Deepak is the man to reckon with on Kerala matters. He has wealth of info. on this area. Don't fall for touts. Be very wary.

Here are some excellent and detailed blogs by tourists about Kerala:

1. http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/India/Kerala/

2. travelblog.org/Asia/…blogs-page-1.html

3. travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/…tpod.html

4. …paintedstork.com/blog/2005/12/pleasent-bird…

5. …anyhow5.com/2009/…

Enjoy !!

YEs actually i was hoping for Deepak's reply as i c he is all knowing abt Kerala.

Deepak pls oblige n set my heart at ease that rains wont hamper my trip ?!!

Friends of ours recently spent some days at Taj, Kumarakom. They were a largish group of extended family members. Older couple with children and their families. Age group 5 to 70 with the entire range in between.

Being Malayalees, they know what Kerala is about. They really enjoyed the experience and stay and loved the food which they certified as being absolutely authentic. The person who conveyed this to me is herself a great cook of Malayalee food and it had her seal of approval. Apparently, there was even a 'Chayakkada' effect created inside the premises. That is a roadside tea stall selling snacks as well.

I love Kerala during the monsoons. Being from Mumbai, you know what the monsoon rains are like. Of course it is going to rain.

The difference is that everything feels clean in Kerala. You can go out for walks in the rain. You can laze around on verandahs and just gaze at the rain and feel its spray on your face. The sound, the feel, the look is totally different from the feel of monsoon in Mumbai. It is magical, relaxing, therapeutic and I envy you your trip there at this time. Relax, let the rain be. If you want to enjoy the rain, then you will.

The waterfalls will be going full swing, although do be careful not to endanger yourselves. You may wish to visit a few.

Deepak seems to be rather busy these days. Why don't you PM him and ask him to post his suggestions here?

Yes the food is indeed very good. I had an excellent lunch at the Taj Garden Retreat, Kumarakom, and was also very thankful for the wine list and the great service. But we all three agreed that we were glad we hadn't booked there. After the natural beauty of Coconut Lagoon, the Taj felt artificial and manicured. Of course, being a 5-star and all that they can't afford NOT to be manicured, but I was happy with my choice, much cheaper and very nice.

If you dread manicured lawns then go for raw beauty and opt for homestays.

1. http://www.kumarakomhomestay.com

2. http://www.homestaykumarakom.com

If you do not dread manicured lawns than best is Kumarkom Lake Resort, closely followed by Taj.

Rest all are trying to catch up kind of places.

Hi Meheb,

do expect rains as going average rain fall pattern for the previuos years, is more in the month of July . But the rains wont hamper your tour as it wotn rain that whole day , but few hours of heavy rains can be expected each day and if luck prevails bighter/sunny days in between

you can fly in to Cochin and fly out from Trivandrum if you keep Kovalam as your last destination .

if the above is the case , then you can think of spending two nights at Fort cochin - the old dutch part of the town

Fort cochin to Kumarakom is an hour and half by road

And Kovalam from Kumarkaom is approx 4 & 1/2 Hours by road . or you can do it viceversa, Kovalam- Kumarakom- Fortcochin.

But i think flying in and out from Thiruvanthapuram to Mumbai is but expensive( ?)compard to Cochin

As TAJ fan's , i donno if it is appropriate to say that you can consider some other resorts at Kumarakom in the same budget range with a view of the lake , as TAJ rooms doesnt have a view of the lake from the room .

itz just truly amazing to sit on the verandah and watch the vast lake , when it rains/pour HEAVILY!!

I love it , do think most out here( who have travelled to Kumarakom and lake ) would love it too?! (

GJO1314 ! what say ? about this )

best regards

Deepak Dayanandan

Thanks a lot Deepak for responding much apprecriated.

But i some new queries that

1. While being based in kumarakum n kovalum can we visit any wildlife santury or do u suggest that on our way to kumarakum or Kovalum we can vist thekkady or perriyar or any other wildlife santury ?

2. Read somewhere that kanyakumari is only a 2 hr drive from kovalum.....is it true ?

3. Have any one of u heard of driver Anthony ?

Thanks once again in advance,

Cheers.

Hi Meheb

My brother and sister in law were at Varkala last weekend and enjoyed being there off season. I think this is a good time to travel-there is a Taj located there by the way.

P.S. Deepak and others-We just moved last week into a new house, was busy and had no broadband until today. It's a very contemporary design, done by a well known Bangalore based architect, Edgar de Mello

The rooms with break fast at Krishnatheeram( we stayed at the cottages there last October for 2200/night) were Rs 1000 per night-which I thought is a real steal!