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Kerala, General Reviews

Munnar India
MunnarHolidays.com Tour operator From Munnar
Jul 18, 2010 03:16 PM 3418 Views

We had a good trip to kerala last moth.our tour to kerala was organized by the well known tour operator from kerala.Tour was well organized the hotels in munnar was wonderful.we had a good driver also.They arranged thier own taxi which was well maintained.very well guided..Totally the trip to kerala was superb..We stayed one night in Alleppey Houseboat in Kerala, one night in Thekkady in an resort.....


Recommended tour operator...for more details you can log onto https://MunnarHolidays.com...An absolute marvel of a place for honey moon .I had a Very good leisure time in "GOD'S OWN COUNTRY". It was a wonderful stay over there. Very good service and good communication. They had a lot of dishes to enjoy and we all enjoyed the pleasent stay over there. A highly recommended.


Nature Sao Tome and Principe
~~~God's Own Country~~~
Jul 12, 2010 03:34 PM 9767 Views

I am sure the Americans didn't land in the moon, since there is no tea shop yet in the moon by a Keralite. Kerala people are often known for their outgoing nature to feed the families. The state is blessed with natural beauty which can take any tourist by heart and no wonder it is been named as 'Gods Own Country'. It is also said that God has its pharmacy in Kerala for its wide range of plants and the perfume store for its varying spices. Spices & sandalwood, the world knows the land even before the time of Solomon. Welcome to Kerala, the beautiful southern state of India which is a leader and model in many areas.


It is widely believed that Parasurama, one of the avatars of Vishnu gained the land of Kerala by throwing an axe. However, the modern day state was formed on 1st November, 1956, uniting three kingdoms, The Thiruvithankoor, Kochi & Malabar. Malayalam, the language was the unifying factor. The state have 38,863 sq. km. of area. One who wants to travel the width of the state can do it within few hours. However, to cover the length, i.e. from Trivandrum to Kasarkod, it may take about a day in full. The state has a long western coast to make a beach accessible from any point of Kerala within hours. Kovalam is the sole leader known in the world tourism map, but in any 5 Kilometeres of length, you can find small or medium, natural and beautiful virgin beaches.


It is a densely populated state with 819 people per square kilometer which is comparatively much higher. (The state must be the first in effectively implementing the population control and that is a cent percent.) The female population is higher than the male numbers thanks to the big number of NRIs staying outside are not counted and they are a considerable force. The first democratically elected communist government in the world is formed in this small state. The only state which implemented a land reform act is now more or less deserted for agriculture. Agricultural tourism is a no for the state now.


The state is well proud of its full literacy tag, the first to attain in India is the major supplier of Doctors, Nurses, Engineers, Accountants and skilled labour not only for other states but for many parts of the world. Vasco De Gama who first landed in Kozhikode and the missionaries followed are mainly responsible for this educational uprising. Together with the communists they formed the larger educated middle class of the state. Cheap but quality Higher education is one area the state can sell if properly advertised.


Ayurvedha and the traditional medicine is one area of attraction for westerners. The modern hospitals are however a hope for quality treatment at an affordable rate for third world countries which include heart transplantation. The scenario however is not so promising for the residents of the state. The private institutions except the religious institutions are nothing like money collecting machines and the government hospitals nothing but a sick unit. Thankfully with the arrival of a lot of medical colleges, both government and private the situation is getting much better in the last decade.


The state is blessed with a good climate for the tourists. March, April & May (30 degree plus) are summer months following the monsoon of June & July which witness heavy downpour. August to February is the best season to visit the place for one who wants to avoid summer and monsoon.


Thekkady, Kumali, Devikulam, Ponmudi, Wayanad are the famous hills stations. Athirappilly, Palaruvi & Thumboormuzhi are the known waterfalls. Guruvayur, Sabarimala & Malayattur are the famous religious tourist attractions whereas the Elephent fort in Guruvayur is a not to miss destination. Backwaters of Alappuzha, Marine drive in Kochi, Boating to Fort Kochi, The Hill Palace, The Jew Synagog in Mattanchery, Bakel fort, History museum in Kaloor, Travancore Palace, Kumarakam, Kalady....there are more and more places to go if you want to dig deep into the beauty of culture of Kerala.


Malayalam and English are the major languages used where Hindi too is known for the younger generation. The people of the state are comparatively conservative however the foreigners are generally exempted of the local rules. Strikes or the Harthals are possible for say 10 days in a year and it can hit at any time as they simply wait for a reason. The emergencies and the airport travel may not be hindered. Food and travel is comparatively cheaper. Good hotels are available in major cities with reasonable prices.


Be at your peace and you may talk to the God within from this beautiful land in the earth. Tourism map of the world will be incomplete without Kerala and why not visit it when you get a chance??


My Kerala trip
May 27, 2010 02:12 PM 5341 Views

In spite of a lot of planning and rescheduling we were unable to zero down on any one holiday destination for this year's vacation. Under an impromptu we finalized on Kerala and frantically packed our bags for the vacation. It was a much awaited break for both for us as the monotony of office lives had almost stolen our free spirits from us.


We left Pune for Mumbai for our flight to Cochin and then took a taxi from Cochin to reach Munnar around late evening at 10 pm. We had booked ourselves at Bella Vista resort in Munnar. The resort is a decent property though quite far away from the Munnar main city. If you are in the mood to devour nature inhibited then this is the place to stay in, else watch out in the city for more options. There are umpteen options available in the city.


Day 1-We hired a cab for sightseeing. It charged us 1200 Rs for 5-6 scenic locations. We went to Tata tea estate and nearby dams and waterfalls. The names of most of the dams and waterfalls sounded almost same to me :) I can differentiate them only in my photographs now. Also the irony of this sightseeing tour was that my driver and us, didn't have any common language to communicate so we exchanged requests and compliments in sign language!! We came back to the resort around 4 pm and had rest of the day to leisure.


Day 2-We made sure that we got a driver who understood English. We started early morning at 8 pm for Matupetty direction sightseeing. Munnar is immaculately blessed with natural beauty- amidst the fog and chilly weather, the beauty of the well scaped tea gardens and hillocks shone bright. We went to echo point where you could hear your voice echo 3 times if you called out loud. It was very scenic with a beautiful waterfall that later turned into a quiet flowing river surrounded by tall green chinar trees around.


The main attraction of the day was the elephant ride. Through a small forest like area huge elephants could take you around on their back for 1 hr.We paid 700 rs for the joyride and believe me it was worth every penny. We later fed the elephant some pineapples and corn for its effort :) Next spot was the picturesque Matupetty lake where we went for pedal boating. It was very beautiful as we were surrounded by tall green trees and clear water. The lake was very clean and we could spot some rare fishes and turtles while boating.  We


enjoyed the day thoroughly and came back to our resort around 4 pm. Rest of the day was again for our leisure. It was a day well spent, we had captured the virgin nature in our eyes, memories of a beautiful place.


Day 3-was dedicated to the fauna of Munnar. We visited the Ervikulam National Park which is famous for the endangered species of Nilgiri Tahr. I felt sorry for the poor Tahr that there number had dwindled to a meager few due to human folly. The views from the Rajmala peak of Ervikulam National Park was breathtaking. The beautiful tea gardens of Munnar could be seen from bird eye view. Next we reached Marayoor sandalwood forest where we could see tall black sandal wood trees on both sides of the road. We sniffed the raw odor of sandalwood and confirmed on authenticity of the trees. Our next destination was Chinnar wildlife sanctuary. The sanctuary is really huge and we trekked to the watch tower and Chinnar river to reach a serene spot in the jungle. It was like a like  a postcard picture come alive, the banks of the Chinnar river was so beautiful!! From the top of the watch tower which was about 20 m in height, we could see the entire sanctuary.


