Beaches
India
After exploring the busy cities, there's no better place to relax than one of India's paradisiacal beaches
Intro
Southern India is home to the country’s best beach resorts - from the remote Andaman & Nicobar Islands to Kerala and Goa on the west coast. Whether you want your entire holiday by the beach or if you want to take in some of the local sights as well, we can put together the perfect package for you.
Kerala
Cruise through the more remote backwaters of north Kerala on a private houseboat to the idyllic Neeleshwar Hermitage, set in a secluded palm grove in the Arabian Sea. Indulge in traditional Ayurvedic treatments and feast on sumptuous local Keralan dishes. Alternatively, enjoy unspoiled views of the Malabar coast and relax at one of the boutique beachside properties on Marari Beach, just south of Alleppey, the classic gateway to Kerala’s backwaters. In between take a short trip to nearby Cochin and soak in its colonial charm with a heritage walk of the city and sunset cruise on the harbour.
Our favourite properties: Neeleshwar Hermitage, Carnoustie Resort, Marari Beach Resort, Niraamaya Surya Samudra.
Goa
Occupying an envious spot on India’s west coast, Goa is known the world over for its beaches. Whether you choose to stay at a swanky beach resort, a boutique hotel or one of Goa’s Portuguese-era mansions, you will be well looked after. Goa also serves up some of the best cuisine in India with delectable Indo-Portuguese fusion dishes and delicious seafood. Venture beyond the beaches, taking in Panjim’s colourful Latin Quarter and churches, a reminder of Goa’s Portuguese heritage. Discover verdant spice plantations, milky waterfalls and walking trails in the Western Ghats, a UNESCOrecognised biodiversity hotspot and a birder’s paradise.
Our favourite properties: Ahilya By The Sea, Champakali, The Leela, Taj Exotica, Alila Diwa
Andaman & Nicobar Islands
Situated in the Indian Ocean, the secluded Andaman & Nicobar Islands offer travellers the perfect place to unwind and enjoy some of the best palm-fringed beaches anywhere in Asia. Pamper yourself at the luxurious Barefoot Resort or take to the turquoise waters and discover immaculately preserved coral and marine life. Enjoy beachside barbecues and sumptuous seafood. Take a stroll along the beach and you might even spot an elephant swimming nearby!
Our favourite properties: Jalakara, Barefoot at Havelock
For more info please get in touch by clicking the Ask a question button below.
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Hazel Fairall , Tribes of North East India, IndiaThanks for organising such a great trip to NE India Rahul - everything went seamlessly! We loved the fact that we could book an individual tour but still have flexibility with our itinerary once we were there, enabling us to take in the Si Donyi Festival at Daporijo and also be the first guests to stay overnight in a local village hut with our hosts in Papi, which was fantastic. Our guide was super. He had a wealth of knowledge and a great sense of humour! It’s hard to pick a highlight as the whole trip was both fascinating and at times, humbling. We’ll never forget the amazing people, scenery & culture we experienced whilst there and are glad we had the opportunity to visit such an intriguing part of the world. We would certainly consider travelling with you again in the future.
Andrew Martin , Tailormade North East IndiaI`m sure I could not have found a better operator for the type of complicated Indian tour I wanted to undertake on a limited budget. India is an intimidating country to visit, and I suspect that some operators look down on the first time visitor, or disparage their requirements. Travel the Unknown, by contrast, helped me all the way, and their local guides were superb.
Hazel Frost , Tailormade North East IndiaA fantastic trip to Arunachal Pradesh. Very well organised exactly to our requirements. Superb local guide. Would recommend this trip. Hazel and James.
Nigel & Margaret Turner , Tailormade India Wildlife & Birding tourThis trip was very well put together and ticked all the boxes that we had requested. The accommodation throughout the tour was of a high standard and our experiences in the national parks was wonderful spotting many different animals including tigers, leopards, sloth bears, lions, jungle cat plus countless number of birds. Thank you Rahul for tailoring this trip to our requirements.
Rachel , Spirit of South India, IndiaWe went on the Spirit of South India Tour and had a great time on our honeymoon. There was a good variety of places visited and the hotels, drivers and guides were all very good. We would definitely recommend this tour.
Tracey & Gary , Tailormade IndiaI would highly recommend Travel the Unknown to anyone visiting India. The service we received both prior to, during and following our travels was always timely and excellent. We were able to customize our trip to our liking and to enjoy a wide variety of activities. The guides in every location were outstanding! Honestly. Having travelled through much of the world I can truly say that we have never been more impressed with the quality of the guides arranged for us in each location, as well as the service we received. Similarly, the hotels were excellent and allowed us to live very comfortably while, at the same time, enjoy an authentic Indian experience. If you haven`t already booked your trip with Travel the Unknown, then either do so now....or at least give them a chance to show you what they can offer.
Keith Lewis , Monks, Tribes & Rhinos, IndiaThis was my first experience of using Travel the Unknown having enjoyed small group adventure holidays for many years. I was attracted to the company because it seeks out the more unusual and lesser known areas of a country and I was not disappointed by my visit to Assam and Arunachal Pradesh. There is a clear contrast between the people and the scenery of these two regions and we saw very few western tourists particularly in Arunachal Pradesh. The tour was well organised with plenty to see and do.
Richard Williams , Monks, Tribes & Rhinos, IndiaThis was a very varied and interesting trip to a forgotten part of India. If you like off the beaten track travel it is definitely worth the effort but go with an open mind and keep a smile on your face.
Vik , Kerala Calling, IndiaThank you for organising our holiday in Kerala. I certainly wouldn`t have had the time or the knowledge to put together such a trip. Munnar was my favourite and the accommodation throughout was excellent.
Ann Holgate , Tailormade IndiaA really well planned trip. We experienced life in Northeast India in just the way we wanted to. We loved the game reserves and saw a rock python which thrilled our guides as it is even rarer than the tiger! We visited villages and were able to interact with local people and loved the busy markets in Delhi and Calcutta. A special highlight was the Hornbill Festival in Nagaland; shown to us by our very own Naga guide Kezo. Kezo accompanied us for 15 days of our trip and ensured that we had many very special experiences - even taking us to the home of one of his Aunts where we spent a couple of hours sitting by the bonfire chatting.
Penelope Smith , Assam & Nagaland Hornbill Festival, IndiaWhat an excellent service! Rahul adapted, extended and improved our trip so many times without a qualm and we ended up with the trip of a lifetime. The destinations are unusual and interesting but everything has been checked out by the team and works brilliantly. I can`t wait to do another trip.
Elaine & Neil Smith , Delicacies of North India, IndiaThe tour was an amazing experience for our first visit to India. The country, its people and its cuisine were friendly,delightful, colourful and exceeded all our expectations. Travel the Unknown have put together a superb unique package that we have no hesitation in recommending to anyone with an interest in food and culture.
