Offbeat Kerala Hidden Gems Beyond Brochures

There’s not much about Kerala that you haven’t already discovered in all these years of marvelling at the “God’s Own Country” television commercials. Or so you think. Come Breakaway, and we’ll show you unexplored Kerala parts of  that will feel exclusively yours.

The jungles of south Kerala might be the better known ones, but we’ll take you to the hidden gems in Kerala, in the northern part.

And what better way to experience a living jungle than to actually live in it? You will stay in an Eden run by people who love the jungle so much that they’ve returned a large chunk of their farm back to it. And you will surely thank them as you sit with a cuppa on your cottage’s verandah and watch deer and bison come down for a sunrise sip to the onsite watering hole.

Visit the tiger sanctuary a few kilometres away and gape at the profusion of deer and elephants abounding inside. If that seems a bit tame, you could take the sunset shift on the watchtower and hope that the elephants come down to drink a few feet from you. And we can’t think of a better way to work off dinner than by taking a night safari.

Drive through the dark forest lit only by your jeep’s headlights, and pray that your path crosses with the Temple Tiger. Insider’s tip – keep an eye out for the family of resident otters that come to fish in the pond right below the restaurant.

Unique Places to Visit in Kerala

From the jungles, you will be transported to an areca nut plantation for an experience that is an integral part of Kerala’s heritage – a stay at a Nair home. Nearly a century old, this marvel of a home comes with a Kolam, a traditional water tank for you to cool off in, as well as gardens bursting with vegetables and spices– a part of your Kerala offbeat travel experience.

Once you step inside, you will be greeted by the Nair family and their collection of furniture and curios that will have you reaching for your camera. As a special treat, we’ve organised a cooking class with the lady of the house.

Pay attention as Mrs. Nair explains how raw papaya and pineapple can make the most irresistible pachadi. Swirl your finger into pickles and aviyal made from produce picked from the backyard garden.

Learn how to pronounce Chakka Varatiyathe because saying “Jackfruit Jam” just doesn’t do it justice. And get up knowing that you will be able to wow dinner companions back home by holding forth on the splendours of the Sadhya.

When it comes to discovering Kerala’s hidden gems, its more famous backwaters may lie in its south, but its more private backwaters await you in its north. You will spend hours on the balcony of your waterside cafe and not have your splendid view disturbed by a houseboat motoring by noisily.

You will be taken by private boat to a private beach so that you can discover just how rewarding a swim feels when you only have the setting sun for company. You will feel like Robinson Crusoe when you stumble upon islands that feel like no human has ever stepped foot on them. You will feel the headiness of catching crabs by torchlight. And you will discover that taking a dip in the backwaters is so more exhilarating than just gliding by on them.

Whiling away your time by the backwaters may not be backbreaking work, but feasting your eyes can definitely work up an appetite. And we’ve got sumptuous spreads for you – crabs, mussels, prawns, squid, and many types of fish. Of course, this culinary travel experience features a taste of the pearl of its waters– the pearls pot fish better known as karimeen.

Non-Touristy Places in Kerala

Kerala’s legacy of religion and culture is well documented, but we’ll show you the parts that aren’t as part of offbeat Kerala travel. Like Kerala’s only lake temple where you can pay your respects to the eternal guardian crocodile. Or a temple from Pandav lore that’s supposed to be one of India’s oldest. Or another that is dedicated to a hunter son of Shiva’s is perhaps the only temple in India where dogs are welcomed.

Instead of the crowds of Fort Kochi, there’s a solitary sunset from a fort that kings shot each other over and film directors kill to shoot in it. And instead of the much photographed Kathakali, there’s a special performance of the rarely seen Theyyam, a form of worship unique to these parts that you will have a front row seat at. These are some of the most unique places to visit in Kerala.

And we’ll top off your experience with a hike up to the only known Stone Age cave paintings and carvings in South India.So put down that brochure, switch off that television, and come discover a side of Kerala that few have seen. Come, Breakaway.