It started with a morning flight from Mumbai to Kochi. The first view of Cochin Airport made me fell in love with the place and I could easily envision what is in store for the coming week. Before moving ahead, let me apprise you that we are going to drive across the God's own country and will cover as much places as we could.
Road are in pretty good shape in Kerala, except for certain tracks which are always with gutter because of the torrential Kerala monsoon. The roads are mostly two lanes, except for a small stretch of NH 47. Private as well as Kerala state buses are a bit reckless at times, don't try to compete. You can get an average speed of only around 50 KMS per hour, be relaxed, enjoy your drive, stop by for photographs, Kerala is known for her scenic beauty. Another peculiarity is, you have junctions and small towns very frequently specially through out the national and State highways. While following GPS, make sure you stick to National/Sate highways as GPS will give you complicated short cuts which will generally take you to small roads and finally you end up on bad roads. Take hitchhikers only if you are confident enough, go by your instincts. We followed the GPS and it took us through some explored routes totally away from chaos of the city, and we totally loved driving through those patches. We would recommend it if you’re a seasoned driver who enjoys road trips.
After checking 3-4 different car rentals, we rented with IndusGo which are based out of Kerala. Would highly recommend IndusGo as car was perfectly maintained and overall process was hassle free. We picked up our car – Maruti Swift from Cochin airport. A representative met us at the airport and handed over the car to us. We checked it thoroughly and set off on our road trip in Kerala. It was a smooth journey peppered with great roads and amazing panoramas.
Our Itinerary for the Kerala road trip:
Tea Estates, Spice plantations and hills at Munnar (2 days)
Canal cruise at Munroe Island (1 day)
Beaches at Kovalam, with a day trip to Kanyakumari (2 days)
Backwaters and houseboats at Kumarakom/Alleppey (2 days)
Boat Race and City Life in Kochi (1 day)
Fly into Kochi and drive to Munnar
We started our journey from Cochin Airport towards first destination Munnar. We had hardly drove 10 KM towards Munnar and the landscapes began to change dramatically, the searing sun will give way to a cold breeze with lush green escapades all around. Kerala comes from 'Kera' in Malayalam which translates to Coconut. So land of Coconut - Keralam which further became Kerala. This is pure fact, it is unimaginable to click a frame without coconut trees bombing it.
Distance from Cochin to Munnar town is approx. 100 Kms. Roads are in great shape except at few spots which was result of the yet another relentless monsoon and there are lots of restaurants on the way. There’s no need to stock up on snacks, foods as hot food will be readily available during the road trip if you are travelling on state/national highways.
En-route Munnar we halted at Cheeyapara Waterfalls. It is worth a pit-stop if you are not in a hurry. We had made prior bookings at Dew Drop Farm Resort which is set in a private spice plantation spread across 370 acres. The property is 21 kms from Munnar town.
As it was already 4 PM by the time we reached at our hotel and checked-in, not much time was left to explore any places in Munnar. So we decided to wandered through Munnar town local market to experience the culture of the region and take home a little part of the place to cherish later. Munnar is famous for its spices, tea, and homemade chocolates, all of these can be found at Munnar Town Local Market. Munnar town is quite chaotic and crowded. If you want to wake up to breathtaking views, I would suggest you stay some place little away from the town center.
Exploring Munnar
The property we stayed was amidst spice plantation and the resort provided in-house guided trekking and plantation walk. Hence the day started with early morning expedition surrounding our resort. Earlier we assumed the plants to be ordinary but surprisingly it turned out to be Coffee, Cardamom and Pepper plantations. Some snapshots from the spice route trail.
There are lots of places to see around the town, so after exhausting spice route trail we drove towards Munnar town, to cover all the view points and the reason it is known for, tea tea and more tea. Once you reach town center, there are 4 different directions you can go to explore different places. It is difficult to cover all the places in a day as last view point/place in each direction is more than 30 KM away from the town center. Our hotel staff suggested us to explore places en-route Madupatty Dam, as it is one of the most popular sites among tourist. We started with KDHP Tea Museum which is just 1.5 km from the town center, it chronicles the journey of tea in the area through photographs and machineries. The museum tour also includes a brief documentary depicting the history and growth of tea estates in the area. We get to watch the transition from the rudimentary tea roller to the modern fully automated tea factory. Various stages of tea processing can be seen. It also houses a souvenir shop to make you pick a bag or two for friends and family back home.
