The Best Homestay in Kerala – Community Greenpalm Homes Review (Part 1)

One of the highlights of travelling in Kerala is the wide range of homestays on offer. Nothing beats the welcoming atmosphere, delicious home-cooked food and chance to meet friendly local people that you get when staying in the home of a Keralan family.

Our best experiences in Kerala (and in India) were had when staying in homestays. Our favourite place of all is Community Greenpalm Homes (aka Thomas’s Homestay), located on a backwater island only 10km from Alleppey, but it feels a world away. I haven’t heard a bad word said by anyone who has stayed here. Everyone comes away enchanted by Thomas and his friendly family, fantastic food, great range of backwater activities, and the unique insight into Keralan culture.

Over the next few articles (yes, this will take a while!) I’ll be giving the reasons why I highly recommend a stay at this magical place.

1) Beautiful, peaceful location

homestay_backwaters

The Kerala Backwaters

Community Greenpalm Homes is located on Chennamkary, an island in the Keralan backwaters 10km from Alleppey. It’s a gorgeous, lush place of green palms, tropical fruit trees, glistening rice paddy fields, rivers and canals. There are no cars or even roads, and you feel blissfully far from everything. It’s wonderfully peaceful, and very easy to fall into the slow pace of life. This place is the ultimate balm for road (and India) weary travellers.

2) Fantastic Host
thomasWhat really makes Greenpalm Homes stand out is the erudite, gentle host Thomas, and his welcoming family. Thomas is an incredibly knowledgeable guy who is the perfect guide to the backwaters. He is very well respected, knows everyone in the village, and knows a lot about the history and culture of the area.

3) Chance to meet local people
As well as meeting Thomas and his family, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to meet the local villagers. Thomas will take you out on leisurely trips around the village, stopping to chat with people along the way or have a cup of chai at the open air tea shop/shacks. People are very friendly, and the further into the backwaters you get, the less they are accustomed to seeing foreigners.

4) Range of activities
You could easily do nothing at the homestay but chill out (see point 4 below), but there are plenty of interesting activities on offer, and I would really recommend you do as many as possible. Thomas will take you out on a variety of trips in the early morning or evening (to avoid the heat), and they are always interesting, and often tailored to your interests.

Our favourite activities were a range of walks around the village, the longer bike ride to a neighbouring village, and the sunset canoe ride to the local toddy shop. Motor boat rides are also available to explore further afield, and you can visit one of the many Christian churches on Sundays . Read more about our favourite activities in Part 2.

local_men

Locals in the Backwaters of Kerala

5) Ultimate Relaxation
There are lots of activities on offer at the homestay, but during the hot part of the day it is very easy to pass the time just lazing on the verandah or under a palm tree gazing at the river, or chatting to the family or other travellers. This is in fact part of the attraction of the place – it’s the ultimate in relaxation.

You definitely need a few days to slow down to the pace of life here, but once you do it is very hard to leave (warning: we extended our stay three times!). We felt completely at peace here.

6) Amazing home-cooked food
Mmmm! The food is a definite highlight at Greenpalm Homes. Thomas’s mother and wife cook wonderful fresh Keralan food three times a day that is served at a large communal table with other travellers, and sometimes Thomas. The rice is from their own paddy fields, and the vegetables are home-grown.

Breakfast is particularly interesting for those of us only used to toast and cereal. Highlights included puttu (steamed rice cakes) with curry, neyyappam (rice pancake filled with coconut and jaggery and cooked in banana leaf), and fried banana.

Lunch is the main meal and will involve a huge range of vegetable and curry dishes, rice, chutneys and popadoms. It’s great for vegetarians, although fish and meat is available. The portions are huge and you are always encouraged to keep eating! Dinners are similar but lighter.

Meals are long, relaxing and sociable – it’s a great way to meet other travellers.

In Part 2 of the Community Greenpalm Homes Review I focus on our favourite activities, while Part 3 looks at the practicalities.

In the meantime, if you’d like to book a stay you can email Thomas at community.greenpalms@gmail.com or greenpalmhome@gmail.com or visit their website.

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Kerala Suggested Itineraries – 2 weeks

Following on from the last Kerala India Travel post on suggested Kerala 1 week itineraries, here’s some ideas to help you plan your two week trip to Kerala.

View from Munnar, Kerala. Photo by KCBimal

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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Kerala Suggested Itineraries – 1 week

This is the first in a new Kerala India Travel series on suggested itineraries for trips to Kerala. I have received many queries from people who are unsure about the best places to visit in Kerala, and what’s possible within a certain time frame. These suggested itinerary articles should give you some ideas for planning your trip.

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

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

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. If you have longer than 1 week then see our suggested itineraries for 2 weeks in Kerala.

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

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Making Sense of Indian Trains

train

Negotiating the Indian railway system can feel daunting to a first time visitor to India. We’ve all heard horror stories of people hanging out of doors and travelling on the roof of overcrowded trains, and the huge amount of bureaucracy involved in booking a ticket. Luckily there’s only a certain amount of truth in the stories!

