Kerala, and its blue landscape!

Take a leisure cruise on the thatched houseboats called ‘Kettuvalloms’ along the palm-fringed backwaters, listening to the chirping birds, feeling the cool air on your face, passing through the coir villages, viewing the lush paddy fields, and watching the Chinese fishing nets. This will undoubtedly be one of the most enchanting holiday experiences in India. Backwater cruise is the ideal way to explore the beauty of Kerala!

Kettuvalloms, as they are traditionally called, lets you enjoy the pleasure of spending a fun vacation with family on the waters. These luxury boats are made by tying the pieces of wood together without the use of a single nail! It usually has one or two bath attached rooms--some bigger boats have up to 6 bedrooms--a kitchen, deck, and a crew comprising of an oarsman and a cook.

You can also witness the spectacular snake boat race if you happen to visit the Kerala backwaters during the month of August and September. It is a competition held annually at Alappuzha where huge boats called ‘Chundanvalloms’ compete with each other, rowing to the rhythm of the cheers and claps of the huge crowd of spectators.  

The numerous meandering backwaters has made God’s Own Country a popular destination among the tourists--both foreign and domestic. Alappuzha, Kumarakom, Kasargod, Kuttanad and Kollam are some of the backwater hotspots that promise to give you an out-of-the-world experience.

The small village of Kumarakom is a blue paradise. It is a beautiful backwater destination situated on the Vembanad Lake. You can either take a cruise on the houseboat pampering yourself with an ayurvedic massage or can try your hand at fishing or bird watching. Kumarakom has to top your must-visit places. ‘Seeing is believing’ holds true for this paradise. Succumb to the beauty of Kerala at Abad Whispering Palms at Kumarakom.

Get ready to be mesmerized by the beauty of the backwaters in God’s Own Country! Forget the stress, forget the world while you are cruising through peace and serenity!

Picture Courtesy: Google

Tips for Travelling With Kids!

Travel is hard and travelling with kids is even harder and unpredictable. But you also get to have a lot of silly fun and a ‘delighted closeness’ that does not take place at home. It’s an opportunity to spend quality time with your kids and a lovely opportunity for the kids to get out of their everyday monotonous routine and learn new things. The new situation in new places is a time for all the family members to reconnect. You can come back home with those little experiences of your memorable vacation and make your everyday life a little richer too.  

The question is not whether you can travel to a place with your kids, it’s how to make it happen successfully. Expect problems, at the same time be optimistic when faced with obstacles, go with the flow and everything will work out great. Here are some tips to be followed while travelling with kids:

·        What will the weather be like at your desired family vacation destination? It’s difficult to travel with kids while it’s very hot.

·        Dressing children in bright clothes makes them visible at all times.

·        Remind children about road safety rules and hold their hands while crossing roads

·        Provide your kids with home number and address in case they get lost

·        Carry your own medical kit, no matter how hale and hearty everyone looks before the trip. This will save you the trouble of finding a pharmacy at midnight.

·        Pack as little as possible. Overweight bags are an argument waiting to happen.

·        Involve the kids, talk to them and get a sense of things that they also enjoy.

·        A small bag with new toys for them to play would excite them.

·        Have a positive attitude. If you get stressed, your kids will get stressed too and spoil everything. Your positive jovial attitude will make everyone feel better.

·        Last but not the least - Take care to eat wisely and drink lots of water.

Enjoy the thrill of visiting of interesting places with kids! Bon Voyage!

The Spot To Unwind, Blogs Sanjay after his vacation at ABAD Whispering Palms

All work and no fun makes life dull and boring. A short vacation in the lap of nature is a magical experience for body, mind and soul. This is just what Sanjay Gopinath had in mind when he took a break from work and headed for Abad Whispering Palms with family. 


"Yes, it was a long awaited vacation with the family. Aadi’s vacation was to get over soon and I needed a break badly from the endless interviews and one-on-ones. Kumarakom, the sleepy village around 70 km from Kochi city, was the solution. The roads are ok to drive on," he jots in his blog. 

