Family Holiday to India & The Maldives

Culture & Coast In The Indian Ocean

Kerala & Karnataka, Maldives

Duration: 12 nights

Price: From £3,650 per person in low season based on two adults and two children under 12 travelling together and including all flights in economy class, accommodation, some meals, private transfers, experiences as stated and taxes

South India is a fantastic destination for families, with peaceful, tropical Kerala a serene alternative to the chaos of India’s northern cities – not to mention the sumptuous food, beautiful backwaters and fascinating local culture. On this luxury family holiday, you’ll begin in the cultural melting pot of Cochin, before heading into the Keralan countryside and the calm backwaters. Your trip ends in ultimate indulgent style, with 5 nights in the Maldives at the beautiful Anantara Dighu desert island resort.
Perfect forEnergetic families looking to combine India’s tropical south with desert island indulgence.
In the knowBeginning your trip in Mumbai, to experience life in India’s glitziest city.

Best for

  • Beach
  • Family-friendly
  • First-timers
  • Multi-country

All Exsus Travel holidays are tailor-made

All itineraries on our website are designed as a starting point. Tell us your budget/wishlist/preferred length of stay and we'll help you select the best hotels and experiences, so your holiday is totally personalised.

Call 020 7337 9010 or Make an enquiry

Itinerary details

0000130962_400_230

3 nightsCOCHIN

Your journey begins in one of India’s most charming and unique coastal cities, Cochin. Shaped by centuries of interaction between Indians and visiting merchants and traders, particularly from Europe and China, Cochin has a unique cultural flavour. Huge Chinese fishing nets line the waterfront and make for a scenic backdrop to a sunset walk, while the Jewish quarter is fascinating. The Pardesi Synagogue perhaps represents Cochin’s melting pot past better than anywhere else, built in the medieval era by Spanish Jews, destroyed by the Portuguese colonisers and then rebuilt by their Dutch successors. There are also numerous Catholic churches, courtesy of the Portuguese, as is the case throughout Kerala; St Francis Church dates way back to 1503. Your home for 3 nights is Malabar House, a luxurious boutique hotel in a restored 18th-century Dutch colonial house.
Read More
0000130963_400_230

2 nightsKANAM

The next stop on your trip is Kanam, a small, traditional Keralan village. You’ll stay at Malabar House’s sister property, the aptly-named Serenity. A converted 1920s estate, the house has a beautifully peaceful setting surrounded by papaya, pepper and rubber plants, and lovely views over the Blue Mountains. One of Kerala’s prime attractions lies at nearby Thekkady: the Periyar National Park, one of the country’s most important tiger reserves, where other inhabitants include Asian elephants, leopards, sloth bears and wild pigs. This is a great place to experience rich, traditional Keralan culture, with a stunning Shiva temple at Ettumanur and 16th-century Christian churches at Kottayam. If you don’t fancy doing much, Serenity is perfect – the Ayurvedic spa offers a range of rejuvenating treatments, there’s delicious authentic Keralan cuisine, and cooking classes so you can learn to cook it at home. There’s even a resident elephant, Lakshmi, who loves to play with guests.
Read More
Vembanad Lake

2 nightsVEMBANAD LAKE

The final stop on the Keralan leg of your trip is Vembanad Lake, one of the largest lakes in India and a great base from which to explore Kerala’s famous backwaters. Here, you’ll stay in yet another one-of-a-kind hotel, Philipkutty’s Farm: a collection of luxurious cottages on a self-contained farm island, where pepper, coconuts, beans and bananas are the main crops. It’ll come as no surprise that the food is fantastic here: sumptuous Keralan feasts are shared with your fellow guests around a round table, with all meals included in your stay. Celebrity chef Rick Stein even came here to whip up a fish molee (coconut curry) for his TV show about India. Tours on the serene backwaters are the main draw of this area, with a sundown cruise on a traditional wooden rowing boat an unforgettable experience.
Read More
0000130965_400_230

5 nightsMALDIVES

The second half of your luxury family holiday will see you leave Kerala and India behind, as you head for that stereotypical island paradise, the Maldives. Your home for the next 5 nights will be Anantara Dighu, a beautiful resort where you can enjoy the white sands and azure ocean for which the Maldives are famous. You’ll stay in luxurious thatched villas, eat fantastic cuisine from across the globe at the range of restaurants, and indulge yourself in the Anantara Spa. A range of water sports are on offer, from windsurfing and parasailing to fishing, snorkelling and diving. The resort is fantastic for younger kids, too, with babysitting services available and games and activities on offer at the Dhoni Club. After 5 nights of relaxation at Anantara Dighu, your holiday reaches its end, and you’ll fly home.
Read More

Best time to go

Best time to travel

Good time to travel (but some limitations)

Travel is possible (but it’s not the best time)

Travel is not recommended

  • Jan
  • Feb
  • Mar
  • Apr
  • May
  • Jun
  • Jul
  • Aug
  • Sep
  • Oct
  • Nov
  • Dec
Best time to go

Hotel locations for this itinerary

Hotels we've recommended for this trip

More itineraries in India

YOUR JOURNEY STARTS HERE

call us on 020 7337 9010 to start planning your perfect trip

Make an enquiry
Services
More Exsus
Exsus Sites
About Exsus

© 2022 Exsus Travel. Experts in luxury tailor-made holidays.

Exsus Travel Limited t/a Exsus Travel. Registered in England and Wales at this address: 1 Burwood Place, London, W2 2UT. Company No. 3385363. VAT No. 719-221840.

Book with confidence.
ATOL
All the flights and flight-inclusive holidays on this website are financially protected by the ATOL scheme. When you pay you will be supplied with an ATOL Certificate. Please ask for it and check to ensure that everything you booked (flights, hotels and other services) is listed on it. Please see our booking conditions for further information or for more information about financial protection and the ATOL Certificate go to: www.caa.co.uk. 
ABTA
We are a member of ABTA (ABTA No. Y6561) which means you have the benefit of ABTA’s assistance and Code of Conduct. For package holidays that do not include flights we provide financial protection for you money by way of a bond held by ABTA. We provide financial protection for your money.


International Passenger Protection (IPP)


In accordance with the UK Package Travel & Linked Travel Regulations 2018 all passengers booking with Exsus Travel Ltd are fully protected for the initial deposit and subsequently the balance of all monies received by us, including repatriation costs and arrangements, arising from cancellation or curtailment of your single service travel arrangements due to the insolvency of Exsus Travel Ltd

Exsus Travel Ltd has taken out an insurance provided by International Passenger Protection Ltd (IPP) with Liberty Mutual Insurance Europe SE (LMIE) trading as Liberty Specialty Markets, a member of the Liberty Mutual Insurance Group. LMIE's registered office: 5-7 rue Leon Laval, L-3372, Leudelange, Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, Registered Number B232280 (Registre de Commerce et des Sociétés). LMIE is a European public limited liability company and is supervised by the Commissariat aux Assurances and licensed by the Luxembourg Minister of Finance as an insurance and reinsurance company. This insurance is only valid for passengers who book with Exsus Travel Ltd. This insurance does not cover the insolvency of agents, however, bookings through agents with Exsus Travel Ltd are covered in the event of the insolvency of Exsus Travel Ltd.

In the event of our insolvency please make contact as soon as practically possible giving full details of what has happened quoting the name of your Travel Operator:

IPP Claims at Sedgwick
Telephone: +44 (0)345 266 1872
Email:Insolvency-claims@ipplondon.co.uk
or online at http://www.ipplondon.co.uk/claims.asp