Kerala Trip was fascinating. The heartwarming atmosphere and the pristine beauty of Munnar, Thekkady, Alleppey, Kovalam, Kanyakumari, and Trivandrum will remain ever-fresh in our memories.
Munnar, a hill station(at an altitude of 1, 600 m /5, 200’ on an average), gives a picturesque view of rolling hills covered with green carpets of tea plantation. It reminded us of Darjeeling. We have no hesitation to call Munnar ‘Darjeeling of Kerala’.
The first tea museum of India at Munnar was a place of attraction that gave not only the exquisite and interesting aspects of the beginning and growth of tea plantations in Kerala but also how to make tea to drink at home. Within their premise, the management also displayed a small tea garden, which was beautiful.
Other iconic places included a flower garden; Mattupetty reservoir; Echo point; spice gardens; Kadathanandan Kalri Centre in Thekkady; Lighthouse at Alleppy, Kovalam, and Kanyakumari; and beaches. All these places are graceful, charming, and mesmerizing.
It was an amazing feeling to be at the tip of India and watch the sunset. It was a dream for a long time that was fulfilled upon reaching Kanyakumari. The view, however, was not attractive at all, as expected, because of the clouds at the far end. The sun-rise, on the other hand, was totally disappointing because of the bad cloudy weather.
Surprisingly the spices appeared to be costly, which otherwise are expected to be cheaper, particularly when these are grown here in the spice garden itself. The only consolation was that we bought spices from the land of their origin.
Another surprise was that most of the restaurants were offering cuisines of all types, while we expected exclusively the local Kerala Food. It may be possible because of the tourists coming from all parts of the nation and internationally too.
The driver was very helpful, welcoming, and jolly making our journey comfortable and pleasant. He was very knowledgeable too and keep on giving every possible information about various places en route.
The trip was nicely planned by the Thrillophilia-concerned staff, however, after the end of the trip we felt to have an extra day at Kochi, a two-night stay at Thekkady rather than at Kovalam, and an extra day at Trivandrum. Further, other important sightseeing destinations, viz. Jatayu Nature Park has a huge Jatayu statue at Kollam, and a giant Mermaid statue on Shankumugham Beach at Kollam would have been included.
The hotels were good, the food was good, and the vehicle provided was also good, however, considering all these, the total cost of the trip charged yet appeared to be on the slightly higher side.
Undoubtedly, Kerala proved to be a true tourist destination having a land of scenic and stunning picturesque beauty together with the simplicity of the local inhabitants. Indeed, Kerala Trip offered us a relaxing and enlightening experience.
Look forwards to more tourist vacation destinations, both domestic and international.