We had made an annual ritual of making a short + budget trip during the Holi weekend with our friends, with whom we share common love for traveling.
In March'20, Covid-19 had just barged in India and Kerala was one of those few states experiencing its initial few cases. Traveling during the pandemic can be unsettling and accidentally, we had our planned trip in the first week of March to Kerala. After much contemplation, we surrendered ourselves to our wanderlust soul, as the virus spread was minimal and we'd be taking precautionary measures for the same.
We embarked on our journey via an evening flight from Mumbai and landed at Kochi airport around 8 pm. We had booked a self-drive Zoom car from the airport and were waiting for our vehicle. Due to some misfortune, the vehicle we had booked had met with an accident and Zoom had offered us an alternative to switch to Nissan - Kicks and we were instantly electrified with child-like happiness of having a SUV at the same price of the base car! After having various checks done, we commenced our ride and had a quick yet luscious dinner at some local restaurant in Kochi. Since we were reaching late night, we had booked a simple Homestay/Hostel named Dazzle Dew, which was cheap for 1 night. No sooner we reached our hotel than we dozed off to rise early morning.
We woke-up hearing some soft Carnatic music surrounded by the chirping of birds. We had a quick shower and departed with our luggage from this hotel to the most-awaited stay in Backwaters. Before we check in to the hotel we thought of exploring the places near by.
We began our day visiting the popular Alappuzha Beach, which is one of the neatest shores we've ever seen. This beach has an old pier that extends to the sea and is over 150 years old.
This is a beautiful rooftop beach cafe with a great ambiance. We had a scrumptious brunch here. You can enjoy the view while having your food/ beverages.
This resort was the best part of our trip, unquestionably. We stayed in this resort for one night and our experience was incredible. The rooms were exquisite with a mesmerizing view. We stayed in the executive suite which had a view of the infinity pool and the lake.
In the evening, we planned to go for the most quintessential boat ride in the backwaters to witness a marvelous view of the sunset. Please note that instead of a house-boat, do opt for a private shikhara and request the boat-rider for a separate canoe-ride in the backwaters as well. The rover may either have his canoe or he might refer to his contacts. Touring the Backwaters by a canoe or a shikhara can be the perfect way to experience the Kerala backwaters, and it is one of the best things to do in Alleppey! The ride is relaxing and will surely help you rejuvenate your mind. We ended our day with some filling dinner at Cassia Restaurant, Allepey.
The next morning, we were thrilled about the sunrise as we were informed that the best is visible from our property. We enjoyed our cheerful morning by enjoying the sunrise, property gazing, and had a quick swim in the infinity pool. Later we packed our bags, had breakfast, and left for our next destination - Munnar.
We commenced our journey from Alleppey around 11 am, stocked-up on snacks, fruits for the road trip. The scenery begins to change dramatically as you inch closer to Munnar. Zigzagging roads punctuated with surging tea plantations and swirling hills will welcome you to the area.
Munnar being a chaotic commercial area, we booked our stay in a village called Chinnakanal, which is 40 minutes drive from Munnar. Please note that this village is nestled in the countryside having extremely low connectivity to the mobile network and Limited good restaurants and poor quality of roads. The concrete construction of the roads was in progress. We comprehended this while changing our route towards Chinnakanal.
We reached our stay at Regalia Resort, wherein we had reserved our 2-nights stay. This resort had some pretty cottages. We checked-in, placed the luggage in our rooms, and unwound for a few hours until dinner. However, the lack of Wifi range in the rooms lets it down. Our resort had quite a few food options and since we were notably starving, we headed to Sterling for dinner, which was 10-minutes away from our resort. Sterling became our go-to place for dinner, for 2 nights, as there were hardly any options for dining in Chinnakanal. We had expected Munnar - Chinnakanal to have some stunning cafes, but we could hardly find any. So that was one of the disappointment!
The next morning, we awoke early to witness a radiant sunrise and traveled towards Munnar. It was foggy outside but the moment sunrays seeped-in Chinnakanal became a heavenly abode. If you wish to stay away from the hustle, please stay in Chinnakanal. You're going to have some secluded and stress-free moments, all for yourselves. There are lots of things to do in the area but waking up to the sight of endless tea plantations would be one of our intimate experiences in Munnar. Low hanging clouds float over flourishing tea estates, lending magic to our journey.
We visited the Kolukkumalai tea estate, which is the world's highest tea plantation, where tea is picked and processed traditionally. Kolukkumalai is gorgeous and worth visiting.
Then, we traveled to Mattupetty Dam and Lake, where we had serene time by the lake.From Mattupetty Dam, we drove to Echo Point and Top Station. This ride makes for an incredibly picturesque drive. Expect gorgeous views of the Western Ghats and magical clouds everywhere.
We then began our return drive towards Chinnakanal. On the way, we located Saravana Bhavan, where we had a luscious South-Indian traditional meal heartily.
Time to depart from another beautiful place made our hearts heavy! Nevertheless, we could rejuvenate ourselves in Munnar. We had our return flight to Mumbai from Kochi airport. We had contemplated visiting Kochi for a few hours before heading to the airport. We reached Kochi during lunchtime. As you enter the Jew Town in Kochi, the feeling that you have stepped into different world envelopes you. The little township is one of the oldest settlements in the country and dates back to centuries.
This is the best cafe we headed to have our last lunch and it became our last lunch in the restaurant before the lockdown. Superb food. The Crab soup we had was beyond expectation.
Just a few meters from the Alappuzha beach, you'll find this candy-striped lighthouse which provides spectacular views of the area. Climbing 100 narrow steps may be tiring but the views are thrilling and worth visiting.