There’s a reason why Kerala is known as God’s Own Country – the dramatic landscape of this mystical land generously offers palm-fringed beaches, emerald backwaters, tea gardens, lagoons, intricately-laced canals and rich wildlife. With its cultural vibrancy and warm, welcoming people, is it any wonder that it was included in Nat Geo Traveller’s List of “50 Places of a Lifetime”?
I chose Kerala at a time when I was faced with some complicated life choices and my idea of dealing with modern-day angst is to run away from it. If you’re going to perfect the art of escapism, let me tell you there is no place better than Kerala in the world for it.
Gliding through the serene backwaters in a houseboat. Photo: Kerala Tourism
For nothing is done in a hurry in Kerala. The lush backwaters lull you into a sense of serenity, each bite of the local food bursting with aromatic flavours is savoured, the locals are easy-going and traditional village life goes on uninterrupted. Scenic drives embraced by paddy fields are dotted with houses painted in bold shades of parrot green, magenta and other boggling hues.
To get to Kerala, take a scenic route from Bangalore to truly understand the contrasts of this magical country. Known as Garden City, the leafy tech city is a busy, cultural hotspot with some of the best pubs, bars and live music scenes catering to a mix of local hipsters, rockers, young professionals and expats. From the urban oasis to Kerala’s fabled backwaters via Mysore, it’s a journey of a lifetime.
A Royal Visit to Mysore: Silk and Spice and Everything Nice
From Bangalore, head to Mysore (known for its shimmering royal heritage) for a stay in a little Palace with lush gardens built for the princess of Mysore. The World Heritage-listed Mysore Palace is the star attraction but the city is rich with monuments and temples. Chamundi Hill Temple is perched on a hilltop with spectacular views over the city – a reward worth climbing a thousand steps for! It is said that the presiding deity of Mysore, Goddess Chamundeshwari is the slayer of demons Chanda and Munda and also Mahishasura, the buffalo-headed monster.
The city is a thriving centre for the production of the best silk, sandalwood and incense. In fact, when US President Barack Obama visited India, he was honored with a Mysore silk shawl. A Mysore silk saree or shawl is the ideal memento to inspire envy!
Mysore Palace in Indo Saracenic style Photo: Ramnath Bhat via Flickr
Open Jeep Safari in the Wilds of Wayanad
Travel onwards to Wayanad in the Western Ghats through verdant tea plantations and the palm-fringed valleys of Wayanad Hills. Famed for being one of the best retreats of Kerala, the landscape is easy on the eyes and the soul!
An ecotourism centre, Tholpetty in Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary is ideal for frequent sightings of free ranging wildlife like wild boar, Indian bison, deers, monkeys, tigers, leopards, bears, reptiles and birds including vultures. The open jeep safari is a great way to see the playful animals in their natural surroundings – roaming free, just as they should.
Wayanad is known as one of the best retreats in Kerala. Photo: Kerala Tourism
Toy Trains and Tea Plantations
The next stop Ooty, dubbed as the Queen of Hill Stations, is known for its colonial bungalows, tea estates and its charming toy train. One of the most romantic train rides in India, the mini train leisurely chugs pasts forested hills, ravines, tea plantations and a spectacular rocky terrain to reach Coonoor. Walk around the lush, manicured tea estates of Coonoor and you could even try your hand at tea-picking alongside the women in colorful sarees busy at work.
Sipping chai in India is a national pastime – whether you sample the strong roadside masala chai (brewed and infused with aromatic herbs) or a full-flavoured cuppa in the hills, it’s always followed by a sigh of pleasure. As they say, take life one chai at a time!
Visit tea plantations for a refreshing cuppa. Photo: Rickshaw Travel
Kathakali in Fort Kochi
Leaving behind the lush tea estates, head to Cochin, a coastal town with Dutch, Portuguese and English influences. These influences are reflected in its European architecture particularly seen in quaint, atmospheric Fort Kochi. The city’s cultural mix is fascinating with fishing nets from China, a four centuries-old synagogue, mosque minarets, churches and cathedrals. Beaches, backwaters, heritage bungalows and homestays – it’s as if time stood still here.
Sunset over Chinese fishing nets in Cochin. Photo: Rickshaw Travel
Cochin is also a centre for Kathakali, one of the oldest theatre forms in the world that originated in Kerala. Take a classical dance class and discover the stunning costumes, makeup and a 4000 sign language used by a Kathakali performer to tell a story.
Kathakali dancer Photo: Qnonsense via Wikimedia Commons
On a Slow Houseboat in the Lush Backwaters of Kerala
There’s nothing more soothing for the soul than drifting down the tropical backwaters in Kerala through the labyrinth of canals under the starry skies. You glide past paddy fields, coconut lagoons, small islands and rice barges. Watch kingfishers swoop down to catch fish and flocks of ducks being shepherded to the newly-harvested paddy fields.
Surrounded by palm groves and luxurious shades of green, there is a hypnotic quality about the backwaters. The only thing you can do is do nothing – an addictive art that, I confess, I mastered all too easily.
A houseboat on the Kerala backwaters. Photo: Rickshaw Travel
Walking Safari in Periyar National Park
After the backwaters, can anything match up to the experience? The answer is yes – spotting elephants. As you know, at Ecophiles, we have a soft spot for these amazing gentle giants and you can see them in the wild in Thekkady, one of the finest wildlife reserves in India. The very mention of Periyar conjures up vivid imagery of elephants, elusive tigers, spice-scented plantations and green hills of the southern Ghats ideal for treks and forest walks.
On your walk, look for sambar deer, wild boar and maybe even a mongoose or two. The star residents – the elephants – graze in the tall grass along the huge artificial lake created by the damming of the Periyar River in 1895.
Elephant herd, Periyar. Photo: Ben3john via Wikimedia Commons
Ayurveda in Tropical Kerala
Finally, the trip wouldn’t be complete without indulging in a relaxing Ayurvedic massage (or two). Ayurveda, the science of life and longevity, is the oldest healthcare system in the world that combines medicine and philosophy and is based on doshas – Vatta (air), Pitta (fire) and Kapha (water). With its natural abundance of forests and the cool monsoons, Kerala is best suited for the curative and restorative art of Ayurveda.
Precariously balanced doshas aside, I may or may not have achieved enlightenment in Kerala but I certainly attained nirvana in God’s Own Country.
Whether you choose to climb a coconut tree, submit to an Ayurvedic massage, hop on a Jungle safari or simply soak in the emerald landscape, Rickshaw Travel offers a range of authentic travel experiences to Kerala. To journey to the heart of Kerala, experience local culture and unique accommodation, take a 15-day/ 14 night trip with the authentic travel experts, Rickshaw Travel.
And for a chance to win a free trip to magical Kerala – enter Rickshaw Travel’s For the True Explorers competition.
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