The guide mentioned that the sanctuary was home to many wild animals like leopards, elephants, tiger, fox and bears but they mainly came out on prowl at nights. My naughty mind started contemplating a night trek to meet the wild which Noddy denied later. After this we moved to Munnar city for shopping souvenirs-tea and


chocolates. We shopped from Tata Tea-Kannan Devan retail outlet for Tea, Chocolates and Spices. We returned to our resort around 6 pm and spent the rest of the day dozing off as we were tired by the trekking.


The next day we started off early from Munnar for our next destination in Kerala -Kumarakom backwaters. The taxi took around 4.5 hours to reach Kumarakom. We had booked ourselves in Waterscapes resort. We were dumbstruck for a minute when we entered the resort. The reception overlook a beautiful natural lake and the resort itself was located inside the bird sanctuary, so it appeared as if we were staying in the wild. Our hut was beautifully located before a man made canal. There was a wide network of canals throughout the resort. You could even reach your hut by travelling in a small boat as boats were available to ferry you through. The hut was held up on stilts and we climbed up a few stairs to reach inside. Inside it was very luxurious with air conditioner, bath tub, coffee machine etc.


We spent the rest of the day chilling in the hut and later in the evening we went for swimming in the pool. The pool was lake facing and offered great views of the lake and the bird sanctuary. Beautiful houseboats floated in the lake, which looked even better as the night  approached. We had a sumptuous Kerala buffet dinner in the lake floating restaurant and then retired to bed. Next day we hired a houseboat for 3 hours and sailed through the Kumarakom backwaters. The houseboat charged us 2500 rs. The ride was good and we enjoyed it. Later we went to visit the darker parts of the bird sanctuary. As it was late afternoon we couldn't spot any significant birds except for a kingfisher and few cranes.


We captured them in our camera and returned to our hut. Later, we went to the Ayurvedic center in the resort for the famous Kerala massage. It costed us 1800 rs for a couple. The effect of the massage was very calming and I dozed off in the mid. It rejuvenated me and I felt very relaxed later. We again spent the evening before the lake.Rest please check comment section.


YOUR RATING ON

Kerala - General
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trivandrum India
Fragrant nature – The place for perfect family vac
Nov 18, 2009 11:24 AM 3389 Views

P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt".All of us have a dream vacation in a place one with nature. A place where birds lull you to sleep, where flowers’ sweet scents urge you to wake, where a cool breeze will caress your body to sway! Believe it or not, these have actually come out of your dream into a reality. And that reality is fragrant nature .


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P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt".Fragrant nature is an exclusive 4 star Resort offering the ultimate in relaxation and seclusion from the hustle and bustle of city life.


Nestled amongst graceful palms and beautifully landscaped on the serene Mala lake near Paravur, in Kollam district, the resort has 16 Premium lake view villas and 13 luxury lakeside rooms.


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With the mesmerizing beautiful surroundings come delicious dining, entertainment and a host of enjoyable leisure activities. The resort caters to all our needs with world class facilities


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P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt".The natural rural village setting of this Luxury hideaway, gives you the chance to see and experience the authentic keralean way of life. The location of the resort is such that one can explore the exciting diverse wildlife, geography and rich culture of Kerala


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P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt".The Essential Kerala


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P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"Kerala is very popularly known as ‘God's Own Country’, a destination handpicked by God! The amazing topography of the land, the enchanting natural landscapes, the breathtaking mountains, lakes and rivers, the great beaches, the rich and varied culture and art forms and so much more…all of which are here for us to experience.


Kollam district in Kerala is a picturesque city and is considered as the gateway to the back waters of Kerala. Kollam is the hub of the country’s cashew trading and processing industry. Kollam was also a renowned trading point for spices. The district is a leading centre for fishing in Kerala and here lies the largest fresh water lake in Kerala - Sasthamcotta


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P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify". href="https://fragrantnature.com/" target="_blank''.fragrant nature.


P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt". Resort which is located in Kollam.


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P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt".At One with Nature.


P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"Fragrant nature  resort is designed to stay in harmony with its natural surroundings and is developed as a sustainable responsible tourism venture. The Resort is nature- based, respecting the ecology of its site. They care for the environment and are socially and economically responsible. They try to adopt the reduce-reuse-recycle principle wherever we can. To improve the social conditions of the local community, they employ locals wherever possible, make use of local produce, local manufacturers and enlist local help for various services.


P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt".Ref:


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Gods own country... for the gods that dont eat!!
Oct 29, 2009 06:53 PM 5096 Views

The Plan:


We visited Kerala in the Last week of September, booked a 4N5D package. After days & weeks of research on the net I decided to book my trip through Sanguine Holidays. I read a lot of positive reviews about Sanguine on Mouthshut as well as other sites. The package pricing was one of the best without compromise on Quality. My itinerary looked something like this. Cochin / Munnar / Thekkady(Periyar) / Alleppey / Cochin.


Nimisha from Sanguine was very helpful and cooperative throughout the booking process. At the airport we met Rejeesh our Driver cum guide for the trip. Communication was a major hurdle as Rejeesh did not speak hindi and his English was limited to 2-3 word sentences. Within minutes we set forth on our journey to Munnar a long long long drive 4-5 hrs…On route we visited Cheeyappara & Valara waterfalls and Karadipara View Point. We stopped at another scenic waterfall and had breakfast at a dhaba.


Day 1 & 2:


At Munnar we were booked at Hotel Misty Mountain with "Tea Valley view" room. The View from the room was amazing. Munnar is one of the best hill stations I’ve ever visited. Being a Mumbaite I’ve visited a few hill stations but Munnar’s beauty can’t be compared to any of our local hill stations(Mahableshwar, Mhateran, Lonavala, Khandala, Lavasa). Its a class apart. At Munnar we visited Eravikulam National Park, the drive up the mountain to the National park was magnificent. Valleys and Valleys of tea plantations….steep winding road up the mountain covered with clouds…greenery everywhere quiet mesmerizing.can’t be described in words. After the bus journey the walk further up the mountain is steep but refreshing. Cool breeze with 0 pollution simply breathtaking…and leaving:-)


Later in the evening we went for a Kathakali show…I would highly recommend this to everyone(I know what u r thinking. even I thought it may be boring.but its not…its quiet an experience. They also allow you to click pictures with the dancers which is fun. On our driver’s persuasion we tried the famous Kerala massage at "Mudra". the rates for full body massage was exorbitant so we settled for head and face massage which too I though was quiet expensive…Rs300 for a 25 minute massage. An advice to my readers, please do not indulge in the head and face massage nothing special about it. In fact my local barber gives me an excellent head massage(Himtaj oil) that lasts for 30 – 35 mins only for Rs 50( tip inclusive) Can’t comment on the full body massage as I didn’t go for that one. Rs 1500 for 45 mins .Phew…Nevertheless the two days at Munnar was invigorating. Other activities done at Munnar were speed boating(Recommended) Flower garden trip. Tea shopping.


Day 3:


Next stop Thekaddy… The boat safari was unique but for us it’s special because we escaped the boat tragedy by mere 24hrs. We were on one of those boats a day prior to the mishap. The wax museum was interesting a run down version of Madam Tussards but worth a trip. Other activities at Thekaddy were spice plantation tour(If possible ask for Paul to take you through the plantation tour, he is very funny and conversational) spice shopping. Handicraft shopping.


