INDIA BEST BETS Fodor’s writers and editors have chosen our favorites to help you plan. Search individual chapters for more recommendations. á RESTAURANTS BEST STREET FOOD Evergreen Sweet House Bikanerwala Lassiwalla BEST FOR ROMANCE Indian Accent Thalassa The Malabar House BEST DINING WITH A VIEW Bellevue Thalassa Blue Sky Restaurant Bristow’s Bistro BEST SEAFOOD Terrace at Clafouti Beach Resort 6 Ballygunge Place A Reverie BEST ITALIAN FOOD Diva Italian San Gimignano Bar Palladio BEST HOTEL RESTAURANTS Indian Accent Suvarana Mahal Ziya BEST PUNJABI CUISINE Punjabi by Nature Moti Mahal Deluxe Sher-e-Punjab BEST SOUTH INDIAN CUISINE Naivedyam Sagar Ratna Tamarind Tree BEST WINE LIST Malabar Junction Risala Pali Village Café BEST CAFES Kashi Art Café Anokhi Cafe Latitude 28 BEST INDO-CHINESE FOOD Chinoiserie Mainland China Bar-B-Q é BARS BEST COCKTAIL BARS Aqua Blue Bar Monkey Bar BEST HOTEL BARS Agni 1911 Someplace Else ü HOTELS BEST FOR HONEYMOONERS The Oberoi Rajvilas Alila Diwa Goa niraamaya - Surya Samudra BEST DESIGN Sunbeam Hyatt Regency Kolkatta St. Regis BEST PALACE HOTELS Umaid Bhawan Palace Taj Lake Palace Neemrana Fort Palace BEST HISTORIC HOTELS Alsisar Haveli The Imperial The Oberoi Grand Kolkata BEST SPA ITC Mughal Taj green Cove Resort & Spa Park Hyatt Goa Resort and Spa BEST LUXURY The Oberoi Udaivilas Taj Lake Palace Taj Mahal Palace Hotel BEST MID-RANGE Ahuja Residency Hotel Pushkar Palace The Malabar House BEST BUDGET Singhvi Haveli Pousada Panjim Abode WELCOME TO KERALA TOP REASONS TO GO Ease your stress: There’s no place better than Kerala to get an ayurvedic oil massage and a yoga session. Let your tension melt away and your body kick back into equilibrium. Sail along the scenic backwaters: Luxury houseboats come with hotel comforts, but the real attraction is the traditional village life you see drifting by. Lounge by the sea: Relax along an isolated stretch of sand in North Kerala, access backwaters minutes from the beach at Marari, or party on Kovalam’s Lighthouse Beach. Indulge your taste buds: Whether it’s spicy, coconut-based curries, Portuguese- and Dutch-influenced dishes, or North Kerala biryani, traditionally cooked in a hollow piece of bamboo, Kerala’s extensive menu is sure to win over your taste buds. Tap into the past: Reflect on Kerala’s colonial past in Kochi, as you watch the sun set over the Fort area. The small state of Kerala is separated from the rest of the country by natural boundaries—the Arabian Sea to the west and the high Western Ghats to the east. The thickly forested and mountainous eastern edge can only be reached by road. Its hilly and fertile midlands are spotted with coconut farms and rice fields; its coastal lowlands are famous for the beaches and backwaters. Although most people never venture beyond the central backwater resorts and the well- developed beach towns in the south, the north’s long beaches are also worth a visit. Kochi. This colonial port city is packed with historical homes, churches, mosques, and a centuries-old synagogue where the city’s small remaining population of Jews still worship. Kumarakom. The rustic town of Kumarakom is where you’ll find some of Kerala’s nicest resorts. Alleppey. Alleppey is the gateway to exploring Kerala’s backwaters. Thekaddy. This cool mountain town is tucked into the Cardamom Mountains. Munnar. This is where you’ll find Kerala’s lush tea plantations. Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum). Kerala’s capital city is surprisingly calm. Kovalam. Kovalom is home to laid-back beaches. Varkala. This peaceful beach town is known for towering red sand cliffs. Calicut. Calicut is the gateway to the lushly forested Wyanad district. Kannur. This is the hearltand of Kerala’s Muslim community. From pristine beaches and backwaters to extensive stretches of tea and spice plantations and rolling hills, Kerala, the narrow state running 560 km (350 miles) along India’s western coast, is a land of diverse natural beauty. The scenery changes across the breadth of the state, and is dotted with waterfalls, fresh springs, and forests full of unique species of birds and wildlife. Kerala is also rich in history, with Hindu temples and Christian churches dating back hundreds or thousands of years and a culture that includes dance, martial arts, and age-old ayurvedic treatments. From the more recent past, coastal cities preserve colonial mansions and 19th- century godowns (warehouses) used to store spices and teas and coffee from the plantations. Outside of the historic, spice-trading city of Kochi, attractions are rustic: quiet beaches spiked with palm trees line the west coast; the hilly eastern interior is heavily forested. Kochi is the anchor of low-lying central Kerala, a region dominated by lazy inland waterways, broad lakes, rice fields, and fishing boats; the backwater lifestyle is