Thekkady, the land of Chocolate and Kalaripayattu

40 Cities| 17 Days| 65 Days. Follow the whole My Way on Highway Journey here.

Waking up on the houseboat, docked in the gentle backwaters of Alappuzha (or Alleppey) was an absolute pleasure. The onboard staff wished us good morning with piping hot cups of coffee in our favourite MakeMyTrip mugs. After a charming boat ride back on the majestic Vembanad Lake, we were on ground by 9 am and sped off in our car towards Thekkady.

Welcome to the Jungle

We soon discovered our favourite drive of the My Way On Highway Road Trip! Taking the State Highway SH11 via Changanassery and Elappara to our destination Thekkady was, by all means, an extremely good call. The next five hours took us on a fascinating journey across green lands and such a versatile landscape that we couldn’t believe our eyes. Freshly bathed in the monsoon rain, the smooth roads and reduced traffic (yay!) sometimes took us to the magnificent Malaya Mountains, then to Jungle Book-like thick forests with a beautiful earthy aroma and next thing we knew, we were face to face with opulently spread tea and spice plantations in Elappara.

The Mists Of Kuttikkanam

The sound of the falling water of Valanjanganam could be heard from a distance. This stunning 75-feet high waterfall near Kuttikkanam was surrounded by gleeful travellers, eager to get drenched in its refreshing mist. How could I have stayed behind!

Namaskaram Thekkady

And just like that we had reached our destination. There was no sign of tiredness. Who would be after such a memorable excursion amidst nature’s best! Hotel Grand Thekkady, our lovely abode located on the prime Kumily road has every important sightseeing and cultural option in close proximity. Our room is spacious with beautiful wicker furniture and overlooks a dense bamboo spread. There are plenty of Ayurveda massage and spa centres nearby. Thank you MakeMyTrip for helping us pick the best option for our needs.

Hail Kalaripayattu

The evening was kept aside to learn more about the oldest form of martial arts in the world – the Kalaripayattu. It is considered so old that many believe it came straight from the gods. Tracing its origins to Agastya Muni, Kalari is not about punching or kicking but more about making the body agile and understanding its secret energy system. Kadathanadan Kalari Centre in Thekkady presents a great display of the ancient art form with its talented team. The pulsating music and bold moves by the performers, involving different weapons and acrobatic equipment, kept the audience at the edge of their seats.

We stopped by Chocolate World on our way back. Stocking in delicious stacks of homemade sweet nothings, the shop clerk Kabar Khan graciously let us sample the different flavours. The smooth and uncomplicated flavours earned it the Trip Stop recommendation from us. You can walk out with 100 grams of chocolate for just 55 bucks! Afterwards, we stopped at the Kerala Gift Shop that had a wonderful combination of books, jewellery and clothes for both men and women. I picked up a George Eliot classic from there!

What are you waiting for? Head over to Thekkady for an amazing holiday!