The peaceful trip on the water was the highlight of my visit to Cochin. Lots of birds and plants to see. We were able to go into the narrow waters of the estuary and see lots of interesting things going on. I even had a turn to pole the boat! At the end of water tour, we visited a woman who spun coconut coir into rope and made woven mats. Her demonstrations were interesting. Lunch back at the start consisted of lots of delicious local foods to try. The only downside was the trash in the water. The guide was able to share his knowledge of the area.

The Backwater Boat trip was very good even if not quite the type of backwater that I had expected - Houseboats themselves were very good as were their staff and the Lunch provided - It was a long drive to get there over two and a half hours although coming back we seemed to take a quicker route and back to the port in plenty of time - The two Tour guides with us were also very good and informative

This was an amazing trip to the very scenic Munnar tea plantation and areas along the way. Our guide Shastri was very friendly and knowledgeable and the driver, very skilled to negotiate the traffic, winding roads and rough roads at time. We enjoyed all aspects of the tour, including the food stops for breakfast and lunch organised by Shastri. Be prepared for a very long but rewarding day. Highly recommended.

Wonderfully lazy punt down a beautiful river with a quick visit to see coir rope being handmade and palm leaf matting for roofs, followed by a good lunch served on a banana leaf.

It was so very peaceful and allowed a quiet view of life on the water as people fished, trawled for clams, washed clothes, transported goods on handcarved wooden boats. Meanwhile birdlife was in abundance including stunning azure coloured kingfishers, egrets, heron, stilts, brahminy kites and more. Arathi was a wonderful and very knowledgeable guide.

This was the highlight of our holiday. Our guide Arathy was so friendly and knowledgeable, patiently answering all our questions. The beauty, peace and tranquillity of the trip was magical, and the traditional veg banana leaf meal was really delicious. It was also special to visit a village and see some traditional skills. Thank you!

Kerala, December 2024: Backwaters, misty hills, and breathtaking sunsets. Nature’s magic at its best—serene, stunning, unforgettable.

The tour and the food were phenomenal. Our tour guide Arithy easily gets 5 stars. She was very knowledgeable about the birds we were hearing/seeing, the plants around us, and life in Kerala. She is a native of the village, and she was a great conversationalist. The vegetarian lunch was out of this world. The food is made by a local cook from the village and incredibly tasty. The host of the lunch was also very kind and told us a lot about the food we were eating. Very relaxing and informative experience overall. The only reason I give this review 4 instead of 5 stars is that the booking company, Carnival, had some miscommunication (over a rescheduled bank holiday) because of differences in English over WhatsApp messaging. We cleared it up once we talked on the phone with the company.

Well worth a visit. Cochin is a charming place. The fishing nets are a must see. You do have to barter with the tuk tuk drivers at the port, aim to pay no more than half of the first price. Bear in mind that the driver’s main aim will be to get you to shops that give him “commission “. Be firm if that’s not your idea of sightseeing. Like the rest of India, it is filthy, which is so sad in such a beautiful country.

Amazing experience. Boat navigator and guide were professional. Yummy delicious keralite food. Private car driver Mr. Lalit is excellent. Overall fiver start exxperience.

It was a bit too long, the guide did not give us information about the scenery, most of the time we had to ask questions and she would answer

A very relaxing way to enjoy the backwaters of Kerala if you do not have the time to go on a houseboat journey. The canal afternoon with Kerala vegetarian lunch was such a unique experience. We saw the versatile way the coconut has been used in a local village from stringing coconut hemp cord to making coconut leaf roof and, making coconut broom sticks. Seeing the simple way of life reminds us to cherish nature. It is very relaxing and educational even for a iPad loving 6-yr old. Gladly recommend this for families who need a tech time out afternoon.

A wonderful experience, the operator was communicative and organised, the transfer and programme smooth. The route the boat took was lovely and quiet, and the guide gave interesting information about the local wildlife and culture. It was great to watch coconut husk rope making and palm leaf weaving too. Lunch was fun too!

We booked this trip after reading all the great reviews on trip advisor. We had a fantastic day out. Very relaxing to be on the backwaters and lovely to see how they use the coconut shells for making rope. The tour was topped off with a lovely keralan lunch.

Our tour guide was experienced and the backwater was excellent. Pickup/drop off was very convenient. Lunch provided was very good