In the previous post Kerala India Travel – Tips to Plan Your Trip (Part 3) we suggested that train travel is one of the best ways to travel around Kerala. It can be a bit confusing, but it is possible to travel comfortably and easily by train in Kerala. Here are some tips to help you along your way.

1) Everyone should try a train journey once – Travel by train is a great choice if you are on a budget, but even if you aren’t it’s an interesting Indian experience that’s not to be missed. It’s a great way to meet local people, watch the beautiful scenery go by, and even sample local foods (sold on platforms and by roaming vendors on the trains).

2) Start with short journeys – If you are worried about travelling by train then start with a short journey. The good news is that as Kerala is so compact, you rarely have to travel long distances by train. The Keralan coastline in particular is well connected by train. Here’s some sample approximate journey times:

Trivandrum-Varkala – 45 minutes
Varkala-Kollam – 35 minutes
Kollam–Ernakalum/Kochi – 3-4 hours
Kochi–Kozhikode – 5 hours
Ernakalum/Kochi–Kannur – 7 hours

3) Trains aren’t available on all routes – There aren’t many trains available inland, especially in the hills, so you’ll need to reach Munnar or Periyar by car or bus.

4) Allow for delays – Although most Kerala train trips are short there can be delays, so if you have the budget and are on a short time scale then consider taking a taxi for the shorter journeys.

5) Choose a higher class for longer trips – There aren’t many long trips within Kerala itself, but if you are arriving or leaving to a destination in other parts of India it’s likely that you’ll be taking an overnight train. This is when choosing your class becomes more important, as it can make all the difference to the comfort of your journey. The class system can be a bit confusing at first, with many options on offer.

There are only a few trains with First Class or AC1 carriages, so generally I’d recommend AC2 (Air Conditioned two tier) for those prioritising comfort over price. These have the most space and comfort with only 4 people in each compartment, and curtains for privacy. This is the best option for really long journeys when you are spending a day and a night on board. There will only be two of you on the long padded seat (which acts as a berth at night) so there’s plenty of space to stretch out.

AC3 (Air Conditioned three tier) is similar to AC2, but with an extra tier (i.e three berths vertically). This doesn’t make much difference at night, but during the day there will be 6 people in the compartment, so there’s less space to spread out. There are also no privacy curtains.

Sleeper Class is the way the majority of India travels. The layout is similar to AC3, but there’s no A/C, no bedding is provided, and it can get more crowded. Many adventurous travellers prefer to travel in sleeper class because they feel they get to meet ‘real Indians’ as opposed to the middle classes who travel in AC2 and 3. It’s also very cheap.

Sleeper Class is fine for short journeys during the day, but you might want to consider a bit more comfort for long trips.

There’s a great breakdown of the different Indian rail classes,  complete with photos, at The Man in Seat 61.

6) Book online for long trips – You don’t need to book in advance for short journeys, but overnight trains often book up, especially AC2 and 3 during peak season.  You can book these trains online at www.irctc.co.in up to 3 months in advance and receive an eticket which you can print out.

You’ll need to register before you can book. The website can be slow at times, so if you have problems try again later. We used the site throughout our Indian travels, and although it can be frustrating it’s still much easier than dealing with the bureaucracy and queues at Indian train stations.

If you just want to know the train timetables then visit Indian Rail.

If you get stuck then feel free to leave a comment below or contact me, or check out the helpful forum at IndiaMike, where there are lots of posts about Indian trains. Enjoy your Indian train journey!

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Kerala India Travel – Tips to Plan Your Trip (Part 3)

Kerala India Travel – Tips to Plan Your Trip is a multi-part series full of practical advice to consider when planning your trip to Kerala, India. Part 1 looked at the best time to visit Kerala, and what to take and wear. Part 2 focused on visas and whether it’s necessary to book in advance. In Part 3 more commonly asked questions are answered.

What’s the best way to travel around Kerala?
One of the best things about travelling around Kerala is that the state is one of the smallest in India, without the huge distances you’ll find in other parts of the country. You won’t need to travel by overnight train here, and most attractions are only a few hours apart. The main options for getting around are train, bus and rented car with driver.

Travel by Train – Train journies can be one of the highlights of travelling around India, with an extensive and pretty efficient network. It’s certainly cheap, and in the higher classes can be comfortable and spacious. The train class system is very complicated in India, so we’ll be discussing this in more detail in a later post.

Trains are the ideal way to travel along the coast between the main hubs of Trivandrum-Varkala-Kollam-Alleppey-Kochi and further North to Kozhikode and Kannur. Most of these journies are short and pass by beautiful Keralan scenery.

Travel by Bus – Trains are always more comfortable than buses in India, but aren’t an option in all parts on Kerala. To reach the popular tourist destinations of Munnar and Periyar you’ll need to travel up the winding roads by bus or car.

