India (Frommer's, 4th Edition) (159 page)

Windermere Estate
Also located just outside Munnar, on a 24-hectare (60-acre) cardamom estate, this is one of the finest places to stay in the region. Accommodations are bright and clean, with wooden ceilings and floors and dark cane furniture. Best value are the simple valley-view rooms with stunning vistas of the surrounding tea-clad hills and forests; if you’re staying more than 1 night and like your space, there are six very spacious “cottages” (big enough to take another person), and the spanking new 93 sq. m (1,000-square-ft.) Planter’s Villas, which offer relative luxury in addition to dazzling views from perfectly positioned private balconies. Warm, discreet service is designed to make you feel as if you’re lord of your very own plantation estate. The surrounding landscape is exceptionally good for early-morning walks, organized daily, and you can try your luck fishing in one of several nearby streams. Food is fresh family cuisine, with everything sourced from local farms; like so many homestay-type experiences, it far surpasses the buffets you get at the five-star resorts.

P.O. Box 21, Pothamedu, Munnar 685 612.
04865/23-0512.
Fax 04865/23-0978. Reservations: c/o Mr. Shamnaaz or Ms. Divya Raj, Windermere House, Seaport-Airport Rd., Trikkakara, Kochi 682 021.
0484/242-5237.
Fax 0484/242-7575.
www.windermeremunnar.com
. [email protected]. 18 units. Rs 5,150–Rs 6,850 valley view double; Rs 7,850–Rs 10,250 cottage double; Rs 11,750–Rs 14,250 Planter’s Villa double; add 25% per extra person. Rates include breakfast; 15% tax extra. MC, V.
Amenities:
Dining room, library-lounge, tearoom; basketball; fishing; Internet (currently only broadband; Rs 100/hr.); trekking; Wi-Fi (planned; 1⁄2hr. free, thereafter Rs 100/hr.). In room TV (in cottages and Planter’s Villas), fridge (in cottages and Planter’s Villas), hair dryer.

7 Northern Kerala

Kozhikode is 146km (91 miles) NW of Kochi; Kannur is 92km (57 miles) NW of Kozhikode

Even though northern Kerala’s history as a major spice-trade destination is well documented, it remains relatively untouched by tourism. This is largely because of the 8-hour drive it takes to get here from Kerala’s better-favored (and more rigorously developed) beaches and backwaters in the south. Nevertheless, this can be a wonderful region to explore if you are looking to get away from the tourist crowds, and have time to spare. Certainly if you’re traveling overland from Mysore, Karnataka, to Kerala, it makes excellent sense to spend a day or two exploring this relatively untouched part of the subcontinent, particularly the
Wyanad Hills,
which remains one of India’s last true wilderness areas. Malabar’s far northern coastal region, stretching from
Kannur
all the way up to
Bekal,
just before the state’s border with Karnartaka, has also begun to undergo its evolution into a tourist destination, albeit one for a more laid-back and crowd-free experience. The area now boasts one of the loveliest places to stay in all Kerala, and the beaches here are virgin territory. A warning, though: While this remains an excellent place for travelers keen to escape the predictable tourist hot spots, the area is gearing up to see a big increase in visitors

ESSENTIALS

VISITOR INFORMATION
In Kozhikode (formerly Calicut), a
Kerala Tourism information booth
(
0495/270-2606;
daily 10am–1pm and 2–5pm) is located at the railway station. In Kannur, inquire at the
Kannur District Tourism Promotion Council
(Taluka Office Campus;
0497/270-6336;
Mon–Sat 10am–5pm, closed Sun and second Sat of the month).

GETTING THERE
By Air
There are daily flight connections to
Karipur Airport
(
0495/271-2630
or -1314)—located 25km (16 miles) south of Kozhikode—with Mumbai, Chennai, Kochi, Trivandrum, Goa, Mangalore and Coimbatore. International flights from Dubai and Doha also land here regularly, making direct connections from Europe possible. Note, though, that the nearest airport for destinations in the far north of Kerala is actually
Mangalore,
over the border in Karnataka. An airport is currently being planned for Kannur.

By Road
Kozhikode, Kannur, Thallassery, Kanhangad and Bekal are all on National Highway 17, which gets tricky in places as you head farther north. To get from Kozhikode to Vythiri in the Wyanad mountain ranges, you’ll need to take the Kozhikode-Bengaluru highway; best to hire a car and driver (see “Getting Around,” under Kochi). If you have more time (and less money), look into bus connections which are ultimately available from just about anywhere; call the local KSRTC Office in Kozhikode on
0495/2723-796.

By Train
Kozhikode and Kannur are both important jumping-off points for trains running up and down the coast of Kerala, so it’s not difficult finding a berth from either Kochi or Trivandrum if you’re heading north, or from Mangalore (and other, more northern, hubs) if you’re heading into Kerala. Be warned that these trips are incredibly lengthy and arduous. Daytime journeys are wonderful if you’re keen on watching the fabulous passing scenery, but you’ll need stamina and patience. Dial
133
or 0495/270-1234 for inquiries at the
Kozhikode Railway Station,
or
0495/270-3822
for reservations. If you’re treating yourself to time at Neeleshwar Hermitage (see “Where to Stay,” below), in the northernmost reaches of the state, then you’ll hop off at nearby
Kanhangad
(a name that doesn’t roll so easily off the tongue, so be sure to write it down when buying your ticket)—let them know which train you’re arriving on and someone will fetch you from the station.