Malabar Escape

You’ll be spending your first couple of nights at an idyllic spot on the banks of the Periyar River, under a grove of giant coconut trees. Although a backwater now, in past centuries this waterway would have been teeming with boats travelling to and from the nearby spice port of Muziris, where Roman and Chinese ships used to take on cargoes of pepper, and merchants from across the world settled in large numbers to trade. Portuguese-style churches, old synagogues, Dutch forts and British bungalows in the area testify to its former importance.

On your first afternoon, however, you probably won’t want to venture much further than the hotel’s waterfront gardens and infinity pool, from where you can watch the locals fishing on the river from small dugout canoes.

After breakfast your hosts will discuss your sightseeing priorities for the day with you. On offer will be visits to local markets, temples, churches and villages in the company of the house guide, Stanley. You could opt for detours to basket- and coir-weaving workshops, try your hand at fishing or take to the water in a kayak!

Not to be missed are the various small museums and archeological sites comprising the ‘Muziris Heritage Zone’, site of the Malabar coast’s ancient port. Barely a brick of it remains above ground these days, but recent excavations have uncovered the harbour’s location, along with hordes of Roman silver and shards of ancient pottery from China.

On your first day it will, above all, be a delight to soak up the novel sights and sounds of rural Kerala – from the many varieties of bananas on sale at roadside stalls to the men in their chequered ‘mundus’ sipping tea in local ‘chaykada’ (tea stalls).

A mix of tin and copper, bell metal – ‘nadavaramba’ in Malayali – has for many centuries been the alloy Keralans use for temple and church utensils, such as bowls (‘uruli’) and oil lamps (‘nilavilakku’), as well as for preparing Ayurveda treatments. You’ll often see large specimens gracing the lobbies of hotels and offices. One of the state’s oldest ‘alas’, or forges, is situated on the outskirts of Irinjalakuda, and we recommend you make a short detour to watch the casters and polishers in action at a workshop that wouldn’t look out of place in the Dickensian era. Finished items are sold in the glittering Bellwics emporia on the main street, near our suggested lunch stop for the day – a wonderfully old-fashioned vegetarian “meals” restaurant serving flavoursome local ‘thoran, ‘avial’ and other regional specialities.

Your hosts at Neelambari are real experts on local ritual arts and can arrange trips to a range of different centres to experience these, whether one of the many dance or temple mime forms, or crafts such as silk weaving and ceramics. They can also arrange for performers to visit the resort, which gives you the opportunity to watch the makeup and costumes beings applied before an exclusive show in Neelambari’s beautiful, Keralan-style theatre.

A delightful mix of experiences await on Day Six of this tour as you transfer to the railway station at Shoranur Junction to catch a train further inland the rural town of Nilambur. Passing through an inspiring mix of landscapes, from rice fields to wooded hills and spectacular river crossings, this four-hour ride is regarded by train buffs as one of the very best journeys in all of South India. Facilities on board are basic, but you’re assured of a seat and an experience of local life you’ll doubtless remember!

On arrival at Nilambur, you’ll be met by your driver and transferred to a nearby period property where you’ll enjoy a traditional vegetarian lunch, prepared in the family kitchen, and a short tour of the house and grounds.

From Nilambur, the ghat section of the drive begins as the road winds into the forested mountains of Wayanad. You’ll arrive at Pepper Trails, where you’ll be spending two nights, around 5pm.

This heavenly corner of the Keralan mountains is best explored on foot, and the estate holds miles of trails suitable for all levels of fitness and ambition, whether you wish to amble through the coffee groves or tackle a full-on trek to the tops. Learn how tea and coffee are produced, track exotic birds, monkeys and butterflies with your guide, and enjoy a coracle ride on a lake in the forest. Once the heat builds, you can retreat to a balcony seat in the treetop restaurant for some particularly fragrant local cuisine, or laze in the privacy of your own verandah.

Created from the private hunting reserve of the Maharajas of Mysore, Nagarhole is currently the best place in South India to spot tigers, with a population of around 125 cats spread over 650 sq km – the highest density of any park in the south. Elephant are also present in large numbers, along with herds of deer and antelope, and the predators that prey on them: striped hyena, dhole (wild dog) and leopard. In addition to towering teak trees, Nagarhole’s forest protects jungles of rosewood, silver oak and, most highly prized of all in this part of the world, sandalwood, which is used to make incense. Birdlife is also prolific, with 270 species recorded, among them the endangered Oriental white-backed vulture, Greater-spotted eagle and three kinds of hornbill.

