A Weekend In Kerala

A Weekend In Kerala

While even two weeks are not enough to fully explore the lush green lands of Kerala, what do you do if you have just two nights in the state? Anushka Patodia tells you how to maximise your weekend here.

A breath of cool, salty air welcomes you as you first set foot on the south-western coast of India, a serene haven known as Kerala. The rippling backwaters, lush coconut palms, tranquil houseboats and luxurious resorts are surely the stuff an uberrelaxing vacation is made of.

Kerala is dotted with numerous resorts, wildlife sanctuaries, hill stations and Ayurvedic centres, that offer the sweet promise of a sybaritic experience, one that you may not forget easily. So, depending upon where your interests lie – whether it’s the spa, wildlife, the mountains, or the backwaters – you can choose where to go next. While Kochi is indubitably the first stop on this (really) short break, there are a number of options you can choose for your second stop

KOCHI-COOING YOUR WAY AROUND

This port city is also offers a unique cultural experience to visitors. Known for its quality spices such as black pepper and cardamom, which was traded to the Arabs, Dutch, Phoenicians, Portuguese, and Chinese more than 600 years ago, it soon became the gateway to Old India and was where the colonisation of India began from. Today, it is a thriving commercial port, which hosts the annual Kochi-Muziris Biennale, an international exhibition of contemporary art.