Kerala Backwaters and Goa Beaches
Overview
- Duration: 9 days / 8 nights
- Departures: Private, any date
- Group size: Private, from 2 travellers
- Accommodation: Comfortable 3–4★ hotels, a lakeside stay in Kumarakom, a private houseboat and a beach hotel in Goa
- Country: India
A relaxed coastal trip through southern India: old Kochi, a night aboard a houseboat on the Kerala backwaters and lazy days on the beaches of Goa.
This nine-day trip is built for rest. It suits couples on honeymoon, friends who want warm water and good food, and anyone who has seen the north of India and wants a slower second chapter. There are no long road days and only one flight.
You begin in Kochi, a port city shaped by centuries of spice trade, where Chinese fishing nets, churches, a synagogue and old warehouses sit within a short walk of each other. From there you drive south to Alappuzha for a night on a private houseboat on the Kerala backwaters, followed by a quiet night beside Vembanad Lake at Kumarakom. A short flight then takes you north to Goa for four nights by the sea, with one guided day among the churches of Old Goa and the Portuguese-era lanes of Panaji.
The pace is gentle. Most days have one activity in the morning or late afternoon and free time in between, which matters in a hot, humid climate. You can add excursions in Goa or leave the days completely open.
A few honest notes. The southern coast is hot all year, so plan sightseeing for the cooler hours. Houseboats vary in comfort, and we choose them carefully. The sea in Goa can be rough outside the dry season, so always follow the lifeguards’ advice. Flight times between Kochi and Goa change with the season, and we confirm them when we book.
If you would like more nature, we can add the tea hills of Munnar or extra nights on the backwaters. Share your wishes on our plan your trip page.
Day-by-day itinerary
You are met at Kochi airport and driven to your hotel in the old quarter of Fort Kochi, about an hour away. Take the rest of the day to recover from the journey. Towards sunset, stroll along the waterfront, where the great cantilevered Chinese fishing nets rise and dip at the harbour mouth and fishermen sell the day’s catch.
Overnight: Kochi
Walk the shaded lanes of Fort Kochi with your guide, past St Francis Church and old colonial houses. Continue to Mattancherry to see the murals of the Dutch Palace and the spice warehouses of Jew Town, where pepper and ginger are still traded. In the evening, watch a Kathakali performance and arrive early to see the dancers apply their elaborate make-up.
Overnight: Kochi · Meals: Breakfast
Drive about two hours south to Alappuzha and step aboard your private houseboat around midday. Drift along palm-lined canals and across open lagoons while the crew cooks Kerala dishes on board. Watch daily life on the banks: children heading to school by boat, women washing clothes, ducks herded along the water. The boat moors for the night by a quiet village.
Overnight: Houseboat, Kerala backwaters · Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
After breakfast on deck, leave the houseboat and transfer to a lakeside stay at Kumarakom on the shores of Vembanad Lake. The afternoon is yours: an Ayurvedic massage, a swim or a nap in the shade. Late in the day, take a short canoe ride through the narrow side canals, where larger boats cannot go, as the birds return to roost.
Overnight: Kumarakom · Meals: Breakfast
Drive back to Kochi airport, about two hours, for a short flight north to Goa. Your driver meets you on arrival and takes you to your beach hotel. Spend the rest of the day settling in, then walk along the sand at sunset, when Goan families come out to enjoy the cooler air by the sea.
Overnight: Goa · Meals: Breakfast
Visit the great churches of Old Goa, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, including the Basilica of Bom Jesus, which holds the remains of St Francis Xavier, and the vast Sé Cathedral. Continue to Panaji and wander the Fontainhas quarter, with its colourful Portuguese-era houses and tiled name plates. Cover shoulders and knees inside the churches.
Overnight: Goa · Meals: Breakfast
Enjoy a free day by the sea. Swim where the lifeguards’ flags show it is safe, read under a palm, or try Goan fish curry and rice at a beach shack. If you would like to explore, ask about a visit to a spice plantation inland, where you walk among pepper vines and cardamom with a local guide.
Overnight: Goa · Meals: Breakfast
Keep this day free for whatever suits you. You might take a short river cruise at dusk, cycle through quiet villages and paddy fields, or return to the Panaji market to buy cashews and spices. Couples often keep it simple: a late breakfast, the pool, and a final sunset dinner on the sand.
Overnight: Goa · Meals: Breakfast
After breakfast, your driver takes you to the airport in time for your flight. Goa has two airports, so the drive time depends on where you stay and which airport you leave from, usually between about thirty minutes and an hour and a half. We plan the timing around your flight.
Overnight: — · Meals: Breakfast
What’s included
- Accommodation for 8 nights with breakfast
- One night on a private houseboat with lunch, dinner and breakfast
- Private airport and hotel transfers
- Private car and driver for sightseeing and road journeys
- Local English-speaking guides for sightseeing in Kochi and Old Goa
- Domestic flight from Kochi to Goa
- Kathakali performance in Kochi
- Entrance fees to the sights in the itinerary
- 24/7 support during your trip
Not included
- International flights
- Visas
- Travel insurance
- Meals not listed
- Tips for guides, drivers and houseboat crew
- Personal expenses
- Optional activities such as massages and spice farm visits
Good to know
Sample itinerary: we adapt the route, hotels and dates to you and confirm everything in your written quote. Best November–March.
A private car and driver handles all road journeys. Kochi to Alappuzha is about two hours by road, and Kumarakom to Kochi airport about two hours. You fly from Kochi to Goa, a short flight; routes and timings change with the season, so we confirm them when we book.
Frequently asked questions
November to March is the best time, with dry, warm weather and calm seas on both coasts. From about June to September the monsoon brings heavy rain, and many Goan beach shacks close. April and May are hot and humid.
Your houseboat is private, with a bedroom, bathroom, open deck and a small crew who steer and cook. On the Kerala backwaters boats moor in the evening, so the night is quiet. Air conditioning is often limited to night-time hours.
Yes. The pace is easy, with a private houseboat, a lakeside stay and four nights by the sea in Goa. We can suggest quieter beaches, rooms with sea views and a special dinner. Tell us your ideas on the plan your trip page.
Yes. Many travellers begin with a few days in the north, in Delhi and Agra, then fly south. You could also add the tea hills of Munnar before the backwaters.
