Tour Name	South India Honeymoon Tours
Tour Duration	13 Days / 12 Nights
Destinations covered	Chennai – Kanchipuram – Mahabalipuram – Pondicherry – Gangaikonda Cholapuram – Darasuram – Thanjavur – Madurai – Kodaikanal – Periyar – Alappuzha – Kochi
Tour Price	On Request

Day 01: Arrival at Chennai

On your arrival at Chennai airport on the first day of your South India honeymoon tour, the representatives of India Tourism Travel will warmly receive you. You will be then transported to your pre booked hotel. You will visit the following attractions of Chennai during the first day of honeymoon in South India:

Marina Beach – Marina beach is India’s longest urban beach and world’s second largest. The sandy beach is always crowded with visitors and attracts 30,000 visitors a day during weekdays and during weekends this number may rise to 50,000. Bathing and swimming is prohibited on this beach because it could be dangerous due to strong undercurrents. However, it is the best location to enjoy your South India Honeymoon Tour.

San Thome Basilica – It is a Roman Catholic Basilica which was built in the 16th century by Portuguese explorers. It was rebuilt in Neo Gothic style by the British in 1893. This Basilica is dedicated to St. Thomas. This beautiful monument is one of the most visited tourist places in Chennai.

These Places Can be Seen

1. Anna Zoological Park
2. Muttukadu
3. Big Mosque
4. San Thome Basilica
5. Marina Beach

Gudiyam Caves – These caves are one lakh year old rock shelters. Geological evidences suggest that these caves were used by Paleolithic Man. Tamilnadu Archeological Department is taking care of this site currently.

Muttukadu, Anna Zoological Park, Rajiv Gandhi Memorial, Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary and Big Mosque are some other places of interest in Chennai which we are going to visit today if time permits. Dinner and overnight stay will be at a hotel in Chennai.

Day 02: Chennai – Kanchipuram – Mahabalipuram / 150 km – 04 hrs drive

Second day of honeymoon in South India, after breakfast in the hotel, you will proceed to visit Mahabalipuram. En route you will take a halt at Kanchipuram, the city of temples, to visit the main attractions of this city which are as follows:

These Temples can be visited en route

1. Kanchi Kamakshi Temple
2. Ekambareswarar Temple
3. Kailasanathar Temple
4. Varadharaja Perumal Temple

Kanchi Kamakshi Temple – Kanchi Kamakshi Temple or Kamakshi Amman Temple is one of the most famous temples in India. The temple is dedicated to Kamakshi Amman which is one of the forms of Parvati. Kanchi Kamakshi Temple was built in Dravidian architectural style by the Pallava Kings in 6 CE. The main deity of the temple is Kamakshi Amman, who is seated here in a yogic position instead of the traditional standing position.

Vaikunthanatha Perumal Temple – This temple is one of the 108 Divyadeshams situated all over India and therefore is a must visit temple of Kanchipuram. Vaikunthanatha Perumal Temple was built by Nandivarman Pallava. The temple is dedicated to Vaikunthanatha or the Lord Vishnu. Architecture wise, it is a marvelous temple.

Ekambaranatha – It is one of the 275 sacred Shiva temples of Tamilnadu and one of the Panchabhoota Sthalams as well. The temple has a Lingam in its main sanctum sanctorum which is made of sand and behind this lingam are the idols of Shiva and Parvati. The historic temple bears a great importance for Shivaite cult.

Kailasanathar Temple, Varadaraja Temple and Devarajaswami Temple are other important temples of Kanchipuram. By evening we will be at Mahabalipuram. Dinner and overnight stay will be at hotel.

Day 03: Mahabalipuram

After hearty breakfast at the hotel, you will go and visit the most sought after tourist destinations in Mahabalipuram (or Mamallapuram). The 7th century port city of erstwhile Pallava dynasty is now a tourist destination of religious importance.

Shore Temple – The historically significant temple is classified as UNESCO World Heritage site. Shore Temple was built in between 700 to 728 AD and has got this name because it is located on the shore of Bay of Bengal. The five storey temple is built with blocks of granite. The temple has three shrines and two of them are dedicated to Lord Shiva while the third one is dedicated to Lord Vishnu.

Tiger’s Cave – It is a rock-cut Hindu temple complex. Tiger’s cave temple was built by Pallava rulers in 8th century AD. This is a most visited tourist spot in Mahabalipuram and is an ideal picnic spot as well.

Pancha Rathas – This monument is one of the examples of monolith Indian rock-cut temple architectural styles. This 7th century monument is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The structure is carved from a whole rock of pink granite. There are five shrines in this temple built in Dravidian style which are named after five Pandavas and their wife Draupadi.

Arjuna’s Penance, Varaha Cave Temple, Descent of Ganges and Crocodile Bank are also very interesting places to see here. Your dinner and overnight stay will be at a hotel in Mahabalipuram.

