• Choose a category
• All
• Classic-Fiction

By Root 1941 0

to a rhythm of life that has remained relatively unchanged for centuries: Board a kettuvallam, one of the long, beautifully crafted cargo boats that ply the waterways. The houseboat experience allows you to aimlessly drift past villages, temples, and churches and be thoroughly exposed to the rural lifestyle of the backwaters. As you drift along, you can watch women, unperturbed by your presence, wash their long ebony tresses or pound away at laundry, while children play at the water’s edge, men dive for mussels, and elephants and water buffalo wade at will. Although the onboard facilities might strike some as rather basic, you’ll be spoiled rotten by your private team—a guide, a cook, and a pilot—who work hard to make your experience unique and exceptional.

Days 14 & 15: Kochi (Cochin)

Travel north to Kochi and settle into a hotel in Fort Kochi (we recommend the Old Harbour Hotel or Le Colonial), then explore Fort Kochi on foot. Start your tour at the harbor near Vasco da Gama Square, where you can watch the Chinese fishing nets, then visit St. Francis Church and Santa Cruz Cathedral. Stop to admire the facade of Koder House—built in 1808 by Jewish patriarch Samuel Koder, it’s a good example of the hybrid Indo-European style that developed in Cochin. Also nearby is the Pierce Leslie Bungalow, a charming 19th-century mansion reflecting Portuguese and Dutch influences on local architecture. Take an auto-rickshaw to Mattancherry, where you should visit the Dutch (Mattancherry) Palace and Paradesi Synagogue before discovering the fragrant scents of Kerala’s spice warehouses. Make time to visit a few of the antiques warehouses, where some real treasures are to be found. A sunset cruise around the harbor is another must; it’s the best way to enjoy the most-photographed of Cochin’s historic sights, the Chinese fishing nets that form wonderful silhouettes against a red- and orange-hued sky.

Day 16: Wyanad

From Cochin, take the early Cannanore Express train to Calicut, from where you can catch a taxi for the 2-hour journey to Sulthan Bathery in Wyanad. Without a doubt the best accommodations, Tranquil Resorts is a wonderful opportunity to stay in one of two luxury “treehouses” on a 162-hectare (400-acre) coffee and vanilla plantation at the edge of Wyanad National Park. Visit tea, pepper, cardamom, coffee, banana, and coconut plantations, or take one of the many splendid walks on this scenic estate; alternatively, take a trip into the park or to Edakkal Caves. Either way, the hospitality of Victor and Ranjini Dey at this gorgeous planter’s bungalow makes for an excellent end-of-trip sojourn.

Day 17 & 18: Wyanad & Neeleshwar & Home

From the Wyanad Hills, head for the unexplored far-northern coast of Kerala, where you can laze on the beach right in front of the exceptional new Neeleshwar Hermitage (near Kanhangad), visiting nearby Bekal Fort and stopping by Anandashram, one of the intriguing, totally tranquil ashrams in the vicinity. And, for an evening of lively entertainment, ensure that your hosts have organized for you to witness a ritual theyyam performance. Hearts heavy with regret, you must now make your way back to Mangalore (or Calicut) to fly to either Mumbai or Bengaluru to connect to your flight home. If you arrive in Mumbai, you will need to transfer from the domestic to the international airport. En route, you can stop off for dinner at one of the superb restaurants near the airport (Peshawri at ITC The Maratha; or Celini, the Italian restaurant at the Grand Hyatt, if you’d prefer a less spice-intense meal), before you catch the late-night flight home.

4 A Leisurely Southern Sojourn

A Leisurely Southern Sojourn

South India is perfect for a slow-paced 2-week vacation that’s more unhurried escape than hectic vacation filled with must-see sights. This itinerary does explore a few tourist sites, but mostly it’s about relaxing and enjoying a few beautiful and varied environments. Kerala is the ideal place to unwind and indulge; this is, after all, where succumbing to therapeutic Ayurvedic massages and treatments