Kerala | God’s Own Country | Travel Guide
Being an Indian living in Dubai always puts me at crossroads when it comes to planning holidays. I have to constantly fight the battle between one half of me wanting to go international because Dubai makes that so easy, right?, and the other half of me wanting to go back to the homeland and discover everything in this one country that you’ll never find even if you travel all around the world. I already knew I have an international trip or two planned during the rest of the year, so to stir things a bit, I, for the first time, decided to be a tourist in my own country and hopped on to an Emirates to Kochi for a family trip in God’s own country – Kerala.
Kochi airport is surprisingly quite modern than I thought. And the people over there really helpful. On clearing immigration and collecting my luggage, I got in touch with my sister who had flown down on a domestic carrier from Mumbai and we agreed to meet at a decided point. Lucky for us, our cousin owns a travel agency – Finasta Travels – located in Mumbai, so our entire trip – flights, BB hotels, even a private car with a driver – was all pre-booked at a really affordable price.
Day 1 – Munnar
Our first day here started with a 3 hour drive from Kochi to Munnar.
Munnar is nature at its best. It is everything you would expect a hill station to be – tall mountains flaunting the greenest tea plantations, dark rain clouds waiting to soak up the muddy lands, a series of waterfalls that branch into rivers and rivulets across the town, and, well you get the picture. All these beautiful places are dotted by a number of tea stalls, spice shops and coconut water carts that complement every stop, make the whole experience worth repeating. Did you know: around 80% ound the tea plantations in Munnar are owned by Tata Tea?
Close to reaching the hotel, we stopped at a local spot for some poori bhaji and the South Indian staple vada sambhar, and believe you me, it was one of the best variations of these dishes I’ve had. The poori bhaji in this part of the world was just wow. The fluffy pooris in all honesty, were not as oily as I had expected them to be. Also the potato curry was just right in texture (not too runny, not too dry). And when there’s coconut chutney, it just makes everything taste so much better. Although I always like the vadas plain, or with coconut chutney (not a big fan of sambhar), the ones we had there, soaked in sambhar were not too bad. And I also realized the next time I order this dish, I’ll have to specify, “sambhar on side”. It certainly was one of the best breakfasts I’ve had in a long long time.
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The breakfast was followed by our check-in at Elysium Garden Hill Resorts and we soon showered and changed for an adventure filled day lined up with nothing but excitement. Here’s a pic of me at Dreamland Adventure Park that got us doing a bunch of fun stuff right from walking in horror homes, mirror mazes and watching 12D movies to ziplining on cable cars, climbing nets and getting tossed up in a human washing machine.
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After the adventure park soiree, we stopped over for lunch at a local restaurant and had a comforting bowl of dal with rice. Then it was time to head out for a thrilling jeep safari. I honestly didn’t think it would be very different from the desert safaris that I’m much more acquainted with, but boy, was I surprised or what? Driving at a fast pace on rugged roads across the mountains, with no seat belts, and the company of light rainfall made this such a joy ride.
Our first stop during the jeep safari were the Ripple Falls which are a series of waterfalls that start at the top of the hills and flow down all the way to the rivers. There was a lovely lily pond by the falls. Then we stopped by at the Hanging bridge which was built during British rule in India. Ponmudi Dam was next, followed by an Echo point which was also the shoot location for the scene in SRK starrer Chennai Express where the jeep slides into the lake. While it was still lightly drizzling, we went up to one of the viewpoints at Munnar hills to take a closer look at the dark clouds and sipped on a hot cup of tea in the chilly weather. On the way back, still off-roading, we made a couple stops to take a closer look at the tea plantations at different locations across Munnar.
Back at where we started (Adventure Park), we took a quick tour of the Manna Chocolate Factory which was essentially a shop that made their own chocolates. The staff at the store showed us how whole cocoa beans were crushed into finer pieces and the machines used in the process of chocolate making. The notable thing about their chocolates was the fact that they were available in a variety of flavors, each piece was individually wrapped, and they stayed fresh for 6 months without refrigeration, and 1 year with refrigeration. Obviously, I got some chocolate back with me.
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Day 2 – Munnar
The second day in Munnar started with breakfast at the hotel. It was a combination of the regional staples – Vada, Idli and Uthappa. Once we were well fed, it was time to get ready for another day of sightseeing. This day was all about dams, beaches and more of Munnar’s natural beauty. From tea estates to lakes and clean mountain air, this town has got everything you need to feel refreshed inside out.
We started by stopping by some lush green tea plantations, saw some honeycombs on a giant treaa and then visited a lake that required climbing down a rocky staircase. The views though were worth all that trouble. After the climb back up, I finally managed to get hold of a big coconut and was glad to have that sweet cool water all to myself under the hot April sun.
On the way to the next lake, we drove past another spot where the song Kashmir Kanya Kumari from Chennai Express was shot, and stopped by at a viewpoint where, if you’re lucky, you can get a glimpse of wild elephants going down for a drink to the lake. Too bad they decided to skip that day. The echo point at the lake was truly something. Although a little crowded, which made me rethink before shouting something out, my sister was more than happy to test out the echo capabilities of the place.
