Departs: 8:30 am [ Approximately 5 Hours ]

Leaving the port area, you will drive to Ernakulam, commercial capital of Kerala state. You will continue on to Tripunithura, once the headquarters of the Maharajah of Kochi, and to his Hill Palace.

From here you will pass by a small-town market selling pottery, bamboo products, fruits, vegetables and other daily essentials. You will also see one of Kochi’s ornate temples dedicated to Vishnu. Driving through the old part of Kochi city, you will see the magnificent cantilevered Chinese fishing nets, the iconic symbol of Kochi’s sea trade. It is believed Chinese traders brought these huge fishing nets to India from the court of Kublai Khan.

 

Leaving the waterfront, you will pass St Francis Church, the oldest European church in India built in 1503 by Portuguese friars. Vasco da Gama was buried here in 1524, but his remains were repatriated to Lisbon in1538. Leaving the busy city, you will drive along the scenic coastal road to a nearby village, passing European-style churches, elaborate Hindu temples, local markets, shrimp farms, and paddy fields. Numerous stops will be made, giving you an opportunity for photographs. Before returning to the pier, a rest stop will be made at a convenient location where coffee, tea and light snacks will be provided.