What's the best place in SW India?

timmy

Beach has just inspired me to ask this from his post about what was the best beach... He named Varkala, but only back in the 80's when it wasn't in LP etc.

So... my question is: what's your favourite place in SW India (Maharashtra, Karnataka, Goa, Kerala) which isn't mentioned in the guide books, and why?

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rab

Alleppey, gateway to the backwaters of Kerala and city of banana stalls! Or maybe stick with Varkala...

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ikimasho

timmy - golden island (near varkala) ....it is like doing a mini-backwater tour ....you get to see cashew nut trees (for some reason i was amazed by these), coir villages, and a deadly little shiva temple on the island....and if you can pack some stuff and hire a driver for a day (or rent a motorbike) - head south of varkala to some really beautiful deserted (except for fisherman) beaches.....had the nicest time there!!!

(but i also agree with rab!) alleppey is a cool place to take a backwater trip.

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beach

Ckeck this out. Paravur !!! probably this is the next 'varkala'

There are not too many hotels out there(that is what u wanted, right)

It is located mid way to Quilon & Varkala. Some express trains stops at Paravur station. A very very cool backwater village. Rush ....before the backpackers arrive here

That is what I can think now of a 'sectet' place.

www.aquasereneindia.com , if you have some $$. Otherwise there are a few a basic hotels available there. Or you can easily catch a bus/train to Quilon or Varkala (30 minutes). Please don't tell anybody about the secret

timmy

Heh, I'll do my best.

Thanks also Rab and Ikimasho all duly noted in my LP.

I have to admit I had sliced out a third of my South India LP to lighten my luggage, which included the Kerala section (hey, I didn't think I was going to go there!!!).

I guess I should've learnt from my friend who'd given away the Malaysia section of her S-E-A LP, before she decided to come with me there. But I hear such good things about Kerala there's nothing to be done except stick it all back together.

deepsesame

A place about 350 kms from mumbai is Ganapati Phule.
Fantastic beaches.And quite deserted and calm.

-Deepa

pranavganesh

try amboli.... a lesser known hill station near sawant wadi.... or wai a trnaquil town near poona or better still the jog falls ... i contend that these perhaps are the best places and they get only a passing reference in the LP.....

SANJAY_DEL

Pondicherry town and the sea front.

ladyvetphd

The Vembanad Lake in Kerala, Coorg, Srirangpatna, Belur Halebid,
Matheran, Mahabaleshwar, Tarkarli beach, are all very nice places. I am sure there are many more.

batistuta

Tanjore n Tamil Nadu. and Srirangapatna near Mysore

shilpaks

the stretch of beach near the french colony near the aurobindo ashram at pondicherry is v nice. it is mostly used only by the local fishermen,so is completely devoid of tourists.
the resort we stayed in had a private section, had some chilled beers in the wee hours of the morning there and the manager of the resort got some divine fish fry(the fish is bought from the local fisherman so it was extremely fresh) made for us


oops just realised you asked for beaches on south west
try gokarna in karnataka. its known more of as a religious destination, but do check it out if you can