Kerala

Video: Tourist cruise on the backwaters in Kerala, India

The backwaters is definitely one of the highlights of a visit to Kerala in the south of India. Between the coast of Kerala and the far inland is a vast network of lagoons, lakes, rivers and canals which all goes under the name of “backwaters”.

I took the tourist cruise from Alappuzha to Kollam (400 Rs for 8 hours). The boat departs at 10.30am and arrives at 6.30pm. On the way you will see many beautiful things such as: shallow, palm-fringed lakes with Chinese fishing nets, small settlements where fishermen and their families live and narrow, palm-fringed canals.

It is a really beautiful trip (as you will see from the video below) and I would definitely recommend it.

Video: Varkala beach in Kerala, India

Varkala beach is my favourite beach in India. Having been to Goa before, I prefer the chilled out atmosphere of Varkala. The beach is beautiful (with a strong current), there are many small shops on the cliff (in season) and many reasonably cheap guesthouses.

I spent my days doing yoga in the morning on the empty beach, going for walks during the midday sun or drinking chai in a restaurant while reading my books and going to the beach in the late afternoon and enjoying the beautiful sunset.

In Varkala you find both travellers and families. It’s not a party place, but a place to really relax.

The video below shows you a bit of Varkala. Enjoy

Video: Munnar: Centre of the world’s highest tea-growing estates

Munnar (1524m) is famous for its rolling green hills which is the commercial centre of some of the world’s highest tea-growing estates. The crisp mountain air makes it a perfect get-away from the humidity of the coastal kerala.

The town itself is divided into old Munnar and new Munnar. The Lonely Planet describes the town as “noisy and grubby”, but I actually think it’s a fine little town. Well basically any place which is safe is fine for me (after Central and South America).

I stayed in old Munnar which has the cheapest guesthouse options – new Munnar is basically just new hotels (no locals living there).

There are many beautiful walks around Munnar and I also recommend that you visit the DTPC tourist office in new Munnar. They offer fairly cheap tours in the area (much cheaper than the regular travel agencies) – among others the “Sandal Valley Tour” for 300 Rs.

The video below shows the beautiful mountain scenery surrounding Munnar. Enjoy.