India (Frommer's, 4th Edition) (40 page)

Day 12: Kumarakom

Drive to the heart of Kerala’s backwaters region to Kumarakom, which has by far the best accommodations. Idle away the hours on a backwaters cruise, indulge in Ayurvedic therapies, and laze under the tropical sun—that’s about as busy as your day is likely to get. Overnight at the
Kumarakom Lake Resort
or
Coconut Lagoon
(or
Green Lagoon
if you don’t mind shelling out for absolute exclusivity)—or head for the beach resorts at Mararikulam.

Day 13: Houseboat

Reset your watch to a rhythm of life that has remained relatively unchanged for centuries: Board a
kettuvallam,
one of the long, beautifully crafted cargo boats that ply the waterways. The houseboat experience allows you to aimlessly drift past villages, temples, and churches and be thoroughly exposed to the rural lifestyle of the backwaters. As you drift along, you can watch women, unperturbed by your presence, wash their long ebony tresses or pound away at laundry, while children play at the water’s edge, men dive for mussels, and elephants and water buffalo wade at will. Although the onboard facilities might strike some as rather basic, you’ll be spoiled rotten by your private team—a guide, a cook, and a pilot—who work hard to make your experience unique and exceptional.

Days 14 & 15: Kochi (Cochin)

Travel north to Kochi and settle into a hotel in
Fort Kochi
(we recommend the Old Harbour Hotel or Le Colonial), then explore Fort Kochi on foot. Start your tour at the harbor near Vasco da Gama Square, where you can watch the
Chinese fishing nets,
then visit
St.
Francis Church
and
Santa Cruz Cathedral.
Stop to admire the facade of
Koder House
—built in 1808 by Jewish patriarch Samuel Koder, it’s a good example of the hybrid Indo-European style that developed in Cochin. Also nearby is the
Pierce Leslie Bungalow,
a charming 19th-century mansion reflecting Portuguese and Dutch influences on local architecture. Take an auto-rickshaw to Mattancherry, where you should visit the
Dutch (Mattancherry) Palace
and
Paradesi Synagogue
before discovering the fragrant scents of Kerala’s
spice warehouses.
Make time to visit a few of the antiques warehouses, where some real treasures are to be found. A
sunset cruise
around the harbor is another must; it’s the best way to enjoy the most-photographed of Cochin’s historic sights, the Chinese fishing nets that form wonderful silhouettes against a red- and orange-hued sky.

Day 16: Wyanad

From Cochin, take the early Cannanore Express train to Calicut, from where you can catch a taxi for the 2-hour journey to Sulthan Bathery in Wyanad. Without a doubt the best accommodations,
Tranquil Resorts
is
a wonderful opportunity to stay in one of two luxury “treehouses” on a 162-hectare (400-acre) coffee and vanilla plantation at the edge of Wyanad National Park. Visit tea, pepper, cardamom, coffee, banana, and coconut plantations, or take one of the many splendid walks on this scenic estate; alternatively, take a trip into the park or to Edakkal Caves. Either way, the hospitality of Victor and Ranjini Dey at this gorgeous planter’s bungalow makes for an excellent end-of-trip sojourn.

Day 17 & 18: Wyanad & Neeleshwar & Home

From the Wyanad Hills, head for the unexplored far-northern coast of Kerala, where you can laze on the beach right in front of the exceptional new
Neeleshwar Hermitage
(near
Kanhangad
), visiting nearby
Bekal Fort
and stopping by
Anandashram,
one of the intriguing, totally tranquil ashrams in the vicinity. And, for an evening of lively entertainment, ensure that your hosts have organized for you to witness a ritual
theyyam
performance.
Hearts heavy with regret, you must now make your way back to Mangalore (or Calicut) to fly to either Mumbai or Bengaluru to connect to your flight home. If you arrive in Mumbai, you will need to transfer from the domestic to the international airport. En route, you can stop off for dinner at one of the superb restaurants near the airport (Peshawri at ITC The Maratha; or Celini, the Italian restaurant at the Grand Hyatt, if you’d prefer a less spice-intense meal), before you catch the late-night flight home.

4 A Leisurely Southern Sojourn

A Leisurely Southern Sojourn

South India is perfect for a slow-paced 2-week vacation that’s more unhurried escape than hectic vacation filled with must-see sights. This itinerary does explore a few tourist sites, but mostly it’s about relaxing and enjoying a few beautiful and varied environments. Kerala is the ideal place to unwind and indulge; this is, after all, where succumbing to therapeutic Ayurvedic massages and treatments is as mandatory
as idling away an afternoon aboard a slowly drifting
kettuvallam,
or sipping coconut water under a tropical sun.

