9-Day Kochi to Goa Tour with Backwaters, Temples and Beaches

• Meet your tour guide at Cochin Airport and transfer to your hotel.

• Head for a city tour of Cochin's historic monuments, including:

  • St. Francis Church, the first European church built in India.

  • Paradesi Synagogue, the oldest in the Commonwealth.

  • Mattancherry Palace, built by the Portuguese and gifted to the Kochi Maharaja.

• Engage in activities such as:

  • A harbour cruise through the backwaters.

  • Kathakali, a classic Kerala drama, and Kalaripayattu shows, the traditional martial art of Kerala, at local theatres.

Overnight in a hotel.

• Have breakfast at the hotel and drive to Alleppey, a backwater town known for its serene and beautiful waterways.

• Board a houseboat and enjoy a cruise through the enchanting backwaters. The houseboat includes a double or twin bedroom with attached bathrooms, running water, and a lounge area where you can relax and enjoy the sights along the shore.

• Set sail through scenic backwaters, passing through one of the few areas in the world where farming is done below sea level.

• After lunch, enjoy a 1-hour shikara ride in the narrow backwaters.

• Return to Cochin in the evening.

Overnight in a hotel.

• Drive to Kozhikode after breakfast and, en route, visit Guruvayoor, a pilgrimage town. It is known for the centuries-old, red-roofed Guruvayur Temple, where Hindu devotees make offerings of fruit, spices, or coins, often equivalent to their weight. Nearby, Mammiyur Mahadeva Temple contains shrines of the deities Vishnu and Shiva. South of the town is St. Thomas Church.

• Arrive in Kozhikode (Calicut), the land of the Zamorins, a prominent city in Malabar, and check in at the hotel. The city has some well-known martial art houses where you can witness an authentic form of Kalaripayattu, the martial art of Kerala.

Overnight in a hotel.

• Head towards Mangalore after breakfast. En route, visit Thalassery, Kannur, and Bekal.

• Start with Thalassery, one of the strategic centres of British India. Several Anglo-Indian wars were fought here, and Thalassery Fort, overlooking the sea, stands as a silent witness to those battles.

• Proceed to Kannur and visit the 16th-century St. Angelo Fort, once occupied by European colonial forces, reflecting the city's significant role in the spice trade. Housed in a former palace, the Arakkal Museum highlights Kerala's only Muslim royal family.

• Behold the historic Bekal Fort, which appears to emerge from the sea. Almost three-quarters of its exterior is in contact with water.

• Continue driving towards Mangalore and check in at the hotel.

• Visit the marvel of Mangalore, St. Aloysius Chapel, located at St. Aloysius College. The chapel's interior was hand-painted by Italian Jesuit Antonio Moscheni in 1899. The doors and windows of the chapel are kept closed to help preserve the paintings, and photography is prohibited inside.

Overnight at the hotel.

• Make your way to Gokarna after breakfast and, en route, visit Udupi.

• Continue driving to Gokarna, the holy temple town on the west coast of India, and check in at the hotel. The Mahabaleshwar Temple is an important pilgrim centre, and visiting Gokarna is considered holy for Hindus. Gokarna Beach is also known as a hippy paradise.

Overnight at the hotel.

• Drive towards Goa after breakfast and, en route, visit Karwar, a port city in the South Indian state of Karnataka. It is known for beaches such as Rabindranath Tagore Beach, with dive spots, and the black-sand Tilmati Beach to the north.

  • The INS Chapal (K94) Warship Museum, housed in a former missile boat, displays artefacts and videos related to the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971.

  • The hilltop Sadashivgad Fort has a temple dedicated to the goddess Durga, along with views of the Kali River and the Arabian Sea.

• Continue driving to Goa, a popular tropical beach destination in India on the Arabian Sea coast. On one side, you will find crowded beaches, bars, discotheques, pubs, and restaurants, which make up the most happening part of Goa. On the other side, South Goa is pristine, calm, rustic, agrarian, and nature-oriented.

• Visit the markets to taste awesome Goa food such as Goa pork sausages, Goa fish curry rice, Rava fried fish, Kaju Feni and Limca, Kokum, Bibinca, and the Vindaloos and Cafreals, two lip-smacking masalas in which meat and vegetables are cooked, all authentic to Goa.

Overnight in a hotel.

• Embark on a full-day city tour after breakfast.

• Visit the following sites:

  • Basilica of Bom Jesus, a World Heritage Site famous for the preserved mortal remains of St. Francis Xavier.

  • Se Cathedral, dedicated to St. Catherine of Alexandria, the largest church in Asia, with giant bells and exquisite architecture.

  • The Church of St. Francis of Assisi, built from 1517 to 1521 AD, a stunning and charming building where the architecture combines Hindu and Christian elements.

  • The ruins of the Church of St. Augustine, with its 46-metre-high tower, built in 1602 through the combined efforts of 12 Augustinians, who also built a convent beside the church. The Church of Mary Immaculate Conception is one of the most famous landmarks of Goa and is believed to be among the earliest churches constructed in Goa.

• Take a walk through Fontainhas, a colourful colony known for its eccentric experience. The state was once a Portuguese colony and still has many beautiful reminders of the Portuguese era.

• Relax by the beach.

Overnight in a hotel.

• Visit South Goa temples, including the following:

  • Sri Bhagawati Temple, believed to be over 500 years old and dedicated to Goddess Ashtabhuja. The temple is constructed in a grand style, and the entrance is flanked by two elephant statues.

  • Shri Shantadurga Temple, dedicated to the goddess Shantadurga, who is regarded as a peaceful form of Goddess Durga. The temple is beautifully constructed and located amidst scenic landscapes.

  • Shri Mangesh Temple, a beautiful temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. It attracts many devotees, and its architecture follows every norm of the traditional Hindu architectural style.

• After sightseeing, hop off at some beautiful beaches. Enjoy some rest time and relax.

Overnight in a hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel.

• Transfer to the airport and board your flight for your onward destination.