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.
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.
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.
Here are my favourite sites to help you plan your trip to India.
India Mike -I am pretty sure you can find the answer to any Indian travel question on this extensive site. It features articles, hotel reviews, journals, and most importantly an active forum where you’ll find experts to answer any questions so have.
Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary is the most popular destination in Kerala for wildlife viewing, but often the crowds can make it difficult to spot any animals. As part of our Quiet Alternatives series here are a few off the beaten track wildlife sanctuaries you could visit instead of Periyar. Your chances of spotting animals will be increased and you’ll have a much more interesting experience in these locations, but don’t expect the luxury accommodation or comforts that you find in Periyar.
Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary. Photo by mtkopone
Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary is one of the largest and most visited wildlife reserves in India, and one of Kerala’s most popular destinations. It’s located in the Cardamom Hills section of the Western Ghats at an altitude of 900m-1800m. Temperatures are cooler than on the coast, ranging from 15 – 30 degrees celsius, so bring warm and waterproof clothes.
In the past few weeks Kerala India Travel has appeared on a number of other websites.
I wrote a guest post for Mahindra Homestays on 5 Reasons Why Kerala is the Ideal Introduction to India which outlines why I think Kerala is the best place to start your Indian travels. Its compact size makes it easy to travel around, it’s very relaxed, the people are friendly, the weather is always warm and there is a diverse range of attractions on offer.