Itinerary
Extend your trip – Marari Beach Extension Amidst the serene surroundings of palm-fringed beaches and azure waters, relax and rejuvenate at the ‘CGH Earth’ Marari Beach Resort in the picturesque coastal town of Mararikulam. 3 nights from £385pp Single supplement from £325 Day 7 | Enjoy a rickshaw ride and visit the local monuments Set beside the Vaigai River, Madurai is a terrifically Tamil town that embraces modernity with a distinctly 21st century way of life. Enjoy a rickshaw ride to its Meenakshi Amman Temple, as holy to Hindus as it is awe-inspiring for its artistry. Visit the 17th-century Thirumalai Nayak Palace, its lavish façade featuring phenomenal pillars, 25m high; and the Day 6 | Spend the day sightseeing, ending in Madurai Visit the fabled Brihadeshwara Temple, dedicated to the god Shiva. Set in gardens studded with ornate ‘gopuram’ towers, the UNESCO listed, 11th-century temple is a place of pilgrimage for Hindus, and of fascination for historians and art aficionados. Leave Tanjore to visit the Rock Fort, blending into the cluster of monolithic formations on which it stands, and travel to nearby Srirangam to visit the river-island ‘temple town’. Continue to Madurai (3hrs), for two nights at the Heritage Hotel or Taj Gateway. (B, D) Day 1 | Fly to Chennai Fly overnight from your chosen airport to Chennai (formerly Madras). Day 2 | Enjoy a welcome dinner In the evening enjoy a welcome dinner and classical dance show at your hotel. (D) Day 3 | Visit St Mary's Church and enjoy a Tuk Tuk ride Continue exploring Chennai on a city tour which includes a visit to the Government Museum and St Mary's Church. Take a Tuk Tuk ride, famously driven by women, through Marina Beach. Return to your hotel for an afternoon at leisure or take advantage of the optional excursion to experience the Peacock Trail and discover the hidden rituals of daily life in a Drive (3hrs) to Pondicherry, visiting Mahabalipuram en route and explore the famous Shore Temple, a splendid UNESCO World Heritage site of shrines and carved granite monuments. Spend the afternoon visiting the Sri Aurobindo Ashram spiritual community, where yoga and meditation are complemented by craft workshops; the Pondicherry Museum of art and history; and the Catholic Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, built by French missionaries in 1908. Overnight at the 4-star ‘CGH Earth’ Palais de Mahe boutique hotel. (B) Day 5 | Travel to Tanjore with a temple stop en route Travel through the valley of the sacred Kaveri River to Chidambaram Nataraja temple (3hrs). Continue to Tanjore (2hrs), an important centre of learning and religion in its glory days, its heritage continuing now as a university town. In the evening you will visit the Big Temple for the night ceremony. Overnight at the boutique Hotel Svatma. (B, D) bustling neighbourhood (bookable locally). (B) Day 4 | Transfer to Pondicherry and visit the local landmarks
Gandhi Memorial Museum, housed in the Rani Mangammal Mahal, and listed as one of the United Nations Peace Museums. (B) Day 8 | Travel to Periyar, enjoying a plantation visit and a local performance Drive up into the Western Ghats to Periyar (5hrs). Soak-up the scents and scenery on a visit to a spice plantation, and later experience a performance of Kalaraipayattu, a local martial art. Two nights at the 4-star ‘CGH Earth’ Spice Village, Periyar. (B, D) Day 9 | Enjoy a boat ride in Periyar National Park Afternoon at leisure. In the evening join an optional excursion to witness the Kathakali dance performance (bookable locally). (B, D) Day 10 | Visit a rubber plantation for lunch, before travelling to Kumarakom Visit a rubber plantation, with lunch at a plantation house; before travelling to Kumarakom (4hrs), an intriguing backwater village, comprised of a cluster of little man-made islands, and set in the largest of Kerala’s lakes, Vembanad. Overnight at the 4-star ‘CGH Earth’ Coconut Lagoon, accessible only by boat. (B, L) Day 11 | Enjoy a cruise on a Keralan houseboat Take to the water on a traditional Keralan houseboat, for a cruise of the web of waterways, with canoes to explore the smaller canals. Overnight on the houseboat. (B, L, D) Day 12 | Transfer to Cochin for a city tour and a local dinner Disembark and drive to Cochin, a spice trading centre from the 14th century, when it was known as ‘the Queen of the Arabian Sea’, and a beguiling and flourishing port city today. A walking tour of Fort Cochin includes the Mattancherry Palace, Paradesi Synagogue, St. Francis Church; and the famous Chinese fishing nets. Day 13 | Visit Kumbalanghi village Visit the village of Kumbalanghi, an Integrated Tourism Village Project which transformed its tiny island into a model fishing village; surrounded by backwaters and liberally draped with Chinese fishing nets. Afternoon at leisure in Cochin followed by an evening's cooking demo and dinner with a local family. (B, L, D) Day 14 | Fly home from Cochin Transfer to the airport for your return flight. (B) For the full itinerary for this tour visit: vjv.com/southern-splendours
43 For more information & to book online visit vjv.com or call us on 020 3553 3945
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