"The suite was backwater facing," he writes, explaining why the resort was the ideal spot for his dream vacation. "Stepping out of our suite through the rear door (which happened to be the one which we ended up using most!) we were welcomed by the water body. An occasional water fowl looking for insects used to visit us at the lawn which separated the room from the lake. My idea of vacation has come to mean rest and laziness and it was the perfect setting I could have asked for. Lazing at the verandah in the bamboo chair, with a book I picked up recently from the library, sipping the morning tea (for a change not made by me), facing the morning breeze is the ideal setting I wanted."


"Life is at slow pace there steadily throughout the day," he goes on. "A far cry from our maddening days which accelerate from the time you wake up till you hit the bed again. I felt the resort was reasonably priced, maintained pretty well. I am a self-confessed fish aficionado (on the eating side, not on the rearing side). This makes me looking and constantly trying for newer (read tastier) varieties of fish dishes. I did not find much on this area in the resort menu. However the food was good except for this. The resort has other facilities like a swimming pool and an ayurvedic center. You can also avail a boat ride or else book your houseboat which will pick you up at the jetty. Another attraction I found there was a small lagoon exquisitely maintained. As daylight picks up the still waters covers itself with a green blanket arguably caused by the ecosystem it maintains there. You could spend enough time just sitting on one of the islands in that lagoon and doing nothing."

Read more about Sanjay Gopinath's relaxing holiday at Abad Whispering Palms here.

*Pics courtesy Sanjay Gopinath's blog.

Culture, Football & Rains: Ingredients for The Perfect Holiday!

Being stressed at work is no fun. Plan a short holiday with the kids and make it a memorable one! Come to Cochin, a city that is a bustling commercial centre on one side and a laid-back quaint cultural outpost on the other. 

                       

Courtesy: http://www.virtourist.com/asia/india/kochi/index.html

Step in to Fort Kochi and you are in an entirely different world; it's almost like being transported to another era. The area is considered to be one of the oldest European settlements in India. The streets and ancient buildings reflects a mosaic of different cultures from diverse parts of the world. A leisurely walk down old colonial streets affords a breathtaking view of the Chinese fishing nets along beach, the Jewish Synagogue, the Dutch Palace, the Portuguese and British architecture, all finely blending in with local culture. 

Fort Kochi is also as the place for football lovers. Soak in a thrilling game of football during this season of rains in Fort Kochi! The annual Soccer Fest “Shoot the Rain” is held every monsoon at the Fort Kochi Parade grounds; this year, it is scheduled for July 3rd and 4th. The Fest brings together soccer teams from all over Kerala, setting aside all social differences.

Football and culture make for a heady mix. You can soak in some heritage during your stay here by booking into the Abad Grande Residencia! Once the beautiful house of the Koder family, the most illustrious Jewish family in Cochin, it is now one of the most gracious hospitality centres in the city. The long verandas, the Portuguese doors and windows and the open courtyard are all hallmarks of another century, which have been lovingly restored. You can also experience a hot oil bath and rejuvenate yourself at the Ayurvedic spa, Revival.

It's namaste to football and history this July! Click here to plan a great vacation now!

Recharge with Ayurveda this monsoon!

Long stretches of golden sandy beaches, lush hills and mountains, beautiful lagoons, crystal-clear waterfalls, exotic wildlife and carpets of coconut, banana, tea and spice plantations all contribute to making Kerala a slice of Paradise on Earth. It is indeed God’s Own Country. The splash of monsoons accentuates the beauty of Kerala: the atmosphere takes on a sheen of clarity, with all the dust and dirt washed away by the downpour.

This is also an excellent time to cleanse your body of toxins, says Ayurveda, the ancient Indian medical system. Today it is a unique and indispensable branch of medicine which is practised with dedication in Kerala. Ayurveda therapies during the monsoon are the best way to rejuvenate your mind and replenish your body. Kerala’s equable climate and the natural abundant forests and cool monsoon season are best suited for Ayurveda healing techniques.

Revive, the Ayurveda Spa from Abad Hotels, offers a number of treatment packages that help you rejuvenate your body, mind and soul. The Recharge package offers a combination of two classical treatments of 'Pizhichil' and 'Abhyangam' based on 'Panchamahabhutha' (the five elements) – the foundation of Ayurveda: the human body is a blend of the five elements of earth, fire, water, air and space.

