A trip to Kerala can be viewed as the Indian equivalent of coming up for air. While the rest of India is rarely anything less than mind-blowing, the nation’s more challenging aspects (bureaucracy, lack of personal space and pollution to name three) can grind down even the hardiest of traveler. It’s not like that in the nation’s southern idyll. Sure, the cities of Trivandrum and Kochi are plenty buzzy, but the rest of this lush state exists in its own laid-back, tropical continuum. From the beaches of Varkala in the south to the historic colonial charm of Fort Cochin and the cool mountain enclave of Munnar further north, the state abounds with natural beauty and possesses one of India’s most developed infrastructures for tourism.
Charter a houseboat to explore the beautiful backwaters
For many visitors, the highlight of a trip to Kerala is an exploration of its beautiful backwaters: a 900km network of palm-fringed channels and lakes that run parallel to the Arabian Sea coastline.
This luminous waterworld, teeming with wildlife and dotted with agrarian communities where inhabitants till the earth and harvest the depths for a living, is best experienced by chartering a kettuvallam (converted rice barge) for an overnight stay.
The often-luxurious vessels keep guests fed and watered with coolers full of beer and wine and Keralan banquets. Indeed, if you are lucky enough to get a talented chef, these fragrant coconut-rich feasts enjoyed while drifting past villages, shrimp farms and other signifiers of rural local life will live with you long after you leave.
Sample some of India’s best banquets
Kerala’s history as a key staging post for trade with European and Arab powers has bequeathed it with some of the world’s finest spices.
Its rivers, 600 kilometres of Arabian Sea coastline, and paradisiacal expanses of brackish backwaters are home to myriad fresh- and saltwater delights.
Throw in a tropical bounty that makes it rude not to stir ingredients such as coconut, milk, jackfruit, and mango into the pot, and it’s easy to see why many consider this to be one of India’s most exciting cuisines.
Incredible food can be sampled everywhere in the state – from down home family-run venues to beachside shacks. For an upscale introduction to the local culinary manna, make for Rice Boat, the showpiece restaurant at the swish Taj Malabar Hotel.
Arguably the fanciest restaurant in the state, Rice Boat is where politicians, big ticket draws from the thriving local movie industry and sporting celebrities come to dine. The experience more than lives up to its billing.
Fist-sized tiger prawns are elevated to superhero status courtesy of their tender flesh and a smoky infusion of curry leaf, garlic and ginger. A fish molee features delicate red snapper and a turmeric-tinged coconut milk gravy that could easily be bottled as a beverage.
The food goes down especially well with a few of the restaurant’s signature Malabar Mules: a blend of vodka, Kingfisher beer, fresh ginger, lime juice and ginger ale.
Trek Through the Tea Plantations
The emerald peaks that undulate around the town of Munnar comprise one of South India’s most beguiling tableaux.
While some people opt to simply kick back, enjoy the cool mountain air, and indulge in ayurvedic massage (another Kerala specialty) at one of the luxury resorts dotted around the hills on the outskirts of town, more substantial rewards can be reaped by getting active.
Kerala’s trekking capital, Munnar offers scope for everything from day-hikes to multi-day epics. The prize scalp among the peaks that surround Munnar is Anamudi, at 2695, the highest mountain in South India, but other hills including Chokramudi and Palkulamedu offer equally inspiring manna.
Sloping tea gardens carpet the rolling hills while the multi-hued butterflies and equally luminescent birds that flit around the plantations could double as escapees from the Garden of Eden.
For post-trekking creature comforts, nab yourself a room at Windermere Estate. Perched at an elevation of 1600 metres on a former cardamom plantation, the luxurious property offers beautifully realized villas and planters’ cottages: wooden floorboards and terracotta tiles imbuing each one with a warm, homely feel.
Explore Kochi’s Emerging Art Scene
With a state-wide literacy rate of 93% — the highest in India – it’s little wonder that many Keralans pride themselves on their worldliness. This sophistication is reflected in a cultural climate that is as febrile as any in India.
The centre for much of this creativity is Kochi (Cochin), the state’s most populous city. As well as being a hub for the vibrant Malayalam film industry and birthplace of many of Kerala’s most towering literary figures, the city has nurtured one of India’s strongest art scenes.
It even has its own international art jamboree in the shape of the highly respected Kochi-Muziris Biennale.
Much of the action is centred upon Fort Kochi, the oldest part of the city. Here, amidst a patchwork of churches, laid-back cafes, colonial-style buildings and grassy palm-shaded areas hosting impromptu games of cricket and football, it’s easy to take a walking tour around some of the city’s most exciting galleries.
Highlights include Kashi Art Gallery, a key staging post on the art map which show works by international figures and leading Keralan artists such as Bose Krishnamachari and Arun KS.
Other leading venues in Fort Kochi include Vancasso Art Gallery in the Jewish Quarter of Manticherry and David Hall, a historic building initially constructed by the Dutch East India Company which now hosts exhibitions, talks, live performances and film screenings.