Day 04: Mahabalipuram – Pondicherry / 100 km – 03 hrs drive

Your next halt after Mahabalipuram will be Pondicherry which is located at a distance of 100 km from this city. After reaching there you will take some rest in the hotel and then visit these tourist places during your honeymoon in South India –

Auroville City – Auroville City or the “City of Dawn” is also known as the Universal Town. It was founded by Sri Aurobindo Society in 1968 with the blessings of Mirra Alfassa, the beloved disciple of Sri Aurobindo, also known as “The Mother”. It brings together people of different countries, religions and beliefs to live in harmony on the principles of mutual cooperation and co-existence. In the middle of this town is Matrimandir, which is a beautiful golden metallic sphere.

Aurobindo Ashram – Aurobindo Ashram is one of the most visited tourist destinations in Pondicherry (Puducherry). The Ashram has relics of Sri Aurobindo and is open to all for meditation.

Light House Beach, Nehru Street, Botanical Garden, Vannai Perumal Temple, Manakula Vinayagar Temple etc are some of the other most sought tourist destinations here. Your dinner and overnight stay will be at a resort in Pondicherry.

Day 05: Pondicherry – Gangaikonda Cholapuram – Darasuram – Thanjavur / 250 km – 05 hrs

After having a good time in Pondicherry your next tourist destination will be Thanjavur (Tanjore) which is at a distance of 250 km. On your way to Thanjavur you will halt at Gangaikonda Cholapuram and Darasuram. These are again very important tourist destinations and following are some of the places of interest that you will visit this day of your South India honeymoon tour.

Gangaikonda Cholapuram Temple – This glorious temple was built in 11th century during the rule of Chola dynasty by Rajendra Chola. The temple has the biggest Shiva Lingam in all south Indian temples which is four meter long. The temple also has a beautiful idol of Goddess Saraswati at its entrance. It is designed in Dravidian architectural style.

Darasuram is a panchayat town which is known for its Airavateswara temple. You will also visit this temple.

Airavateswara Temple – Airavateswara Temple is a UNESCO World Heritage Site which was constructed by Rajaraja Chola II in 12 century AD. This temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva which is known here as Airavateswara. It has exquisite stone carvings and the architecture of the temple is simply marvelous.

Till evening we will be at Thanjavur. Dinner and overnight stay will be at hotel in Thanjavur.

Day 06: Thanjavur – Madurai / 190 Km – 4 hrs drive

After having our luscious breakfast at the hotel, you will visit some of the most important tourist destinations in Thanjavur (Tanjore) on the sixth day of our South India Honeymoon Tour. Thanjavur is known as “Rice Bowl” of Tamilnadu.

Brihadeshwara temple – The majestic temple is also known as Peruvudaiyar Kovil or Rajarajeshwara Temple and is a declared UNESCO World Heritage Site. This is India’s largest and world’s first complete granite temple. Brihadeshwara Temple was built in 11th century AD by Raja Raja Chola. This Dravidian style temple has recently turned 1000 year old and that is why it is also known as “Big Temple”.

Our Lady of Sorrows Church – This is the oldest church of Thanjavur. This historically important church is also known locally as Vyakula Matha Church. Records show that the church is much older than the time of Veeramamunivar i.e. it was built much before 1740 AD.

We will start for Madurai at evening. Dinner and overnight stay will be at hotel in Madurai.

Day 07: Madurai – Kodaikanal / 120 km – 04 hrs drive

Day seven of our South India honeymoon tour will be dedicated to the sightseeing of Madurai. Madurai is a religiously important city and is world famous for its magnificent temples. It is also known as the “Temple Town” of Tamil Nadu.

Meenakshi Temple – It is one of the most famous temples of India. Meenakshi Temple is also known with the names of Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple, Meenakshi Amman Temple, and Thiru-Alavai. The temple is dedicated to Goddess Parvati who is worshipped here as Meenakshi and Lord Shiva, who is worshipped as Sundareswarar. This temple attracts 15,000 visitors a day and it was also one of the top 30 nominees of “New Seven Wonders of the World”. The temple timings are 5 AM to 12.30 PM and 4 PM to 9.30 PM.

Koodal Azhagar Temple – It is again one of the most popular temples located in Madurai. Koodal Azhagar Temple is dedicated to lord Vishnu and is one of the 108 Divyadeshams located all over India.

Thirumalai Nayak Mahal – Thirumalai Nayak Mahal is a palace which was built by the King Thirumalai Nayak in 1636 AD. This magnificent building showcases the fine blend of Dravidian and Islamic architecture styles.

Mariamman Teppakulam, Pazhamudhir Solai, Tirupparankundram Murugan Temple and Alagar Koil are also some most sought after tourist destinations in Madurai that we will visit this day. At evening, we will leave for Kodaikanal which is at 4 hours’ drive from Madurai. Your dinner and overnight stay will be at a resort in Kodaikanal.