best experienced from the deck of a slow- moving houseboat. Farther inland, you’ll find tranquil tea and spice plantations as well as two national parks and a sanctuary. At Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary, near Thekkady, you can observe creatures in their native habitat from the comfort of a boat. Rajamala Wildlife Sanctuary, in the Eravikulam National Park near Munnar, is where you’ll find the endangered Nilgiri tahr, a shy but sweet- tempered mountain goat. At Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary you may have a better chance of seeing wild elephants or bison. The hills surrounding Thekkady and Munnar are lovely for trekking and rich in waterfalls and birdsong, especially in the rains. Southern Kerala is best known for the sparkling beaches near Kovalam, which lie south of the stately capital city, Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum), the home of the famous Padmanabhaswamy Temple. Undeveloped, conservative northern Kerala is the state’s cultural heartland; you can witness some of the region’s most spectacular festivals here. Kerala’s Muslim community is concentrated in the north, and Christians are largely in the central and southern regions. Note that many of Kerala’s low-slung, modest temples restrict entry to Hindus only. MAJOR REGIONS Kochi is the biggest city in Kerala and one of the largest port cities on the west coast. In Central Kerala, between Kochi and Kollam (Quilon), to the south, is the immense labyrinth of waterways called kayals, through which much of the life of the Malayalee has historically flowed. From the vastness of Vembanad Lake to quiet streams just large enough for a canoe, the backwaters region, Kuttanad, has carried Kerala’s largely coconut-based products from village to market for centuries, and continues to do so today. You can relax at some of Kerala’s finest resorts, or briefly join the floating lifestyle by taking a boat cruise for a few hours or a few days. A houseboat cruise is one of the best ways to see the fascinating river village life of central Kerala and should not be missed. A day’s worth is quite adequate, but a few days of cruising can be magical. The terrain rises and the temperature drops as you move inland, up into the teak- forested hills of Thekkady and Munnar. Kerala’s interior is elephant country— you’ll find them roaming in Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary and even appearing in the mists of Munnar’s tea plantations. The beaches near Kovalam are Southern Kerala’s main attraction—in fact, they’re what brought Western tourists to the state in the first place, as the hippie scene from Goa moved down the coast. Parts of Kovalam are now overdeveloped and remain full of touts selling cheap tie-dyed clothes. There are, however, still some pleasant spots to relax within a few miles of the main beach. Kovalam’s hippie vibe sets it apart from other more solemn beach places in Kerala—the main drag on Lighthouse Beach is fairly lively, if a bit seedy. Just a half hour from Kovalam is Kerala’s capital city of Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum), the former home of the rajas of Travancore and now home to Kerala’s primary international airport. Varkala, slightly to the north of Trivandrum, has also gained tremendous popularity as a beach town. The place has a slow charm that grows on you. It’s not as action-packed as Kovalam, but its numerous thatched food stalls, an ever-increasing number of low-budget hotels, and the pilgrims the town pulls in to see the Janardhana Swamy Temple all add to a festive feeling. If Kerala is unspoiled India, then Malabar—as Northern Kerala was once known—is unspoiled Kerala. Arab traders landed here long before Vasco da Gama; many trading families converted to Islam and this part of the state retains strong Muslim influences. Various conquerors built forts along spectacular stretches of coastline, and some of Kerala’s most unique and colorful religious festivals take place in this region. With the exception of the hill station of Wyanad, tourism has yet to make major inroads into the northern part of Kerala. Planning WHEN TO GO HIGH SEASON: OCTOBER TO MARCH Although Kerala used to have a second dip in visitor numbers during October’s monsoon, this month now marks the beginning of the high season for all hotels and tour operators, with foreign tourists flocking in to take advantage of “monsoon tourism” deals. December and January are the peak tourist months, so be prepared to pay top rates around Christmas and New Year’s Eve. If you plan on visiting during that time be sure to book way ahead, as many hotels run on full occupancy. Because of Kerala’s many Christians, this time of the year is quite festive and very enjoyable. The climate is ideal for the beach and backwaters, while the hills offer a cooler alternative.