What would you do in Kerala?????

Ok, my husband tells me he will book the travel, I just have to figure out where I want to go! He is from India, I've never been there and he wants me to figure it out ?????? So what would you do if you had enough money to spend on a good hotel, and enjoy water and boats? I have Fibromyalgia so I can't walk a lot, no hiking! I can't stand long either. So anyone have any ideas???? He sent me a link about Kerala and I have no idea where to begin. I like doing things that isn't very "touristy". I know the area has many Ayurvedic places but I don't know anything else ... lets put it this way ... I KNOW NOTHING ..... HELP!!!

Don't like walking , like boats , will be in kerala .Well it has to be a backwater cruise! Go to either Alleppey or Kolam ,spend a day or two ,enjoying the towns. Another couple of days floating around the backwaters in a converted rice barge being looked after.Very lazy ,but very nice!!

Freenote is right - a backwater cruise should be great. We started our Kerala trip in Trivandrum, staying at nearby Kovalam Beach at Surya Sumadra - very expensive and isolated, great if you want to hang out on a semi-private beach, pampered in beautiful suroundings. Then we went to Kumarakom, would have loved to do the cruise, but it seemed a little too romantic to do with my friend. Then on to Cochin - where we stayed at the very expensive - and very nice Malabar House.

We would've liked to walk a lot more than we did, but rather than constantly be harrassed by Rickshaw drivers, we picked one and he was always - ALWAYS - waiting for us. So, you should be able to get around easily and comfortably with minimal walking. There were festivals going on the whole time we were there that were fascinating and not touristy (we were always the only westerners).

Many choices of places to go in KERALA, and some very lovely accomodation throughout if you want some high end places to stay. Definately visit the fort city of cochi, colorful markets, old synagugue, churches, and in Cochi, many great places to stay, such as Brunton Boatyard, bolgatty Palace, Taj malabar, Malabar house residency, among others..Also i would suggest a visit to KUMAKARON, (bird sanctuary on the backwaters), and you can stay at the beautiuful peaceful Coconut lagoon or Kumakaron Lake resort. Another place to visit is PERIYAR, the wildlife sanctuary, and a very nice place to stay nearbye is the Spice Village. Yes, definately a backwater cruise and a night sleeping on a houseboat..You can also visit the hill town of MUNNAR, and the Tea and spice plantations, for something differnt..Many nice places to stay out there, dotted around the hills, for example, Tall Trees among others..And to round off your holiday, perhaps a few days at the beach, i would reccomend the clifftop Varkala. Many places to stay, charactersitic accomadation for all budgets, the most expensive of the group being, the Taj Garden Retreat.

Hello Lokie!

How was your trip to Kerala? Could you please give me an honest feedback? How is your fibromyalgia now? Did the Ay. treatment help you?

Thanks,
Gireesh Nambiar

That was 2004!

Still, she visited IM as recently as November last year, so you might be lucky and get an answer...

That was a long time ago! We had a great time. Thekkady is the most beautiful place in the world! We stayed at a resort that is settled in a spice garden. The smells are amazing, and we couldn't get enough chai!!

The only downfall ... we did end up on a hike where a few guides take you to the backwaters and you take bamboo rafts around Periyar. They provide breakfast and lunch which was pretty decent. The park is pretty, didn't see any animals except water buffalo and deer and the hike did me in. I ended up crying from the pain. It is a great hike if you can handle walking!! Not for someone like me. We did the hike the day before we left so I never got to try the Ay. treatments. It would have been very helpful though.

We stayed at Shalimar Spice Garden. I would suggest it to anyone who doesn't want a budget hotel and likes some peace and quiet. We had our own cabin with a small deck with chairs. The grounds are beautiful and the food was good. A bit expensive but worth every penny!! We hired a driver from the hotel to take us around and he was very good, it was a bit foggy so we couldn't see a lot but he took us to a few places that most people would never go to. He did a good job and was very nice.

There was a boat tour in Periyar that we went on but I didn't like it so much. I liked the raft a bit more because it was just you and a few people. I didn't like the park because of the monkeys ... I'm afraid of monkeys .. ANYWAY.... i have to get back to work. Kerala is a MUST!!! I love it and would go back everytime we go back to India.

Thank you very much for your reply.

To be very frank, I always wonder what is there in Kerala to attract tourists. (I am born and brought up in Kerala). When you compare the hygiene standards, it is nowhere near the Western countries. People lack a civic sense. The roads are bad and travelling in Kochi city is kind of nightmare. Lack of public toilets, disturbance from hawkers/vendors, frequent strikes and hartals, etc. are other issues...just to name a few.

I understand that most tourists are attracted to the art forms and it is interesting to find that most Koodiyattom performances have 99% audience from the West. The only Indian audience would be the parents/friends of the performers!

Regarding Ay. treatment, it is bit unlucky that you did not get enough time to treat your fibromyalgia. The treatment would mostly consist of Shirodhara. Make sure that you get the treatment from an authentic place. I would suggest a 97-year-old veteran for anyone who visits Kerala for treatment.

Thanks
Gireesh Nambiar

lokie! Glad to see you back and to read your report!

Gireesh Nambiar... you've signed up to an Indian Travel site; I guess that, if you browse around, you may find out what it is that attracts people here! I can only say that much of what you say about Kerala is much worse here! So when I come there, I say how clean it is!

It is a shame to hear about the lack of support for the arts.

Lokie, the place you stayed sounds great. Pity about the trek; I'd say I'd probably not be fit enough either

Typical malayalee version. Fit well with the commends itself.

Give the details Nambiar