Local Kids in the Kerala Backwaters

This week´s post is an interview with my mum Sheila McNeaney. My parents recently returned from a trip to Kerala in February 2010, so I thought it would be useful to share their up to date tips and advice on planning an itinerary for a short six day trip to Kerala. Hopefully this will help you plan your own short (or long) trip to Kerala.

What was your itinerary in Kerala?

After visiting Goa we took the overnight train to Alleppey and spent 5 nights in Kerala: 2 nights at Green Palms Homes homestay near Alleppey, 2 nights in Kumily (near Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary) and 1 night in Cochin.

How did you get around and did it feel too rushed?

Our trip didn´t feel too rushed. We initially wanted to include Munnar as well but that would have been too much. It helped that we travelled by hired car and driver which saved on travel time. We didn´t hire a driver for the whole time: we took a taxi from Alleppey train station to the homestay and then we just arranged a taxi with our accommodation to take us to the next destination when we were ready. This made things really flexible. Taxis are very easy to organise.

How much did it cost to hire a car and driver?

The taxi from Alleppey train station to the Green Palms homestay cost 400 rupees, and then we had to take a short canoe trip across the river to reach the house.

Thomas arranged an an a/c car to take us from the homestay to Kumily. It took 4 hours with one stop and cost 2200 rupees. It was a lovely drive with stunning views and unusually for India the driver was very sensible and safe!

The taxi from Kumily – Ernakulum/Cochin cost 3100 rupees and took 4.5 hours.

What was your favourite place in Kerala?

Green Palms homestay. The house was full but despite the number of guests we really enjoyed the peace and quiet there. The family were so friendly and welcoming, and it had such a relaxed atmosphere. We found the rooms comfortable and the home-cooked food was delicious.

One of our favourite experiences was taking a trip on a small motor boat out into the backwaters. It was so peaceful watching the world go by, and we stopped at the perfect spot to watch the sunset. Another great trip was the 6.30am bird watching walk where we spotted many unusual birds.

We really enjoyed our time in Kumily too though. We did a one hour boat trip on the lake which was lovely, although we didn´t see any big animals and at 450 rupees it was a bit overpriced. We also enjoyed an interesting trip to a tea factory and plantation.

What was your favourite hotel?

For comfort and facilities I would say Chrissie´s Hotel in Kumily. It doesn´t look like much from the front but when you go inside you come to a lovely garden at the back. It´s a tranquil place on a quiet street off the main road although it´s still very central to town.

The rooms were large with a comfy bed and a balcony with fantastic views of the forest. You have to be careful not to leave anything on the balcony though or the monkeys might get it! They have their own rooftop restaurant which is also very good with delicious Italian food. We thought the room was good value at about 2000 rupees a night.

Why didn´t you take a houseboat trip?

The main reason was time but we felt we got to see the backwaters well enough by staying at the homestay and taking a small boat trip around the smaller canals and lake. We saw many houseboats in the backwaters. There are now around 1000 in the Alleppey area and Thomas at the homestay told us that they are causing a lot of pollution problems to the local people.

How was Keralan food?

The food was lovely – it´s not too spicy, uses fresh ingredients and there were lots of options. It can be difficult to buy beer though as only big hotels have a licence to sell it. If you ask around though you can usually find a place to buy it.

What was your worst experience?

We didn´t have any bad experiences in Kerala but the overnight train journey from Goa to Kerala wasn´t any fun. We accidently booked the sleeper class instead of AC2 (which had been recommended to us as the best class to travel in), and it wasn´t very comfortable at all. It was crowded, noisy, the toilets were awful, there were no blankets so it got chilly at night (you must bring your own in sleeper class), and as there was no a/c it got very hot during the day. It was cheap though – only 375 rupees per person.

On the way back to Goa thankfully we took a flight via Bangalore with Indian Airlines and this cost 6400 rupees per person.

Would you recommend Kerala to others? Do you have any tips for people planning a trip there?

Yes we´d definitely recommend Kerala to friends, in fact I already have. My main advice would be to have plenty of time – don´t think that you can see it all in a few days. It´s such a relaxing place that it´s good to take your time and enjoy it. We would have liked to spend more time in Kerala, especially to explore Fort Cochin.

I woud also say that although houseboats are nice they aren´t very good for the environment and are an expensive way to see the backwaters. We´d recommend staying at a homestay and exploring on a small boat or canoe.

Finally, if you are looking for a comfortable place to stay, don´t rule out accommodation listed in the Budget section of the guidebooks – some of them in Kumily looked really nice.

If you´ve recently returned from a trip to Kerala and would like to be interviewed for this site and share your tips then please get in touch.

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Festival in Thrissur, Kerala. Photo by Spisharam.

Who doesn’t love elephants? If you love them as much as I do and would like to see some on your trip to Kerala, here are the best places to find them.

If you’d like to spot elephants in Kerala in the wild you’ll need to visit one of the national parks. Of course, sightings aren’t guaranteed, but if you do get lucky it’ll be an exciting experience.

Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary

The most popular wildlife sanctuary in Kerala has a good population of elephants. A boat trip is a popular way to explore but you’ll have a better chance of seeing elephants if you go for a guided trek into the forest. The longer the trek, the better your chances. Read my Guide to Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary for full details.

Wayanad

The Wayanad region in Northern Kerala is much less visited than Periyar and has two wildlife sanctuaries with good chances of spotting elephants. Read my post on Quiet Alternatives to Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary for full details.

Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary

Chinnar is easily reached from Munnar, but also receives far less visitors than Periyar. The watch tower is a great place to look out for elephants and you can even sleep out overnight. Chinnar is another one of my Quiet Alternatives to Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary, so have a read for more information.

If you don’t fancy venturing into one of the parks, or if you didn’t have any luck finding the gentle beasts, don’t despair! There are some great options for guaranteed close up interaction with elephants.

Kodanad Elephant Training Centre

Kodanad is an elephant rescue and training centre that is a popular daytrip from Cochin. It’s located 50km away so you’ll need to arrange a trip through your hotel or tourist office, or hire a taxi. If you arrive by 8am you’ll have the opportunity to help wash the elephants, and you can also have an elephant ride. If you are hiring a car to take you from Cochin to Munnar this is a good place to stop on the way.

Guruvayur

Guruvayur is an interesting off the beaten track place to visit in Kerala. It’s a bustling pilgrim town 25km from Thrissur that is well known for its temple, one of the richest and most important in the state. Although non-Hindus aren’t allowed inside the temple you can still enjoy the activities that take place outside during one of the many festivals held there.

The largest festival is Ulsavam during February or March. There are a variety of music and dance performances, as well as an elephant race and procession.

Even if you don’t visit during a festival you can still see elephants at the Punnathur Kotta Elephant Sanctuary 3kms away. Elephants are trained there for temple activities, and visitors are always welcome.

Thrissur

Highly decorated elephants are an essential part of temple festivals in Kerala. Thrissur is another less obvious place to visit in Kerala that has plenty of temples and festivals, so it’s a great place to spot elephants. The annual Puram Festival, the biggest festival in all of Kerala, takes place here in May and features elephant processions, drum orchestras and lots of traditional arts. You can get here by bus or train from Cochin in a few hours.

Festivals take place in Kerala temples throughout the year so keep your eyes open, ask around and you’re bound to come across some elephants.Where is your favourite place to see elephants in Kerala? Leave a comment and let us know

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View from Munnar, Kerala. Photo by KCBimal

Kerala Highlights

Cochin-Munnar-Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary-Alleppey-Kollam-Varkala-Trivandrum
This is the classic Kerala route that takes in the most popular destinations. After exploring Fort Kochi for a day head up to the hills and wander the tea plantations in the cool mountain air of Munnar. Next spot wild elephants and monkeys (and tigers if you’re really lucky) in Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary, before taking a taxi or bus down the winding roads to Alleppey.

Alleppey will be your base to explore the backwaters, stay in a homestay and take a houseboat ride. You could easily spend a week relaxing here, but if you are keen for some beach time press on to Kollam where it’s only a short ride to the dramatic beaches of Varkala. Finishing your trip in Trivandrum you’ll be able to pick up onward transport after some temple sightseeing.

