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A Kerala Vacation (for you!)

Ever since our first trip to India, we have suggested to our friends who were getting married that they should have their honeymoon in Kerala. None have taken our advice, but with the Kerala portion of our trip over I want to make another pitch for Kerala as your next vacation destination. First some logistics, then a suggested itinerary.

Logistics. Most people need a visa to visit India, but in our experience this is an affordable and quick process (as fast as same day in New York or Hong Kong). The default seems to be a six month multiple entry visa. Of course, India is far from the States, but new nonstops to Delhi mean that you need make only one connection, possibly making the Indian domestic segment (to Kochi) on one of the discount airlines, such as Jet. If you can fly more cheaply to Singapore (to where there are also nonstops from the U.S.), you can fly to Kochi on either Silk Air, Singapore Airlines’ regional carrier, or on discount Tiger Airways (also owned by Singapore Airlines, and probably for a fraction of the price as Silk Air). From Delhi or Singapore to Kochi is a shortish flight.

Itinerary. Kochi is the perfect place to start your Kerala trip. A harbor known since ancient times and occupied by the Dutch and the Portuguese (before the Brits), and with the historical city peacefully isolated on a peninsula (accessible by ferry or bridge), Kochi has a colonial ambience and a sense of connection with the past / distance from the modern present that I have experienced in few other places. It is a living city that has museum-like qualities, and can be walked for days. Please refer to my earlier posts for Kochi highlights.

From Kochi, where you should spend at least three full days, move on to a couple days in the Kerala backwaters. The backwaters are a network of connected lakes and waterways, which empty out to the sea. Sometimes narrow channels and at other times tremendously large lakes, the backwaters act as an alternate water-based transportation network as well as essential irrigation for rural Kerala. They are breathtakingly beautiful, with dense linings of coconut palms and peaceful village life on full display. Perhaps the best (and certainly the most luxurious) way to experience the backwaters is by hiring a houseboat, in the form of a traditional rice barge, for a day or two, complete with staff and meals cooked on board. The accommodations are fairly simple but the experience hard to beat (expensive for India, but the cost is still less than $100 per night).


Alternately, you can take public ferries, for negligible sums of money, and still enjoy the same view (but you should go for the houseboat–how often do you get to sleep on your own boat on gentle waters, with a staff of three?). The biggest center for backwater tours is Alleppey, which is a couple hours away from Kochi by bus.

From Alleppey, head south to the ocean or east to the hills, or both. To the south is Varkala. Varkala is highly enjoyable even for non-beachgoers–please refer to my earlier post. To the east are the steeply rising Western Ghats, which provide a cool break from the hot coast and are filled with spice farms, orchards and coffee and tea plantations. At Munnar (we have not been), you can admire the tea plantations while at Thekkady (we went in 2003), you can visit Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary which if not exactly filled with elephants and tigers (though they’re there) is still beautiful. In either Munnar or Thekkady you will be able to visit spice gardens, orchards, tea plantations and the like. You can spend a couple or few days at either Varkala or the hills, the former reachable by train and the latter by bus. Of course, as always in India, hiring a car is a comfortable and affordable option.

From the hills or the beach, you can return to Kochi for a day or two of shopping, and then return home. Within a two week period, you will be able to feel some serious history, enjoy cultural activities, sample rural life and see breathtaking tropical and montane scenery. You will have an opportunity to see the exotic side of India without being overwhelmed with touts and tricksters (as in other parts of the country). Everything is beautiful and relaxing, the cost affordable and of course the food tasty. [blog entry on South India food to come!]

31 replies on “A Kerala Vacation (for you!)”

As one whom you urged to take this trip for my honeymoon, I can say I was just waiting for this detailed tour guide. No, actually, we chose not to go to India because we knew we would not have enough time to appreciate all that India has to offer, so we figured we would save the trip for the future. We will most certainly take the houseboat cruise when we go.

I look forward to ride on a houseboat. Given a chance, this is my first thing to do, i think it's a great experience and i would definitely enjoy it. Can't wait till vacation comes.

Kerala, one of the smallest states in India is one of the famous tourists attractions in South India. There are many fascinating elements that make Kerala a good tourist spot. Of them the thick forests with coconut trees allure many people all over the world. The hospitality shown by the keralites makes people to visit kerala often. The Literacy rate here is almost 100%, the only state to have all literates in India. Also Kerala has its own culture and traditions, the festivals that are celebrated here are note worthy. The festival of ships called Onam and the festival of elephants, all of them contribute to the True Beauty of India. It is a worth seeing tourist spot.

