Kerala: One of India’s Many Treasures
Think of a vacation in India, and you no doubt picture the Taj Mahal, or the maelstrom of Calcutta’s street life; the Rajasthan desert or the cool peaks of the Himalayas. Kerala depicts another side of this fascinating country. Isolated, peaceful and staggering beautiful, the southern coastal state of Kerala is one of India’s less well promoted treasures. Villages line the backwater canals and lagoons and are connected only by boat or canoe. This is an ancient culture, going about its simple business as it always has, in beautiful countryside. Kerala is a wonderful place for a lazy R&R retreat, interspersed with some local Ayurvedic treatments and massages to relax and restore tired minds and bodies.
The blue waters and red sand tropical beaches are where most visitors arrive and spend their time. Lush hotel gardens lead down to the beach, which is lined with leaning coconut palms. It is hard to get motivated to leave your sunbed, even for a refreshing swim in the shallow surf. Those who do are rewarded with fresh mountain air, magnificent waterfalls, a profusion of flowers, luxurious tea plantations and spice gardens. See how coffee is grown, how rubber is processed and how cardamom is produced. Buy some reasonably priced souvenirs of produce and know you are helping this proud local economy. Everywhere you explore in Kerala is green and hazy, brightened with butterflies, hibiscus and frangipani blooms. It is a nature-lover’s paradise.
Inland there are several small towns with still, glassy lakes and many rivers. The forests are home to birds, deer and wild elephants. Seeing these huge beasts trained for logging and clearing work, or ornately decorated for a local festival is an incredibly moving experience. Somehow they command your respect with their calm disposition, rather than fear with their size. Although the area is popular for hikers, there are sites of cultural interest too. Mangalam Dam has many formal parks and well-kept lawns decorated with statues.