Backwaters & Beaches

Cochin-Kottayam-Alleppey-Kollam-Varkala-Kovalam-Trivandrum
If you want to avoid the cooler climes of the hills then stick to the backwaters and beaches of Kerala. You’ll see many of the sights of the Kerala Highlights route, but you’ll have more time to soak up the slow Keralan pace and chill out by rivers and sea.

Keralan Coast

Trivandrum-Varkala-Alleppey-Cochin-Kozhikode-Kannur-Bekal
This Keralan Coast route takes you along the 580km long Arabian Sea fringed coast, from the bustling beaches of Varkala to the isolated sandy stretches and fishing villages of the far north. Of course the backwaters are not to be missed, and Fort Kochi is always worth a day wandering the colonial streets and spice markets.

North of here you can escape the crowds in the area known as the Malabar Coast. Kozhikode is much more Muslim influenced than other parts of Kerala with some interesting mosques and unique cuisine. Kannur is the place for quiet beaches and visits to traditional Theyyyam dance performances.

In the far North of the state you’ll find empty beaches and historic battlements at Bekal Fort, not far from the border with neighbouring Karnataka state.

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Many people visit Kerala on short trips of around 1 week. Luckily, as Kerala is a compact state it is possible to see some of the highlights in this timeframe, especially if you hire a car and driver. I would recommend focusing on the Kerala backwaters. They are unique to Kerala, and one of the most beautiful, relaxing parts of India.

Here are some suggestions for 1 week itineraries in Kerala:

Backwaters Experience

Cochin-Alleppey-Houseboat-Homestay-Cochin
The Backwaters Experience focuses on my favourite part of the state- the beautiful backwaters. A full day’s sightseeing in Fort Cochin is enough to take in the Chinese Fishing Nets, art galleries, colonial architecture and an evening Kathkali performance, and then it’s time to head out of the city.

Spend the rest of your week sampling the full range of backwaters experiences, using Alleppey as your base for an overnight houseboat trip, canoe ride and local homestay.

Kathkali Performance in Cochin

Backwaters & Beach

Cochin-Alleppey-Marari Beach-Cochin
The Backwaters & Beach route is similar to the above Backwaters Experience, but includes a day or two at the beach. You’ll still have time for a houseboat trip and homestay, but the trip will be more rushed.

Unspoilt Marari Beach is the ideal beach to include on this itinerary as it is located only a short taxi ride from Alleppey, and an hour’s drive to Cochin airport for your departure.

Backwaters & Hills

Cochin-Munnar-Alleppey-Cochin
I wouldn’t recommend the Backwaters & Hills itinerary in a week for travellers using public transport. It can take 6-7 hours on the bus from Cochin-Munnar, and the same back down to Alleppey. However with a car and driver the trip can be done in much less time.

You’ll be able to enjoy the highlights of Fort Cochin, before wandering in luscious tea plantations in the cool mountain air of Munnar, then head back down to Alleppey to explore the backwaters.

If you are more interested in wildlife than tea and pretty mountain views, then you could substitute Periyar Wildlife Sanctaury for Munnar, for the chance to see elephants and monkeys. Visiting both would be too rushed in just a week though.

Kerala Backwaters

Keralan Coast

Cochin-Alleppey-houseboat to Kollam-Varkala-Trivandrum
If you are arriving in Cochin or Trivandrum and leaving from the other, the Keralan Coast itinerary is the best use of time to combine backwaters and beaches. It starts by following the same route as the above Backwaters Experience but you’ll take an overnight houseboat from Alleppey-Kollam, saving you time and exploring some of the quieter backwaters.

From Kollam you can head straight for Varkala, or spend half a day on the fantastic village canoe trip run by the DTPC Tourist Office. The lively beach scene and clifftop views of Varkala beach are only 30 minutes away, and it’s another short hop from here to Trivandrum. On a short trip there are better places to spend your time than Trivandrum, so arrive here just in time for your departure.

Hopefully these suggested itineraries will give you some ideas of places to visit in Kerala on a 1 week visit. If you have less than a week I would recommend focusing on just one of the locations detailed above – preferably the backwaters.

For more information about the destinations covered above read our Backwaters, Beaches, Canoe Trip, Houseboats, Homestay and Top 10 Places to Visit articles.

In future Kerala India Travel posts we will cover suggested Kerala itineraries for longer trips.

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