Experience the unusual at the usual tourist destinations in Kerala
Though I was born and brought up in Kerala, it took me 5 years of studies in the North to learn more about how much this place is admired by the people outside the state. For me it is my home, for the others, it is a beautiful place to fall in love with nature. After hearing so much about the beauty of my state from my friends in North India, I decided to book a trip to Kerala with my family during my last holidays. As usual, we were given a list of the popular tourist locations to choose from. We chose 3 places and asked our tour manager to show us some unusual places in these usual destinations. The tour manager was a sport and told us to give him an hour’s time to get back. And he did, with a handful of unusual locations in these popular destinations. We had chosen Kochi, Vagamon and Kozhikode as we stayed near Allepey and it was a popular route which none of us had seen. In Kochi, he suggested we see Chendamangalam and Vypin which was very different from each other and from the usual Kochi tour everyone takes. In Vagamon, we were to see Elaveezhapoonjira and Paruthumpara viewpoint, which he said would make us fall in love with Vagamon. Then it was Kozhikode where he suggested Dolphin’s point and Kappad Beach. So we decided our route as Vagamon to Kochi and then from Kochi to Kozhikode for our Kerala trip.
Vagamon — Elaveezhapoonjira and Paruthumpara viewpoint
Vagamon, I believe, is a popular destination for Kerala trip packages. The green meadows and the lake there are the most admired destinations in Vagamon which we also visited. We spent around an hour there and enjoyed the boat ride also in the lake. Then we moved on to our first unusual destination, Elaveezhapoonjira. In Malayalam, it means a place where no leaves fall. Indeed, this place has no trees from which leaves would fall. It is a beautiful valley perfect for a trekking trip. Our driver told that it is frequently visited by the tourists on Kerala family trip because of the fresh air and the tranquil scenery it offers. During monsoon, this place fills up with rain water to form a lake. Next we wanted to see the Paruthumpara viewpoint. It turned out to be an amazing place with panoramic views of green hills covered with mist. Paruthumpara is a beautiful place to see and the perfect place for hiking. Adventure lovers and photography enthusiasts will love this place. In the evening, we stayed in a beautiful resort in Vagamon. The food served was very delicious.
Kochi — Chendamangalam and Vypin
The next day morning we passed through Kochi via the Goshree bridges and the Vallarpadam terminal to Vypin. Vypin is a popular fishing harbour in Kerala. We visited the aqua tourism project there and enjoyed some delicious seafood. Then we visited the Puthuvype beach which was a very serene place. Lined with trees on one side, this beach extends till Munambam harbour. We took the coastal route and reached Cherai beach in another 30 minutes. The resorts in Cherai beach are booked frequently by tourists for Kerala backwater tour since they are not usually very crowded. Though it was only 11 am we did enjoy the beach which was empty at this time. We had some refreshments from the beach and continued our journey to Chendamangalam. Though there was a direct route available, the driver took us via North Paravoor so that we could see the Kerala backwaters and Chinese fishing nets on both sides. We reached Chendamangalam on time for lunch since we stopped by the backwaters and Chinese fishing nets to take some pictures and we tried our luck fishing also. At Chendamangalam, we visited the Muziris Heritage Museums and the Jewish Synagogue at Kottayil Kovilakam. Then we set on a backwater cruise from there. We also met a family who were on their Kerala tour packages from Kolkata and were very happy about this place. It was delightful as we could sail through the narrow channels of water and see the temples, churches and villages on both sides and there were many coconut trees forming arches above us across the backwaters. It was a different experience though we have enjoyed the Allepey backwater cruise many times which is a popular place for Kerala houseboat tour. We started from Chendamangalam to Kozhikode later in the evening and reach there by night.
Kozhikode — Dolphin’s point, Kappad Beach
Kozhikode is a foodie’s paradise. The variety of tasty dishes you get there is such that you can just keep eating away blissfully for a month and there would still be dishes you have not yet tried. Those on Kerala packages from Hyderabad will find the food at Kozhikode very appealing as it is strongly influenced by the traditional Muslim cuisine popular in Hyderabad also. Our first visit was to Kappad Beach which was a famous place here since Vasco Da Gama first landed in India at this place. There’s a lighthouse nearby from atop we could see a beautiful view of the entire city. Kerala trip from Bangalore to the Malabar region is quite popular now because of the amazing beaches and landscapes here. Moreover, it just takes a 5-hour drive from Bangalore to reach Kozhikode. Next we went to the Dolphin’s point. You have to be here during dusk or dawn to see the dolphins and the sunset here is very beautiful. Since we went in the evening, we decided to spend some time there and stay back to see the sunset. We had some light snacks from a nearby snack bar and they were amazing. We were told that these were popular snacks we could get only in Kozhikode. It seems they make it during the holy month of Ramadan to break the fast. Anyhow, we enjoyed everything about Kozhikode and saw some Dolphins and the beautiful sunset at the beach. We stayed back in Kozhikode that night and returned the next day to our home in Allepey. It was a beautiful family trip to cherish for a long time.