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Sadly I’ve never been to India, but ever since a couple of my friends participated in the Kerala Blog Express I’ve wanted to explore this stunning part of South India. All their social media posts, blogs and videos convinced me to put Kerala (also known as God’s Own Country) on my bucket list! Here are some of the many reasons why I want to visit Kerala.
*This post in sponsored by Kerala Tourism. However, all opinions expressed in this post are, as always, my own*
Why Kerala, India is on my Bucketlist
The Colours
I’m in LOVE with all things bright and colourful, so that was a huge factor that attracted me to Kerala in the first place. All the Instagram posts I saw had pops of colour everywhere. The clothes, the festivals, the food markets, the house boats, the wildlife – everything is full of colour! Essentially the entire place is Instagrammable.
The People
I’ve heard so much about the warm and welcoming people of Kerala and how eager they are to show off their traditions and culture. People can make or break a holiday experience. It makes such a big difference to any trip if the locals are excited for you to be there.
After seeing all the wonderful videos/vlogs from the Kerala Blog Express I felt an incredibly welcoming energy from the people of Kerala. They seemed proud of Kerala and delighted to welcome tourists. If you want to see exactly what I’m talking about this “Human by Nature” video, about the people of Kerala, gives you a taste of what they’re all about.
The Food
I always get excited about Indian food because they have some of the best cuisine in the world for veggies like me. The Keralan feast of Sadya, which includes about 40 different vegetarian dishes laid out on a banana leaf, sounds like a spectacular experience and basically my perfect dinner. I’m getting hungry just thinking about it!
The House Boats
Cruising along the backwaters (a series of canals, lagoons and lakes) on a luxury house boat (or Kettuvallam as they’re known in Kerala) sounds so otherworldly that I had to mention it. It’s one of those things that makes Kerala special and is a proper once in a lifetime opportunity.
Most boats will have an on board chef preparing top class meals from local ingredients. You get to spend time with Keralan people, see the beautiful landscape of Kerala and eat delicious food – sounds perfect to me.
Periyar Jungle
This National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary is known for its tigers and elephants. There are loads of ways to check out the park but I love the idea of a night time jungle patrol with a forest guard! Imagine spending time with the people who risk their lives to protect tigers every day. What they do is so important and interesting.
Then, of course, there’s the possibility of actually seeing a tiger in the wild!! With their numbers dwindling I suspect it’s very rare to see one, but even the possibility would be THRILLING.
Hiking Munnar
I love a hike and I’ve seen so many stunning photos from Munnar in Kerala that it’s certainly on my list. A hike in Munnar can include jungle, waterfalls, tea plantations and spectacular viewpoints, especially if you choose to hike Phantom mountain. Some of the photos I’ve seen of the sunrise hike would be enough to convince me to get out of bed at 4.30am.
Ayurveda Treatments
I’m obsessed with Ayurveda. I first learned about it when I was studying alternative therapies in a module of my pharmacy course. Ayurveda is an ancient Indian traditional therapy which aims to heal/nourish mind, body and spirit through diet, massage, herbal steam beds, meditation, yoga and more. I did a few treatments in Sri Lanka and it was spectacular. Visiting an Ayurveda retreat/resort in Kerala would be absolute Heaven for me!
Kathakali Shows
I first learned about this traditional dance art performance while attending World Travel Market expo in London. I saw the performers on the Kerala stand at the expo and was mesmerized by their bright face paint and colourful costumes.
So, naturally, seeing a Kathakali show is one of the many reasons why I want to visit Kerala. I think it’s something that I’m unlikely to encounter anywhere else in the world!
Of course, there are plenty of other reasons to visit Kerala, but I hope I gave you a but of inspiration and piqued your interest. If you’ve been to Kerala I’d love to hear what you thought in the comments and if there are any must sees/dos that I need to know about.
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