Kerala in monsoon beckons; here's a choice of off-beat travel spots

Undeniably, Kerala is deeply blessed by the hand of Nature. It is not surprising that this southern state figures among 50 extraordinary wanderlust destinations in TIME magazine’s list of the World’s Greatest Places of 2022.

TIME said that Kerala, nestled on the southwest coast of India, “is one of India’s most beautiful states. With spectacular beaches and lush backwaters, temples, and palaces, it’s known as God’s own Country for good reason.”

It is not just its ancient healthcare system of Ayurveda, stunning temples, its art forms, cuisine, and Kalaripayattu, it is also teeming with pretty hill stations and rich and diverse wildlife. There are little-known and off-the-beaten track places nestling in every nook and cranny of this green paradise. For the avid post-COVID traveller looking to collect ‘experiences’ in life, here are some of the must-visit spots in the monsoons that must make it to a Kerala traveller’s itinerary:

Nelliampathy

Located 52 kms from Palakkad, Nelliampathy, a hill station nestling atop the majestic Western Ghats, is often referred to as the “poor man’s Ooty”. It offers expansive and stunning views of misty mountains and enchanting valleys interspersed with sprawling tea, coffee, cardamom and orange plantations.

There is also a beautiful waterfall in the hill station. This ‘queen of Palakkad hills’ is the home of the unique Silent Valley National park, the famous Parambikulam wildlife sanctuary, Attappady hills and more than half a dozen dams. It is a favourite of trekkers and an ideal retreat for the nature enthusiast.

Also read: TIME magazine picks Kerala, Ahmedabad as top tourist destinations

Gavi, Periyar

This lesser-known paradise in Kerala is a forested region in the Periyar Tiger reserve, which is home to around 260 species of birds and animal species. Visitors are advised to look out for bison and elephants. Gavi is located 40 km from Kumily.

Cooling off in the waters of bubbling brooks among thick greenery, inhaling the fresh air scented with the aroma of cardamom is a magical experience that very few places other than Gavi can offer, assures the Kerala government tourism website. The wild animals like the Nilgiri Langurs, herds of elephants and the diverse avian fauna make the place all the more attractive.

A lot of activities have been lined up here for visitors, which include treks in deep jungles, night safaris, outdoor camping, elephant safaris, wildlife watching, bird-watching, stays atop tree huts, visits to Paradise Cove at Ninnumulli, boating in Gavi and Kochupampa lakes, stays at the eco-lodge overlooking Gavi Lake, leisurely walks through spice gardens, visits to cardamom factories and so on.

Kundala

Kundala is a picturesque place, about 20 km from Munnar and is located at a height of 1,700 meters above sea level. There is an artificial dam in Kundala which is another major attraction here. Boating facilities namely pedal boats, Kashmiri shikkara boats and row boats are available on rent. The Aruvikkad Waterfall is also situated near Kundala.

Munnar is the nearest town to Lake Kundala and is well connected by road transport, mainly buses and taxis. What’s unique about Kundala is that cherry blossoms appear twice in a year here. The famous Neela Kurunji flowers which bloom once in twelve years, bloom in the hills and valleys around Kundala lake. The flower, which has no smell or any medicinal value, can’t be seen anywhere in the world other than Western Ghats.

This endangered species grow at a height of 30 to 60 cm on hills slopes at an altitude of 1300 to 2400 meters where there is no tree forest.

Also read: Goa’s famed feni liquor to be produced in Kerala shortly

Eravikulam National Park

It is in this park that the main “blue carpeted” beautiful Neelakurinji flowering area can be soaked in. Situated in the Kannan Devan Hills of the southern Western Ghats, this wildlife park with an area of 97 sq. km. can be reached via Munnar. Eravikulam is also famous for being the natural habitat of Nilgiri Tahr, the endangered mountain goat.

Edakkal Caves in Wayanad

The caves are similar to the Bhimbetka caves in MP, and they include the only Stone Age engravings in South India, dating from 6,000 B.C. The ascent from the bottom to the top of the cliff takes you over uneven trails and you emerge out of the trek to imbibe a beautiful view. It’s is clearly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!

Vagamon

The Vagamon hill station in Idukki is is known as the Scotland of Asia. The grassy hills, velvet lawns and overall mysticism of the place cannot be replicated anywhere else in the world. This quaint town, unaffected by industrialisation is tucked away in Idukki district. Visitors here can trek, and do paragliding, mountaineering and rock climbing.

The state’s first caravan park, Karavan Meadows, has opened in Vagamon. After being successful with houseboat cruising, the state government’s tourism department is promoting tourist exploring the beauty of the state by travelling around in caravans. According to TIME magazine, over 1,000 campers have already begun to travel around to experience Kerala’s beaches and verdant plantations.

In Vagamon, people love travelling across a chain of three famous hills: Thangal, Murugan and Kurisumala. The Kurisumala monks have an enchanting dairy farm nearby that is an absolute delight to visit.

Also read: SC order on buffer zone puts Kerala in a quandary; here’s why

Muzhappilangad Beach

This famous for being Kerala’s only drive-in beach. At about 7km from Thalassery in Kannur, there is a 4 km stretch of sand on which you can drive on drinking in the sight of the beautiful Malabar Coast.

Along the way, one gets to munch on delicacies from a number of shacks that offer authentic Malabar cuisine. It is often considered as a swimmers’ paradise as the black rocks protect the beach from deep currents. One can also partake in adventure sports like paragliding, parasailing and microlight flights along with water sports, power boating or a simple catamaran ride.

Silent Valley National Park, Palakkad

This is a well-known spot but a visitor to Kerala cannot bypass this most magnificent gift of nature to mankind. The park constitutes the centrepiece of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve in Palakkad district. It is a unique preserve of tropical rain forests that was named as a National Park only in 1984.

It was known as ‘Sairandhrivanam’ because it was here that Sairandhiri (the secret identity donned by Panchali, from the epic Mahabharata) is believed to have hid along with her five husbands, the Pandavas, while escaping the Kauravas. The Kunthippuzha River which feeds the entire forest was named after Kunthi, mother of the Pandavas.

The flora and fauna here are widely diverse as you can find tigers, leopards, elephants, snakes, lion-tailed Macaques and Malabar Giant Squirrels to moths, bugs and toads, and 128 species of beetles. There are over 1,000 species of flowering plants and another 110 species of orchids. Trekking and camping packages are available here just to savour the majestic beauty of this place.