*Day 4:


*Next day we drove to Allepey for our 1D1N stay on the Houseboat. The houseboat was way beyond my expectation(I read so many bad reviews about the houseboats that I was very skeptical abut getting a good one) but our houseboat was very neat and clean. The only problem on the houseboat was that the water in the taps was from the backwater stream below(the boat crew denied it) the water was murky…I used bislery for oral hygiene…and though I initially thought I would skip my daily bath…I eventually had one after looking at the people who live on the banks of the backwater. This water is their lifeline…they use this water for all their daily chores that involves water.The cruise through the canals and streams watching people go about their daily routine on the banks of the backwater was a humbling experience. The cruising time however is very less(12 – 1.30, 3.30 – 5.30, 7.30AM – 9.00AM) Another advice you might want to seriously consider. Carry along some movie/music Cds as there is nothing much to do after 5.30 – 6.00 once the boat is anchored for the night.


Day 5:


After disembarkation we drove to Cochin, on route we visited Allepey beach…was too hot so we didn’t spend much time there. In Cochin city we visited St. Francis Church, Jewish Synagogue, Jew Street, Dutch Palace & Chinese fishing nets. After sightseeing we barely had enough time to make it to the airport. I asked Rejeesh(driver) if we had time for lunch….he said yes we could have lunch and still make it to the airport…trusting the localite we decided to have lunch in a restaurant(big mistake)…after lunch while on route to Airport we got stuck in traffic…our flight was to depart in an hour and according to our driver we were still 45 mins away from the airport.as time ticked by our hopes of making it on time was diminishing fast.I called up the airline and checked for the next flight…as by then I had given up on making it on time for the flight…we finally reached airport at 15:50 for a flight originally scheduled to depart at 16:05. Luckily they had not stopped the boarding process as the flight was delayed by mere 15 minutes. So it was an exhilarating and happy end of our trip to the Gods Own Country…


Enjoy Gods Own Country…don’t be picky about food…


Chennai India
Best place worst food
Oct 20, 2009 12:13 PM 3803 Views

Kerala Gods own country best place to enjoy but food not good any where north indian will suffer and ppl dont know proper english and hindi to speak where ever you go you wont get ppl speaking proper english n hindi as the kerala is most educated place which I came to knew that only malayalam reading and writing makes them 100 % educated what rubish if they cant speak attleast hindi but tourism is good compare to other states they all ways up do something new but no proper unity between the district the loby plays big role in this.


They are not supporting the malabar district to develop in infrastructure and tourism there shold be unity to develop the whole keral not some district and kerala police very helping in all the ways. I love kerala all natural can improve lots in all the ways as my tour was holiday as well as business I found tourism develops fast but not in business field labour problem every where and daily some political topics they get and the come on the roads with red flads shoting inqulab zinda badah what is going on ppl having lots of time time in such activaties but dont know how it effects to those peoples only.


anyplace on earth India
Paradise of asia is kerala,everything is neat and
Oct 08, 2009 08:57 PM 3847 Views

Kerala, the nameoriginal is maintained no matter other states changed Madras into


tamilnadu, Mysore into karnataka and similarly few states in india changed but


K E R A L A.


Kerala is a small state amongst all other states of south india and ofcourse if u take


all the states excluding delhi and goa, kerala can be considerd as the smallest state


with total costal line and the width of the state is so unique, the way one pass starting


from Mangalore border start the district of kasaragod and till trivanduram the edge of


kerala state is just B E A U T I FU L state.


I compare kerala state to most beautiful girl in the world.


yes every aspect of kerala is unique, starting from the geographical position, diversity and


bountiful natural beauty of greens, lush green forest and the sea throught the border west side gives


a feel something refreshing.


water, water, water hinterland gives a place for boating at all places.


PEOPLE.


Kerala people never stare at u, i mean if u stare at them they never try to meet your eyes.


just try to stare or tease a kerala girl, the teaser heart will fail, u will fall in love with this girl because


she just ignore your starings and make u feel so sorry, the whole people will smile concealingly


because men in general keralite always protect their females with just sincere silence and no


tamasha as far as with our people.


ANY KERALITE, IS ALWAYS FRESH, FRESH BATHED.


Be it a girl, boy, or a middle aged kearlite they shine so well, cleanest cloth they wear, and most of the


boys are very handsome, handsome doesnt mean a girl love to marry a kerala boy, it is not handsome of pretty look or good look, it is smart, smart, clean shaved and moustache so neat a girl


like to tickle the moustache of a good looking kerala boy, even if a girl like to sit close with a boy


I am so sure kearla boys or men in general never misbehave with any person of india.


KEARLITE NEVER BOTHER WHERE UR FROM NOR GOING.


Generally speaking keralite never try to speak with u, unless it is a shoe shop, it is in a shoe shop


all kearalite speak, inviting the customer with gracious behaviour, and a girl never leave her feet with out making inserted of the recomended shoe well fit for her toes to feet.


KERALA BOYS ARE TOO CHARMING.


Yes whether it is a boy or a girl from outside, we like to look at them, they are always fresh, be it is


morining, evening hot summer, they look just fresh.i am so sure even snow claded kashimirs cant


compete with kearla men or boys in fresh face.


WOMAN DONT ROAM AS IN OTHER PLACES.


yes kearlite woman generally dont move too freely, they are more interested on the future of their life


where to study, where to work in india and they love to be with their own people anywhere on earth.


SAVING NATURE.


Any keralite never want to live other than kerala permanently and hence they save enough money


to build a house of their own so they save enough to build neat homes.


KERALA VILLAGE JOIN ONE ANOT HER.


Yes if u travel any part of kerala, no village ends nor starts, it is contineous.


SAFETY.


yes, any woman can be felt so safe in kerala, even if she travel alone, keralite dont try to ask about


her privacy unless she asks for help, they will never try to find out your problem.


KERALA LANGUAGE.


malayyalm, is a very sweet languge, though I find telugu is more sweet, but there is too much good facttor in MALAYALAM.


MALAYALAM IS PURE LANGUGE.


Keralite speak very beautiful this language, it is nice to hear two keralite speaking.try to view some


malayalam channel and u will fall in love with kearla.


U WILL FALL IN LOVE WITH KERALA BECAUSE IT IS SO PEACEFULL.


Be it a city or village there is TRANQUILITY IN KERALA.


Kerala has a very long coastal line, hence one can see blue sea within a short distance travel.


Dont fall in love with a kerala girl or boy he or she wont follow u,


What for kearala is worth visit.


1 To forget the whole world and enjoy being an indian to feel part of indian culture.


2 Nature is so peacefull and bountiful, the back water, boat ride and calmness, serenity all around


can cure a person from illness into most healthiest once leave Kerala.


3 Natural care through oil massage is famous, so also temples.


4 Kearla people have GURUVAYOOR and AYYAPPA as most revered, divine place.


5 You can see elephants freely moving in dense forests.


6 One more is, U must observe young keralaites speaking, debating and silence prevail they listen.


7 It is a good morning feel be it afternoon or evening, kearlite once again all fresh at all times.


8 The future of kerala since it will become world heritage seal this recognition will come to preserve


for many aspects starting from language, behaviour, dress, neat ness, calmness, peace at all


places, the devoted movemnt of people towards temple and celebarating onam festival all speak


they live culturally ever active and alive.


