Category: Kerala

If Kerala is ‘God’s Country’, this must be his garden of Eden. Part of a remote forest reserve that spills over into national parks in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, Wayanad lies cocooned in the hills of the Western Ghats. Famed among Keralans for its jaw-dropping beauty, the landscape is a green medley of rice paddies, untouched forests, spice plantations and more rice paddies (the name translates to ‘country of paddy fields’). A convenient stopover point between Bengaluru or Mysore and Kochi, the region gets surprisingly few visitors, though it’s one of the few places you’re almost guaranteed to spot wild elephants. Other wildlife that roam the forests here include sambar and spotted dear, Indian bison, langur monkeys and, drumroll, occasionally tigers.

The sensational cliffs of Varkala might just be its saving grace, holding back the kind of development that has left nearby Kovalam gasping for air. With a strand of golden beach nuzzling the cliff edge, and more Bob Marley music that you can poke a dreadlocked backpacker at, the vibe here remains faithfully laid-back. Varkala’s beaches are protected by soaring bluffs, while all the on-land action is perched precariously, but beautifully, along the crumbling precipice above. Sure, the number of new hotels is creeping up each year, but it’s still a great place to while away the days, even weeks, with tonnes of sleeping options and some excellent dining spots (with dramatic, cliffside sunsets on the house).

The unpretentious capital of Kerala, Trivandrum (many people still call it by this colonial name, understandably) rests upon seven low hills. You only have to walk a few metres off the fume-filled racetrack that passes for a main road to appreciate its gentler side, where much of old Kerala’s ambience remains intact. Pagoda-shaped buildings with red-tiled roofs line the narrow, winding lanes, and life slows exponentially the further you walk. For most visitors it’s just a gateway to the golden-sand resorts of nearby Kovalam and Varkala, but there are some great attractions in and around town for visitors with time to wander off the traveller trail.

Southern Kerala is where you go to cruise the hydro-highways of Kerala’s backwaters. The most popular place to organise such a trip is in Alappuzha (Alleppey) or the tranquil trading town of Kollam (Quilon). The area also includes the golden-sand resorts of Kovalam and Varkala and the city of Kottayam.

Periyar (224571; www.periyartigerreserve.org; Indian/foreigner Rs 25/300; 6am-6pm), South India’s most popular wildlife sanctuary, encompasses 777 sq km, with a 26-sq-km artificial lake created by the British in 1895. It’s home to bison, sambar, wild boar, langur, over 1000 elephants and at least 46 tigers. This is an established tourist spot, and can sometimes feel like Disneyland-in-the-Ghats, but the mountain scenery on the road up, the lake cruise and a jungle walk make for an enjoyable visit. Bring warm and waterproof clothing.

Northern Kerala is sandwiched between the Arabian Sea and the Western Ghats. It is home to the prosperous trading towns of Kozhikode (Calicut) and Kannur (Cannanore) which is famous for its incredible theyyam possession performances. Animal lovers should head to the beautiful Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary, one of the few places you’re guaranteed to spot an elephant.

With a Sound-of-Music-in-India backdrop of rolling mountain scenery, craggy peaks, manicured tea estates and crisp mountain air, Munnar really hits the spot after the sticky heat of the lowlands. Once known as the High Range of Travancore, today Munnar is the commercial centre of some of the world’s highest tea-growing estates. But don’t be fooled by the noisy and grubby namesake town of the region; the real attractions lie in the surrounding hills.

Always a prosperous trading town, Calicut was once the capital of the formidable Zamorin dynasty. Vasco da Gama first landed near Calicut in 1498, on his way to snatch a share of the subcontinent for king and country (Portugal that is). These days, trade depends mostly on exporting Indian labour to the Middle East. There’s not a lot for tourists to see, though it’s a good break in the journey and is the jumping-off point for Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary.