My Quick and Easy Guide to a Great South India Holiday

Readers will know that I love travelling in India and I especially love South India. I love the food, the people, the colour, the incredibly warm welcome and the kindness that I’ve always enjoyed when I visit. But I want to help you to love it too! This year I’m road testing my easy, affordable one step guide to organising your own guaranteed gorgeous South India holiday.

I will show you how it would look and feel for you and give you my top tips for success. It’s my sixth visit to South India so I’ve had plenty of chances to work out what I love. And I think you will love it too! In fact I’m passionate about what’s great and I’d hate you to miss out on the best. So this may sound like an ad, but be assured that I have fully paid for the trip myself, so all opinions are truly my own. Read on and you will see why I am so certain in my recommendations.

CGH Earth Experience Hotels are the Key to Success

I love affordable, small and local heritage luxury. I love being spoiled by people who are passionate about sharing their food, culture and traditions. I know there’s plenty of great places to stay in India, but I always find what I love at the CGH Earth Experience Hotels. CGH Earth has gorgeous properties in renovated heritage mansions and traditional architecture right across South India from East to West.

Each property has it’s own unique style and every experience is different.

And the very lovely Roshini can book all your dates with just an email.

How to Save on Costs

I plan my South India holiday for the Canberra winter (June to August). It delightfully coincides with the low travel season in India and the rates for hotels are great. CGH Earth has amazing low season rates, often down to just 40%. It does mean that temperatures are high in much of Tamil Nadu on the East and in Kerala on the West, you are likely to strike rain. However, if your day is your own and you can spend the warm part of the day by the pool or having an air conditioned afternoon doze, it works. As for the rain, it cools the temperature and keeps everything fresh. And a good rain, is wonderful to watch from your balcony with some great South Indian tea!

Perhaps the best part of travelling when others aren’t is that it’s not busy. Everyone has time for you and there’s no waiting. Often we have even had the whole property to ourselves.

But low season is not for everyone. If you are particularly senstive to heat or rain will interupt your sightseeing too much, then it’s best to travel in the best weather that you find from November to February. However even then, it’s a good idea to make sure you have a pool. If your trip is short, you may well prefer to book the high season, if longer, the low season rates might work better for you.

I usually stick to a budget of $100-$150 per person per day when I travel to India. For me this needs to include great accommodation, three delicious meals, activities like cooking classes and bike tours, transport, alcohol and tipping – everything except shopping and flights. Sharing a room will save you costs and you will often find that Roshini will find you the best rates if you book directly. I’ve been booked for a while, but recently I checked the low season rates for the properties I’ll show you on Booking.Com The rates include a most luxurious breakfast that will keep you going into the afternoon and often many in-house free activities. Rates varied per room from $120 to $320 for the private houseboat with all meals, chef and crew included.

The Love South India Holiday Itinerary

My perfect South India Holdiday is based on ten key CGH Earth properties. If time is short plan to stay at least two nights at each property (with one on the rice barge houseboat). Three nights at each is best with two nights on the houseboat if it’s in your budget.

Places to Visit, Stay and Eat

 Pondicherry

Pondi is my very favourite place in India. It is uniquely French because it was a French colony until until 1954. It has French street signs, French-styled police, great pasties and coffee, fabulous cafes and shopping and the most amazing French-Indian fusion Creole cuisine. Last time we visited, I regretted terribly not taking Roshini’s suggestion to stay in the French Quarter at the Palais de Mahe. So this time, that’s where I’m heading first!

Stay in Pondicherry

1. Palais de Mahe

I’m also going to experince life in the Tamil (Indian) Quarter of Pondicherry and stay at the Maison Perumal. There’s no pool here, so it will just be one night as the weather will be warm.

2. Maison Perumal

https://www.instagram.com/p/BeMx8LblU5Y/

Eat in Pondicherry

Last trip we just loved the Creole food at Hotel L’Orient, so we will be heading back there.

I also remember a great lunchtime thali at Surguru on Nehru Street. The Mission Street branch comes in second place.

And there were some fabulous cafes I want to explore more.

Do in Pondicherry