South India the Easy Way for First-Timers to India

Readers of Food and Travel Secrets will know I’m a real South India fan. But I have a passion! To share and delight more people with their own South India experience.

For those travelling to India for the first time, there needs to be an easy way to plan a guaranteed success of wonderful South Indian holiday. And there is!

I’ve just returned from road testing my specially designed itinerary and now it’s perfect! Come with me as I show you how you can easily plan and book your own trip with confidence that you will have the most wonderful time!

Each property is fully described in the accompanying article. Open the embedded facebook posts in each article to do a deep dive into what it might look and feel like for you to go too! (To open the embedded Facebook posts fully for the recipes and details, just click on the date/time under the heading Food and Travel Secrets.)

Why Choose CGH Earth Experience Hotels?

• CGH Earth just get what Western travellers want. They want to stay well, eat great food, stay in comfortable but interesting places with personality and be looked after by people who care! And they want value!
• From East to West CGH Earth has more than ten properties, each unique and special in themselves, but all offering the same high standards.
• The water is filtered so there’s no concerns about teeth brushing, showering or drinking.
• The food is fresh and made from scratch with great menus that reflect the local community. Do read my collection of 100+ recipes from CGH Earth chefs.
• Each property has recreated or renovated to showcase the heritage of the area and each has its own story to tell.

• CGH Earth is committed to environmental sustainability so you are surrounded by natural fibres and materials and plastics are almost unseen.
• Tipping is easy (for those who aren’t used tom it). Guests are encourged not to tip individuals but instead, if they wish, leave a gift into a centralised box that is equally shared between all.
• The properties have included in-house activities at no extra cost from harbour cruises to afternoon tea and snacks, cooking demonstrations, yoga and sari wearing demos, naturalist and village tours and talks and bikes to borrow.
• Each can also help you see everything interesting and local and organise you a driver at a competitive cost.
• They will also get you from property to property, easily, comfortably, safely and competitively.
• The properties are nicely spaced apart so no drive is too long.
• Almost every property has a wonderful pool!
• The low season prices (about April to September) are fantastic! (In June-July allow up to $250 AUS per two people per day to cover accommodation, food, transfers (around $600 AUS total), tipping and activities. Add more for big drinkers and for shopping. Then just add the return airfare (around $1200-$1400 AUS per person with Virgin or Singapore Airlines) and you’ve got a rough budget.

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

When to Go?

When to go will depend on many things. Do you want a mid-year winter getaway when low season prices are their best? Or do you want the best weather without rain? Is the trekking in the hill country, exploring the small canals on the houseboat or heaing to the beach important to you? Your budget, length of visit and weather preference will all play a part. November to February is the best weather, but it’s also the busiest and most expensive time. June and July it can be raining (sometimes heavily, sometimes not) in Kerala. May and June gets pretty hot. But August and September can be a happy comprise between price, availability and weather. However, the person who can help you work this all out easily is Roshini. Just email her and ask her all your questions.

Where to Go?

I suggest starting in Pondicherry on the far east coast of Tamil Nadu and flying out of Kochi on the far west coast of Kerala. If you arrive in Chennai at night stay near the airport (try Raddisson Blu) and ask Roshini to arranged a pickup the next morning to take you to Palais de Mahe in Pondicherry. It’s good to stop along the way for lunch in Mammallapuram and see the famous ancient monuments. How long you spend at each property will depend on the length of your trip. Three nights at most is good and that will get you comfortably across in three or four weeks. If you only have two weeks, I’d recommend just visiting the Tamil Nadu or Kerala properties.

How to get around?

Travellers in India often organise a driver for their whole trip. It can be very handy to have the car on hand for any sightseeing out of town. However it also means you pay for days when you really don’t need the car. An alternative that I find works well and is very economical is to book a driver at each hotels to take you to the next property. Even with some additional half day trips out of town, I found this to be less than half the cost of a driver for the whole period. From Chennai airport to Kochi airport the total cost of all the transfers (as well as a 1/2 day trip from Mantra Koodam) was about $600 AUS mainly using a sedan car (with air conditioning and seatbelts). The trips were longer and more expensive in Tamil Nadu (about 75% of the total cost)

Tamil Nadu

1. Palais de Mahe or Masion Perumal (Pondicherry)

Palais de Mahe has the perfect location in the stylish French Quarter just a block from the beach. Built in colonial style, it has 18 rooms, a lovely courtyard pool and a roof top restaurant with delicious fusion style and Kerala dishes. It’s just walking distance to the boutiques, cafes and the promenade along the sea.

Maison Perumal is also delightful and offers a glimpse of the other Indian (Tamil) side of Pondicherry’s personality. This old Chettiar family home is very personal with only ten rooms, but an extentsive range of local experiences and tours and an excellent restaurant showcasing local Tamil dishes. Guests are able to use the pool at Palais de Mahe which is a short autorickshaw ride away.

Pondicherry is about three hours drive from Chennai Airport, but do stay overnight if you land at night and start the trip the next day.

See more from Palais de Mahe and Maison Perrumal in my dedicated property articles.