After the echo point, we drove to Mattupetty Dam which had an abundance of water on one side and a reservoir on the other.
Don’t these pics make you want to visit Munnar?
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Day 3 – Thekkady
Just a pretty aloe vera there.
Day 3 of my Kerala trip started with the tour of a spice garden at Thekkady. They say, about 500 acres of land in this city is covered by forests that grow a variety of spices and herbs used mainly for medicinal purposes. These Ayurvedic plants and their fruits are processed into medicines that can treat a host of diseases; right from skin and hair to cholesterol, liver, kidney and bones.
What I loved the most about the spice garden was being able to smell the different flowers and spices. Although it was a challenge to stand the constant screeching of crickets and the fact that there might be a metallic green bug sitting on your shoulder!
The garden tour was followed by our check in and lunch, and we then set out to discover more of Thekkady’s cultural side at their Kalari Centre.
Swipe left to look at more pictures from the dance and fight show.
Kathakali is a traditional dance form in Kerala where the performers laden with heavy makeup, depict a story and convey emotions through strong use of gestures and expressions.
Kalaripayattu is the oldest form of martial arts that originated in ancient South India and relies heavily on strength and discipline training of fighters.
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You cannot go to Kerala and not try their food. Well, that applies for all cities around the world but let’s talk about what I recommend in Kerala.
^The traditional meal in this pic is an experience in itself. Nothing fancy, yet everything wholesome, it is served on a banana leaf with pickle, chutney, papad, 2 veg preparations and rice at the centre of it all. Sambhar & buttermilk is added over the rice to balance its dryness. I had this meal at a restaurant located on an island within the backwaters of Aleppey (accessible only by boat), so it was only fair I try some of their fresh prawns too. The coconut water, adding island vibes, served as the perfect accompaniment.
^Also very famous is the Kerala Biryani. I had this twice in the same day (for lunch and dinner) only because I loved it so much. The rice here has a creamy color, with masala basted only over the meat and not the rice itself.
^Another food specialty you can certainly not miss in Kerala are the idli, vada and dosa. I’ve been having at least two of these for breakfast everyday over the last 4 days, but vadas are something I can never refuse. Definitely the winners.
^Simple food that’s rich in spices and coconut is at the crux of Kerala cuisine. I tried dal tadka at two different places and both were remarkably delicious. The dal here has a unique texture which I am guessing, is achieved by the addition of coconut – in the form of oil or garnishes. And it tastes effortless when you combine it with jeera rice.
^And don’t leave without having coconut water, at least one for everyday of your stay (I had 2 today). Kerala is the land of coconut palm trees, which means coconuts here are quite possibly one of the best ones in the country. Plus you can Google all its benefits and you will be surprised how beneficial tender coconut can be for your body. Just try not to get addicted 😉
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Day 4 – Aleppey / Alappuzha / Backwaters
Just when I thought nothing could get more beautiful than the hillstations of Kerala, I found myself at the backwaters.
Well, they call this state ‘God’s own country’ for a reason, and the backwaters of Kerala were indisputably the best part of my trip.
We opted to stay at a resort instead of a houseboat, simply because I wanted to keep my skin safe from mosquito bites and I was a little worried about the constant rocking of the boat, and I am glad we chose the resort that we did, but more on that later.
The calming green backwaters of Alappuzha branch into multiple canals and water alleys that are lined by humble bungalows, basking under the filtered sunlight and shade of tall coconut trees. Every house has a boat or two anchored by it’s entrance, because well, that’s their only mode of transport.
A number of houseboats as well as shikharas operate within these waterways, offering ample options for tourists and visitors to take in the best of what the backwaters have to offer.
If you’re planning a trip to Kerala anytime soon, make sure you include atleast a one night stay in Alappuzha or keep sometime aside for a calming boat ride, because these gorgeous waterways are not worth a miss.
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Day 5 – Fort Kochi + Kochi
The final day of my Kerala trip started with a stroll around the beautiful town of Fort Kochi. Featuring homes and structures that are heavily influenced by Dutch and Portuguese architecture, this beach town is a tourist’s paradise. Laid back lifestyle, small shops showcasing souvenirs from across the country and intimate cafes are some of the main attractions in this city.
Fort Kochi is also home to the famous Dutch Mattancherry Palace. Now converted to a museum, the palace houses various tools, attires and instruments used by kings and rulers of Cochin over hundreds of years, alongside their paintings, murals from Ramayana and a history of the region.
The vibes here are so welcoming, I wished I had planned a night’s stay at one of their boutique villas. But since I was already booked on a flight to Mumbai, we just stopped by at Lulu International – Asia’s largest shopping mall – for a quick bite and headed towards Cochin Domestic Airport for our onward journey, taking back with us lots of banana chips, home made chocolates and memories that will linger for a long long time to come.
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