Southern India with Vish Mayekar

Welcome to India! Our journey begins in Mumbai, with our first stop at the hotel for an unhurried check-in and a moment to land.

As evening settles, we gather for a welcome cocktail reception to get acquainted with the group. Mumbai’s layered food culture sets the tone tonight at one of India’s most influential contemporary restaurants. Known for its rigorous approach to seasonality and technique, the menu reimagines Indian ingredients through a modern lens without losing their sense of place. The room hums softly, plates arrive with intention, and conversation unfolds easily over the first shared meal of the trip.

This morning, we set off on a heritage walking tour through Mumbai’s historic districts, where grand colonial facades and Indo-Saracenic domes stand as reminders of the city’s layered past. From the waterfront arches of the Gateway of India to the bustle of Fort and the vibrant arts district of Kala Ghoda, we take in a cross-section of styles and stories. 

Along the way, we pause to sample Mumbai’s iconic street foods: imagine pav bhaji with its buttery rolls, crisp vada pav, and tangy pani puri bursting with spice and crunch. Next, we meet the legendary Dabbawalas—masters of Mumbai’s intricate lunchbox delivery system. They’ve been delivering home-cooked meals to over 200,000 people daily for more than a century, all without tech or error. After a light dabba lunch, the afternoon is yours to relax. 

This evening, we gather at a beloved seafood restaurant where delicacies like flaky pomfret and buttery garlic crab might be on the menu.

After breakfast, we ferry across the Arabian Sea to the forested island of Elephanta, home to 5th-century cave temples carved into basalt rock. A UNESCO World Heritage site, this sacred complex honors Lord Shiva through exquisitely detailed sculptures including the colossal Trimurti, a three-faced embodiment of creation, protection, and destruction. 

After returning to shore, we’re welcomed into the home of a local family for a warm, home-cooked lunch and intimate insight into city life. Later, we wind through Crawford Market, where the scent of ripe mangoes mingles with stacks of fragrant spices, fresh flowers, and handwoven baskets. One of Mumbai’s oldest covered markets, it captures the city’s enduring energy and diversity. 

You’ll have the late afternoon to rest or explore at your own pace before dinner on your own. Perhaps a quiet table by the sea or a late bite at a beloved neighborhood cafe is on the agenda.

We trade Mumbai’s density for Goa’s softer pace this morning, flying south to a region shaped by centuries of maritime exchange. Upon arrival, we’ll have a chance to explore Old Goa, once the capital of Portuguese India. Here, the Basilica of Bom Jesus and Sé Cathedral stand as reminders of the region’s layered past—whitewashed facades, baroque interiors, and a palpable sense of history embedded in stone.

We’ll continue to Fontainhas, Goa’s Latin Quarter, where narrow lanes curve past pastel-colored houses with tiled roofs and wooden balconies. Laundry flutters overhead, windows frame glimpses of family life, and time feels pleasantly elastic.

For lunch, we’ll sit down in a villa for high tea with a local family full of traditional Goan bakery treats and easy conversation. Late afternoon brings us to our home for the next few days. We’ll have time to settle in before reconvening for dinner.

This morning begins at Mapusa Market, one of Goa’s most enduring marketplaces. Under corrugated roofs and open skies, we’ll wander past piles of kokum, dried fish, chilies, and seasonal vegetables. Accompanied by a local chef, we move through the stalls with purpose, learning how Goan cuisine balances acidity, heat, and coconut richness.

From the market, we head into the kitchen for a hands-on cooking class and lunch. We’ll try our hand at recipes that reflect Goa’s layered history from Portuguese influence and coastal abundance to spice routes that once passed through these shores. The room fills with the scent of frying curry leaves and simmering sauces as dishes come together, shared at the table while still warm.

The rest of the afternoon is open for rest, a swim, or further exploration. Dinner tonight is led by a chef who approaches Goan cooking with thoughtfulness, highlighting regional ingredients and honoring their origins.

Today moves at your own pace and the morning is free to enjoy the beach. Revel in the steady hush of waves, sand still cool underfoot, and the horizon stretching uninterrupted. Lunch is also on your own today.