Ayurveda believes in the treatment of not just the affected parts but the individual as a whole. Try the internal cleansing therapy where a specialised body massage with warm herbal oils eliminates toxins from the body and helps you build immunity. Let the pitter-patter of raindrops add music to your therapy sessions. And then take a hot, medicated steam bath and be rejuvenated body and soul!

To know more feel free to call us at 09895702993 or send a mail at doctor@thekeralaayurveda.com. Click here for great vacation deals.

Try rejuvenating Ayurveda therapies this monsoon!

Combining the freshness of a tropical paradise and the novelty factor of a shopper's haven, Kerala is definitely a tourist's delight. Is it any wonder then that the charming little state, which perches daintily on India's southwestern tip, is time and again listed as a must-visit spot by travel cognoscenti like National Geographic Traveler and Lonely Planet?

If there's something that makes God's Own Country even better, it is the way this lush green land embraces the monsoons. Passionately and wholeheartedly. The beauty of this little strip of land amplifies during the monsoons. It is the time when the heavens touch the earth showering all its love on the earth waiting to bloom.

Holidaying in Kerala during the rains is not just about communing with Nature but also about the healing touch of Ayurveda, the ancient Indian system of medicine. This green state of paradise is perhaps the only place in the world that practices this ancient medical system with commitment.

Traditional texts reveal that monsoon is the apt time to undertake rejuvenation therapies. The air is cool, crisp and dust-free, making the pores of the body open up and effectively respond to the massages and therapies. Any Ayurvedic treatment during this season boosts the immunity of the body. Rejuvenate yourself this monsoon at one of the most authentic Ayurveda treatment centres in Kerala: Hotel Abad's Revive Ayurveda Spa. You can choose from a number of Ayurvedic packages here according to your unique requirements. Or make it a family vacation where all of you give in to the relaxing pleasures of stress-relieving massages.

A warm herbal oil Ayurvedic massage that lulls you while the rains roar on the rooftop and the winds whisper among the trees... does the mere thought revive your jagged spirits? Go on, take a break and pamper yourself with a therapeutic touch! Experience the magic of Ayurveda, the magic of India! To know more feel free to call us at 09895702993 or send a mail at doctor@thekeralaayurveda.com. 




Pic courtesy: http://www.slovenia.info/pictures\program\1\2006\HS_masaza_8895_129224.jpg

Sun, sand and serendipity: rediscover nature at the ABAD Turtle Beach Resort

A blue-green sea, azure skies, a sandy white beach, a soothing breeze. Add to that some splendid hospitality and you have an enticing beach holiday! Head to Abad’s Turtle Beach Resort at Mararikulam, Kerala, for some terrific vacation deals and the best beach holiday experience.

Whether you are travelling with kids or alone, this beach retreat is just right for you. Spread across 13 acres, the resort, which is far from the city yet only a few kilometres off NH47, has three beach villas and 22 twin-sharing beach cottages, all set far from each other and ensconced in their own greenery.

The landscape is also dotted with natural ponds, shady trees and the highlight—a rivulet on one side and the sea on the other.This beach retreat is all things ethnic, with motifs all over the place. The most picturesque is the paved walkways dotted with terracotta lamp-posts.

The interiors, meanwhile, are plush, modern and comfortable. All the rooms have individual patios, where you can enjoy a cool, breezy evening with a book, a dream or a deck of cards. “The rooms are very nicely done,” says Simon, a guest at the resort. A Briton who works in the tourism sector, Simon is quite happy with the facilities at Turtle Beach. “It has a very relaxed ambience and I find it quite enjoyable,” he says.

Those travelling with kids can head off to the beach for a swim, a stroll or some shells to collect. Or get the kids to bug a crab out of its hole. If the sea doesn’t tire the kids out enough there is always the resort’s pool for more games and activities.Another attraction of the resort is its trees. “We tried to avoid cutting down trees while landscaping,” says resort manager Binoy Gopi.

And it has paid off! Like at the multi-cuisine restaurant, which has a traditional design which allows for lavish air circulation; the surrounding trees provide much relief from the sweltering heat typical of seaside towns. “Natural air conditioning,” says Binoy with a grin.

The resort has various vacation packages and deals sure to suit your needs. Click here for more details on the resort. Or go right ahead and avail our fantastic summer vacation packages!