Day 08: Kodaikanal

Kodaikanal is one of the hot destinations of South India situated in state of Tamil Nadu  The places of interest here are as following:

Kodaikanal Lake– It is a star shaped artificial lake which was built in 1983. This is one of the most visited sites in Kodaikanal. You can hire the rowboats and pedal boats to enjoy the beauty of the lake and the serenity of the nature here.

Pillar Rocks – These are three in number and are made of granite. These 400 feet granite Pillar Rocks are standing shoulder to shoulder making deep and dangerous holes in between, known as Devil’s Kitchen.

Kurinji Temple– Kurinji Temple is dedicated to Lord Muruga who is believed to be the “God of Hills”. The area where this temple is located is famous for the Kurinji flowers and hence the name of the temple is Kurinji Andavar Murugan temple.

Devil’s Kitchen, Bear Shola Falls, Suicide Point (now renamed as Green Valley View), Bryant Park, Silver Cascade Fall, Silent Valley etc are other popular tourist sites in Kodaikanal. In the evening we will be back to our resort for dinner and overnight stay.

Day 09: Kodaikanal – Periyar / 180 km – 05 hrs drive

Next morning you will head for Periyar in Kerala. Periyar is known for its famous Periyar National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary and this day we will also enjoy our wildlife safari in the sanctuary.

Periyar National Park– Periyar National Park is spread over an area of 350 kms and is also an elephant and tiger reserve. The core zone of this park is also known as “Thekkady”. Periyar national park is very rich in flora and fauna. It has around 2000 spices of flowering plants, 170 species of ferns and & fauna, 62 species of mammals, 320 varieties of birds, 45 species of reptiles and many other species of amphibians, fishes and insects.

Periyar Lake– Periyar Lake is located at the center of this park and was formed in 1895 with the building of Mullaperiyar Dam. This lake is spread over an area of 26 kms. It is a good source of water for local wildlife and offers picturesque views to the visitors. You can also enjoy boat rides in Periyar Lake.

Your dinner and overnight stay will be at a resort in Periyar.

Day 10: Periyar – Alappuzha (Alleppey) / 160 km -5 hrs drive

Early in the morning You will go for bird watching in Periyar National Park. Morning is the ideal time to spot the largest number of birds in the park. After lunch we will start for Alleppey which is the most exotic destination of our whole South India Honeymoon Tour. Alleppey is also known as “Venice of the East” because of the natural beauty of this place and numerous water bodies found here. Take some rest in resort and in the evening we will enjoy some sightseeing of the town.

St Andrew’s Church – It is Scottish Presbyterian Church which is one of the most sought after tourist destinations here. The construction of St. Andrew’s Church began in 1864 and it was completed in the year 1866.

Alleppey Beach – It is one of the most popular beaches in Kerala and beach lovers come here from all over the world. The serenity, the picturesque beauty of the place and the fact that the beach has almost all the facilities sought by tourists attracts more and more visitors to this place.

We will enjoy sunset view at the beautiful Alleppey beach and thereafter retire to our resort for a luscious dinner and overnight stay.

Day 11: Alappuzha (Alleppey) – Kochi / 75 Km – 03 hrs drive

On the eleventh day of our South India honeymoon tour, we will enjoy the houseboat ride and at the same time will do the sightseeing of nearby attractions.

Alleppey sightseeing

House Boat – You will be welcomed with coconut water drink when you board in the houseboat. Along with pleasure house boat ride today we will also cruise to Pookaitha River, Pullangady, Kanjipadam, Champakulam, Moonattin Mukom and Pullinkunnu in our houseboat. At evening we will be back to the jetty.

Sree Nagaraja Temple – This is a unique type of temple in Alleppey. Sree Nagaraja Temple is a serpent shrine and the head of the temple is a Brahmin priestess. The temple is dedicated to Serpent God Sree Nagaraja.

Day 12: Kochi

Kochi will be the last destination of Your South India Honeymoon Tour. Following are the tourist spots that you will visit in Kochi.

St. Francis Church – The historic church was built by the Europeans. St. Francis Church is also the oldest church in India and it is the same place where Portuguese explorer Vasco Da Gama was buried. Later on, his mortal remains were taken back to Lisbon in Portugal.

Mattancherry Palace – Mattancherry Palace was first built by the Portuguese and then in 17th century it was modified by the Dutch. Thereafter, it was presented by the Dutch to the Raja of Kochi as a gift and came to be known as the Dutch Palace. The palace looks amazing from outside and has a rich collection of murals inside.

Bolgatty Palace, Kaladi, Jewish Synagogue, Willington Island, Jewish Synagogue are some other tourist attractions of Kochi that we are going to visit on the day.

Day 13: Kochi – Departure

You will be assisted in Hotel check out and will be transferred to the airport to take flight to your way home from Kochi airport.

South India honeymoon Tour ends with sweet memories!!