Your chances of coming across a herd of elephants at Nagarhole are exceptionally good, particularly during the dry season (Feb–April) when water levels of the Kabini River fall, leaving grassy expanses and abundant food for the ellies. The resulting congregations sometimes rank among the largest in Asia, attracting dozoens of animals at any given time. The current population is estimated to be around 8,000! Your expert guides will know the best places to look for elephant, regardless of the time of year you visit.

One of the principal spice ports on the norther Malabar, Tellicherry, or ‘Thalassery’ as it is officially known these days, was at one time occupied by the Portuguese, Dutch, French and British, and remnants of colonial rule litter the town, including the grand old mansion you will be staying in. It originally belonged to a British cinnamon planter, and has changed little in over a century, retaining much of its antique furniture and fixtures. Lovers of period décor will love staying here, though don’t come expecting five-star luxury. Think of it more as a visit to a rambling country house belonging to eccentric relatives – in a fabulously exotic location.

Expect a guided tour of the local fish market first thing after breakfast (a wonderful experience), followed visits to some of the ancient, architecturally distinctive mosques for which the region in known. Later, you’ll have the chance to learn local cookery techniques (Mrs Moosa is a specialist in Malabari cuisine), and sample sublime, spicy seafood curries on the verandah of the guest house.

In the evening, you may also be offered the chance to attend a night-time ‘Teyyem’ performance at a local temple. Don’t miss the chance to see one of the region’s most ancient and colourful religious rituals, in which dancers wearing elaborate make up and huge masks perform trance dances while “possessed” by the shrine’s presiding deity. Teyyems usually take place by torch light, watched by crowds of villagers, and are hugely atmospheric, though you’ll need a degree of stamina to see one through til the end at sunrise, when the dancing reaches a frenetic climax.

The day begins with a two-and-a-half-hour drive north up to Lotus Point, on the Valiyamparamba backwater, where you’ll join your houseboat and crew. Separated from the surf of the Arabian Sea by a long sandbar, this large, palm-fringed lagoon is dotted with islets supporting dozens of small villages and farmsteads, the majority of which nowadays depend on mussel harvesting for their livelihood. Gliding along the water you’ll gain a vivid impression of life in this little visited area. Expect to see coconut pickers climbing trees using coir rope as grips, men hand-net fishing from dugouts and parties of school children returning home on the ferries that zigzag between settlements.

Cooled by a palm-leaf canopy, the boat itself is very comfortable, with a large, air-conditioned, fully en-suite bedroom, a dining space and observation deck scattered with cushions and bolsters. Meal times are a highlight, featuring local specialities such as ‘karimeen’ and ‘ayakura’ river fish, crab, calamari and prawns, and melt-in-the-mouth mussels fried in spicy Malabari curry pastes.

We can think of nowhere lovelier to end a tour than the Neeleshwar Hermitage. Situated on a lush, pristine stretch of the Malabar Coast, it offers the perfect balance between nature and culture – you’ll enjoy great comfort, stylish surroundings and attentive service, but nothing that detracts from the essential beauty of the location. The churning surf, the vivid blue sea and the huge palms rustling overhead in a gentle on-shore breeze are the main reason to come here, and you’ll have plenty of time to make the most of them.

For more restless souls, the resort lays on a choice of optional excursions and compelling cultural experiences. You can also enjoy illustrated talks in the evening, in addition to recitals of Carnatic music and dance. And there’s a particularly alluring spa on site offering the full gamut of Ayurvedic treatments.

Start the day with a stroll along the seafront at first light, when dolphins approach the beach. Breakfasts at Neeleshwaram are sumptuous. Choose between home-baked European pâtisserie, or more zesty Malabari dosai and ‘idly’wada’ combos of deep-fried lentil-flour donuts with steamed rice cakes and coconut and green-chilli ‘chatni’.

An evening highlight for anyone interested in Indian culture are the lectures from the resort’s cultural director, Alistair Shearer. Topics range from history, art and architecture to religion and philosophy, and are delivered in a relaxed and informal setting before dinner.

Guided cycle rides range from one hour to half a day or more. The routes traverse  local rice fields, passing farm compounds, shrines, temples and mosques, and through fishing villages behind the beach where boats and nets are constantly being made and repaired. Taste traditional coconut todi (the local tipple) in a typical Malabari todi shop, and watch areca nuts being harvested.