There are a lot of people traveling to India these days. Some are ex-pats looking to reconnect with the homeland. Others are a vast range of tourists and adventures with a host of ideas of what would be the perfect Indian getaway. Whatever your motivation, you probably want to know where the action is. I'm here to tell you.
As far as I'm concerned, there's no doubt about it: the place to be in India these days is Kerala. Forget about all the cliches of Katmandu and Goa; there's yesterday destination. Unless you actually want to be a trophy of irony, forget all about them. Sure, Mumbai and Delhi certainly have their appeal. But, let's be honest, there is an intensity, a weight of sheer human presence, in those cities, which just isn't everyone's cup of chai.
No, if you want a visit to India that gives you the top experience, in a chilled atmosphere, immersed in natural beauty, but without sacrificing cultural vibrancy, the current time in India is Kerala time! This hot Indian up-and-comer of a destination stretches along the south-western corner of the country. (I like to tell people, if they can conjure up an image of where Chile is in South America, they can figure out where Kerala is in India). This area has all you could ask for in your Indian vacation.
For instance, consider these great options:
Let's start with Kochi. It's sometimes still called Cochin on older maps. But, by whatever name, the commercial center of Kerala is as happening as it is beautiful. It sits engagingly at the crossroads of some of Kerala's famous backwaters. The town spreads out over the northern end of a peninsula, several islands and the corresponding mainland. Kochi's ubiquitous ferries ply the waterways of the city's exquisite natural harbor. Personal experience allows me to testify that dolphins sometimes swim so close to the low slung ferries that you can, without exaggeration, simply reach over and pet them, right there in the water. It's a memory that has stuck with me my whole life.
Kochi's built environment provides an excellent complement to the natural beauty of its harbor. The city's history has involved diverse colonization. A particularly long colonial period was the century and a half under Portuguese administration. Regardless of one's general opinion on colonialism, one of its inadvertent treasures is fertile cultural mingling. Kochi has been an exemplar of such cultural crossroads. One of the legacies of this history is a stunning architectural heritage. This is especially on display in the Fort Kochi area, which is a must see if you visit the city.
Don't get lulled into complacency by the idyllic natural and architectural beauty, though. Kochi can rock its way into your heart, too. Its thriving nightlife provides an impressive spectrum of fine restaurants, offering up culinary delights from all over India. International food options are also well represented. Following a night out for dinner, you can kick back in any of a diverse number of cafes (south Indian coffee is great!), or if looking for something more energetic, there are a good assortment of discos and pubs to party on into the wee hours.
And when you feel you're big city maxed-out, don't despair, Kerala has only begun to reveal its treasures. If you still, though, want some adventure that keeps you on the move, the splendid Kerala backwaters may be just your thing. Composed of lagoons and lakes that run parallel to what, in a more prosaic time, was called the Malabar Coast, they are connected into a vast backwater network through a great number of canals and rivers.
Among the two top options in exploring the backwaters is a visit to Alappuzha (still sometime referred to as Alleppey on maps). It is the settlement center of the backwaters region; a delightful town crisscrossed by so many canals that it has come to be known as Venice of the East. It was a main trading center for a long time and remains an intriguing place to explore.
Another popular backwaters experience is booking passage on one of the over 2000 kettuvallams, or Kerala houseboats, that ply the backwaters. Historically these boats were commissioned as grain barges. In recent years, there has been a very successful, popular and, for the locals, lucrative trend to convert them into floating cottages. Thatched roofs enclose cozy sleeping quarters. There will be an inboard toilet and an outdoor deck area. This latter is perfect for taking in the scenery, watching the sunset, relaxing under the full moon and enjoying the Kerala-style meals prepared by the crew.
But, if even that's too much action for you, and all you really want to do is lounge on a beach and sip a refreshing drink, while soaking in the sun and the sound of the waves, Kerala has you covered still. Indeed, there are plenty of spots for this, but we'll tell you about just one absolute gem that you must see. Varkala is a chill-out heaven. But, despite its laid back paradise profile, unlike most other such spots along the Malabar Coast, it has not been overrun by Western hippies and rave kids.