Next we had a brief pit-stop at Photo Point, to have a perfect frame worthy picture for the wall. Believe me once you cross this the entire route will provide far better landscapes and background. While travelling towards Madupatty Dam, you will also pass through Flower garden, Bee nest and Botanical garden which we skipped as we anticipated nothing new. Mattupetty Dam is one of the most popular sites in the area and tends to get quite crowded. The viewing area at the dam is not nicely maintained but driving along the lake is very appeasing. Few kilometres ahead of dam is Echo Point. It is located in the midst of pristine natural surroundings that will certainly invoke the photographer in you. It also makes for an incredibly scenic drive. The last thing to see on the route is highest point in Munnar - Top station which falls on the Kerala-TamilNadu border. Here you can enjoy the panoramic view of Western Ghats and the valley. The drive through endless tea plantations and magical low-lying clouds everywhere is something you need to feel instead of the places to see. As it is rightly said that "It's about the Journey, not the Destination."
Driving from Munnar to Munroe Island
After basking in the green environs of Munnar, it was time to continue with our road trip of Kerala. We started early as we had to cover quite a distance to reach Munroe Island, a hidden gem in the backwaters of Kollam district. We initially planned to visit Thekkady from Munnar (traditional itinerary), but exploring Periyar National park in a day was not possible. Hence we skipped Thekkady, instead decided to explore Munroe Island and it turned out to be one of the highlights of our Kerala trip.
Munroe Island is located on the confluence of Ashtamudi Lake and Kallada river. The place is not prominent among Indian tourist, resulting into hardly any hotels options. But plethora of home-stay on the shore of the canals are easily available. It is an unadulterated destination in the lap of nature. It has got some magic up the sleeve, something which cannot be bargained. The river forming canals, flowing calmly and gracefully has got some magic to make you forget every hustle and bustle of your daily chaos and mundane life.
Most of the afternoon was spent on the shore of the canal, relishing the calmness and serenity of the place. In evening we explored the tiny island, experienced lip smacking juices/shakes at Munroe Mocktails and traditional Kerala meal cooked by our home-stay owner summed up the day.
Canoe ride and driving to Kovalam
Most people visit the more famous Alleppey or even Poovar to explore the backwaters of Kerala, but we were glad to visit a different place that is less known. The large and busy waterways in Alleppey are nothing compared to the beauty of the narrow and quiet palm fringed canals of Munroe Island. The tiny canoe make it possible to navigate the most narrow canals. It was such a peaceful and serene experience.
Jatayu Earth Center - on the way from Munroe Island to Kovalam has enough reason to pay a visit. This is where the mythical Eagle: Jatayu is said to have fallen from the sky while trying to rescue Sita, the wife of Lord Rama when she was abducted by the demon king Ravana. It holds the distinction of having the world’s largest bird sculpture.
Kovalam is renowned for it's crescent beaches. The life starts late in the day on the beach and carries on well into the night. There are a range of hotels from 5-star to budget accommodations. After exploring the Light House and a stroll on the beach, our evening was best spend savoring food from series of beach side restaurant with cool breeze flowing through you. If you are sea food lover, this place is a paradise for you.
A day trip to southernmost tip of India - Kanyakumari
Kanyakumari is approx. 80 KMs from Kovalam, and driving through NH66 it can be easily covered in 2.5 hrs making it a perfect destination for a day excursion. On the way to Kanyakumari, lies the seat of the erstwhile rulers of Travancore, the masterpiece of indigenous Kerala architecture - Padmanabhapuram Palace.
The entire palace is made from wood and the Kerala Government maintains it. The intricate carvings on wood and the simplistic decorations make this place a must-visit for anyone who wants to witness the magnificence of the Venad kingdom. The palace complex is divided into several sections, with the royal furniture, paintings, weapons and others put on display. It also has a museum, which is home to many antiques and artifacts.
The main reason for a driving to Kanyakumari was to visit the famous Vivekananda Rock Memorial. The place can be easily reached by a 15-min regular ferry service from Kanyakumari beach, a common ride for Vivekananda Rock Memorial and Thiruvalluvar Statue. I would advise to explore both the places in early morning hours, as with rising temperature and high humidity it can be very tiring. Also buy a premium ticket, to avoid waiting in the line for up to two hours during peak times. We didn't like the area surrounding Kanyakumari beach and Amman temple as it was quite crowded and entirely muddled, but it is a blissful experience to simply sit and meditate in the quiet Dhyan Mandapam (meditation hall) at Rock memorial or gaze at the meeting point of three mighty oceans with wonder.
