Kerala – THE GOD’S OWN COUNTRY

Kovalam

This is my first travel blog post , so i thought to start with the GOD’s OWN COUNTRY – Kerala .I had realised almost 1 month back that there is a Long Weekend(2nd Oct , 3rd Oct, 4th Oct) coming up .Even on my Jammu trip , I had Kerala ruling over mind . On 24th Sep , after checking out the Plan for the full trip , I went to Madiwala to Book the Tickets to Allepey .Though my wife told me that we should Hurry Up. I didn’t took her seriously . Finally my budget tour plan , took the biggest Jolt .Tickets were not available in any of the Buses .Thereby I got my first Lesson – For a long weekend from Bangalore , you should book your tickets at least 2 to 3 weeks in Advance .We had only 1 option left , that is to take a Packaged Tour from Choice Travels .  A BUDGET TOUR to Kerala(only Allepey  and Kovalam) for a couple could range between 11,500 to 14000 depending on the Class of Bus and choice Of Hotel.We had some specific requirements like Volvo Transfers and Beach resort .So, When we were planning the trip by ourselves, it was coming around 13700 for both of us with the Following break Up . Food is not included in the Above Assumptions .

1. Volvo Tranfer from Bangalore to Allepey – Rs 950 * 2

2. Non Ac Deluxe House Boat for 22 hours from 12.00 p.m to 10.30 a.m (with Lunch , Dinner and Breakfast) – This was Rs. 4500 to Rs. 5500
Refer to the http://www.keralahouseboat.biz/kerala-houseboat-tariff.html

3. Non Ac Indica with driver from Allepey to Kovalam and back to Allepey  – Rs. 3400

A very well behave driver named Levin who accompanied us in our trip – 09446626448

4. Ac room in Pappukutty Beach Resort in Kovalam beach – Rs 1500 .

5. Volvo Tranfer from Allepey to Banaglore -  950 * 2

Since we had planned our trip and didn’t wanted to disturb , so we took a Customised package from CHOICE TRAVELS .
The following package Costed us Rs. 15,000 .

1. Volvo Tranfer from Sofia Lines (which was extremely good Volvo Bus) from Banagalore to Allepey – (1st October Evening)
2. Non-AC Deluxe House Boat from Star House Boats (with Lunch , Dinner and Breakfast)- 12.00 p.m(2nd October) to 10.00 a.m (3rd October)
3. Non- AC Indica tranfer from Allepey to Kovalam and Back to Allepey .(3rd October)
4. Travancore Palace Beach resort in Kovalam – Deluxe Room .(3rd to 4th October)
5. Volvo tranfers from Allepey to Banaglore – (4th October Evening)

         We started at around 7.45 p.m in the evening from Bangalore .The Volvo Journey was very much comfortable . It halted in the night for Dinner at a quite descent Restaurant . I  wake up  in Cochin (everybody calls it Ernakulum) at around 5.30 a.m  . The bus dropped us at 7.15a.m in Allepey . It was rainig  terribly there .We reached the office of Star House Boat Office comfortably (adjacent to Aluuka Jwellery shop) .It was like an OLD BDA Building , which was fully Manless at 7.15 a.m .They gave us 1 room for refreshment which was like a lodge ,suitable only for refreshment . They told us that pick up vehicle will come at around 11.30 a.m .We freshened up by 8.30 a.m and went out of the Complex .

There was a restaurant Just outside the Complex which was looking ok and Hygenic .I think that was the only restaurant , which was open at that time .To my surprise , food was not only descent but was Damm cheap too .I think we payed just Rs. 30 for 2 plates IDLY and 2 Tea .Since we had 3 hours we set out for Allepey beach .It was just 5-6  km from Alluka jwellery .I think Auto took Rs 30 .It was ok , water was not that clean . We clicked some good photographs near Sanjay Park .

On the beach , there is 1 place where Sea water is forming a Stream into the City . If somebody Plans to go to Allepey for its beach , please don’t .Its only worth doing a time pass for couple of hours . Some construction work was happeining when I visited Allepey beach , probably they are trying to make it more beautiful .Then we came back to the House Boat Office .

ALLEPEY HOUSE BOAT TRIP

 All the Houseboats are parked at the point from where the famous Nehru Cup begins .We were on the deck along with some ration and 3 men .1 cook , 1 Boat driver and 1 manager .As soon as we came on the deck we checked each and every thing .

It had 2 rooms with 2 windows. It had a nice bed ,clean bathroom , beautiful Mosqito Net , fans , lights . Outside was the Dyning Area , Luckily the rain had stopped and the weather was cloudy with cool breeze blowing .I think this was the best part our house boat ride .As usual , i was playing with my Camera .My wife was getting irritated because i was spending more time clicking the photos than talking to her(can’t resist the beauty of nature) .

In between we bought fresh Prawns . Please bargain before you buy these fresh prawns , because they costed Rs. 900/kg . 

 

Since we were contantly persuading  our Boar driver to buy the prawns and they struggled a lot to get the boat onto the shop that is why we bought 500 gms for rs . 450 .

  

 

At around 3.00 p.m we stopped for Lunch . It was such a romantic lunch -  Boat in the middle of the Lake with beautifully presented Food -(Fried Fish , dal , Rice , Prawns , Mooli , Sambar , Chapati) .I felt like the King of the Boat – 3 people just for me . Again we started , my wife drove the Boat for sometime and i was taking all sort of Crazy photographs .By that time the manager of the Boat knew that i am a true nature lover . We had 1 advantage that we had a comparitively small boat .