Here you'll find that lush tropical coast, lined with drooping palm trees, and perfect beach, which is the stuff of daydreams during long January days in the office. In addition, Varkala has the added virtue of seaside cliffs of geologic uniqueness. The seaside village, with shops and eateries, stretches over a kilometer across the top of these cliffs. This little piece of paradise feeds the palate, the senses and the soul. Honestly, this destination must be seen to be appreciated. (To get some fleeting sense of the delights, check out the video at our post: The Current Time in India is Varkala Time!)
And, if you're such a hard sell that even paradise itself isn't enough to move you, Varkala offers the additional perk of a 2000 year old temple, which is an important Vaishnavaite shrine. It is too a hotbed of Ayurvedic medicine. Heck, it even has an Ayurvedic hospital. What more could you want?
Getting to Kerala isn't too difficult: international flights fly into Kochi and the Kerala capital city of Thiruvananthapuram (which, incidentally, is about 32 miles, or 50 km from Varkala). However, and this is only for the real keeners, I admit, but if you can spare the time, why not really make an adventure of it? Fly instead into the even better served Mumbai airport. Then, after the must-stop-in to visit Bollywood, get yourself onto the wonderful Konkan railway for the trip down the Malabar Coast. Back in the 70s, when I first came to India, this railway didn't exist and, except for a brief time during which there was a boat between then-Bombay and Goa, the trip down the west coast was a real hardship. The new railway is a great boon to travel and a beautiful ride.
The bottom line is simple enough. However you decide to make your way, what matters is that you get yourself to Kerala. Inevitably the popularity of a location usually winds up destroying the very charms that made it popular in the first place. Great locations do not stay so forever. Right now, Kerala is in its full glory. The current time in India is, indeed, Kerala time! Don't miss it.
As far as I'm concerned, there's no doubt about it: the place to be in India these days is Kerala. Forget about all the cliches of Katmandu and Goa; there's yesterday destination. Unless you actually want to be a trophy of irony, forget all about them. Sure, Mumbai and Delhi certainly have their appeal. But, let's be honest, there is an intensity, a weight of sheer human presence, in those cities, which just isn't everyone's cup of chai.
No, if you want a visit to India that gives you the top experience, in a chilled atmosphere, immersed in natural beauty, but without sacrificing cultural vibrancy, the current time in India is Kerala time! This hot Indian up-and-comer of a destination stretches along the south-western corner of the country. (I like to tell people, if they can conjure up an image of where Chile is in South America, they can figure out where Kerala is in India). This area has all you could ask for in your Indian vacation.
For instance, consider these great options:
Let's start with Kochi. It's sometimes still called Cochin on older maps. But, by whatever name, the commercial center of Kerala is as happening as it is beautiful. It sits engagingly at the crossroads of some of Kerala's famous backwaters. The town spreads out over the northern end of a peninsula, several islands and the corresponding mainland. Kochi's ubiquitous ferries ply the waterways of the city's exquisite natural harbor. Personal experience allows me to testify that dolphins sometimes swim so close to the low slung ferries that you can, without exaggeration, simply reach over and pet them, right there in the water. It's a memory that has stuck with me my whole life.
Kochi's built environment provides an excellent complement to the natural beauty of its harbor. The city's history has involved diverse colonization. A particularly long colonial period was the century and a half under Portuguese administration. Regardless of one's general opinion on colonialism, one of its inadvertent treasures is fertile cultural mingling. Kochi has been an exemplar of such cultural crossroads. One of the legacies of this history is a stunning architectural heritage. This is especially on display in the Fort Kochi area, which is a must see if you visit the city.
