Camelot of Kerela- Munnar
Well if you are tired of your hustling life and your morning tea does not revivify you anymore don’t waste a single second and just crash land in Munnar. It is a small hill station in Iduki district and nearest airport is Cochin appx 100 Kms.
Best thing about Munnar is it’s ambrosial tea estates with a variety of more than 35 kind of tea. The place is not less than a paradise itself and to witness this you have to take a 35 Kms ride from the city centre to Top Station view point. The route passes through semi mountaneous fields of tea plantation along with seven major tourist attractions enroute, best time to go is from Oct to Feb when it is mostly covered with heavenly mist. From luxurious cottages to budget hostels are easily available
NOTE: Don’t miss the insight of tea factory witness how tea is made.
An evening in Alleppey
After spending a day in Munnar, next morning I took a bus to one of the oldest and cleanest town in India, Alleppey. Best thing about doing backpacking in kerela is you will find no trouble in using public transport.
Whatever I narrate about Allepey will not suffice my euphoria for it. From lighthouses to backwaters everything about this place is whimiscal. It was past noon while reaching Alleppey, I spent my evening watching the sunset from the Lighthouse near the beach. Zostels and other hostels are available for backpackers, don’t miss to have supper at ‘Catamaran’ restaurant just bang on the beach.
Alleppey is mostly town, so to get an insight into the hamlets of backwaters I decided to take a boat jetty from Muhamma to Kumarakom. It is a village on Vembanad lake, Kumarakom bird sanctuary is home to many species including cuckoos and siberian storks. An hour of boat ride in the backwaters and you will see the vast paddy fields, some rare birds, locals planting rice and hunting fishes, witnessing all this is quite therapeutic.
Cruise to Kollam
Following morning after having a sumptuous breakfast at Madras Coffee House I took the special ‘Alappuzha - Kollam’ boat service the boat starts at around 10 AM. The ticket will cost you hardly 400 Rs for 8 hours of boat ride in the backwaters and mangroves. Amidst the ride they serve you a savory luncheon at the house of a local for just 100 Rs and you get to taste the most exotic delicacies cooked in authentic spices of kerela and the most famous ‘KARIMEEN’ brackish water fish.
As the boat passes through the mangroves and backwaters you will get an insight into the villages of kerela the vast paddies you just need to lie down on the top of the boat relax and watch the scenic beauty. And as they say that all beautiful things comes to an end so did the cruise in Kollam.
The entire trip is amazing for birdwatching as well, so Ornithologist take a look into it.
