After a long day of flying from Jaipur to Cochin, this boat tour was exactly what we needed. It was relaxing and also interesting to be in nature after being in the bustling cities of Rajasthan. Our boat tour guide was Girish. He explained to us the nature, the mangroves and the birds that dwell in the backwaters. We highly appreciate that he spoke to use in English. We took the small boat which was around 3500 INR between the three of us. The larger boat costs around 5500 INR. The smaller boat is enough for a group less than five people. All in all, we recommend this tour.

MSC Baltic Ports Excursions No Stars. The onboard experience is TopStars. The shore excursions booked from MSC - horrible: Gdansk - the guide droned on dates and minutiae of recent history, Klaipeda - stuttering, out of breath guide, Riga - itinerary different from listed (I had to hire a taxi to do Art Nouveau street and Museum, Tallin - English and Italian tours get combined but the price isn't halved *** ON THE BRIGHT SIDE: Standard HopOn&Off Bus Excursions directly on shore are way cheaper and way better (Rostock, Helsinki, Stockholm) = do the cruise with MSC for a top experience. Do the onshore excursions with local Hop-on-buses, which are half the money, double the fun and information value ***Julio Tamayo - MSC on board excursion guy: liar, no service, thief (refund not issued) hides away/doesn't keep his own scheduled appointments.

Tourist trap! I rate this with 1 star because I can't chose less but I would have rated 0 if possible. The initial price was 4000inr we managed to have the boat for 3500inr and still we found it very expensive in comparison to other boating activities. Still we went for it. The tour was supposed to be 1h30 long but eventually it only lasted 1h. We were supposed to see mangrove, birds etc but all we saw was waste, barely 5 birds and lots of city buildings and hotels on either sides of the backwaters. When we got off the boat, we asked to see the manager and explained the situation. The manager was casually sitting on a boat and we had to ask many times for him to come talk with us. They only gave us a refund of 500inr and laughed at us as we went back to the car. Please avoid this tourist trap.

I took two tours with Salmon Tours little more than one year apart. On both occasions, the tours were customized by Peter Salmon who also accompanied us, commenting with great expertise on the birds, fish and other animals that came our way. The first tour was with Peter and a boatman, who transported my daughter and myself through backwaters near Kochi. It was not the best time in the season for such a tour as the water was low and the number of birds feeding on the available fish were not as numerous as one would wish. Nonetheless, we saw some remarkable sights which were immensely enhanced by Peter's narration because of his hands-on knowledge of the species and the habitat. Moreover, we benefited greatly from his suggestions on photographing what we saw - he has a good eye for a picture! The second tour involved getting up at the crack of dawn (probably earlier than that) to travel to a water body connecting to the sea where we saw fishermen bringing in the catch, photographing water birds, and shivering slightly as we watched the sunrise. Again, informative commentary and unique photgraphic opportunities were on the menu - a memorable experience, not to be missed.

On Driver's insistence we took tour of 2 hours by Shikara @ Rs 4000/-. Not worth at all. Do not take it, waste of time and money. Better to take Alleppy back waters, the actual backwater experience.

Explore the rustic Backwaters with Peter from Salmon Tours, the day will be as diverse as it is memorable for all the right reasons. Pure Indulgence.Just Bliss! That is how I would like to describe this unforgettable journey. Peter takes you through lush green landscapes that are lined by coconut trees houses and villages that line the backwaters making this journey seem like a journey through another world. Peter made sure he enthralls us with his jokes and also enriching us with the details about the Backwaters and life there. His knowledge is impeccable. I being a History lover was mesmerized with the stories that he regaled us with. The azure waters that surround you. The silence that is broken only by birds in the distance. The untouched waters that invites you. It is a once in a lifetime experience that will overwhelm your senses. Part of the experience was about halting at a house by the river to relish homemade lip smacking food made at our Boat driver Babu's house. We felt welcomed and those memories bring a smile. This is a trip that is unique and an exhilarating in many ways, not to be missed for anything! Peter is sure to find a place in your heart and mind. So, make sure to visit this little corner of paradise with Salmon Tours. This trip is a much needed antidote for your fast paced life to experience nature at its best.

