Saturday 29 August 2015

Where the river meets the sea & the sea meets the bank- Poovar, Kerala



Barely are there a few places left around here which is actually explored and that gets me excited any more. But I realized these shockers still exist but unfortunately get shadowed by the bigger touristy names around. For example Poovar in Kerala. Heard of it? No..Yeah? Been there? No? No..? Well, I am not surprised because if someone asked me to go explore Kerala I would also first visit places like Alleppey, Munnar or Kochi maybe.

But let me tell you what you are missing and why you should plan a trip to Poovar ASAP!

Poovar is a small fishing town, untouched & unexplored. In Malayalam it literally translates into, Flower River (Poo-Var). Like any other beach town this hidden hamlet has its own share of swaying coconut trees, clear blue sea and sandy brown sand. But what sets this place apart from other beachy places is the fact that it is located at the mouth of an estuary. Pristine backwater on one side and the gentle sea on the other, it has all the Kerala elements one looks forward to.




I stayed at this place called Estuary Island. It is an island because it is surrounded by the backwater on three sides and by the ocean on the fourth. A relatively new property, the view from the deck is spectacular. It makes you want to kick your shoes, put up your feet and wriggle your toes while basking in all the serenity. The villas have the traditional Kerala roofs, sloped and tiled with an interior that is very classy yet traditional! (*PS- go during to the monsoon to get great off-season deals)

One must-do here is to take a short backwater cruise around the island.  It can transport you to a sort of mini Amazonian forest (minus the snakes and mosquitoes). The still green river water enveloped with a canopy of low lying green vegetation carries one beyond the present realm of reality. The vibrant birdlife with its water crows, woodpecker, cranes, the white headed kites etc. this place is definitely a birdwatcher’s paradise. Their occasional calls are the only things you can hear apart from the paddling of the oars.
 




In Poovar, an early morning visit to the Fishermen village is essential so you witness the everyday life of the fishermen and also chose what you want for lunch! You can easily spot a fishing cove by the number of crows in the area and the amount of jelly fishes on the beach. I spotted both and was excited to witness a fish auction, where the men would throw in their catch together and sell it the women who bid the highest.







The beach here is everything you can imagine, virgin, soft and private. As I sat on the beach looking at the ‘Elephant-in-the- Sea’ stone structure, I wondered whether I should keep this place a secret. But then beauty is one such thing that can never be hidden. And in Poovar you can not only see & hear beauty but feel it too. And on my part, it would have been such a shame to not share it.


If I were you, this is how I would include Poovar to my Kerala itinerary. Fly into Trivandrum, travel to Varkala, soak up some sun, surf a bit then travel 70 KMS down south to Poovar, and then head 70KMS south to the southernmost tip of the Indian sub- continent, Kanyakumari and then back to Trivandrum.

Facts:
  1. Best time to visit is after the monsoon and during winters
  2. The nearest airport is Trivandrum which is 25KMS away
  3. It is best for couples who are looking for some privacy, but people like me also can be spotted
  4. Not for all the party animals. Finish that in Varkala and come here for some solitude
  5. Ensure you eat the fabulous sea food here


Thursday 13 August 2015

...if I could go Camping and Trekking with my Pooch!

There are Life Goals and then there are Travel Goals. For some travel goals is about travelling to every continent or biking it across continents or summiting the highest of the mountains. For me one of my most cherished travel goals has been to get into a car with a dog and travel to wherever the road may take me and camp on every kind of landscape or terrain. Or simply go hiking with him and snuggle in our tents under the billion stars. Or maybe just chill on the beach and watch sunsets together.

Instagram is full of dogs feeds or travel feeds but my favourite Instagram account campingwithdogs gets both dogs and travel together and feeds my dreams with images of just that.

So if I ever go out camping and trekking with my pooch, this is how it would look...or so I hope!

Get outdoor and walk trails ...and make him carry his own pack!

Literally climb mountains...over pretty yellow flowers...sing songs too..

...get him so tired that even the smell of the shoes doesn't affect his snooze!

set up a camp by the bubbly river and crash..

...make him walk some more in some matching fancy shoes!

Reach the summit and celebrate by exchanging kisses! 

...then get back to camp and snuggle up some more....

figure out new trails and see him pretend to understand it all!
explore beautiful spots together and share some silent talks..

take photographs by the lake just to be photo-bombed by him!

....snuggle more....

see him toast his buns by the camp fire...

....and then wake up to sweet slobbery kisses!!

...coz everyday is funday, so we snuggle some more. All of us snuggle, more. 

go out paddling with him and let the wind run through our hair 

tell him stories ...while he listens intently

leave our heart in the mountains and head to the beach...

listen to the waves and play around the whole day

...and then sit by the beach, plan new trips and watch sunsets together!
1.        I bet after seeing these posts you would also want to grab your snuggle-bum and get out now!! :D