Kerala backwaters and beach area

Hello all,
I’ll be traveling alone in the Kerala area for about 2.5 weeks for the first 2.5 weeks of September 2018. I’m looking for a quiet and beautiful beach homebase where I can make daytrips to the backwaters. I’ve read about Kovalam and Varkala beaches. Thoughts? I prefer an area with as few tourists as possible and I’ve read that Alleppey is beautiful but popular. Any suggestions on particular areas where beach and backwaters are close in proximity? Lodging recommendations are highly appreciated. I prefer a place that has strong enough internet connection to do some work. Thanks in advance!

@thewanderlustgypsea

I prefer an area with as few tourists as possible

Go to the north of the State.

https://www.lonelyplanet.com/india/kerala/northern-kerala/travel-tips-and-articles/the-other-south-india-getting-lost-in-steamy-northern-kerala/40625c8c-8a11-5710-a052-1479d276968b

Beach: https://www.lonelyplanet.com/india/kerala/kannur-cannanore

https://www.keralatourism.org/destination/kizhunna-beach-kannur/322

Kanwatheertha Beach: https://www.keralatourism.org/destination/kanwatheertha-beach-kasaragod/120

Valiyaparamba Beach:

Backwaters: https://www.keralatourism.org/destination/valiyaparamba-kasaragod/161

https://www.lonelyplanet.com/india/bekal-around/in-location/sights/8cd10eee-a474-4f0c-880e-ed9722b1a78e/a/nar/8cd10eee-a474-4f0c-880e-ed9722b1a78e/356342

I second Kannur for a few days at the beach, much quieter than the south e.g. Varkala. Also you can find a few nice homestays with great home cooked food...

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Lifesupport, this was so helpful. Have you been to all of these places before? Which were your favorite? Any lodging recommendations? Thank you!

Thank you for your input! Which homestay do you recommend? Which beaches in Kannur did you enjoy most?

The beaches near Kannur were lovely and we saw few other tourists. However, we were there in early November and the season was only just starting. Ezhara Beach was our favorite close to Kannur and we stayed at Ezhara Beach House. The owner was friendly and helpful and the Keralan food was delicious. We actually stayed longer than intended. It was much nicer than Varkala and Kovalam. We ended up cutting our time short at Varkala and after seeing Kovalam not staying at all as it was just not our scene. Just a quick ferry ride north from Fort Kochi is Vypeen (Vypin) with a long stretch of lovely beaches and few tourists. We stayed there longer than planned too.

Hello thrive,
Thanks so much for your valuable input. Were you able to see the backwaters while in Ezhara Beach? If so, where would you recommend? I’d like to make daytrips to the backwaters. And about the Ezhara Beach house, can they help arrange daytrips to local places like the backwaters, wildlife sanctuaries, other beaches, famous sites? I looked at the website and the owner’s story seemed lovely. Thank you!

I don't remember there being much in the way of backwaters. But, we were doing the "beach" thing and happy with that. Be sure to get to a Thayyam ritual while there. It is quite something to see. Hyacinth can hook you up and there is bound to be one somewhere nearby. She can also help book other trips to several interesting temples, weaver cooperatives, forts and a wildlife sanctuary. There are several lovely beaches nearby too, like Meenkunu, Payabalam, Thottada. She can also help with any onward travel arrangements.

We took backwater trips from Allappuzha (Alleppey) and Kollam. Allappuzha has plenty of tourists, but we booked backwater trips on the smaller boats. That way you can get down the narrow canals that the bigger boats and converted rice barges cannot. It was fascinating seeing a very local view of villages along the canal. Our boatman didn't mind when we asked several times to stop so we could wander the paths through the villages. The people living there were very friendly. As we got further into the smaller canals we rarely saw another boat. I quite liked Allappuzha and wandering the streets was fun for us. We stayed at the Venice Castle Homestay (weird name, I know) down a small dirt road that was near the boat hire area and yet quiet and worlds away from any chaos. It is owned by a lovely Christian family and they can help out with boat hire and anything else. There are a couple nice beaches near Allappuzha too. We like Kollam even better for backwater boat trips around Munroe Island. The boat was just a small canoe and the canals and rivers were stunningly beautiful.

Hello thrive, your input is so helpful. Was Alleppey Beach supercrowded? I guess my question is if the beach is not too crowded, it would be worth it for me to stay there because it's so Beautiful and that way I can also be right in the heart of the backwaters too. I liked the photos of Ezhara beach but if there is no access to backwaters, it would be less appealing than Alleppey. Did you like the Venice castle homestay? And you preferred Kollam over Alleppey for backwaters? Thank you!

http://www.kavvayibeachhouse.com/?p=550

https://www.keralatourism.org/destination/kavvayi-backwater-payyanur/376

https://www.vretreat.in/

You can stay on a beach in the heart of the northern backwaters and not have even think about a crowd.

Hello thrive, why did Varkala and Kovalam not appeal to you?
How did you get from Ezhara Beach to Alleppey?
Thank you!

Wow Thank you for all this information! I’m curious how you seem to know so much about many parts of India.

Indophile.

Thank you for your input! Which homestay do you recommend? Which beaches in Kannur did you enjoy most?

Blue Mermaid, Thottada Beach, about 10 km south of Kannur...