9 Never forget to observe crowds of keralite who make u feel what a sight to observe.


Today on  5th august 2012 I watched, listened the interview with shri JAYAKUMAR who is chief secretary of kerala state .


I was totally impressed by his talk.His english is simply superb he is a poet, he is keralite, malayalee and his english is standard english.


Aft er listening his opinion who also caused to name kerala as Gods own land or home.This slogal they put when he was director of tourism in kerala.


kerala is totally a diffrent cultured state, here there is simply nature beauty and no desert and ever green and culture intact preserved by unique Malayalam.


irrespective of their caste or religion, one thing impression that all have is their love for thier mother tongue, have you ever seen two from kearala quarrel outside their state is all because they love to preserve their state name.


Visit to God's Own country .. awesome
Oct 05, 2009 05:10 PM 3893 Views

We had a refreshing and memorable holiday to Kerala and I will remember it throughout my life. Now I can understand why it is called God’s Own Country. It was a 6nt / 7day tour covering Munnar-Thekkady-Kumarakom-Allepy and booked via Sanguine Holidays Kochi.


Munnar:


Hotel Mountain Trail was far from the town and need a travel on very narrow road to reach but the location was good. All 2 days we thought that it’s built in sky & there is no land there J . Everywhere we can see clouds & sky. Only few times I got to see the view of the valley and it was awesome. Food & staff is Ok. Munnar is a very nice place. We didn’t go to see the Nilgiri thar at Eravikulam National Park as there was a queue for~3-4hrs. We instead went to Echo point and the Kundala Lake. That is just an awesome place. Go away from crowd and sit down quiet and relax. Just wonderful place. Also we went to see tea gardens & tea museum which is nice for first timers.


Thekkady:


I will suggest everyone to visit this place as it is central place for all activities. We enjoyed the spice plantation tours, elephant ride, Kahthakali dance and the Kalari Martial arts show(both at Mudra) . Also, visited the Periyar wildlife sanctuary. Lake Peryiar is very clam & scenic place to be. We got to see elephants, wild boars, deer from the boat. One can get a great massage here. I recommend to look out for trained professionals from aryuvedic hospitals for massage. I took a complete body+ shiro-dhara massage for 1250/- which was very relaxing. Please do lot of R&D for this place as there are many options available for it. I enjoyed the stay at Greenwoods resort it was excellent.


*Kumarakom:


*We travelled to Kumarakom and checked in at The Lake Song. The room and resort were good but the services were bad, there was no one to receive us & even we had to wait 15-20 mins for the room to be ready. They were supposed to give a free sunset cruise, which they cancelled that day. So, there were no activities at kumarkom. I will not suggest anyone to spend a day here, if you are going in houseboat anytime during your visit.


*Houseboat at Allepy


*We then travelled to Alleppey and boarded a 1bedroom houseboat. It was far better from my expectation, it was big, very clean and had lot of space. The journey through the canals was an amazing experience. I would say that Allepy is the Venice of India. Few villages are connected to main land only by water ways and people use boats for their daily commute. The food was awesome. It was all Kerala style food & I enjoyed it. After reading people’s exp from here, I booked the one with a/c & took mosquito repellent crème with me which was very helpful. We checked out from the houseboat and returned home after a wonderful journey.


About Sanguine Holidays:


My entire Tour was very well planned right from pickup from Kochi airport till the drop. They are truly professionals and excellent in the field. When I arrived at airport the driver handed me a file which had my whole itinerary, hotel vouchers etc. Ms.Nimisha Sumode, is very nice and sweet spoken lady and she would call me up almost every day to enquire about the proceedings of the trip. The cab driver Mr. Reby was well versed with Hindi & English and his driving was very safe. The car provided was also clean and in a very good condition.


Changanacherry India
Visit God's own Country
Jun 02, 2009 03:29 PM 3337 Views

We are really satisfied with your services and arrangements. All your choices of hotels have been on very nice places. Although there has been some communication problem with our driver and houseboat crew, they took very good care of us, especially the driver; he took special efforts sometimes to make us to visit certain places.


Mr.Nishad has been very helpful and courteous before the start of the trip and during the trip also. He was always available on phone to attend to any of our queries and doubts.. House Boat is a wonder for us. It’s really beyond our expectation. The way they treated is marvelous.


Totally I can give you rating 9 out of 10.Many of my friends already approached me asked about Peacock Holidays and I told very positively. Since you have asked me to point out negative points, I would like to mention a very few points in that direction also.


Nothing more to say……We had a pleasant stay at all location & pleasant travel all the way. We wish another vacation in near future.Thank you Peacock Holidays.....


Enchanting Kerala March-2009
Apr 12, 2009 07:17 PM 3463 Views

We had a journey of 7 cities in Kerala in month of March 2009. We visited Cochin (Earnakulum), Munnar, Thekkady, Allaphuza (Alleppy), Kanyakumari, Kovalam and Thiruvanthapuram (Trivendrum) the capital of Kerala. A refreshed and relaxed moods with lots of memories invoked in emotions a drastically changed outlook of time personal, social and emotional.


However, letting alone the personal front and getting into the beautiful land of Kerala and the joys we shared there that may have been through by those who may have lived or visited there. Cochin was elite city with advertisements largely of jewellery and surprisingly the women were in suits.


We went to the Dutch Palace – a small place of paintings and remnants of the past decore to walk the street for some shopping. Saw the churches alongside. Drove uphill to Munnar for the exquisite scenes of the terrace farms largely the tea gardens. The most of the land took on lease by Tata group. The route circuitous and dazzling. Lush green shiny leaves, the red soil, the clay soil, the black rocks and the mountains like the tortoise backs strolling together for fun. It was very much picturesque. Munnar means city of three rivers. Maluppetty Dam was flocked by hawkers and street vendors. The Echo Point too was same.


The lots of tourists gathered with all in their own joy expressing in shouts, play, pictures and all. The Kundale lake was blissfully flowing water with all calm and serene. We decided to boat and the local boatman took us for the joyride. It was a spellbound surrounding – a wild squirrel on trees, The crows crowing, the isolated birds – the crane, ducklings, the rife at the shore full of tall tress with one end of bridge and the other mountains with the water as the tapering peninsula of the map of India.


On return back we saw “uni” flowers that were tiny pink and yellow with a wild white goat resting below. The next day we drove down to Thekkady. A tourist spot for the artist who loves to paint the oil and water. A perfect destination. It has a one of the world’s largest wild life sanctuary spread in approx. 777 sq. km. We visited the wild life sanctuary for a joyride on the double-decker motorboat. It was comfortable but a slow kind of time stressed and aches for something to happen. Isolated black birds – crane, crow, and ducklings were spread across the lake.


Had glimpse of herd of Elephant and wild deer, a wild goat, a sea horse and on the walk back on the tiny bridge a flock of fishes pouting out for air – all of them black. While we drove back a couple of Wild horse stood by the road, wild cattle crossed us by. At the hotel was a street for shopping. The had Kathakali Dance- the traditional folk Dance and some martial art folk dance programmed for tourists. The jewelry was catchy mainly in stones and sterling silver.


The morning came serene with sound of prayers from distant temple and after breakfast we drove down to Alleppy. The back water ride was a perfect sneak ride and comfortable in dreams and reality or maybe a hypnotic state. The place is famous for its back water where locals grow the sea food and have house boats. Mostly tourists took house boat on rent. The next day we drove to Kanya kumari, Tamilnadu. The day had been cloudy and the weather pleasant. The Hotel had excellent view of the Kanya kumari the Arabian sea (green water), Indian Ocean (blue water) and Bay of Bengal (brown water) all merging and splashing at the shore. The Swammi Vivekananda statue stood high with vivid black silhouette of a temple close by. A little infront stood the church all white and elegant in its obvious architecture. The pyramidal domes and the cross gave its picture a very exemplary place in the view from the balcony.


