THE KERALA BACKWATERS ABOARD THE OBEROI VRINDA 5 days from Delhi or Mumbai Houseboating on the serene Backwaters of the Malabar Coast regularly pops up on Top 10 Things You Should Do lists. A source of much Indian pride, the Backwaters are a world-unique watery ecosystem of palm-fringed rice paddies, small villages, and lovely lagoons, a meeting of the fresh waters of 38 rivers as they meander westward to the sea. We wend these waters aboard the intimately luxurious and delightful, eight-cabin Oberoi Vrinda, inspirationally designed proof that Oberoi excels on water, as on land. Our days are active — according to our tastes — and our nights are graced with cultural performances and Vrinda’s much-praised, resoundingly fresh and imaginative dinners. Spread across palm-covered islands and headlands, Cochin — now usually known as Kochi— is beloved for its palmy scenery, its location near the famous Backwaters, and its unique history of foreign influence, reflected in an intriguing variety of architectural styles — fine colonial houses built by wealthy day 1
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British traders, Dutch cottages with split farmhouse doors, and narrow streets where homes hide behind yellow walls. We’ll have a chance to stroll in the town before our restful overnight in sea-view rooms at the Taj Malabar Resort & Spa, beautifully set on Willingdon Island, with a magnificent view of Cochin Harbour.
