top of page
Search

Kerala

Kerala is a vibrant and beautiful state, with many cities unique in their own way, I am going to cover three cities, Kumarakom and Thekkady.


Kumarakom

Kumarakom is known for having the biggest lake in India, Lake Vembanad, 785 mi². Kerala's biggest river, the Periyar river is also located in Kumarakom, it starts from Thekkady and ends in Kumarakom, 152 miles long.


Shikara Boat

This provides many thrilling and relaxing experiences, such as shikara boating and house boating. Unfortunately, due to a lack of time I could not do house boating, but I could do shikara boating. A shikara boat is a roofed boat, usually with comfortable chairs and sometimes mattresses inside, they are from 15 to 30 feet long. The rides are about 3-4 hours long, with activities in between, like fishing, local ways to make objects, and coconut tapping, a way of extracting a drink from coconuts, called Toddy. If it rains, there are tarps on the side of the boat to cover the sides so you don't get wet.



Water Lilies

There is also another noteworthy but unfamous experience, the water lily garden. You start in a car ride to a canal, and that canal leads you to a huge expanse, covered in pink water lilies as far as the eye can see. You go into the field with a small boat and someone to paddle it. There are also other flowers inside, like white water lilies. The paddler also pulls lilies from the ground and makes creative necklaces out of them. The ride is for 30 to 45 minutes, and after it, you go back to the same boat you came from.



Gokulam Grand Resort

Gokulam Grand is a backwater resort with great service, food, and views. It features a man made lagoon, where you can do many activities such as fishing, paddle boating, kayaking, and canoeing. There is also a game zone with a table tennis court, foosball table, pool table, a pair of chess boards and a pair of carrom tables. It has 52 well maintained rooms and 17 luxury cottages to stay in. Some of the rooms have a swimming pool right outside of them, to the guests' convenience. The restaurant has an a la carte menu and a buffet service for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, that authentic local food as well as continental items. Their room service is very reliable, always delivering food or towels in time. In conclusion, Gokulam Grand Kumarakom is a stunning, neat, and fun place to stay while you are there.



Thekkady

Thekkady is known for the Periyar Tiger Reserve, various spice plantations and its location in the mountains, featuring many types of flora and fauna.


Spice Plantation

Green Valley is a spice plantation located in Thekkady that and grows Ayurvedic medicine and sells it too. In the plantation the guide walked us through the garden and showed us many different types of spices and medicines like cardamom, elaichi, and vanilla, and brahmi, ashwagandha, and neem. At the end of the tour we also got to see the medicines in their final forms and buy them too, along with some spices grown from the farm.


Kalaripayattu

Kalaripayattu is a Keralian form of martial arts that I watched in an arena right outside of my resort. Many different types of metal weapons are used, like axes, swords, and shields. It is a thrilling experience unique to the area, and it has approximately 6 people taking part. There are also sometimes audience participations, where the people jump over the audience members. There is also a fiery surprise at end.



Kathakali

Probably one of the most famous things about Kerala, Kathakali is a dance form which tells stories through expressions without words, the show was in the same place as the Kalaripayattu. There are two dancers inside, and first they shows all they expressions and their meanings, and then they begin a performance. It was surely lived up to its reputation.



Honey Bee Farm

Phillips honey bee farm is a family owned farm grown from scratch that has won national awards. The guide was very polite and she explained us the process very well, showing us the layers of the each mini-farm hands on. We also got to hold a layer with lots of honey bees on it, that was surely an experience I will never get again. At the end we got to buy honey bottles and try the different types of honey too.



Spice Village CGH Earth

Spice Village was a nature immersed resort engulfed in trees and wildlife everywhere. The rooms are cottages with no AC but they are built in a way that the wind gets circulated inside to keep you cool. The food and the restaurant are spot on, sporting local food as well as continental. It also had a snacks and tea period in the afternoon. There is also a special Tiger Club with wildlife specialists inside, for any wildlife enthusiasts. Monkeys, especially Nilgiri Langurs and Bonnet Macaques pay visits to the trees and the roofs. There is a traditional Ayurvedic Spa and a basketball, badminton, tennis and table tennis court.



Conclusion

In summary, Kerala is a great place to visit with your family or on your own, because the food there is amazing, the sights from around Kerala are breathtaking, and its a good place to unwind. For adventurers there is also a Tiger Reserve. So next time you are wondering where to go when you are travelling in India, Kerala is always a great option.

 
 
 

Comments

bottom of page