After the day broke and the sky was clear and sunny, it felt good to be actually there at the shore of Kaniyya kumari. The shore was busy with local and tourist folks offering prayers. Waves splashed loud and the rocks stood high. The view point was newly made it seems with the passage of stones that was great. It was to enable watch the sea from great heights. Offering a brief homage to the place, we left for Kovallam. Kovallam is perfect destination for sea lovers. The tides were high with night being a full moon. The next day the sky blushed pink and was dressed lavender and bright blue and painted itself with golden hue as the day progressed being cloudy and sunny time-on-time. The eve sea was roaring high.


Splashing on the rocks. Tides went up and high to bring night full of rain and lightening. The morning sea was tranquil as if it had vent out all its feeling. The water spread on the shores and its drops spread like pearls as if it was getting ready for a beautiful day ahead. The temple jingled the typical Malyali music of prayer that blended with crows around. The most fantastic feeling of joy!!! The Trivendrum Temple looked wonderful with engraving of the Hindu deities. The palace of the king was let open for the tourists. It was full of royal gifts. The architecture was worth the note. The colorful homes painted in bright shades, the wonderful landscapes, the roaring shores, the sneaky back waters, the beautiful skies, the morning bliss and eternal memory of being there and the togetherness of love, affection, dream and ambitions left behind again to get back to my present. Back again in the comfort of my own home. Home sweet home!!! I like Kerala for spices, Tea, Churches!


Kerala Backwater tour (Kottayam-Kumarakom-Allepp)
Mar 30, 2009 02:59 PM 4090 Views

We started the 2 days trip for Kerala backwater from Bangalore.


Day 1: Bangalore - Kottayam train friday night. After reaching kottayam Saturday morning hired an Auto to reach Illikalam resort at Kumarakom.


Autoes charge by meter (both sides) even if you hire them for city outskirts. Illikalam lake resort is very good and economical, all cottages are lake facing same as shown on their website. They charged 2250+tax for double bed/day.


They will provide hammock and fishing rod for Rs 50 each which is worth. Food is good and economical. We tried chicken stew, parora, Karimeen fry (lake fish). They will provide fruit and coconut from their organic garden. Owner and staff is very helping.In the even8ing, we visited Kumarakom bird sanctury is 2-3 KM from resort, good place maintained by KTDC, though we could not see birds since it was March end.


Day 2: From Resort ot Kottayam ferry stop by auto, resort people will arrange auto anytime on your request.From Kottayam-Alleppey there are ferry services, well maintained and very economical (23 Km for 10 Rs/ Person). Whole journey will take around 2-3 hrs and pass through several canals and lakes. From ferry stop to Alleppey beach is 3.5 Km which is .7 Km away from Alleppey railway station.


Alleppey beach is small one but clean. Best part is beach facing Indian Coffee house. Alleppey - Bangalore train Saturday night.Few Tips: If looking for lake view resorts go to Kumarakon, its having 10-15 resort within 2-3 Km on Vembanad lake. Motor boat ride (300 Rs / hour) or house boat ride (1000 Rs / hour) can be availed.


If looking for houseboat go to Alleppey, there are 100s of houseboat near Alleppey Ferry Stop. I dont thing all of them have online booking facility, so can be booked by looking at real product and with good bargain on arrival, couldnt get good deal online.


Kerala - The Place to Be
Mar 01, 2009 05:07 PM 4387 Views

Our trip was a family trip comprising of members from four families taking the total number of travelers to about 13. The trip was made during the latter half of February 2009 and lasted for 8 days (including the days of travel from Delhi to Kerala).


We chose Kochi (old name Cochin) as our gateway to Kerala as it is one of the only two (the other being Thiruvananthapuram) cities that have an airport. We were lucky to get cheap airline tickets which cost the same as 3AC Rajdhani tickets so we had no reason not to travel by air. We reached Kochi in the evening only to catch a train at midnight to Thiruvananthapuram which was our first place of interest.


We reached Thiruvananthapuram early morning and after freshening up at a hotel where we had prior booking set off to Kovalam beach. The Kovalam beach is around 15-16 Km from the Thiruvananthapuram railway station. I was very happy to see that even after 9-10 years (that's when I visited south India previously) the beach has maintained it's cleanliness. In addition, it's not a crowded beach like other beaches in India. Neither is the sea water here as muddy as other Indian beaches.


The shallow waters are a treat for swimmers. You can even take a boat ride in a boat made from tree trunks. While in the boat, we were able to spot a school of fish and the oarsman also caught a live sea urchin which we touched and saw from real close. We spent around three hours at the beach and then after freshening up left for Kanyakumari as Thiruvananthapuram does not have much to offer.


Since we were a group, we hired a tempo traveler, which is commonly available throughout south India. It was a three hour journey to Kanyakumari and it was quite humid. It became pleasant only during the last half an hour of the journey. But all complaints that we had about the weather till now were put to rest. Kanyakumari, with it's cool breezes in the early morning and evening, feels like heaven. Since this was not the peak season (nor the lean season), we managed to find a good and economical hotel. Compare to north India, the hotels in south are much cheaper. The next morning, we all got up early and went to the hotel's terrace eager to see the much famous sunrise of Kanyakumari. As luck would have it, the clouds ruined the show. And, this is what had happend during my previous visit to south India. So, people who are planning to go to Kanyakumari, please don't be very optimistic about catching the view of the rising sun. After getting ready for the day, we went to Vivekanand Rock Memorial which is a small rock (or island) in the sea. They take you to the rock in jetties and in this medium rush season also, we had to wait for about 45 minutes for our turn to catch one. The jetty first drops you at Vivekanand Memorial and once you have seen it, you can ride the jetty and go to the adjoining Thiruvalluvar statue. The Thiruvalluvar statue was completed in the year 2000 and is a huge statue of the great Tamizh poet. The Vivekanand Rock Memorial has a temple dedicated to Kanyakumari Devi. Then it has a statue of Svami Vivekanand and some information painted on the walls about the signifance of the place. As such, the place does not offer you any intriguing things to see except for the cool breeze and the excellent sea view. Moving on to the Thiruvalluvar statue, you can climb up to some height and have a 360 degree view of the place. They have also painted Thiruvalluvar's couplets on the walls, which I personally found difficult to understand. But for lovers of poetry, you also have the option to buy a book containing the great poet's compositions. Once we were done with the rock memorial and the Thiruvalluvar statue, we went back to the mainland and retired in our hotel. There is a Gandhi memorial also in Kanyakumari but since we were tired we gave that a miss. But I remember from my previous visit, that it's a nice place too and is worth a visit. Then, like any other Indian city, Kanyakumari also has a temple. We gave it a miss too.


The next morning, we again had to get up early as we had a train to catch to Kottayam. It was a five and a half hour journey and on reaching Kottayam we hired a taxi to Kumarakom (15 Km from Kottayam). Kumarakom was the place where we had to hire a houseboat and enjoy the backwaters of Kerala. Usually, the check-in time to the houseboat is 12 noon (and the check out time is 10 am the next day) but it was already 1-1:30 pm when we reached Kumarakom. And since we did not have a prior booking, it took as another one a half hour negotiating with the houseboat agent. It's always better to have a prior booking for the housboat. If you still don't want to do an advance booking, atleast go to the place one day before you want to check in and strike the deal. Rs.1000-1200 for a 22 hour houseboat is a good deal. But the rates could be higher in the peak season. Ours was a big houseboat with four AC bedrooms and an upper deck that had a big dining table and arragements for a karaoke dance party. It was a completely new experience being in a houseboat and sailing in the middle of the sea away from any disturbance. The cool breeze blowing in your face is soothing. In the evening, the captain of the houseboat anchored it along a narrow strip of land. We then had a dance party and our dinner. One thing we were thankful of of was that the cook of our houseboat was fantastic. Inspite of the fact that we were vegetarians and north Indians, he cooked some delicious food. The next morning we had another 2 hours to enjoy the boat ride before we checked out. All of us wanted the boat ride to continue forever. Before we got off, the captain let us try our hand at steering the boat for a while!!! We got off the boat with an everlasting experience etched in our memories and a desire to savour it once again.


