Kicking Back in Kerala

Our Indian adventure continued with four days in Kerala, a southwestern state along the coast known for its beautiful mountain landscapes, miles of backwaters, and relaxed atmosphere. A visit to Kerala is often regarded as a completely opposite experience from a trip to anywhere else in the country due to its slow pace and natural beauty. Malayalam is the most common language, and the state is home to the country’s most concentrated Christian population (about 18%). Interestingly, Kerala is run by a Communist government; we noticed Communist flags and posters throughout the towns and cities we visited on our tour.

Matt and I arrived in Kerala’s capital, Kochi, via plane, traversing the country in just over an hour on the domestic airline, SpiceJet. The homestay we rented for our first night ended up being the cleanest, most welcoming one we have experienced so far (despite one cockroach that Matt found in the bathroom and killed with Raid before I could see it). Our private suite was separated completely from the main house by an open-air hallway, so it almost felt like a normal, standalone hotel room. The host family was late to meet us at the house, and needless to say I was a bit frustrated about the delay given my clear advanced communication about our arrival time. Once our host dad arrived two hours later, however, he was so mild-mannered and kind that I quickly forgave him for the mix-up. Over the 20-hour duration of our stay, the family cooked us three full meals of delicious curries, fresh fruit, idli (a type of spongey pancake), salads, tea, chutneys, and more. We rested at home, watching “Mr. and Mrs. Smith” on TV and taking a two-hour afternoon nap. Albeit brief, we very much enjoyed this homestay experience!  

The bulk of our time in Kerala was spent venturing around the state on a tour package that Matt’s brother Andrew and his girlfriend Tanvi had gifted us for our wedding (Thanks, guys!). The package included a driver for three days, two nights in the mountain town of Munnar, an overnight cruise on one Kerala’s well-known houseboats, and a survey of the various historic sites in the Kochi district.

Our driver, Mr. Jackson, collected me and Matt from our homestay and we made the three-hour trip to Munnar. We quickly gathered that Mr. Jackson was not a patient driver, to say the least. He sped past everyone on the road, driving into oncoming traffic on two-lane highways to pass cars, buses, and motorcycles whenever he had the chance. Without seatbelts in the backseat, Matt and I would look at each other in frantic exasperation, just hoping we’d make it to the next destination! Roads were extremely curvy and the elevation spiked dramatically as we passed miles of green tea plantations, a handful of waterfalls, and countless touristy “spice gardens.” We were very relieved to finally reach the Devonshire Greens hotel, which was positioned on a steep cliff overlooking a vast valley. Munnar’s beauty was reminiscent of Ella in Sri Lanka, where Matt and I visited tea plantations two weeks ago. We found it so refreshing to stay in a fancy hotel for a couple of nights, indulging in long, hot showers (no hot water at many of our homestays!) and sitting outside on our private balcony to read books and drink tea. Excursions in the Munnar region included a trip to the Tea Museum, Kundala Lake, and the Mattupetty Dam, and because of our hotel’s remote location we dined exclusively at our hotel for lunches and dinners. The staff were extremely friendly and the vegetarian menu was extensive, so we didn’t mind! One tasty Indian dessert we enjoyed at Devonshire Greens was gulab jamun, which are almost like extremely moist donut holes doused in sweet syrup. We added an American spin to the dessert, pairing the gulab jamun with vanilla ice cream. I’m getting hungry just remembering it!

Looking out from the Devonshire Greens hotel balcony over the valley in Munnar.

Kundala Lake in the Munnar region of Kerala.

We descended from the mountain region, driving for five [long and nausea-inducing] hours to the coastal town of Alleppey where we boarded our houseboat for an overnight cruise along the backwaters. These cruises drive the tourism industry in Kerala; the boats were traditionally used as grain barges to transport rice along the wide canals, and they vary in shape, size, and luxury. With their thatched rooves, full electricity, plumbing systems, and onboard chef, the houseboats make for a fun trip. Matt and I had an entire houseboat to ourselves, with an open-air lounging and dining area plus a private bedroom and bathroom. We had three crewmen cooking us elaborate meals, steering the boat, and cleaning up after us. One of the meals included a whole fried fish caught just earlier from the backwater itself. The experience felt so fancy! Matt and I played many hands of “Crazy Eights” and I was able to finish my second book of the trip, a novel called “The Storyteller’s Secret” by Sejal Badani that takes place in India. (My first book was Michelle Obama’s “Becoming,” which was an incredible read that I highly recommend!). After the wonderful cruise, Matt told me that he had seen three lizards crawling around the walls of our bedroom on the houseboat. I’m glad he waited until afterwards to share that information!

One of the many houseboats dotting the Kerala backwaters that looked very similar to ours.

Sipping on limeade in the lounging area of our houseboat.

Each meal on the houseboat included a full spread of Indian dishes. This one featured a fried fish for each of us, freshly caught!

Our last day in Kerala, Mr. Jackson took us on a historic tour of Fort Kochi and surrounding areas, dropping us off for a few hours in various neighborhoods to explore the area by foot. We visited multiple Catholic churches, one of which housed the largest shrine to St. Sebastian in the world. Along the coast, we watched men operate the iconic Chinese fishing nets, which are large, stationary structures supporting a four-sided net with massive weights to counterbalance the weight of the catch. The highlight for me was walking around Jew Town (yes, that is the name of the neighborhood) and popping into the Paradesi synagogue, which is oldest active Jewish house of prayer in the British commonwealth, built in 1567! Next to the synagogue is a small museum detailing the history of the Cochin Jews, of which there are about 50 remaining in India. Most emigrated to Israel, Australia, and other Commonwealth countries in the 1950s, after India gained its independence and Israel was established. Aside from the synagogue and a few shops selling Jewish artwork and trinkets, Jew Town is only Jewish in name. Regardless, it was fun and fascinating to see my religion represented here!

Chinese fishing nets in Fort Kochi.

 Hebrew lettering featured on a mural in the Jewish district of Kochi.

Posing with the Jew Town sign in Kochi.

Matt and I flew to Goa later that evening, stopping on our way to the airport to purchase fresh, hot banana chips at one of the many busy food stalls lining the highway. Mr. Jackson touted how popular banana chips are in the state, made from local bananas. After tasting the delicious snack, we understood why!

Thanks for reading, friends and fam! Keep in touch and stay tuned for a post about our next beachy destination, Goa, in the coming days.