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It’s all a matter of feelings: an introduction to Kerala

Have you ever experienced a silence so loud and roaring that felt like a dull noise?
It’s the sort of silence that reigns at sunrise in the backwaters, the water stained with warm shades of orange and pink and life awakening onshore.

Sunrise in Kerala backwaters

Kerala was a dream, period. Just a kaleidoscopic colored dream.

Since I came back from India a month ago I’ve been wondering how I was going to introduce you to this magic land that I was lucky enough to discover thanks to Kerala Tourism and the Kerala Blog Express experience.

Feeling Indian with my saree

It’s hard when you’ve lived such an incredible experience that you feel words are never going to be enough, so I’m just going to throw it all out… are you coming with me? Here it’s an introduction to Kerala through the senses.

Boating through the canals

Kerala, at the southern tip of the subcontinent, is India, but in a different way, a softer, more subtle way, they say.
It’s a land of contrasts, noises, odors, and of incredible, fake looking landscapes.

Sometimes you look around and you wonder if there’s a painter somewhere who’s making it all up!

Welcome to the jungle!

Kerala is the fresh, earthy smell of tea plantations, heightened by the tropical rain, and the sweet and sour odor of the curry that fills your nostrils since you wake up.

Photo: Jinson Abraham, Kerala Tourism

Photo: Jinson Abraham, Kerala Tourism

It’s the scent of warm oil used for Ayurvedic treatments and the less sensuous, nauseating stink of the pans filled with over fried oil in the streets.
Kerala is the smell of the fresh coconuts that some smiling people are always ready to hand to you when you check in in a luxury resort and, if you didn’t know, that’s exactly what “Kerala” means: the land of coconuts.

Sunset at Kovalam Beach

Kerala is a land where conventions don’t count: the communist party keeps getting re-elected since 1957 and three religions are able to live peacefully together, without ever crashing, in the same way in which the colored rickshaws manage to jostle through the crowds without ever losing speed.

Kerala is the stinging burn of the spices on the tongue and the ever changing taste of the chai; it’s the powdery flavor of the tea and the forbidden taste of cold Kingfishers found in a hidden bar.

preparation of chai

Of all the place I’ve been, of all the place I’ve known, I’ ve never seen such happy eyes, so many beaming smiles born with no real reasons, the smile of someone who look at life with an optimism that, I’m afraid to say, us westerners don’t have.photo1 (3)

In my ears still echo the laughs of the girls who wave at you and then for a second cover their face with the hands, giggling embarrassed, when you ask them to take a selfie with you, and I still dream of the 37 additional smiles of the people who were part of this adventure with me.

Photo: Jinson Abraham, Kerala Tourism

Photo: Jinson Abraham, Kerala Tourism

Kerala is the tropical storm that catches you all of a sudden while you are kayaking in the middle of the backwaters, passing through villages and scattered houses where life goes by marked by the swing of nature.

And you can’t stop laughing, and you lift your face and hands up in the sky and feel the warm rain flowing incessant on your skin, soaking you up till every centimeter of you is wet.

Kayaking in the Kerala backwaters was a magic experience...

Kerala is indeed like a swamping storm, it’s a land unlike any other place I’ve ever been, and the more the days went by and the more the departure date came closer, I wanted more and more.

After all these days, there’s no one morning I wake up without wanting to go back, to that senses overload I love and hate at the same time.
Because Kerala is a place that stays with you, no matter what.

Kerala can be visited on your own, but it’s one of those places where a little pampering is worth the splurge..check out these amazing hotels in Kerala.

Otherwise, if you prefer to just relax, Kerala tour packages make things way easier if you want to enjoy this incredible and unforgettable land and not have to worry about anything.

Would you like to visit Kerala?

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Why Kerala is the Most Beautiful Place on Earth | Kerala, India Travel | Every Steph

  • Stefania Guglielmi

    Stefania Guglielmi is the founder of Every Steph. Originally from Bologna, Italy, she's been traveling full-time since 2016 and has visited over 50 countries across 6 continents. She believes sustainable travel and luxury travel can go hand in hand and has been advocating for responsible tourism since 2014. Stefania's advice and travel experiences have been featured in important publications such as Business Insider, Refinery29, and Yahoo Money.

Kiran

Thursday 25th of April 2019

Great post, Everything you explained in detail. What about the taste of Kerala local tea and traditional snacks?

Steph

Friday 31st of May 2019

I must admit I'm not the biggest fan of South Indian food and drinks, I'm not used to the spices... but I like everything else about it ahah

Leni Alexander

Friday 6th of July 2018

I love this place too much, no words to explain the beauty of this place. Now I know why people call Kerala- "Gods Own Country".

Kerala Packages

Thursday 7th of June 2018

Thanks stefania for sharing such a beautiful photo and post of kerala

Roy

Tuesday 24th of April 2018

Really helpful blog to introduce Kerala tourism

Noor

Tuesday 10th of October 2017

Lovely blog post! It’s giving me serious wanderlust...