With our objective achieved in Kanyakumari, we returned to Kovalam before dusk and drove to Trivandrum to capture sunset from Valiyathura Pier (sea port). The guards at the entrance didn't allow us to go ahead but you can still enjoy the gushing waves from the shore. Next we rushed to Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple so we could make in time before the last darshan closes for the day. It is dedicated to Lord Padmanabha; one of the avatars of Lord Vishnu. The temple is considered the richest temple in the world and was also in news for the mass treasures that are unearthed in multiple vaults. The sanctum sanctorum of Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple is located on a stone slab and the main idol, which is about 18 ft long, can be viewed through three different doors. The temple architecture stands out for its work in stone and bronze.
Check temple timings and other instructions before you visit the temple. I would also suggest to interact with some locals to understand the rich history and intricate architecture.
Drive from Kovalam to Alleppey and experience life on a houseboat
Drive from Kovalam to Alleppey passes through some of the cleanest beaches of Kerala - Varakala beach and Kappil beach. Varkala beach is often referred as the Benares of the South and it is believed that a dip in the holy waters at this beach is believed to purge the body of impurities and the soul of all sins. Kappil beach is uniquely located with Arabian sea in west and Edava Narayana lake in the east, with a km long road splitting the water in two. It is a must visit place, especially if you are spending time at Varkala beach. We couldn't spent much time at both the places as it was raining heavily and could just drove pass them.
The rest of the drive isn't the most scenic of the lot as it passes through lots of busy towns and chaotic villages. Alappuzha (Alleppey) is known as ‘the Venice of the East’. Offering the best tourist places in Alleppey, this charming place is the hub of Kerala’s backwaters and is home to a huge network of backwaters and more than thousand houseboats. We parked our car at a private compound near the jetty and boarded the houseboat. We had booked a 2 bedroom houseboat but luckily there was no one else and we had the entire houseboat for ourselves. Cruising through India's longest lake - the Vembanad Lake, will take you through the serene and tranquil backwaters. For photographers, the lake is nothing less than a bountiful ride that will show them the most pristine form of nature.
As the houseboats are not permitted to operate in night and are required to halt at various spots along the backwaters, the evening was spent strolling through village life along the banks and gazing paddy fields of succulent green curvaceous rice barges. We spent the night on the houseboat and devoured a three course meal.
Honest suggestion - take a day excursions instead of overnight stay package to explore backwaters at Alleppey/Kumarakom or make sure you choose a exquisite houseboat for overnight stay.
Kumarakom - a veritable dreamland
A relaxed, refined village surrounded by lush green landscapes, Kumarakom lies on the shore of Kerala’s largest lake - Lake Vembanad. Commonly referred to as a masterpiece of nature, the National Geographic Magazine has listed Kumarakom as one of the must-see places in a lifetime. The day was reserved to indulge with the greenish environment and revitalize mind, body and soul. We had made booking at Saro Lake Country, which was not luxurious but offered an atmosphere of peace.
You can also make most of your time by taking a trip to Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary which is home to many rare species of birds and is a haven for nature lovers.
Snake boat race and Exploring Fort Kochi
What is meant to be will always find it's way. Can you believe, our Kerala trip coincided with the maiden Champions Boat League (CBL) launched by Kerala tourism. The legendary Snake boat race is a spectacle of passion, celebration and strength, they are much more than just a competitive sport. It is something unique which truly depicts the rituals and festivities of Kerala. We attended the 4th race at Piravom. The sheer size of the boats and more than 100 rowers paddling in impeccable unison accompanied by rhythmic beats of drums and high levels of energy is astounding.
Most of the evening was spent exploring the Fort Kochi surrounding and enjoying the evening breeze at the beach.
Fly back to Mumbai
As we had an early morning flight, we returned the car and checked-in at airport and spent the night at airport awaiting for our flight.
That’s it – the road trip offered a plethora of panoramas, sights, and cultural experiences – it left us rejuvenated! It is truly God's own country not just for it's beauty but also for it's people, we loved our time in Kerala and can’t wait to go back!