I asked him to take us only through the small canals . I saw a lot of Local people catching fishes with a stic and a thin thread with hook  . 

  

Some were using the public transport boats for their commutation .Some were rich so ,they had thier own boats .

 Rich guys have Speed Boats parked in their garadges .There were bridges connecting the 2 sides of the canal .There was a beautiful church in the middle somewhere .It was awsome .You can seen the real beauty only when you travel to and from Allepy. 

I earlier had an intenstion of taking the Boat from Allepey to Kumarakoan . But , if you want to see the real beauty of nature don’t take this option . If you go from Allepey to Kumarakoan , you will ride only through the big Lake Vembanad. You will not find time to go through the small canals .

Romantic Candle lite

We stopped at 5.30 p.m infront of the Cooks home . Generally all the house boats rests at a common place , so we were little frightened at that time because
only our houseboat was parked there .We took a long walk inside the Village , paddy fields and talked to some children in the sign language .We spent a very nice evening playing chess , chatting , singing , fishing .By the time we felt tired , food was again presented . It was nice , hygenic but i didnot liked it on that evening probably beacause i was eating the kadipata tadka for the 3rd time .While we were eating ,it started pouring like cats and dogs(rained heavily) .We went to sleep at around 10.00.But there was a fear building up in my minds primarily because of family . The windows were open ,  our boat was all alone in some village and we were on water .I remember taking a nap and then waking up like a dog as soon as i hear some noise  beacuse of some fish dive or running water .We woke up at 7.00 next morining with a nice Tea .My wife did some fishing exrcise for some time , with no success .Then at around 8.15 a.m , we got our breakfast (Idly , sambhar , Tea , Biscuits and Pineapple) .We left the House Boat at around 10.30 a.m .

KOVALAM

      Instantly we started for Kovalam . The Road was extremely good . It was  a drive along the western ghats , so we could see the sea shore along our route .We halted 2 times in between for 45(toilet)min, 45 (lunch)min each and reached Kovalam at around 4.00 p.m . Don’t be surprised , if you are served with hot and red coloured water . This is Mallu style . The driver(named Levin) was very good .

Our resort “Travancore palace Beach resort” was not on the beach as expected , but was not too far from the beach too .It was just 2 min walk from the beach .It had a nice swimming pool , nice rooms . But the rates were almost at par with the resorts or hotels on the Beach .standard room was Rs. 1500 (off season) in our resort and it costed around 1600 in “Pappukutty Beach Resort” .The same room will cost around 24oo in season .

We changed to our Beach attire and headed towards the beach .The view before the Light house gate is awsome and photographic .

If you would get to the beach from the Light house side , you would pass a lot of restaurants and hotels just infornt of the beach separated by a platform .Down the Platform on to the beach , the sand is very soft but black .

The beach was very beautiful , full of foreigners , the water was super clean , The sand was black at some places .
After about 20 min , the sun started setting . I think , I have seen the best sunset ever .

We went to the 2 hillocks , which is actually the best point to view the Sunset.Then we rushed in search of a massage parlour .There was a massage parlour , just 50 steps down towards the light house from our resort.Full Body relaxation Massage costed 700 rs.This was followed by free Steam bath .It was realy refreshing .

Then in the night we went out for the dinner in “Coconut Groove” .I was tired of eating south indian food , so we ordered  paneer pasanda, 1 vodka  with lemonide for me , 1 mocktail for my better half and chapatis .I expected that north indian food would be bad , but it turned down my expectations.Kovalam is very costly .Normal vegetarian  dish costed around 150-225 bugs .Our bill costed around 670 .There were only 4 variety of hard drinks available there .1 Beer was around 120 bugs .The experience of having dinner facing sea was something you cannot have anywhere except Kovalam Sea Facing Restaurants . 

 Next Day I got up at around 5.30 a.m and went to the beach around 5.45 a.m , assuming to see a beautiful sunrise .But sun rises from east and i was on the west coat of india , so poor show .We had a very good photoshoot in the  morning . 

We didnot went ahead the sunset view point rocks the previousday , but real beauty of the beach was beyond that point .

 The sand was white there and was very smooth and cool .That part of beach was devoid of Restaurants and Hotels . It was fully clean and amazing . A long walk in the shallow waters was very Romantic .I bathed in the crystal clear water of the Sea .It is also safe beach for swimming  .Since the crowd comprises mostly foriegners,my indian girls and ladies would feel comfortable in beach wear .

We had breakfast at a Restaurant which stands 1st from the Light House . 1 plate vegetable sandwitch was around 50 bugs and 1 fruit bowl was around 75 bugs .
                 When the clock struck 11.30 a.m , we headed towards Bangalore .You can catch bus to bangalore from Trivandrum which is around 25km from Kovalam . Buses from Trivandrum to bangalore starts at around 3.30 .It is 14 hour drive .We took our bus from cochin , because there was hell lot of problems we faced beacuse of the Travel Agent .Please visit www.developmyindia.blogspot.com to know some of the facts which you should be cautious while travelling to Kerala .This blog will tell some of the bitter experience we faced beacuse of our travel agent .  

WORD OF CAUTION – Don’t plan your package through Annapurna Travels (Mr. Ambrose).  

BOTTOM LINE IS – KERALA IS REALLY GODS OWN COUNTRY .PEOPLE ARE GREAT . FOOD IS GOOD (IT ALSO DEPENDS ON TASTE , north indians be cautious) ,MASSAGES ARE REFRESHING , BEACH WATERS ARE CRYSTAL CLEAR .
HEY BEACH LOVERS  WHAT ELSE YOU WANT …………………………………………………………………………………………….