Buses from Kochi-Munnar or Periyar take 5-6 hours, and may be delayed, but the trip is very cheap. The journey is much quicker (3-4 hours) by car, but obviously this costs much more.

Travel by Car – A good option if you aren’t on a tight budget is hiring a car and driver (self-drive isn’t recommended on the crazy Indian roads). This is costly compared to public transport, but still affordable. This is a good idea if you are on a short trip and want to visit quite a few different places. You’ll also have the option to stop off at attractions between destinations.

You can choose to hire a car for your entire trip, or just to take you from one place to another.

How do I exchange money?
There are plenty of ATMs in all of the larger towns in Kerala – just stock up before you travel to the smaller villages and backwaters. There are also plenty of moneychangers who can change most major currencies.

Do I need to take malaria medication?
This is a difficult question to answer as experts differ on whether malaria medication is necessary for Kerala or not. You should visit your doctor or travel clinic to get the latest advice.

If you do decide to take malaria medication, it is readily available without a prescription in Kerala pharmacies, at much cheaper prices than abroad.

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Kerala India Travel – Tips to Plan Your Trip (Part 2)

Part 1 of Kerala India Travel – Tips to Plan Your Trip covered the commonly asked questions of when is the best time to visit Kerala, and what to take and wear. Part 2 has more helpful tips for planning your trip.

Do I need to book in advance?
It is definitely possible to travel around Kerala without booking anything in advance, even during peak season. There are plenty of accommodation options, so you’ll always find somewhere to stay, and this option gives you the most flexibility for changing your plans.

However if you are on a short trip or have somewhere in mind where you really want to stay, then go ahead and book. It’s also always a good idea to book your first few nights in India to help you settle in.

Regarding transport, you won’t need to book buses and you can always find a car and driver when you get there. Internal flights are cheaper in advance so you may want to book these. You may also consider booking overnight trains if you want to travel in one of the higher classes (First or AC2) as these book up quickly.

Overall I wouldn’t worry too much about booking eveything in advance. In India things never go quite as planned so it’s best to be able to go with the flow and accept any changes to your plans. You’ll enjoy yourself more if you don’t let delays bother you.

One thing we learnt in India is that ‘Everything is Possible’. Somehow in India you can always find someone to help you, find a way somehow for things to work out.

Do I need a visa for India?
One thing you will want to arrange in advance is your visa. Citizens of all countries except Nepal and Bhutan need a visa. These are usually valid for 6 months from the date of issue (not when you arrive in the country) and can be obtained from the Indian embassy or high commission in your home country.

Postal applications can take a while so make sure you allow a month or so if you can’t attend the embassy in person. When applying in person there are often long queues (especially in London), so you’ll need to arrive early and it can take all day. You can avoid these by paying a visa agency to get your visa for you.

Part 3 of Kerala India Travel Tips looks at the best ways to travel around Kerala and how to manage money and malaria.

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Kerala India Travel – Tips to Plan Your Trip (Part 1)

These Kerala India Travel Tips should help you plan your trip to Kerala. Here are some commonly asked questions from first time visitors. Part 1 covers when to visit, and what to take and wear. Part 2 focuses on visas and whether it’s necessary to book in advance, while Part 3 discusses transport, money and malaria.

When is the best time to visit Kerala?
The best time to travel to Kerala is during the winter months (December – February), when the weather is hot, sunny and dry with average 30 degree celsius (86 F) temperatures. You’ll find the biggest crowds then though, especially from end December to mid January.

From March the temperature and humidity increases in the build up to the monsoon, which arrives with heavy rains in June.

It isn’t impossible to travel during the monsoon though – it doesn’t rain all day, and you’ll find lower prices and fewer crowds. This is considered the best time for Ayurvedic treatments, but not for beach holidays.

What should I take?
As little as possible, especially if you are travelling by public transport, which is very cheap but can be crowded. You’ll only need light cotton clothes for the warm weather, with a jumper for the cooler climate in the hills (such as around Munnar).

You can buy clothes very cheaply in India, and even have them custom made for you at reasonable prices.

Suncream is expensive so it’s best to bring your own. Locally made insect repellant (such as Odomos) is cheap and seems to work better than the foreign stuff. You can even pick up malaria pills such as the antibiotic doxycycline without a prescription at any pharmacy, and at much lower prices than abroad.

A small torch (flashlight) is a good idea as power cuts are quite common in India.

What should women wear?
All visitors, but particularly women should dress modestly when travelling in Kerala. It is fine to wear bikinis at the beach resorts, but away from there you must wear loose clothes that cover your shoulders and knees to avoid stares and offence. On remote beaches and in backwater rivers it’s best to cover up to swim by wearing a tshirt and sarong or long shorts.

Men and women should both wear long trousers or skirts when visiting temples and churches.

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