Fishing Villages of Kerala

Day 1: Arrival in Kochi
Day 2: Kochi - Marari, 37 mi. (60 km)
Day 3: Marari - Alleppey, 19 mi. (30 km)
Day 4: Pallathuruthy - Kuriyalacherry, 19 mi. (31 km)
Day 5: Thakazhy - Viapuram, 19 mi. (31 km)
Day 6: Karuvatta - Thottapilly, 17 mi. (28 mi.)
Day 7: Thottapilly - Kochi

*All distances are approximate and subject to change due to changing weather conditions, lock repairs, or other unforeseen circumstances. The captain and crew reserve the right to make changes at any time with safety as the top priority.

Day 1: Arrival in Kochi
On arrival, you will check into your hotel at Fort Kochi. The afternoon is free for you to enjoy at your leisure the afternoon and evening. Kochi (also known as Cochin) is a city in southwest India's coastal Kerala state. It has been a port since 1341 when a flood carved out its harbor and opened it to Arab, Chinese and European merchants. Sites reflecting those influences include Fort Kochi, a settlement with tiled colonial bungalows and diverse houses of worship. Cantilevered Chinese fishing nets, typical of Kochi, have been in use for centuries.

Accommodation: The Killian's Hotel

Day 2: Kochi - Marari, 37 mi. (60 km)
After an early breakfast, you will begin your cycling for the day, leaving the busy roads of Fort Cochin, you quickly access the beach road that you will follow all day. The route leads through fishing villages and coconut plantations on one side and the sea on the other. As you pedal, you will experience everyday life all around you, children going to school, men going out to sea to fish, and women and men making coir, a natural fiber derived from coconut husks. Coir rope-making is a common cottage industry in India. The Coconut fiber is attached to hooks on a wheel that is turned by hand. This twists the coir while more is added. It forms a strong rope that doesn’t unwind or break. 

Meals: B,L,D
Accommodation: Abad Turtle Beach

Day 3: Marari - Alleppey, 19 mi. (30 km)
Most of today's ride is through the back roads that meander between the backwaters and the Arabian Sea. You pass through numerous fishing villages and coconut groves before stopping on the beachfront at Andhkaranazhika Beach. Continuing on, you are scheduled to arrive at the houseboat by noon in time for a sumptuous seafood lunch cooked on board with local spices as you navigate the backwaters. The cruise will end by sunset at Pallathuruthy. Tonight you will enjoy restful accommodations on board the houseboat.

Meals: B,L,D
Accommodation: Marvel Houseboat or Abad Houseboat

Day 4: Pallathuruthy - Kuriyalacherry, 19 mi. (31 km)
The day's cycling begins after breakfast on a combination of off-road and tarmac terrain. The backwaters, an intrinsic part of life here, provides a scene of constant and varied everyday life, from washing clothes to bathing, to fishing. As you pedal along the roads that are abutted by lush green paddy fields, you will be accompanied by the constant chatter of birds. You will arrive at the houseboat again around noon to relax for the rest of the day. Sunsets are always a highlight on the water.

Meals: B,L,D
Accommodation: Houseboat

Day 5: Thakazhy - Viapuram, 19 mi. (31 km)
The guides will be waiting as you navigate to the next cycling point. You will be riding through some of the most beautiful countryside on lovely rural roads, past paddy fields with men and women hard at work. Dotting the roadsides are local teashops where you will hear the local gossip and latest political talk. Equally ubiquitous are the local toddy shops that serve freshly tapped toddy (alcoholic and non-alcoholic palm sap) along with spicy Kerala food. You are now in the Kuttanad region that is synonymous with below sea level paddy cultivation. By noon you will be back on board the houseboat which will take you through the tranquil backwaters of Alleppey to your next cycling point, a quiet overnight journey.

Meals: B,L,D
Accommodation: Houseboat

Day 6: Karuvatta - Thottapilly, 17 mi. (28 km)
On the morning of the final day of cycling, the guides will meet you with your bikes at the houseboat's docking location. An exhilarating ride through the rural roads of Alleppey awaits. The unique scenery on display all along the roadside is both breathtaking and authentic and everyday life unfolds and blends into the landscape. You can visit the Mannarasala Temple, and an ancient Hindu temple dedicated to Nagaraja or the serpent god. Snake worship is unique to Kerala and is as innate to its culture as the land itself. The route will lead along coastal roads to finally arrive at a spillway of the backwaters where the cycling ends. The houseboat will be moored and waiting to transport you back to the endpoint offering yet another magical sunset cruise.

Meals: B, L, D
Accommodation: Houseboat

Day 7: Cruise back to Alleppey. End of tour

May we suggest an extension to this 7-day itinerary?

How about a beach holiday, Ayurveda holiday, or cycling, kayaking or trekking? Just ask
 

Accommodations

You will be accommodated for two nights in boutique accommodations such as the Waterfront Granary in Kochi and Turtle Beach Resort in Marari. For four nights you will enjoy the unique accommodations on board an authentic rice boat.

• House Boat in India

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  Hybrid Bicycle

  Cannondale Trail 6 … • Double-butted alloy frame … • Front suspension … • Shimano Altus gearing … • 24 speeds … • FPD Platform pedals (flat) • Cannondale Stage 2 saddle … • Tektro Novel Mechanical… Read More

  Electric Bicycle (E-Bike)

  Spero E-Bike/Electro … • Aluminum frame … • Front suspension … • 5 gears for the electric mode … • Intelligent Display … • Powerful Motor … • Digital gear … • Pedal Assist … • Mobile charger and… Read More

  Nothing brings you up close and personal with a terrain than a bike and boat tour and no trip to Kerala, India would be complete without a tour of the backwaters. As you immerse in this tropical ecosystem, your tour will include a few nights on one of Kerala, India's houseboats. Read More

Bicycles

Standard Bike

Cannondale Trail 6

• Double-butted alloy frame
• Front suspension
• Shimano Altus 24 speed gearing
• FPD Platform pedals (flat)
• Cannondale Stage 2 saddle
• Tektro Novel Mechanical Disc brakes

Accessories

• Helmet
• Bike bag
• Water bottle holder

Electric Bike

Spero E Bike/ Electro

• Aluminum frame
• Front suspension
• 5 gears for the electric mode
• Intelligent Display
• Powerful Motor
• Digital gear
• Pedal Assist
• Mobile charger and holder
• Helmet holder

Accessories

• Helmet
• Water bottle (no holder on bike)