Houseboat Jam at Alleppey

Alleppey is one of the most popular destinations in Kerala. It is the houseboat hub and a good place to set off and explore the Kerala backwaters. However the number of houseboats here has grown over the last few years and houseboat traffic jams are now a common sight. This takes away somewhat from your relaxing houseboat experience, and also causes a lot of water pollution in the local area.

A Kerala houseboat trip can be a wonderful experience though, so as part of our ongoing Quiet Alternatives Series here are some other places you could try for your houseboat journey.

Kollam

Kollam is an easy place to rent a houseboat, but sees far fewer visitors than Alleppey. We took an overnight houseboat trip from Kollam-Alleppey and the backwaters near Kollam were definitely quieter and more unspoilt. We also liked Kollam as an authentically Indian town without the hassle and touts that you find in more touristy places.

To hire a houseboat just head down to the jetty and ask at the tourist office. They’ll arrange a houseboat for you. We arranged ours the day before, but you could even head down early in the morning on the day you want to leave, as the boats don’t leave until around 11am. Read our Essential Guide to Kerala Houseboats for more on what to expect on your journey.

Kollam is also a good place to stop between the southern beaches of Kovalam and Varkala, and Cochin. It’s only a 30 minute train ride from Varkala. Read our Keralan coast itinerary in our 1 Week Kerala Suggested Itineraries post for an idea of how to fit Kollam into your trip.

Valiyaparamba Backwaters

If you really want to avoid the crowds then you need to leave the southern backwaters behind and head to Northern Kerala. The houseboat scene is far less developed in the Valiyaparamba backwaters, so you’ll have a much more tranquil experience.

The backwaters are 50km north of Kannur (a great place to stop for a quiet beach break). There aren’t many houseboat operators so you’ll need to be more organised than in Alleppey, but Bekal Boat Stay offers cruises on traditional rice barges. It’s more expensive than Alleppey but the trade off is beautiful backwaters all to yourself.Have you experienced a quiet houseboat trip? Leave a comment and tell us about it.

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Wayanad

We featured the beautiful region of Wayanad as a quiet alternative to Munnar for a peaceful retreat in the hills. It also contains two wildlife sanctuaries- Muthanga and Tholpetty. Tholpetty Wildlife Sanctuary is located in the Northern section of Wayanad and is one of the best parks in South India to spot elephants in the wild. You’ll also have a good chance of seeing bison, deer, boar and monkeys. Tigers are present but rarely spotted, as in all of India’s parks.

How to get here:From Kannur it’s a 2.5 hour bus journey to Mananthavady, the nearest town to Tholpetty, from where you can pick up a bus or taxi for the 45 minute journey to the park entrance. You can also connect to Mananthavady from Kalpetta (and onward to Calicut) or Sultanbatheri, where you can take the bus to Ooty (4 hours) or Mysore (3 hours).

Where to stay: Pachyderm Palace is a basic guesthouse in a great location just outside of the sanctuary. The best room is the treehouse surrounded by forest. The food is delicious and the welcome is friendly, but don’t expect luxury. Two safaris a day are included in the price.

How to explore: You have the option of two hour jeep safaris in the morning or evening, or 5 hour guided hikes in the morning. It’s a good idea to try both options. These can be arranged at the park entrance, or through your hotel.

Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary

Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary is on the border with Tamil Nadu, 60km from Munnar along a winding mountain road. It’s much less visited than Munnar but still offers the chance to see a range of wildlife. It’s one of the best spots in Kerala for bird watching with 225 species. You are also likely to see the famous grizzled giant squirrels, as well as elephants, deer, and monkeys. You can enjoy wonderful views from the watch tower or trek through the park.

How to get here: Take the 1.5 hour bus from Munnar heading to Coimbatore. The sanctuary is 10km past Marayoor.

Where to stay: You can stay inside the forest in a treehouse or tribal huts. Contact the Forest Information Centre in Munnar to book ( Tel: 04865-231587, Email: roywlw@eravikulam.org).

How to explore: Treks are arranged by the Forest Centre with local guides.

Silent Valley National Park

Silent Valley National Park is not very well known but the pristine rainforest features over 100 different varieties of orchids, 211 bird species and 128 types of butterfly. The moist evergreen woodland is located 75km from Palakkad, so could be combined with a trip to Nelliampathy , our quiet alternative to Munnar. As well as beautiful flora you could see the rare lion-tailed macaque, gaur, sloth bears and even tigers.

How to get here: Take the bus from Palakkad.

Where to stay: In Mukkali there is a basic national park guesthouse near the ticket office. Tel: 04924 253225.

How to explore: You need to pick up a permit from the National Park office in Mannarkkad, 32km from the entrance or in Mukkali. You can hire a jeep or go on guided walks.

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Although you won’t compromise on amazing views or experiences, these alternative places may be more difficult to reach and the standard of accommodation lower. It’ll be worth it though when you have the place to yourself.

Nelliampathy

Nelliampathy Mountains. Photo by Kjrajesh

Nelliampathy is a much quieter alternative to the hill station Munnar. It sees far fewer tourists but still has amazing views of the lush green hills, a cool climate, tea and spice plantations to visit, beautiful waterfalls and great hiking. The winding mountain road to get here is one of the most scenic journies in Kerala.  Although there isn’t a huge range of accommodation, there are some lovely homestays and prices are much lower than in Munnar.

How to get here: Nelliampathy is located 75km south of Palakkad from where you can get a bus via Nemmara. From Cochin you can take a bus to Thrissur and onwards to Nemmara. If you have limited time consider hiring a car and driver.

Where to stay: Options include Ciscilia Heritage with simple rooms in a beautiful, secluded plantation setting; or the more upmarket Whistling Thrush Bungalow. You can also ask at the NTPC tourist office in the town for details of homestays.

Here’s a detailed trip report from a visitor to Nelliampathy on India Mike.

Wayanad

Wayanad Tea Plantations. Photo by aztonyx

The hill district of Wayanad is one of the most beautiful regions of Kerala. The area is spread over an altitude of 750m – 2100m with varied landscapes including rice paddies, grasslands, spice and tea plantations, and jungle-covered mountains. The main attraction of Wayanad is the Tholpetty Wildlife Sanctuary but it’s also a great destination for travellers looking for a peaceful hill retreat to enjoy magnificient views and hikes, without Munnar’s crowds.

You can base yourself in the main town Kalpetta, or the even quieter hill stations Vythiri or Lakkidi. Sights to visit include plantations, waterfalls, prehistoric caves, a hike up 2100m Chembra Peak or plenty of gentler hikes.

How to get here: Kalpetta is a 70km two hour bus ride east of Kozhikode (Calicut) in Northern Kerala. You can also reach here from Kannur, Ooty or Mysore.

Where to stay: There are plenty of upmarket resorts and quality homestays in the area, often in quite isolated areas. Two good choices are Ente Veedu a small homestay on a spectacular plantation and Stream Valley Cottages, a peaceful resort with secluded cottages in a beautiful setting.

The next in the Quiet Alternatives Series looks at off the beaten track alternatives to Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary. Subscribe for free updates by RSS , email or facebook so you don’t miss any future posts.

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