Arise a little early this morning and you will experience the backwaters as few visitors ever do. After some morning tea or coffee, you will be assisted in boarding a traditional Keralan small rowboat and head out for an exploration before the regular daily activities on the lake start. Your boat will be rowed by a local who has grown up on the backwaters and you will cruise through smally waterways that the larger tourism boats cannot access. The serenity and charm of your idyllic surroundings at this time of day is worth getting up early for this morning. Return to your resort for another delicious breakfast.

There are three departure options on this day and your choice will be influenced by whether your international flight departs from Delhi or Cochin, or whether you want time at a world-class oceanfront resort. Please note that almost all international flights depart from India’s airports either very late at night or early in the morning.

Departure Option 1: For guests who have roundtrip flights in and out of Delhi.

You are driven to the airport (additional costs will apply for the Cochin – Delhi flight) and assisted with your check-in and then you bid farewell to your Kerala Guide – this flight will not be an accompanied flight unless you ask us to include the service. Most international flights out of Delhi are either very late at night or early in the morning. If you do not require lodging as your flight is in the evening your chauffeur will be available to you for up to 4 hours to explore in the area around Delhi airport, or dine nearby. If your flight is in the early or late morning/early afternoon, upon your arrival in Delhi you will be greeted at the airport and driven to the Oberoi Gurgaon (room charges apply) and assisted with your check-in. During your check-in, please remind the hotel staff of your flight departure timing – Easy Tours will already have informed them.

Departure Option 2: For guests who booked multi-city international flights arriving in Delhi and departing from Cochin. ome of the better international airlines, including most of the major Far and Middle Eastern airlines like Singapore, Qatar, Cathay, Etihad and Emirates have international flights departing from Cochin in the early morning.

If you are on one of these flights you will check out of your resort and be driven back to Forth Kochi before noon – you can opt to check out and have lunch at the resort on self-pay basis. Arrive at Fort Kochi and experience a public ferry ride to Cherai – your baggage will remain in your vehicle as you explore during the early afternoon, and your vehicle will take a long drive to meet you at Cherai. Visit the 19th century Azheekkal Sree Varaha Venkateswara Temple – the temple Ratha (Chariot) is unique and very impressive. You can briefly stop at the Pallipuram Church which was completed in 1577 by the Portuguese. You will depart the area towards the airport (about 1.5 hours with normal traffic) before 4 pm as rush hour along the way can cause significant delays. Arrive next to the airport and you are assisted with your check in at your upscale airport lodging, the Courtyard by Marriott, which is fairly upscale and far superior to U.S. based Courtyard’s. During your check-in, please remind the hotel staff of your flight departure timing – Easy Tours will already have informed them.

OR

Departure Option 3: Ocean Resort in Goa or the Maldives Options.