive to the quaint little village of Mararikulam (45 kms) by Deluxe air-conditioned coaches. On arrival at the Resort, guests will be accorded a traditional Garland Welcome with typical Kerala Music. A special banner with "Welcome " Companys Name "Incentive" will be displayed and the room keys will be then distributed.

After lunch at the resort, rest of the day at leisure to relax and enjoy the Resort's many facilities.
Evening, guests will be given an opportunity to watch Dancers applying make-up for the traditional Dance form of Kerala - Kathakali. This is an interesting art form, where the dancers are heavily made-up as they dance in their inimitable lilting style. The special performance will be followed by a typical Kerala Sea-Food Dinner, served in traditional style, eating off special Banana leaves.
Overnight In Mararikulam.

Day 3
MARARIKULAM

Brunch at leisure at the Resort. Day at leisure to enjoy the myriad facilities at the Marari Beach Resort.
Evening: A very special get-together for Sunset Cocktails, followed by a " barefoot " beach bar-be-que Dinner. The evening will be brought alive by a Dance party, where a Live Band will play Western Music to entertain the guests while they dance the night away.
Overnight In Mararikulam.

Day 4
MARARIKULAM - KUMARAKOM - MARARIKULAM
Morning: Relaxed Breakfast at the Resort.
Late Morning: Transfer by Deluxe Coach to the Jetty at Puthanengadi (15 kms), meandering through the typical village with its quaint shops and paddy (rice) fields. Arrive at the jetty and board a convoy of Rice Boats and cruise along the winding Backwaters of Kerala. This is a very special experience as guests will relax in the well-appointed boats and get an opportunity to see the way of life of the simple folk who live on the backwaters. The large expanses of rice fields, lying below sea-level form the area called "Kuttanad", which is the Rice Bowl of the South. A special Sea-Food Lunch will be served on board the boats, while the guests relax and bask in the best of Kerala sunshine.

Arrive at the Coconut Lagoon to a Special Welcome by traditionally dressed girls who will garland the guests and perform the " aarti " ceremony. The guests will be given a traditional Coconut Welcome Drink (in its natural form), while the room keys are distributed in specially designed pouches. Relax at the resort, or enjoy a swim at the pool, while the spectacular sunset heralds in the evening.

Evening: A Special demonstration of " Kalaripayattu ". This is the traditional martial art form of Kerala, as old as time itself and said to be the pre-cursor of "Tai-Kwondo", the Japanese martial art form. This performance will be followed by a Fishing Village Theme Farewell Dinner. A fishing village ambience will be created, complete with fishing boats, nets, fisher-folk and folk music. A sumptuous bar-be-cue spread, served under a starry night, with waiters dressed as fisher folks, will make the evening an unforgettable experience.
After dinner, cross over to the Kavanatungara boat jetty at Kumarakkom and then travel by deluxe coach (55 kms / 2 hrs) back to the Marari Resort.
Overnight In Mararikulam.

Day 5
MARARIKULAM - COCHIN - CHENNAI (MADRAS)

Brunch at the Poolside of the hotel. Transfer to Cochin by Deluxe Air-conditioned Coach and proceed directly to the Nedumbacherry (Cochin) Airport (60 kms). Leave Cochin for Madras by flight. Assistance on arrival at Madras airport and transfer to the hotel, for a specially arranged farewell dinner. Rooms will be provided for wash and change.
Evening: Exclusive Farewell Dinner. You will be served an ethnic Chettinad Cuisine (Tamil Nadu specialty) at the Raintree Restaurant. Hostesses clad in silken, flowing 'Sarees' will welcome the guests in traditional style. Musicians will entertain while a "Bharatnatyam" Dancer will perform the traditional Indian National Dance. A sumptuous spread of "Chettinad " (the only non-vegetarian cuisine of South India) delicacies will be served in traditional style.
Later transfer to the international Airport to board flight home.

Day 6
DEPART CHENNAI ( MADRAS )

Leave Madras for Europe early in the morning.

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Have a great trip! This itinerary and supplementary information has been compiled with care and is provided in good faith. However it may be subject to change, and DOES NOT form part of a contract between the client and AirCruise.

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