We then left for Kumily which was about a 4 hour drive from Kumarakom. Kumily is a small town that basically thrives on tourism. It offers Kerala's traditional martial arts and Kathakali shows. It also offers the much sought after spa experience. Early morning, the next day we went to Periyar Tiger Reserve. They take you around in a jetty and if you are lucky, you can spot tigers along with some other animals. As it is with other national parks in India (atleast, I am sure about Jim Corbett Park), our eyes just kept craving to see a tiger. All we could see was a couple of birds, otters and bisons. The bisons were at such a distance that we really could not differentiate them from buffaloes. The boat jetty rides start at 7 in the morning and the last one is at 4 in the afternoon. I heard some people say that the one at 4 entails greater chances of tiger spotting. One good thing about the tiger reserve was the scenery. It made for good photography and some of the pictures that I took there look like professionally clicked wallpapers.


After the disappointing visit to the tiger reserve, we left for Munnar from which we had high hopes. But it turned out to be an even bigger disappointment as most of the tourist attractions are at a minimum distance of 30 Km from the main town.


All in all, Kerala is a must visit place for its backwaters.


Chennai/Jorhat/Delhi India
Beaches in Kasargod
Feb 25, 2009 09:55 AM 8864 Views

Blue sky, green land and a beautiful sea, and a calm surrounding too, what else do we need on a wonderful break…a break from a fast metro life?


Yes, I want to mention about the extremely beautiful beaches located in a place called Kasargod.


Kasargod is a place located 67 kilo meters away from Mangalore, in the borderline between Kerala and Karnataka. It is famous as a hub for all kinds of spices in Kerala. Spices are exported from this place.


In addition to that, this place has got extremely wonderful beaches, KapilBeach and the BekalBeach to mention, which are not very famous indeed, like all the tourism attractive places. A very few tourists you get to see on these amazing beaches.


To describe the beauty, and more importantly the bliss associated with this place is difficult to express in words. It is a blend of paradise, ecstasy and harmony. A beautiful lengthy sand beach on one side, green palm and coconut trees on one side, the blue sky and the blue sea on the other. And the calmness and cleanliness of these beaches is beyond commendable. And the sea shells you see lying here and there, are of different colours, orange, green, golden, pink, dancing with the waves of the sea. Wanted to carry a few of those, but the space constraint didn't permit me.


Travelling Route can be a 16 hours train journey from Chennai. One can get down at the Kasargod station itself.


Or it is one and a half hour drive, basically a road journey from Mangalore. There are cottages and hotels to stay which are pretty low in cost compared to any other tourist place.


Overall, it is is a must to visit place.


Cheers


Biswarupa


Mumbai India
Travel tips to Kerala
Jan 19, 2009 12:00 AM 3927 Views

*Hi,


*I wish to give a few tips and my experience during my visit to Kerala


Cochin


I went to one of the local travel agents in my town and told him about my intention of spending my vacation in Kerala.He prepared a route for me and I agreed to it.My car was waiting at the airport and the driver gave me a warm welcome.He tried to get friendly by talking and enquiring about things in general.I started my journey from Cochin where I spent 1 night.We went to some places like Fort Cochin and to a church, synagogue and to some streets filled with shops selling souvenirs(very expensive).But you also get to buy some spices at good price**.


Munnar*


The second leg was to Munnar.I had heard a lot from many websites and friends who have been there.So when the travel agent suggested to me about spending 3 nights, I agreed.I checked in to the Siena Village, which is about 15 kms from Munnar town.In a way it is good to be away from the town.There are other resorts like Mahindra and atleast 7-8 resorts in the same area.The rooms were good and everything was really looking very nice.The next day we had breakfast and went for some sight seeing.Which is basically to some tea gardens and some place called Mattupetty.The brochure about Munnar says about Chinnar, Marayur etc.But the driver gave us some excuses telling about the bad roads etc. We were also discouraged by the front office.There was no pool(need a heated one).But later I heard that there was only 1 hotel with pool, in Munnar.The third day we had nothing much to do.The fourth day we finished our breakfast and checked out.


*Thekkady


*Our journey to Thekkady took us through winding roads and we reached there by lunch time. We had lunch at a local restaurant.We were made to believe that the tickets for boating in the Periyar Lake is a scarce commodity, by our driver.He kept repeating that it is better to go to the resort after the boating and took us to a couple of massage centres.He virtually forced us to take a massage at one of the centres.By now we started to get a little wary of this guy .After the boating for which he charged us 400/- for two(telling that there was some service charge that was to be paid), we were taken to the spice shops.We refused to play the game and then only he drove us to the resort.We checked in to Wild Corridor resort, a 10 minutes drive from the town.After dinner, we spoke to the staff and realised that there was a pool and a massage center.But we had to checkout the next day.When we woke up, we realised what we had missed durin the previous day.The location was really exotic.We used the pool for some time and asked for a late checkout.We checked out after lunch.Then we realised that there are a lot of exciting outdoor activities in Thekkady.


*Kumarakom



We travelled to Kumarakom and checked in at The Lake Song, which was a new resort.But I must say that the rooms were really good and so were the services.You always get to experience a light breeze from the lake.But most of the time you are confined to the resort.Because the nearest town is about 15 kms.


*Houseboat


*We then travelled to Alleppey and boarded a houseboat.I must say that seeing the houseboat itself we were excited.The journey through the canals wasan amazing experience.The food was basically local.But considering that it was only for a day, it was a welcome change.The rooms were basic, but had airconditioning( a must).


We checked out from the houseboat and returned home after a wonderful journey.


*Tips



Munnar is a destination for only 2 nights.


Those who relish, out doors and activities can spend more time at Thekkady.


*Kumarakom is a must and so are the house boats.But those who do not prefer a night on the waters, better take a day cruise and stay back in the resort


Very Important- Do not rely entirely on the driver and book massage etc outside.My wife had a very bad experience.It is better to do a massage in any of the resorts.



Who owns this country?
