India (Frommer's, 4th Edition) (142 page)

Shopping in Venice of the East

If you are a serious shopper, you’ll definitely want to consider a stay at Raheem Residency. Bibi, the Irish owner, is full of great advice on retail therapy. Don’t miss a trip to the famous
Bhima Jewellers
(established here in 1925, with only certified gold on sale, and branches now throughout India) located on Mullackal, the main shopping street in Alleppey, as well as the
Maheshwari Fabric Showroom
and the wooden handicrafts near the DTPC boat jetty—all within easy striking distance of the Residency; ask for a map.

Kollam

The official southern end of Kerala’s backwaters (1,220km/756 miles south of Mumbai) is focused on lovely Ashtamudi Lake, lined with Chinese fishing nets and coconut groves. Far less touristed than either Alleppey or Lake Vembanad, the area spreading around Kollam is often bypassed altogether. Which, right now, may be the area’s strongest selling point—this part of the backwaters may offer the chance for real tranquillity and escape, even during high season. For too long there has been a lack of quality accommodations, though with new projects in the works, there is no doubt that this area—still delightfully undiscovered—is worth keeping an eye on. We suggest you keep checking with
Malabar Escapes
(
www.malabarhouse.com
) on any new developments with their upcoming property here; when it opens, it will be far and away the finest place to stay (you have our word on it).

You’ll find a contemporary, upbeat outlook at
Club Mahindra Backwater Retreat, Ashtamudi
(
0476/288-2357;
www.clubmahindra.com
),
the result of a far-reaching overhaul of another resort. Accommodations are in double-level whitewashed cottages arranged along the edge of Ashtamudi Lake, and the entire resort is altogether more neat and presentable than Aquasserene. Here, interiors have been fashioned to resemble modern holiday homes, so they have up-to-date appliances and comfy furnishings, without resembling the standard bland hotel look too much. Since Club Mahindra is first and foremost a destination for its members, it can get completely packed with vacationing Indian families—that could mean you’ll battle to get a room.

4 Trivandrum & Varkala

1,200km (744 miles) S of Mumbai

Thiruvananthapuram (“City of the Sacred Serpent”) is the mouthful of a name given to Kerala’s seaside state capital, but thankfully almost everyone calls it Trivandrum (if you want to impress locals, though, try saying it slowly: Tiru-vanan-tha-poo-ram). Although the city has some interesting museums and a temple that’s of great significance to Hindus (and off-limits to non-Hindus), the main reason you’ll find yourself here is to utilize the city’s excellent transportation connections and head for the beautiful beaches that surround it. North lies Varkala, which has been a popular seaside vacation spot since the early 20th century—no doubt because of its proximity to Trivandrum (a mere 10- to 20-min. drive south)—and as a result has become overcommercialized and saturated with tourist-hungry businesses. If you’re looking for Kerala’s most stunning, upmarket seaside options, many with more-or-less private beaches, you’ll have to travel farther south of Kovalam (see “Kovalam & Kerala’s Southernmost Coast,” later in this chapter).

ESSENTIALS

VISITOR INFORMATION
As the state capital, Trivandrum has plenty of outlets for tourist information, most of which (if not more) can be accessed on the state’s comprehensive website,
www.keralatourism.org
. There are two
tourist information counters
at the
airport;
one caters to international arrivals (
0471/250-2298
) and the other to domestic flights (
0471/250-1085;
daily
10am–5pm, closed a flexible hour for lunch). There are also information counters at the
Central Bus Station
in Thampanoor (
0471/232-7224
) and at the
Railway Station
(
0471/233-4470
), both of which are open daily from 8am to 8pm. Kerala’s
Department of Tourism
operates a 24-hour toll-free information line (
1600/425-4747
). Also providing tourist information is the Department of Tourism’s
Tourist Facilitation Centre
(Park View, Museum Rd., opposite the museum complex;
0471/232-1132;
daily 10am–5pm). For local tour information and bookings, go to the
Kerala Tourism Development Corporation
or KTDC, either at Hotel Chaithram, adjacent to Central Bus Station in Thampanoor (
0471/233-0031;
daily 6:30am–9:30pm), or at Hotel Mascot (
0471/231-6736
).