2. Mantra Koodam (Kumbakonam)

Deep in central Tamil Nadu, Mantra Koodam is a wonderful place to completely relax, surrounded by thousands of fascinating Hindu temples. The spacious property is designed like a tradtitional Brahmin street lined with ‘illams’ (homes).  The 24 cottages are designed like traditional Indian style Chettiar homes – with large verandahs, Athangudi tiles on the floor, ornate Burmese teak doors, a lovely pool and gorgeous open-air bathrooms. Mantra Koodam is about a three hour drive from Pondicherry.

See more from Mantra Koodam in my dedicated property article.

3. Visalam (Chettinadu)

About three hours drive from Mantra Koodam is Visalam, an art deco French-Indian style Chettiar mansion with just 15 rooms. Explore the surrounding village filled with mansions, enjoy Chettiar cuisine in a different dining space for each meal and relax by the pool.

See more from Visalam in my dedicated property article.

You might choose to stay in Madurai (1&1/2 hours from Visalam) on the way to break the journey and explore this famous and important pilgrim city. The temple is amazing and it’s got plenty of great food experiences to discover. I’d suggest staying at the Heritage, a lovely property on the oustskirts of town and only a short auto rickshaw ride in.

4. Spice Village (Thekkady)

Cross over into the hills of Kerala and visit the spice growing area and Periyar nature reserve of Thekkady. Spice Village is a CGH Earth classic in the town of Kumily. Modelled on a traditional tribal village of cottages thatched with elephant grass, this larger property has wonderful earth to plate food featuring the local spices and Syrian Christian cuisne and a real commitment to sustainability. Spice Village is 4&1/2 hours from Visalam and 3 hours from Madurai.

See more from Spice Village in my dedicated property article.

5. Coconut Lagoon (Kummakoram)

Arriving at Coconut Lagoon by boat is a special experince. The jetty is about 3 hours drive from Spice Village on Lake Vembanad and the Kerala backwaters. This property is a recreated as a Kerala farming village on reclaimed land and many of the buildings are relocated traditional wooden houses. Freshwater fish and seafood is a highlight of the restaurant menu. Coconut Lagoon does a good buffet (discounted if included in the room rate) and also offers a cafe for a light lunch alternative. This is a larger property with plenty of included activities. The bird sanctuary is nearby.

See more from Coconut Lagoon in my dedicated property article.

6. Spice Coast Cruises (Vembanad Lake) 1 night

A houseboat experience is one of the highlights of a visit to Kerala, but it is best done in good weather when the skies are blues and the smaller canals can be explored. However, if you are travelling in the rainy season, you might still choose to spend one night aboard. The kettuvallam draws up to Coconut Lagoon to pick you up. The easiest transfer!!

See more from Spice Coast Cruises  in my dedicated property article.

7. Marari Beach (Mararikunam)

Another larger property, Marari Beach still feels personal and intimate. Even in the low season when the beach is not the draw-card, it’s a lovely place. The buffet is excellent and extensive and the fresh ingredients from Marari’s garden are a highlight. The garden villas are wonderful and spacious with coconut leaf thatching and open air bathrooms. Modelled on a fisherman’s village, the menu also features seawater fish and seafood. Marari Beach is only about 20 mins drive from the Spice Coast Cruises jetty.

See more from Marari Beach in my dedicated property article.

8. Brunton Boatyard or Eighth Bastion

It’s a very scenic 1&1/4 hour drive along the Kerala coast to Kochi where CGH Earth has two properties to choose from. Brunton Boatyard is a must do experience, but Eighth Bastion is also a lovely property. If you have plenty of time, stay at both as they are very different and in different parts of town. However, even if you don’t stay at Eighth Bastion, do try their East Indies Restaurant. And do visit the David Hall Art Gallery and Cafe too!

See more from Brunton Boatyard and Eighth Bastion in my dedicated property articles.

Extra Options for Something More

Something Very Special

If you are celebrating a special occasion or want to finish your trip with a huge finale, then Chittoor Koodam is a very special place!

Chittoor Kottaram (Outskirts of Kochi)

Imagine having a whole palace to yourself! Chittoor Kottaram is just that with the dedication of the whole team focussed on just you! Become royalty! Chittoor Kottaram is about 1 hour from Brunton Boatyard.

See more from Chittoor Kottaram in my dedicated property article.

Something Fusion

David Hall Art Gallery and Cafe

Just around the corner from to Eighth Bastion is the lovely David Hall! Perfect for lunch or a cold drink.

See more from David Hall Art Gallery and Cafe in my dedicated property article.

Something North

About six hours drive north of Kerala is Wayanad Wild. Like Spice Village it’s in the Kerala spice growing hills and good for trekking in the good weather.

Wayanad Wild (Wayanad in Northern Kerala)

Wayanad Wild is another unique CGH Earth property in the Kerala hills. Rooms are purpose built and spacious and it’s lovely to relax in the wilderness.

See more from Wayanad Wild in my dedicated property article.

It’s am amazing collection of properties and every one is special and unique in their own way. Please do open my articles for each property, take a look around and enjoy the experience that you could  also share!

Disclaimer: While I am a fan of CGH Earth, my trip was totally paid for by myself. Where meals or experiences were complimentary, I’ve made that clear in the description.