Later, we visit a local feni distillery to learn about Goa’s distinctive spirit, distilled from cashew apples or coconut sap. The process is tactile and rooted in seasonality, shaped by weather, harvest, and local knowledge passed down through families.

As evening approaches, we take to the streets of Panaji for a guided food and feni crawl. Small taverns and neighborhood spots offer tastes of the city’s everyday drinking and eating culture. It’s unpolished, convivial, and deeply local. Dinner follows with a meal that draws from southern Indian traditions, presented with clarity and care. 

We depart Goa this morning, flying south to Kochi on India’s Malabar Coast. After arrival, lunch is served at the hotel, offering a first taste of Kerala’s distinctive flavors—gentler heat, coconut in many forms, and an emphasis on seafood and vegetables.

The afternoon continues in Fort Kochi, where centuries of trade have left their imprint. Chinese fishing nets stretch along the shoreline, creaking softly as they rise and fall with the tide, a reminder of Kochi’s long maritime connections. We’ll wander through lanes shaped by Dutch, Portuguese, and British influence, visiting St. Francis Church, India’s oldest European-built church, and the nearby Dutch Cemetery, quiet and timeworn.

As the sun lowers in the evening, we board a cruise through Cochin Harbour, watching the water catch the light and cargo ships drift past. For dinner tonight, Malabari cuisine takes center stage.

This morning takes us to Jew Town, a compact neighborhood rich with history. We visit the Paradesi Synagogue, with its hand-painted Chinese tiles and brass pulpit, and walk past antique shops whose shelves feel suspended between past and present. Nearby, the Mattancherry Palace offers insight into Kerala’s royal and colonial narratives through its murals and courtyards.

Lunch brings us to the home of a local culinary expert known for preserving and teaching the recipes of Kerala’s Syrian Christian tradition. In her sunlit kitchen, we’ll cook—and then taste—a feast of fragrant curries, coastal vegetables, and family-kept techniques.

The remainder of the day is yours. Dinner is on your own tonight, offering time to rest or explore Kochi independently.

Today we depart for Alleppey, where a traditional houseboat awaits. As it glides through the palm-fringed canals, we’ll witness a softer, slower India—one of mirror-like waters, women in bright saris rinsing clothes on the banks, and children waving from the shore. In the afternoon, a traditional Kerala lunch is served on board as the scenery drifts by.

Later in the day, we disembark at Kumarakom and the afternoon is reserved for rest and restoration. Might we suggest spending it a the resort’s Ayurvedic spa. 

Later, we’ll gather for a seafood dinner at the hotel, flavors clean and unfussy after a day on the water.

This morning, we drive inland to Pala, where rolling hills give way to spice gardens. Along the way, we see pepper vines climbing tall trees, cardamom pods tucked into green folds, and clove trees heavy with scent. These spices once drew traders from across the world and still remain part of daily life.

Lunch today is a Kerala Nasrani sadhya hosted at a family estate. Served on banana leaves, the meal reflects Syrian Christian culinary traditions.

Returning to the hotel, we gather for a presentation with an Ayurveda doctor, who speaks to food and diet through the lens of ancient Ayurvedic principles. Dinner follows at the hotel, grounding the day in conversation and reflection.

Today begins with a walking tour of Kumarakom village. We step inside local homes, meet residents, and gain a quiet understanding of daily life. The experience is unforced and deeply human.

Lunch is a vegetarian Kerala sadhya, an expansive meal of 21 items served on banana leaf, each dish calibrated for balance and contrast. The rest of the afternoon is free to rest, wander the grounds, or sit with the rhythms of the place.

This evening, we gather one last time for a farewell dinner. The chef’s modern approach to Kerala cuisine draws from memory and technique, closing the journey with clarity rather than spectacle. Stories are shared, toasts offered, and the table holds the weight of days well spent.

After a final breakfast, we return to Kochi Airport for your journey home or onward to another destination. Your mind perhaps already wandering back to the taste of curry leaves and the sound of birds along the backwaters. Until next time!