Tour packages begin their journey from cities such as Kochi and Calicut. There’s plenty to see here as well. A passage through Kochi (Cochin) will show you the VOC Gate, Bastion Bungalow, the Chinese fishing nets along the Vasco da Gama Square, St. Francis Church, VOC Gate, etc. The Chinese fishing nets balanced on teak wood and bamboo poles. They were supposedly first set up here between AD 1350 and 1450.
One of the favourite destinations of the Backwater tour is Kumarakom, with its bird sanctuary and the serene Vembanand Lake, on which you can take a backwater cruise on a thatched houseboat(the "Vambanadu Kettuvallam"),. Alappuzha is another delight, with its boat races, houseboats, coir products, and lakes. Kuttanad is a land of lush paddy fields and is called the 'Rice Bowl' of Kerala, where farming is done below sea level. Kuttanad is a stretch of 75 Km between the sea and the hills.
In the hill-station of Munnar one can visit the Raja Malai - a hill where you can see Neel Thar (mountain goats). Other fascinating places are Muttupetty dam (with boat trips on the lake) an Indo Swiss project, and tea gardens spread like a green carpet over hundreds of kilometres.
Munnar , previously the summer resort of the British Government in South India meets three mountain streams - Mudrapuzha, Nallathani & Kundala. It’s got tea plantations, quaint winding lanes, and exciting holiday facilities. Neelakurinji is a famous flower in this region, which blooms every 12 years. Anamudi, the highest peak in South India at 2695 m is a must-see.
The Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary in Thekkady was created when the surrounding valleys were flooded by a new dam. You’ll be able to explore it by boat. Take a ride also on one of the working elephants here, and sight many other species such as boar, deer, tiger, etc. You can proceed from here to the renowned Idukki dam.
From various spice markets and farms such as Kumily, Abraham's Spice Garden (in Kottayam), etc, you can pick up some of the ingredients of the heavenly food of the state- such as cardamom, nutmeg, pepper, and the like. Betel leaves, coffee, pineapple are also grown around Kerala, which you will surely see during the backwater cruises in all these villages.
When you return to the starting points of your tour, you can be shown performances of Kathakali, a classical dance originating in the state of Kerala, as a grand finale. So what are you waiting for? The next holiday season is just around the bend!
Alia Khan is a travel writer, has travelled almost the entire India. Currently she is specializing in India tour, North India tour and South India Tour related article. For more information visit our website: http://www.indiatouritinerary.com
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