India – Kerala Region

by Amy ~ June 21, 2007

Kerala: Kerala is a lush tropical area in the southwest of India. The area has the highest literacy rate (over 90%) and life expectancy rate (73) in all of India.

Allepey: Allepey is a nearby town famous for it’s houseboats and backwaters. We rented an entire houseboat with a captain, a chef, and a waiter for the 4 of us!

Typically the houseboat tour is an overnight tour but since we already had a hotel we made this a day cruise. The houseboat had beautiful hard wood floors and 2 bedrooms and baths. We were also treated to a very tasty south Indian meal consisting of coconut fish curry, cocount with beans and a few other dishes. I love coconut so this was one of my favorite meals on the trip.

Munnar: Our friends told us about a beautiful tea staion four hours from Kerala. The ride to Munnar was brutal – up and down mountains, with lots of turns in the road, however, the trip was worth it! Munnar was one of my favorite places on the trip. The hills are covered with tea plantations. Workers dotted the hillsides clipping tea leaves as you would trim a hedge.

While in Munnar we had the opportunitiy to take an elephant ride. It was incredible to be so close and to touch an elephant. They are massive creatures with rough calloused skin with bristles. They feel similar to a pig. They walk very slowly and stop every now and then to grab something to eat. I scratched the elephant’s ear and soon learned this meant I was going to give it food – the elephant stopped and put up her trunk expecting bananas.

At the end of the ride we purchases bananas and fed the elephant. The elephant lifted her trunk to receive your gift and ate the banana and peel quickly so she could beg for more bananas.Munnar is a really scenic location and somewhere I would recommend if you ever find yourself in India!

View our View our Kerala, Munnar and Alleppey photos.