Days 1 & 2: Mumbai

Though Mumbai is India’s busiest city, it’s also a perfect place to begin an unhurried vacation. From the airport, head either to the
Taj Mahal Palace & Tower
(only a Heritage Wing room will do),
The Oberoi,
or the
Four Seasons;
enjoy the warm weather on a sun-bed by the pool, or make your way to the hotel spa for the pampering you deserve after that long journey. Alternatively, stay at the more affordable
Ascot,
Colaba’s best-value hotel. Mumbai doesn’t have a wealth of historical attractions; it’s a city you
experience
rather than sightsee, and sampling the restaurants’ fare should be high on your must-do list. From your hotel you can also explore on foot the
Marine Drive/Chowpatty Beach
area,
and if you’re at all inspired by Gothic Victorian architecture, plan a jaunt through Mumbai’s older districts. Stop off at the
Gateway of India,
from where it’s a 15-minute walk north to Fort, passing the
Prince of Wales Museum
as well as a host of Raj-era Gothic architectural highlights. From the museum, continue to
Flora Fountain
and beyond to
Victoria Terminus Station.
Wander back to the Fountain,
taking in the impressive
High Court
building
and the
Rajabai Clock Tower,
which overlooks the Bombay University complex. Some of the best restaurants in Mumbai are in this general neighborhood, so take your pick. If you want to sample the coastal seafood for which Mumbai is famous, go no farther than
Mahesh Lunch Home
in Fort.

Days 3 & 4: Goa

Fly to Goa, old Portuguese colony and beach paradise. Take your pick of accommodations, from sprawling beachfront five-star hotels to small boutique hotels. If pampering is part of your plan, book into the
Nilaya Hermitage,
a gorgeous getaway with a splendid spa, or head south to the quirkily stylish
Vivenda dos Palhaços,
where your Anglo-India host Simon Haywood and his lovely crew will arrange just about anything for you. If you can drag yourself away from the beach and poolside, explore Old Goa; most sights are clustered together, so it can be covered in a few hours. These include
Arch of the
Viceroys,
built in 1597 in commemoration of the arrival of Vasco da Gama in India;
Church of St. Cajetan,
modeled after St. Peter’s in Rome; and
Adil Shah’s Gate,
a simple lintel supported by two black basalt columns. Southwest of St. Cajetan’s are the highlights of Old Goa: splendid
Sé Cathedral,
said to be larger than any church in Portugal; and the
Basilica of Bom Jesus (Cathedral of the Good Jesus).
Nearby is the
Convent and Church of St. Francis of Assisi,
while up the hill are the ruins of the
Church of St. Augustine;
below are the
Church and Convent of Santa Monica
and
the
Chapel of the Weeping Cross.

Days 5 & 6: Hampi

Take the biweekly train from Goa to Hampi, endure an overnight bus ride, or fly to Bengaluru the previous evening, from where you can get a convenient overnight train to Hospet. Check in at
Hampi’s Boulders.
Spend your time leisurely exploring the ancient city, whose isolated ruins are scattered among impossibly balanced wind-smoothed boulders and immense stretches of verdant landscape. Highlights are fabulous
Virupaksha Temple
and
Vitthala Temple,
dedicated to an incarnation of Vishnu and one of the most spectacular of Hampi’s monuments; also make sure to see the
royal enclosure,
which
incorporates the ruined palaces where the Vijayanagara kings would have lived and held court. Not much survives, but you can still visit
Hazara Rama Temple
(where the royals went to worship), a small
stepped tank,
and
Mahanavami Dibba
(a platform where performances and entertainment were held). On the outskirts of the royal complex, you will see the
zenana
enclosure, marked by the two-story Indo-Saracenic pavilion,
Kamala (Lotus) Mahal,
and, just outside the enclosure, the awesome
Elephant Stables.

Days 7 & 8: Kochi (Cochin)

Take the train to Bengaluru and from there fly to Kochi, where you should get a room in Fort Kochi (at either the
Old Harbour Hotel, Le Colonial
or
Secret Garden
). Fort Kochi can be explored on foot. Visit
St.
Francis Church
and
Santa Cruz Cathedral;
stop to gaze at the famous
Chinese fishing nets.
Drive to
Mattancherry Palace
(Dutch Palace)
and
Paradesi Synagogue
before following your nose to the
spice warehouses.
Antiques lovers will be bowled over by Kochi’s antiques warehouses full of real treasures. Take a
sunset cruise
around the harbor at dusk and then dine on a seafood platter at one of Kochi’s wonderful restaurants.

Days 9 & 10: Kumarakom

Drive towards Alleppey to experience Kerala’s backwaters. Spend 2 nights at one of the wonderful homestays in the region (
Olavipe
is the ultimate) or on a
houseboat;
alternatively, book into
Green Lagoon, Coconut Lagoon,
or
Kumarakom Lake Resort.
If you opt for the houseboat experience, you bed aboard a
kettuvallam,
one of the long, beautifully crafted cargo boats that ply the waterways—a wonderful way to experience the rural lifestyle of the backwaters as you aimlessly drift past villages, temples, and churches. If the facilities strike you as too basic, and if you’re not interested in a homestay either, spend the night at the intimate
Philipkutty’s Farm
and take a sunset backwaters cruise instead.