The lower tip of India is warm, tropical, and relaxed. It was my first time there with the mission to unwind and expand my experiences in India since I’ve only seen Rajasthan. I didn’t see it all, and really how could you? But here are my tip top tips.
Basics
- You must show your flight confirmation before entering an airport in India. Ideally it’s printed out. I’ve seen it shown on a device, but security doesn’t seem to like that much.
- You will have to show your passport at every hotel and hostel checkin. It’s India law.
- The wifi and data networks are not strong, even if your hotel promises it. I recommend traveling with one of these Skyroam devices that gives you a hotspot almost everywhere in the world.
- This post talks about Kerala, Cochin, and Goa
Kumarakom, Kerala (coo-mar-ah-com)
You’ll hear about and see packages to do backwater boat trips everywhere. It’s more lovely than it sounds. I did a two hour ride with another friend and it was perfect. I’m told doing the overnight stay can be boring for a couple of friends. It would likely be a great time for a couple or large group of friends or family. Regardless, this is the one attraction not to miss. Our ship captain picked water lilies and made necklaces for us followed by a fresh coconut drink. If you make even a little conversation you may increase the richness of your ride. If you want to do a backwater trip, you can do it from Alleppey or even Cochin. But the best stuff is here.
I stayed at the marvelous Aveda Kumarakom Resort. It has a 150 meter pool where you could swim laps (and I did). Most of the time you’ll feel like you’re the only person swimming and in peak season the water is warm until dinner time. You can also swim to the edge of the resort to the beach beds and watch the beautiful backwater boats float by for hours not realizing the time pass by. They’ll also help you organize any day trips.
The service here is 5-star. You’ll also enjoy the food, in fact they even made my favorite off-menu Indian breakfast. There’s live music or dance along with a sunset boat cruise every night at dinner as well. This resort is kid friendly, lots of space for them to run around without getting in your hair. The Ayurvedic massages are very oily, so, very Ayurvedic.
Many locals and travelers alike praise Varkala. I haven’t been but my Indian’s friend’s Indian dad who lives in Kerala says “Varkala is great because it’s mostly Europeans. The Indians haven’t trashed it yet.” Take the quote as you wish. My cousin stayed at the Taj (great 5-star Indian hotel chain) and loved it. You can also do a trip to Munnar to see the spice fields. We were going to go but the ride is 4 hours from Kumarakom, so we decided to stay at the resort and swim.
And finally, Kerala was communist from 1964-2011. It seems like people were happy with it and it could easily make a return. From my broken hindi and taxi cab chat I figured out how much it leveled field for so many people, helped the literacy rate, and more recently their party has helped improve infrastructure like the roads etc.
Cochin (Kochi)
You really only need one, maybe two days here. There’s not much to do outside Fort Cochin. I know because we stayed at the over-priced Trident Hotel on our first night. Later during the trip we returned at stayed at the Dreamcatcher Homestay namely for the wildly cheap price. If you literally just need a bed, this place is good. The toilet and “shower” are smaller than a walk-in closet. But the host family is warm and welcoming and will help you. Make sure to give them a few compliments otherwise they’ll get a little snarky.
Ok so the main hotspots is the Jewtown with a Synagogue and a few other attractions. Interestingly enough, you will still take off your shoes like it’s an Indian temple here and in churches and you’ll see the deities celebrated with marigold necklaces and frames like the Hindu gods. Sadly Jewtown it’s mostly tourists now but it’s still pretty interesting. There’s also an area called the “beach” which turns out is a fishy, trash-filled coastline. However not too far from there are lost of boutique hotels and good shopping. Mid-upscale shopping includes Cinnamon inside the Malabar House (boutique hotel), Designshop and also some great chains like classic Fabindia and funky Playclan (though the selections are better in Delhi or even at the airport).
But one thing that can’t be missed is the Tibetan Chef’s restaurant. The price is dirt cheap and the cheese momos (cheese? Yes cheese) are to die for. If you need a break from Indian food, this is the spot. We ate at the Menorah Restaurant outside the Koderhouse. It was a good meal but unfortunately was not Jewish food. They might have the only clarinetist in Cochin though! Nearby is a latenight spot. I’ve heard reviews that it’s as unsanitary as it looks, so unless you want the famous India poops, don’t eat here.
Ft. Cochin is also a sleepy town, so if you want to go out drinking, buy your own beer in advance. You can go to the winebar at the Malabar House but the crowd is as cold and the vibe is dead, even though it’s beautiful.
Goa
I wish I had a lot of advice on Goa. I only spent a few days here and was mostly at the India Yoga Festival. The rest of the time I was swimming in the ocean or laying out in luxury bed at the L’amore Cottages at Ashwem Beach. Even in peak season we had a lot of privacy on these soft sands and warm water. I had some of my best restaurant food in India at this location and their drinks are on-point. It’s not a boozy bar, but the bungalows, service, and proximity to the ocean are unbeatable. It’s 1.5 hrs from the airport but totally worth it. If you walk 100 steps North you can eat at a shack called Ding Dong. If that’s doesn’t do it for you, what will?
New Delhi
Many people fly in and out of newP.S. If you’re traveling in Delhi (North). Here are a few good tips:
- Uber works pretty well and is crazy cheap by American standards. But you can’t call the driver from the app.
- Double the whatever traffic time Google predicts.
- Pollution Air Quality Indicators over 250 is unsafe. In Delhi it’s sometimes 500+. Bring a mask and eyedrops. Unfortunately you will get used it it after a few days. Read more about AQIs here.
- The best shopping in India is in Delhi.
Have a great time and if you remember one thing and one thing only it’s this: pepto with breakfast every day.