Took the trip with my husband and my 14 year old daughter. We loved every minute of it, getting to see village life up close. Would definitely recommend it

Took a private taxi tour for an overview of Cochin. Driver spoke very little English. Asked if we were ready to go to backwater. Said yes & thoroughly enjoyed the boat trip (for which we paid extra). On arrival at cruise terminal the driver told us that the previously agreed price had more than doubled as backwater wasn’t included. After much discussion & threat to involve ships officers we were able to leave. Travellers beware if not taking an organised tour.

Amazing backwater experience in Kochin, Kerala. Really serene place and u feel engrossed in nature. Some exotic birds and mangroves. Add this to your travelling plan for Kerala.

Cochin is known for its back water canals and The best way to see them is by boat. You drift through very calm water and on the shore you’ll see Thick vegetation punctuated by houses, kids playing in the water, their mothers doing laundry, and schools of ducks quacking by. India is a noisy country, but this is one place which is quiet except for the sound of birds, ducks, and occasional laughter. Don’t miss this tour.

We were a family of 8 including senior citizens and young children to do this day trip in the backwaters of Kochi. The journey started from our homestay in Fort Kochi with a drive of 1.5 hrs to the village from where the boat ride started. The shikara could accommodate 18 seating visitors. We were accompanied by two boatsmen and one english speaking guide. This is not a motor boat hence the 3 hours journey was very quaint and peaceful. We stopped at a local village by the backwaters to see spice garden and activities like making of coconut rope. At the end of 3 hrs we stopped for lunch at the other end of the creek. Delicious banana leaf vegetarian meal was served in a humble manner. The boat trip was supposed to continue to the lake for next 3 hrs. However, we returned to the base since our trip was planned for half day. Recommended for fellow travellers.

Last month four of us were happy participants in a “Silent Backwater Village Trip” conducted by Peter of Salmon Tours. We’d learned about him from numerous laudatory mentions on TripAdvisor and other online forums. Although our travel agent had originally proposed an overnight houseboat trip out of Alappuzha, we were swayed by the high praise Peter receives plus the notion that we could save time and have a less touristy, more intimate experience of the Kerala backwaters by doing a half-day trip from Kochi. As it turned out, Peter fully lived up to his billing, being as personable, knowledgeable, and thoughtful as reviewers had written. Because he drove with us from our Kochi hotel to the put-in, we had an extra opportunity to chat with him about Indian culture, politics, and the like. The boat ride itself was quiet and serene. Peter sat with us in the traditional open wooden boat while a second person poled us through narrow waterways dense with foliage. Along the way Peter pointed out various trees and plants and discoursed on life on the backwaters. At our turnaround point we disembarked and walked a short distance to a tiny island village, where we met a village family and were served a variety of tasty, home-cooked Keralan dishes. For those who are a little leery of village visits (we were!), there was nothing for sale and no pitch of any kind. I highly recommend this tour.

It was crowded. But that doesn't make it a bad choic, a special place and has everything you are looking for - "enjoy culture, good food, comfortable hotels, historic buildings. " I guess you should stay and enjoy the cochin carnival as well on the New Year Eve

Peter Panathara, the owner of Salmon Tours, has great integrity, intelligence, and communications skill. A longtime investigative reporter, he developed his tour business more than 20 years ago, and since leaving journalism, he has refined the backwater tour to a very high level. He immediately responded to my email inquiry, and everything that he promised (and more) was delivered. The opportunity to move silently through the Kerala’s exquisite water channels felt incomparable. We also learned a tremendous amount about the local communities, about Kerala history and culture and current events, and more. My only regret is that we were not in Kerala long enough to take Peter’s four-day tour.

The Backwater Cruise is a boat ride in the area sounding the Kochi area should be taken as you really see a special side of this beautiful area and city of Kerala… We took a professional and educational tour that departed close to our Le Meridien Hotel. We actually took the larger Shikara Boat which was the tour company’s largest boat and held between ten to sixteen passenger and we were the only passengers. It looked safer than the smaller four passenger boats. On this hour and a half tour, you see many interesting areas such as: the famous Chinese Fishing Nets; the flourishing Mangrove Forrest along the banks of the backwaters; many varieties of the local water birds including the famous colorful Kingfisher, hawks; herons; the black ‘water crows’ and finally many fishermen plying for: shrimp; clams; mussels; crab and fish. We even stopped by a local coconut plantation and purchased a fresh coconut and its’ milk. All-in-all it was a very interesting and informative boat tour, that I highly recommend that one takes when arriving to Kochi or it’s; surrounding areas.