Travel guide Kerala

A place dedicated to meditative retreat, inner search, yoga, spiritual practice and community life. It is here that the guru teaches his art and knowledge to his disciples. Most Western visitors come to ashrams to practice and learn yoga and meditation intensively.

It is an ancestral holistic medicine, gentle and intuitive, which integrates all aspects of human life, from the most abstract (energies, the relationship with the universe) to the most concrete (the functioning of the human body and its imbalances). Kerala has a large number of establishments that combine vacations and treatments.

The national drink! Tea (chai) is grown in the highlands of the Western Ghats. It is traditionally prepared with milk, sugar and spices (ginger, cardamom, cloves, pepper... depending on the place and the recipe). The tea plantations of the Munnar region are among the most famous in the country.

This peaceful pachyderm is often associated with Ganesh, the elephant-headed god of Hindu tradition. You can also see wild elephants in their natural habitat in one of Kerala's many nature reserves, including the Periyar and Wayanad Wildlife Reserves.

The specialty of Kerala! Turmeric, black pepper, cinnamon, cardamom, ginger... Many spices sold in the world are produced in the state. From the Phoenicians to Vasco da Gama, all the great navigators came to Kerala to make their fortune through this trade. You will find excellent quality spices at low prices everywhere.

This green mountain range stretches from Maharashtra to the southern tip of the Indian peninsula. Climatic resorts, national parks and natural reserves, rich and diverse fauna, luxuriant flora, tea plantations, spices, rubber trees... A trip to Kerala would not be complete without a stay in these magnificent mountains!

Originally, these were traditional wooden boats (kettuvalam) used to transport rice. They have been converted into "floating houses" for the enjoyment of tourists who come to cruise peacefully along the brackish water channels of the backwaters. A houseboat cruise is one of Kerala's most popular attractions.

You'll often hear this greeting, which is the equivalent of the North Indian namaste. It expresses a profound form of respect and politeness. In Kerala, the simple gesture of joining hands at heart level and nodding means "namaskar ". So it's not necessarily necessary to say the word as you greet.

Coconut, ubiquitous in Kerala culture, is used in culinary preparations (oil, milk or grated coconut), cosmetics and massage oils. Coconut water, full of electrolyte minerals, is also used as a refreshing drink. Coconut fiber is also used to make handicrafts (ropes, carpets).

Kerala's biodiversity is a big part of its wealth. The state has a multitude of national parks created to protect the flora and fauna. The most captivating are in the Nilgiris biosphere in the Western Ghats. These reserves allow to observe a multitude of animals in their natural habitat.

This is the local palm wine, a (very) alcoholic drink made by the natural fermentation of palm sap. Very popular in Kerala, it is most often consumed in toddy shops, accompanied by kappa (Kerala recipe based on tapioca), and a spicy red curry (fish, shrimp, beef, duck...).

Ancestral philosophy of life including personal hygiene, dietetics, body exercises (postures or asanas), meditation and moral asceticism, with the aim of realizing the unification of the human being in its physical, psychic and spiritual aspects. Numerous courses will allow you to initiate yourself or to perfect your skills.