Kerala is one of my favorite parts of India to travel to. My first taste of this beautiful state was a literature festival in Kozhikode (Calicut), held on the beach under the Malabar sun. Culture and conversation melded with ease and, immediately, I saw why this southern Indian state was dubbed “God’s own country.” Beyond the lush, palm-fringed coast, the mountainous Western Ghats that grow coffee, tea and spices, and the idyllic emerald backwaters upon which houseboats float, there’s a rich cultural diversity that spans centuries.
You’ll see mosques, churches, synagogues and temples and sample seafood and beef fry alongside masala dosa (savory crepes) and Malabar biryani. In Kochi, it’s especially easy to pick out remnants of Chinese, Dutch, Portuguese, Arab and British influences. Further north, in unspoilt Wayanad, prehistoric rock carvings offer a distant backdrop to a wildlife sanctuary that homes tigers, leopards and Asiatic elephants.
Kerala might conjure the image most people have of India, but truthfully, it’s near impossible to choose between India’s coastal states, each charming and uniquely captivating. Should you venture into historic Tamil Nadu? The depths of Karnataka’s coffee country? Beyond the coastal scenery and lip-smacking seafood, both Goa and Kerala are ideal vacation spots – but which is better?
It's almost an impossible question to answer, but thankfully, Lonely Planet writers have given it a go.
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