I have a chance to go through India soon and people recommended Kerala over Delhi. Thing is, it’s longer than Pennsylvania is wide, so how can I make sure I’m going to the Philadelphia of Kerala and not its Pittsburgh or shudder State College?

  • rubber_chicken [he/him]@hexbear.netOPEnglish
    1·
    1 month ago

    I’m usually a city guy looking for long walks with civilization around most of the way. A long stretch nature or even nothing is OK if there’s something incredible at the end like a volcano or a spectacular view. Purely residential neighborhoods aren’t really my jam but that tends not to be an issue outside of US-inspired suburbia.

    Food, ofc. I am familiar with some south Indian cuisine and liked all of it, but all of it was made by one friend so I don’t know if I’ve had a representative sample.

    If there’s some sort of cultural thing happening and it’s not impolite for a tourist to just stand there taking it in while understanding nothing, I’m down.

    I generally prefer outdoor/installation art to stuff on walls, but if there’s a must-go museum, I’ll go.

    I’ll go to the beach if it’s super convenient, otherwise I’ll skip it. It looks like it won’t be convenient at my first hotel (had to book to get an address for the visa application) but if you know of a good one in Kochi, I might try to book close to it.

    Thanks!

    • goldroger [none/use name]@hexbear.netEnglish
      2·
      1 month ago

      So first of all, this is based on memory, so you are encouraged to check specifics:-

      • Kerala is very densely populated but there are no big cities (at least by Indian standards). The coastal side of the state has closely spaced towns and villages. The eastern side is hilly and mostly forested, with a few villages and hill stations.
      • Kerala food is different from the usual Indian food, with a lot more seafood, meat, alcohol and Arab dishes.
      • Tourists are common in Kerala. No one will mind. And almost everyone can speak English. Kerala has a very good education system.
      • Graffiti is common on walls. A lot of this is political, often election related. People take elections very seriously.
      • Kochi is the main economic and industrial centre. It has an old fort, a few palaces, India’s only functional synagogue, and good seafood (caught using what are locally called ‘Chinese nets’). The lake and sea are somewhat polluted, so do not go into the water. The famous beaches (Kovalam, Varkala) and lakes (Aleppey) are in south Kerala, and these are popular and somewhat crowded.

      Some warnings:-

      • Kerala faces floods and landslides during the SW monsoon (June to August). Do not go there during this time.
      • Kerala is hilly and has very narrow and winding roads. Travelling by road will take time.
      • Less crime than other parts of India, but there are scams. Government-run services (bus / boat, hotels, tourist trips, etc.) are safe.
      • Unfortunately some foreign tourists do stuff like carrying drugs or doing immoral stuff with women. While people of course welcome tourists, these are no-nos in India. Do not even joke about such stuff.
      • In Kerala, don’t get into political or football-related arguments. People get angry.
      • Kerala people, unlike most Indians, are very sarcastic. Pay attention to tone.