I spoke to
a very close friend Megha few months back about her planning a vacation in Kerela,
India
in Monsoons. (In my head): In Monsoons! But she must have done her
research and is not stupid to
spend her time and money on nothing. I was waiting
for her to come back and was truly hoping that
her trip was beyond good; I
needed proof and here it is.
Romancing the Rains in Kerela, MEGHA MONGA SAREEN writes:
First of all, those who tell you not to head
to Kerala in the monsoons, should be bound and gagged and thrown into the
Periyar River! Kerala has been on our list ever since my husband and I got
engaged, but it never happened, mostly because of our own apprehensions. And
now, 8 years later, we finally took the plunge – and I have absolutely no
regrets.
I went on my Kerala vacation in the first
week of June – against the wishes of all my, um, well-wishers! And I’m glad I
did, because it was so worth every penny! I mean, what’s not to like? The lush
green surroundings, the cool off-season discounts or the clean, sandy beaches?
It’s a win-win all the way, I promise you! I swear I haven’t had a more
relaxing holiday in ages! And that’s saying a lot, considering I had a 3 year
old for company.
The best time to visit Kerela will really depend on what you want to see and do there; it has something to offer all year round. But here's why it is Raining awesomess during Monsoons -
- The monsoons in Kerela do not take the form of incessant rain over days and weeks. It may rain for a few hours in the day followed by soft sunshine and cold breeze making the weather more likable for relaxing with fewer tourists.
- You will get to choose a good property at a really good price with special Monsoon discounts and deals offers.
- Ideal to go for Ayurvedic treatments, massages, spas etc. Some fabulous discounts to look for here too.
- Relax at Backwaters or decde to go to Munnar or Thekkady(hill stations); you wont regret as the place has so much to offer.
- You get to witness Snake boat races and Onam festival if you are visiting in August.
Our 9 days itinerary consisted of 4 places – Marari Beach, Thekkady, Munnar and
Kumarakom – in that order. Be sure to plan ahead, because it really helps
in getting great deals on awesome properties.
ü Thumbs Up Properties
- We stayed at CGH Earth resorts in three places and we LOVED each of them
especially the Coconut Lagoon
at Kumarakom! At Munnar, I highly
recommend the Spice Tree Resort, because
it really is one of a kind. And we had a room with a great view with a valley on one side and a pool at the other.
Starting off, Marari beach is about 2.5 hours
from Kochi airport. Here I should probably mention, that we pre-booked a taxi
for the trip from www.kottayamtaxi.com,
and had a good experience overall with a clean A/C car and a decent driver, and
well within the budget. Suggest you negotiate the rate before you book. Anyway,
the Marari Beach Resort is
truly exceptional – but there’s not much to do around, except laze around on
the resort. They have a few complimentary in-house programs that you can
indulge in, which was the case at all CGH properties. It is on the beach, but
since the sea was choppy, swimming was prohibited. Lounging in the hammocks
though was equally rejuvenating, and my kiddo got to make her sand castles in
any case! Two nights was more than enough here.
Next stop, Spice Village Resort at
Thekkady, a 5 hour drive from Marari. There aren’t any great rest stops on the
way, but the drive is beautiful. Thekkady is a hill station and is famous for
the Periyar Tiger Reserve, which luckily was 15 minutes away from our property.
The resort is decent, though smaller than the one at Marari. Similar hut-style
cottages, no TV (as was the case in all CGH properties, because, duh, who needs
TV on a holiday), and very hospitable staff. Thekkady is more for adventure
lovers, and the night trek by KTDC gives a great adrenaline rush. There are
similar day treks available too. The Elephant ride is something kids would
enjoy, and of course, don’t miss a tour of the spice plantations. We also opted
for the Periyar river boat ride – a ride on a ferry around the forests of
Periyar - which was decent, but we did
spot a leopard cub, so I have no complaints! There are morning as well as
afternoon timings, but the booking for this needs to be done 1.5 hours in
advance. Not a minute later, not a minute sooner! We learnt that the hard way!
After our 2 nights here, we headed to Munnar,
a 4 hour hilly drive. The weather was comfortably cool, with slight rain
showers now and again. The Spice Tree
Resort, isn’t actually in Munnar, its about 20-25 kms before the town. And
while the approach road may not be what you expected (nail-bitingly narrow and
winding), the resort itself is breathtakingly beautiful. The 300 BC café serves
a delectable range of teas and cookies on the house, and you can sip your cuppa
while enjoying the view. They have two pools – none of them indoor and none of
them heated, but that didn’t stop us, or our wild, pool-loving toddler from
jumping in! As for sightseeing, there’s not much, and the hotel offers in-house
activities like a trek around the property, towel origami for kids and tea tasting
at the cafe. They also have a spa, where we opted for the traditional massage,
which was good, but not awesome. We also visited the Lockhardt tea factory,
which was the only thing we did outside the resort.
Next, we headed to the Coconut Lagoon at Kumarakom,
after a 5 hour drive (again, no great rest stops). We did get a few
thundershowers on the way, but it didn’t dampen our spirit, pun intended!
Another CGH property, this one was pure bliss. It is situated right at the end
of the backwaters, and we were picked up from the dock by their boat, a ride
which all 3 of us enjoyed. Our cottage, room 104, had a beautiful view of the
entire lagoon. I must mention that the staff was exceptionally accommodating,
and the chef at the restaurant made it his personal mission to impress our
fussy daughter with his culinary skills! This resort, like its sister
properties, has complimentary in-house activities like classical dance
performances, bird watching, yoga and a must-do sunset boat ride. The latter
you need to book in advance, and it is definitely worth it. We were so glad to
have concluded our sojourn at Kumarakom as it was the best place to feel
completely at peace, and so much closer to God – a perfect end to a perfect
holiday!
We say - Choose
a good resort, relax and enjoy the lush green surroundings as rains are a way
of life there.
this is absolutely exotic, and what weather :) very nicely written!!
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