Jan 17, 2009 09:39 PM 4030 Views

Though it happened exactly one year ago, and my letter went to various Indian media along with Tourist Corporation of Kerala Government, from nowhere did I receive even a line. Therefore let my impressions help other tourists heading for this South India state. I have been visiting India since 1972 as a part of my professional duties. Last year I voted for a change, and accepted a tourist packet from the KeralatoursNtravels of Kochi  and its Marketing Manager Sajith Balachandran . Contrary to a given promise, the latter neither turned up on my arrival to Kochi on January 13, 2008, nor later. My husband and I were met by some Geo Thomas who brought us to an untidy hotel located on a narrow stripe of the Cherai public beach covered with litter and garbage. It met neither my requirements nor was in accordance with the Marketing Manager's assurances about the quality of the place(I have kept intact every piece of correspondence in my computer) or the respective Internet sites(both of the agency and the hotel). The more the worse. Geo Thomas explained that he was not responsible for the reservation made by somebody else(i.e. by the lost Marketing Manager of the agency). A lot of lies followed that there were no vacancies in other hotels(I managed to find two alternatives within 15 minutes, and we left for one of them). Eventually we asked for a shift elsewhere, and were moved to an overrated heritage place at the Alleppey beach owned by a relative of Geo Thomas. The irony of this shift was that a room in that very bungalow had been offered to me in November, 2007, by the same agency at the rate of Rs 2, 000, and then the offer was withdrawn on a pretext of a nearby foul smell etc. Now the same place was offered as a boon at the rate of Rs 2, 875(in the second half of January, 2008, when a high season was over!) on the pretext that everything was full. As it happened, we were almost the only residents of the place. The driver arranged by Geo Thomas who brought us to Alleppey did not leave the same day for Kochi but got drunken and spoke rudely. On my complaint, Geo Thomas said that he was not responsible for the driver’s behavior also. There were many other nuances in relation to the abovementioned agency's services that made an absolutely negative impact upon our perception of Kerala. Needless to say, that I failed to get in contact with anybody else from the agency on its land-line phone or to get apologies for my spoilt time and wasted money. The other experience that made me feel cheated was related to a house-boat trip. The boat was arranged with a mediation of my Alleppey host and K.P. Sugunan of Suguna Tourist Boat Service who assisted in renting a one bed-room non-AC house-boat from some Sebin Philip, the boat was unnamed, and an owner or a company’s name was present nowhere). The rent of Rs 4, 800 was demanded in advance, and instead of 22 hours which is a period for which a house-boat was rented, it ran less than 7 hours within two-three km distance from Alleppey, otherwise being anchored for lunch, dinner, night hours etc. From nobody, by the by, did I get an authentic receipt for the services rendered, or, to be precise, services failed to be rendered! There were either some visiting cards with cell numbers(the card presented by Sebin Philip had the name of “Mobile Aluminium”, Aluminium Fabrication Work & PVC Doors etc.) or mere sheets with the upper name torn apart and “Opp.K.S.R.T.C. Bus Stand Allepey” words left etc. This dishonesty and greed for money was particularly disappointing as my husband was on his second visit to India and the image of Kerala has been marred in his perception in comparison with other places he had visited on his previous visit. That happens to be the impression of many other foreign tourists we came across and shared our experiences with. I am absolutely sure that the Kerala Tourism Association, or Kerala Government Tourism Department, or whatever other body available in the state should know of this maltreatment of tourists in case Kerala intends to promote its tourism brand. Of course, there were nice and friendly people, too, we were lucky to have met, like students of a Syrian Orthodox seminary in Kottayam, or an autoriksha-driver from Allepey, or a book shop-keeper from Ernakulam, or just everyone who gathered for the festival of St. Sebastian in Arthungal, or an owner of a small eatery from Fort Cochin or a family from the same place who – from their balcony - invited us for a cup of coffee etc. Still, the question I kept on asking myself throughout my stay in Kerala, was: is it “God’s Own Country” as it is advertised on every sign-board here and there or unscrupulous travel agents’ and middle-men’s own country? Ag Bai


Kerala, Kumarakom Back waters
Dec 27, 2008 08:32 PM 3318 Views

It had been a long time that me and my wife had travelled to the lush green natures. Kerala backwaters - kumarakom was one place that we were planning from a quite long time.


Eventually we planned a 3 days 2 nights trip to this amazing place on a weekend. We travelled by train kanyakumari express from Bangalore to Kottayam. From kottayam we had booked a taxi to the resort in kumarakom which is 30 mins drive.


We booked Waterscapes Resorts owned by KTDC (kerala tourism development corporation) , one of the best places we stayed. It has 3 types of cottages we choose to be in Lake view cottage which faces the lake with a balcony. The location of this resort is just too good. its built on the banks of Vembanad lake (backwaters). The restaurant is a floating one which is extended on to the lake. Each cottages are situated at distance from one another surrounded by greenery and water canals. Food is good, more towards the south Indian style . They don't serve alcohol but yes the consolation is they serve beer.


Day 1. Boarded the train at 9.30 pm in Bangalore and reached kottayam at 11am and next day morning. Taxi was ready by 12 we checked into the resort.


We got fresh and had some food in the same restaurant, note that there are nearby restaurants around expect for Taj , raddisson which may need a taxi to go there. Spent some time around the resort. Its definitely beautiful location to go around, by 5.30pm we had booked for ayurvedic massage in the same resort and for 3 hrs we got good massage. It costed 6k for both. They had a buffet ibn the dinner. The meal was had good variety of veg and non veg.


Day2. We had planned for day cruise in the house boat. We booked one with single bedroom lobby area and boarded from the hotel itself. They charged 6k between 11 am to 6pm. After 6.30pm they stop as per the government regulations. This was very good experience. It was deluxe houseboat with all luxuries. We had 3 staff one a driver, service boy and a cook. They cruised along the backwater s and canals, prepared some good lunch as we had informed them in advance, what we need.


It is always better to go see and then book the houseboat there itself instead of booking through the agents as we may get cheated. Staying in the houseboat overnight is also possible except for the mosquitoes and insects around, which would love to accompany.


Day3. There were some local sightseeing locations around which did not interest us. I had one of my frnd residing 40kms away from there in a place called Mavalikera. He picked us up and visited there. We had never been to a village, and the hospitality of these people were way beyond the city people. The house was located on the bank of river and it was a farm house. The food was 100% kerala style, which we had not tasted before, too good.


End of the day we boarded the train in the local station. Luckily The same train passes this place also.


Reached Bangalore early morning 7am. We were fresh to get back to work on Monday morning, thanks to the train journey, definitely comfortable.


Best points


1. Waterscapes is definitely a worth place to stay (Costs 16k for 3days 2 nights including breakfast. It may be cheaper in the OFF season).


2. Good food and people/staff


3. Excellent location surrounded by lake, thick green trees, canals and bird sanctuary


4. Calm Backwaters makes you truly relax.


5. Excellent houseboats almost like a 3 star hotel


6. Best to commute in train as this train runs daily, and comfortable. This place is also well connected by roads.


7. Ayurvedic Massage is a must to experience.


Points to take care.


1. Do not book the house boat until you see it.


2. Vegetarians need to take care as they may have less choice of food.


3. Don’t try to order food to the cottage as they will take an hour atleast to get back.


4. It was December and we were sweating away to glory. Place is definitely not cold. Its quite humid. Evenings are cool and pleasant


5. Best suited for honeymoon and group trips.


Note that Allepy and Kumarakom are the either side, that is opposite banks of this vembanad lake. This is a common backwater lake for Allepy and kumarakom.


South Yorkshire United Kingdom
Kerala, Leela
Dec 18, 2008 02:57 AM 2964 Views

We spent 2 weeks at Kerala, staying at hotel Leela. It was a very interesting and enjoyable holiday.


The hotel: Perfect! There are more staff than guests, all very friendly. The rooms have sea views and air conditioning and furnished to a high standard. I wouldn't go half board, beacuse there are so many other place to eat at a 1/5 of the price. The private beach also makes this well worth the extra cost, as other beaches we saw, were not quite as nice.


The resort: All locals are very friendly and you feel very safe walking around day and night. You get pestered a lot from people trying to sell things, but you soon learn to cope with this. The views are amazing!


Trips: Many different companies run trips, the most recognised will be more expensive. If you want to do tours on the cheap, local drivers are always willing to take you places. Alex from Restaurant Gazia on lighthouse beach does a good local fishing village tours. Must also see the Elephants, the Dam, the palace.


