How to plan the perfect honeymoon

Mattupetty Lake

Ahmed Sabra, tour consultant, Holiday Factory
Ahmed plans a honeymoon in India taking in Cochin, Mummar and Kumarakom including a romantic night on the backwaters in a houseboat

Day 1:
Arrive Cochin
Arrive Cochin International airport. Meet and assist at airport and drive to the hotel. In the afternoon take a sightseeing tour of Cochin, taking in the Dutch Palace where scrolls of the Old Testament and copper plates inscribed in Hebrew script are preserved, St. Francis Church (1510) where Vasco da Gama was buried in 1524, the Dutch Cemetery, the Chinese fishing nets at the entrance of Cochin Harbor and Willingdon Island.

Day 2:
Cochin-Munnar After breakfast drive to Munnar (about five hours away), one of the most popular hill stations in India. The hills are at an altitude of 5000 - 8000 feet above sea level and are situated at the confluence of three mountain streams — Mudrapuzha, Nallathani and Kundala. Sprawling tea plantations, picture book towns, winding lanes and holiday facilities make this a popular resort town. Check in to your hotel and spend the rest of the day at leisure.

Day 3:
Munnar
After breakfast, visit the Tea Museum. Then it’s on to Mattupetty Lake, a beautiful picnic spot. Enjoy boating in the lake, taking in the mountains and landscapes. Head to Echo Point, famous for the natural echo phenomenon then to Top Station offering marvellous views of Munnar valley below.

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Day 4:
Munnar – Kumarakom
Leave for Kumarakom (approx 180 kms/ 3.3 hours). The village is a cluster of little islands on the Vembanad Lake. This small water world is part of the Kuttanad region. The bird sanctuary, spread across 14 acres is a favourite haunt of migratory birds and an ornithologist’s paradise. Egrets, darters, herons, teal, waterfowl, cuckoo and wild duck are a fascination for visitors. The best way to watch the birds is a boat trip round the islands.

Day 5:
Kumarakom
Enjoy a Kerala Ayurvedic massage or spa treatments.

Day 6:
Houseboat
The traditional ‘Kettuvallam’, is a boat reincarnated as your floating ‘home-away-from-home.’ A bamboo thatched canopy sets the ambience for a river cruise that will make you want time to stand still. Nestled underneath this canopy lies a complete home-unit, giving you all the comforts of modern living in a truly ethnic setting. There’s even an elegant en-suite bathroom which uses bio-septic plumbing, so you can be sure of a pollution-free environment.

Day 7:
Depart
Wake up to the smell of freshly brewed tea from the kitchenette; and watch your personal chef cook breakfast. Disembark at Alleppey jetty and transfer to Cochin Airport (approx 100 kms/1.5 hours) for the flight home.

Price:
AED 3,290 per person on a Twin Sharing basis — including return flights with Qatar Airways, accommodation, daily breakfast, transfers, local English-speaking guide in Cochin and government service tax.

Contact: HOLIDAY FACTORY + 971 4 701 4006 /holiday-factory.com