Kerala: a serene land of waterways, spices and festivals

In this video, we set a course for Kerala, a state on the southwestern Malabar Coast of India, justifiably described as ‘God’s own country’ for its wealth of natural beauty and the warmth of its local people.

Stretching 550km along India’s southwest coast, Kerala is divided between densely-forested mountains and a lush, humid coastal plain of rice paddy, lagoons, rivers and canals.

This slender coastal strip offers visitors its glorious Arabian Sea coast, a network of glistening backwaters, and the spice- and tea-covered hills of the Western Ghats, dotted with wildlife reserves and hill stations such as Munnar.

Washed by the highest rainfall in peninsular India, Kerala has intoxicated visitors since the ancient Sumerians and Greeks sailed to its Malabar coast in search of spices, while the drama of local Hindu rituals and festivals plunge travellers into a different dimension of time and space.

Ultimately, Kerala provides newcomers a serene, reflective world, far from the frenzy of the rest of India, with its long history illuminated by evocative cities like Kochi (Cochin) and Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum).

Suggested stops and activities in your Kerala itinerary include:

• A tour of the backwaters
• Visiting the Wayanad region
• Visiting Fort Cochin
• Visiting Varkala
• Visiting Munnar
• Visiting Bekal
• Visiting Periyar Tiger Reserve
• Visiting Kannur
• Visiting Matha Amrithanandamayi Mission
• Watching a Kathakali show

View the original video here.

Good Living is the Cyprus Mail’s portal of curated content from across the internet, showcasing local and global ideas, cultural highlights, and scientific and technological developments to inspire a sustainable life.