Kerala is a wonderful travel destination!.. The coconut palms portraits the beauty of kerala! As you said, it’s a romantic tourist place for newlyweds. I enjoyed a lot in backwaters house boat. I encourage the couple travelers and honeymooners to visit backwaters and stay in a houseboat for a day or two, complete with staff and meals cooked on board! Nice post! Thanks for sharing!

Hiee All,

Me and my wife had a honeymoon to Kerala, from 3rd to 9th April. Thanks a ton for your valuable insights shared here in this forum. Also, based on many reviews found online, we also hired a tour operator named tennderGreens Holidays (www.tenndergreensholidays.com)for planning and organizing the holidays. They too did a splendid job. Thanks everyone.

This is a piece definitely worth reading. There are tons of blogs that simply make no sense. Please keep up the good work and more people will keep going back.

myhappyjourney.com

Dear Paul,
Excellent post on a Kerala vacation.
Thanks for your permission to reproduce the post in our Blog. We have put it in our Travel Blog.

Kerala has long been my favorite destination in India. I first visited Varkala in the winter of 1995…it's changed quite a lot since then. I'm not as young as I used to be but I still enjoy the public backwater transport…it give the "true" flavor or Kerala. Recently I broke down and actually booked a tour online (www.keralatoursco.com) for a deluxe houseboat tour. I had taken a tour more than a decade before – the 1 day tour from Alleppey and didn't enjoy it all that much only because it was too crowded. A private houseboat is the way to go if you have the chance to splurge. I love the backwaters and would spend my life there if I could.

The state of Kerala popularly known as "God's Own Country". The Beautiful destination Kerala India not only famous for its natural beauty but also for resources and yoga and ayurveda treatment. The beautiful beaches, hill stations, wildlife parks, honeymoon destinations, backwater destination always attracts tourist from all over the globe.

I am very happy to find this blog.I would like to thank you for this great read!! I surely glad every little bit of it and I have bookmarked to check out new stuff you post.

The state Kerala, which represents just 1% of the land mass, is considered to be one of India's most beautiful states. It is a very rural state with most of the population living in villages but is culturally and scenically diverse. Kerala has two national parks, ten wildlife sanctuaries and two bird sanctuaries.

Avail Kerala tour packages and enjoy Kerala backwaters India,best Backwater Packages Kerala to view the beauty of kerala while cruising on kerala houseboat, enjoy the Kerala Backwater Package and get cutomized kerala tour packages at discount rates from us.

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kerala has its own beauty to attract guest to god's own country. very good description is given about kerala.

Vacations in Kerala take you close to nature. Kerala India vacation package offers a real insight into the natural beauty of Kerala.

I absolutely admire your blog.I can see you are putting a lot of effort and hard work on your posts, I'm sure I'd visit here more often.

Kerala mystic charm of the scintillating backwaters, captivating hill stations and the beguiling charm of the Beaches, Backwaters, Ayurceda etc…

Kerala, will be my last travel destinations given a choice. I've traveled across the state to find nothing other than shrewd minds. believe me if you are of Indian nationality you are not even bothered to be answered by anyone in the tourist spots. Arrogant behavior by the people of the state. Ironically most of the nurses in the hospitals are from kerala a state which hardly knows how to speak to people.Traffic discipline forget it..there is no common sense and how can you expect traffic sense. Kerala remains green just not because they maintained it that way but people of kerala donot stay in their own state because they know they will eat shit if they continue to stay there. about 80% of mallu's migrate to different parts of the globe for survival and they are being proud of their state being green shameless B*******..I can continue to write my experience but will be very political. what ever I've written is true and have experienced it personally. DONOT TRAVEL TO KERALA OR TRAVEL TO KERALA AND EXPERIENCE THE PAIN.

After reading this post, Kerala seems an interesting place. South Indian food is my favorite food.

Kerala is one of the best tourism destination of india .In karala you can enjoy many activities like sun bathing, swimming and other water adventure sports.Kochi and kovalam beach are the best places in karala .I also spent new year evening with my friends in karala its a great experience for me its looking like a paradise on earth.you should go in beachside resort leela palace at kovalam beach where everybody can spend weekends with completely peace.

Kerala is one of the best place in the world to enjoy your holidays.

Definitely its a God's Own Country

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