Food & Drink. Head to lighthouse beach, where there are over 30 restaurants, all very nice and reasonable. Although its a dry state, alcohol can be purchased in almost every restaurant, but wine is quite expensive.


St Angelo Fort
Dec 06, 2008 08:33 AM 4205 Views

The legacy of Portuguese, Dutch and the British is seen @ Fort St. Angelo. It was built by Sir Francisco De Almeida in 1505, ( almost 500 years old )on the shores of Arabian sea for guarding the town against attack from the sea by pirates and subsequently foreign enemies. The fort signifies the first sign of colonization attempt by Portuguese who had essentially landed in India for trading of spices on the Kerala coast. It was built by Almeida with the permission the prevailing king of kolathiri Raja.


The fort has been constructed using the laterite stones which are available in plenty in the region. These stone are amenable for strong construction due to its easy chiseling and blends very well with the limestone. Currently ASI is upgrading the Fort to its original grandeur using the same materials and conserving this magnifcient heritage of 4 different eras. Some of the fallen edifices are rebuilt and numbered according to the sequence. The evidence of the same can be found is some portions of the fort, in particular when one climbs toward lighthouse from the inner ramparts of the fort.


One can find lot of videographers willing to shoot pictures of the family in a professional manner at a price. Some of them ape song and dance sequence in the locales. The fort contains the Barracks of soldiers and stables for the horses too. An armoury storing the gunpowder does not seem out of place considering the no of cannons.


LIGHTHOUSE


An Iron pillar like structure situated on the upper strata of the Fort ramparts was used as a Lighthouse to warn the ships sailing towards the the coast the dangers of the rocky coastline. The coastline in the entire belt is littered with such rocky formations which can damage and sink a ship into the Arabian seas. The Portugues used to light the same using candles and reflect the light vide a magnifying mirror, to warn the ships of the imminent dangers.


*CANNONS



There are number of cannons which are preserved in it s pristine state, which gives us the real feel of the times. It transports the visitors to ancient era, wherein entire Fortress is ever ready for a battle. Very few forts in India have the weaponary displayed in their premises. Most of them are either shifted to muesuems or parks.


BARRACKS


A typical barrack of the Dutch era is seen in the fort premises, wherein the horses and soldiers lived side by side, guarding the entire fortress against the enemy attacks. The British may have used this place for their drills and flag hoisting ceremonies in all probability.


A beautiful painting of this elegant fortress and the fishing bay is displayed @ Rijks Museum in Amsterdam, Holland. The beheaded skull of Kunjalli Marakkar was exhibited @ the Fort premises by the dutch after his brutal assignation. There is museum of some of the exhibits which was closed at the time of my visit due to holiday I presume. May be I was so enamoured by the beauty of this fortress, I let go the museum.


One of the main high points of travel is in the form of Mappila cusine which is available in the restaurants @ kannur. The preparation in form of non veg delicacies with various spice mixture seems to be alluring. I just forgot to buy some authentic spices maybe next time around I will be able to purchase the same for domestic consumption.


Timings : Fort visiting time is 8.30 to 6.00 pm. The fort is guarded by tourism police and one of their constable Satyam has published a historical treatise on St Angelo fort. A video fee of Rs 25 is levied otherwise there is no enterance fee to the Fort.


Location : This fort is located approximately 3 kms from the Kannur Railway station, and autos generally charge double the meter ranging from Rs 25 to 40. The actual meter is only 13.60 exactly.


There are buses plying from the station to the Fort complex. They charge Rs 4.50 per head. One has to walk approximately 1 km into the military complex. It is advisable to travel by rikshaw and return truding back to the main road to live the Fort.. Enroute one finds a small park maintained by the army which is full of antique weaponry used during the world war times. There is Mappilla Bay situation right opposite to the St Angelo fort and Arrakal museum located in parallel direction. Kannur has many other tourist attractions such as Payambalam Beach, Meenkunnu Beach, Snake park, Science Park, Folklore academy, Vallapatanam, Dharmadam Isle, Kunnimangalam, etc.


Full review : https://indiabackpacker.blogspot.com



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A trip to kerala
Jul 31, 2008 11:50 AM 2952 Views

March 25th 2005, I was in a rush, I was searching something.i searched my whole room but wasn't able to find it. Finally mom came in my room n said "here is ur ticket".Ahh I took a deep breath n den went to my friend's house where oder members of my group were waiting just for me.


We all sat in my friend's car n went to the railway station.everyone of us was so excited as we were going on a holiday, a holiday to kerala.Right we all boarded the train and settled down.


The train started and we finally occupied our respective seats.We were enjoying ourselves by playing games n listening to music.After entertaining ourselves n taking our dinner we went to sleep n that was the routine for all three days in the train.we were eating, sleeping n playing.


Finally we arrived to the station, I don't remember the name of the station as it was a tongue twister.At the station my friend's father n his driver were waiting for us.They gave us a warm welcome n we headed towards my friend's house in his car.When we reached his house we were given the food which was served in typical south indian style.but we enjoyed it as it was a new experience all together.


As it was a very tiring journey, so immediately after taking the meal we all went to sleep.


Next day we started our trip n visited some of the most beautiful places of the town in cluding a very beautiful temple n also kovalaam beach(forgive me if I have spelled it wrong).


It was all going very smooth n we were having the best time of our lives.but there is always a but.


when we reached back to our frd's house, one of my frd took my cell n he started doing R&D on it and the end result was that My sim card was locked n I shouted at him as I wasn't able to make calls n also couldn't recieve any calls frm my family n girl frd.so we had a big fight.We had a plan to go to goa the very next day but due to this fight, the plan was cancelled and I end up being a villain in all my frd's eyes.


So the consequence was that half of my frd's decided to go to BAlaji  which was nearby n half of us decided to come back to Bhopal.So in the end it was a memorable journey for all of us.Things have settled down n we often have a laugh about that fight n the whole journey.I wish I could have enhanced the review more by describing the beautiful sites which I had visited there in Kerela but unfortunately I dont remember many of them.


But I would definitely recommend u ppl to visit the place once. After all, it is known as "GOD's own country" if I'm not wrong.


Regards:


Maroof


Kerala Holidays to Malabar
Jul 10, 2008 02:33 PM 7902 Views

My trip:


I had gone to kerala for a short break with my friends as we all wanted a change from our busy work in Bangalore. We were in search of simple, cheap and hassle free holiday package to kerala and we all were eager to play in beaches, go for house boat cruise, see the nature in it best.


We searched a lot in net and at last from our friend, we came to know about islandgetaways and we booked out trip through them.It was a 2 day package.


Features:


It was reasonably cheap and all travel was quite comfortable in A/C coaches.This is one of my best trip I ever had...I must say!!!


The destination was Malabar Coast where the tourist rush is less... Its is a lovely place to explore.


We had a nice time ...enjoying the drive in beaches, houseboat cruise...seeing the sunset in house boat...visiting an island...waterfalls...forts....palaces...boating...fishing...tea gardens and lots more.It was really good time.All together the trip was real VALUE FOR MONEY!!!


My Tips:


So If you want to break free from city life and enjoy the nature with your friends..then I recommend this for you....


The houseboat and beach trip is very suitable for Honeymoon goers...


They also conduct white water rafting and other activities...but due to lack of time we could not do that...we are planning to try that next time.


Ask for customisation of the package if you can spend some more.


Enjoy!


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