Don't get lulled into complacency by the idyllic natural and architectural beauty, though. Kochi can rock its way into your heart, too. Its thriving nightlife provides an impressive spectrum of fine restaurants, offering up culinary delights from all over India. International food options are also well represented. Following a night out for dinner, you can kick back in any of a diverse number of cafes (south Indian coffee is great!), or if looking for something more energetic, there are a good assortment of discos and pubs to party on into the wee hours.
And when you feel you're big city maxed-out, don't despair, Kerala has only begun to reveal its treasures. If you still, though, want some adventure that keeps you on the move, the splendid Kerala backwaters may be just your thing. Composed of lagoons and lakes that run parallel to what, in a more prosaic time, was called the Malabar Coast, they are connected into a vast backwater network through a great number of canals and rivers.
Among the two top options in exploring the backwaters is a visit to Alappuzha (still sometime referred to as Alleppey on maps). It is the settlement center of the backwaters region; a delightful town crisscrossed by so many canals that it has come to be known as Venice of the East. It was a main trading center for a long time and remains an intriguing place to explore.
Another popular backwaters experience is booking passage on one of the over 2000 kettuvallams, or Kerala houseboats, that ply the backwaters. Historically these boats were commissioned as grain barges. In recent years, there has been a very successful, popular and, for the locals, lucrative trend to convert them into floating cottages. Thatched roofs enclose cozy sleeping quarters. There will be an inboard toilet and an outdoor deck area. This latter is perfect for taking in the scenery, watching the sunset, relaxing under the full moon and enjoying the Kerala-style meals prepared by the crew.
But, if even that's too much action for you, and all you really want to do is lounge on a beach and sip a refreshing drink, while soaking in the sun and the sound of the waves, Kerala has you covered still. Indeed, there are plenty of spots for this, but we'll tell you about just one absolute gem that you must see. Varkala is a chill-out heaven. But, despite its laid back paradise profile, unlike most other such spots along the Malabar Coast, it has not been overrun by Western hippies and rave kids.
Here you'll find that lush tropical coast, lined with drooping palm trees, and perfect beach, which is the stuff of daydreams during long January days in the office. In addition, Varkala has the added virtue of seaside cliffs of geologic uniqueness. The seaside village, with shops and eateries, stretches over a kilometer across the top of these cliffs. This little piece of paradise feeds the palate, the senses and the soul. Honestly, this destination must be seen to be appreciated. (To get some fleeting sense of the delights, check out the video at our post: The Current Time in India is Varkala Time!)
And, if you're such a hard sell that even paradise itself isn't enough to move you, Varkala offers the additional perk of a 2000 year old temple, which is an important Vaishnavaite shrine. It is too a hotbed of Ayurvedic medicine. Heck, it even has an Ayurvedic hospital. What more could you want?
Getting to Kerala isn't too difficult: international flights fly into Kochi and the Kerala capital city of Thiruvananthapuram (which, incidentally, is about 32 miles, or 50 km from Varkala). However, and this is only for the real keeners, I admit, but if you can spare the time, why not really make an adventure of it? Fly instead into the even better served Mumbai airport. Then, after the must-stop-in to visit Bollywood, get yourself onto the wonderful Konkan railway for the trip down the Malabar Coast. Back in the 70s, when I first came to India, this railway didn't exist and, except for a brief time during which there was a boat between then-Bombay and Goa, the trip down the west coast was a real hardship. The new railway is a great boon to travel and a beautiful ride.
The bottom line is simple enough. However you decide to make your way, what matters is that you get yourself to Kerala. Inevitably the popularity of a location usually winds up destroying the very charms that made it popular in the first place. Great locations do not stay so forever. Right now, Kerala is in its full glory. The current time in India is, indeed, Kerala time! Don't miss it.
About the Author:
To know The Current Time in India, in every sense of the word, you need to follow our website . Mitchell Jones is a top travel writer on India and other popular spots. When you're considering a trip to India, be sure to read his piece on CDC Travel Vaccines for India .
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Unknown - Sunday, February 9, 2014
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