Apparently there are backwaters near Kannur (see lifesupport's post above). We were focused on beach-time and since we had already planned to go to Alleppey and Kollam we didn't ask about it. We certainly noticed more than one river entering the ocean and there was plenty of greenery and palm groves. I guess we just weren't looking for actual boat tours at the time.

Was Alleppey Beach supercrowded?

It wasn't when we were there. We were not the only people there either. It was mostly locals and Indian tourists. I think there was only one other foreign tourist. There is an expensive resort right on the beach and maybe others I didn't notice. It is a lovely beach and fairly long. The people we saw were mostly gathered in front of the resort. We just went a little bit north and were practically alone. One caveat, the beach smelled like sewage and that is why we didn't go into the water. I mentioned that in a post awhile back and others said they didn't notice the smell. So it may have been just our bad luck that day. Although, we liked the beaches around Kannur better.

Did you like the Venice castle homestay?

Yes, yes yes! The rooms were comfortable and clean with private bathroom and the option of air-con or not. The family was gracious, friendly and helpful. The Keralan breakfasts were delicious. Like I said, it is down a side road, more like an alleyway, which made it quiet. The front lawn and garden is nice and they even had a croquet lawn set up. I played the owners brother and he beat me soundly. There is a very small temple next door where we could watch ceremonies.

And you preferred Kollam over Alleppey for backwaters?

That is a hard one. It think the Kollam experience was more intimate than Alleppey and that is why I liked it so much. But, the Alleppey experience was broader, more villages, canal side, shack style restaurants, more to see in general. In terms of sheer beauty, they were equal. If you want the converted rice barge experience, Alleppey was the center of that. Just remember that the barges cannot fit down the smaller canals and that is where the magic was for us.

Do you have to pick only one place for backwaters and beach? If so, I be tempted to try Kannur. Although, I can't personally vouch for the backwaters, the beach and other attractions were my favorite in Kerala. If the backwaters are comparable to Alleppey/Kollam it would be the best of everything.

I didn't like Varkala and Kovalam because they were crowded and more of a Khao San Road ambience.

This is so helpful. Thank you! I prefer to pick a beach homebase and explore the backwaters and other areas from there. This is because my Experience has always been that it becomes exhausting moving from lodging and city to lodging and city. I’m also more of an explore from a homebase kind of traveler.
How did you get from Kannur to Alleppey area?

How did you get from Kannur to Alleppey area?

We took the train to Kochi. But, we stopped in Kozhikode for a couple of days. It was 1.5 to 2 hours from Kannur to Kozhikode and then from there to Kochi was about another 4.5 hours. We then hired a car and driver from Fort Kochi to Alleppey, which was about 1 hour. We prefer the train over buses whenever feasible.

We talked to a couple that had used Fort Kochi as a base for backwater excursions that they enjoyed. I really liked Fort Kochi and we stayed longer there than originally intended as well. But, there is no beach good for swimming. It would be a shame to not spend at least a day there, maybe coming from Alleppey. But, I think it is really worth more than a day-trip.

I just checked our journal and the beach we went to was called Omanapuzha Beach. It is a bit north of Alappuzha Beach and prettier we thought.

Thank you for all the info! How did you find private cars and drivers? Would you say trains and private drivers are the most comfortable ways to travel?

Where is the train station in kochi? I see that the railway station at Cochin harbor terminus was closed. Was Ernakulam junction the closest train station to kochi and is that where you got off? I’m trying to figure out how and where to catch the train from kochi to Trivandrum.

How did you find private cars and drivers?

Easily done through your accommodation.

I’m trying to figure out how and where to catch the train from kochi to Trivandrum.

Depends on what time of day you want to travel. Either Ernakulam Junction or Ernakulam Town will have trains to Triv - more from Ernakulam Town.

Would you say trains and private drivers are the most comfortable ways to travel?

By a long way. Although, if travelling a long way, clearly flights are better. For the usual tourist trail in Kerala, car+driver is the more efficient - the trains don't run into those hills. However, if your itinerary has you hugging the coast, then the train is just fine.

Was Ernakulam junction the closest train station to kochi and is that where you got off?

Yes. Sorry, I should have mentioned that the station was in Ernakulam. As suggested by our hotel in Kozhikode, we got off in Ernakulam Town and then took a taxi across the Goshree/Vallarpadam Bridges to the Vypeen Ferry Junction and then a quick ferry to Fort Kochi. Fun ride! Our taxi driver stayed with us on the ferry and then took us to our guesthouse. He told us that it is actually faster than trying to get across the bridges and Willingdon Island further south, even with added the ferry ride.

I’m trying to figure out how and where to catch the train from kochi to Trivandrum.

Follow lifesupport's suggestions above. We hired a car/driver From Fort Kochi to Alappuzha, another car/driver on to Kollam and the same again to Varkala. Car/driver is definitely the most comfortable and fast, if you don't get stuck in bad traffic. Luckily we didn't. We found going to the nearest taxi stop and haggling with the drivers there got us a cheaper rate than through our hotel. They will start out with a high rate (sometimes extraordinarily high) and usually came down after some firm, but friendly haggling. It won't be cheap. For a few shorter distances we found that we could fit it in our budget. That being said, the trains are not at all a bad choice. For really long distances we flew. We only took buses when there was no other choice.

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