Kerala for Wellness and Water: Ayurveda, Backwaters and Fort Cochin Stays

Ayurveda, understood first

An Ayurvedic stay is not a spa package. A serious programme begins with a consultation in which a physician reviews diet, digestion, sleep, medical history and constitution, and then decides which therapies suit you and for how long. Treatment usually starts with preparatory oil and sweating therapies before any further procedures, meals are light and warm, and the plan is adjusted as it progresses. Some people need only diet changes and simple care. Not everyone is a candidate: pregnancy, acute infection or uncontrolled medical conditions may mean the plan is modified or postponed, so speak to your own doctor before booking.

The Ayurvedic programme in Kerala shows how a stay unfolds.

For the setting, Niraamaya Surya Samudra is a clifftop villa resort at Kovalam with an ocean spa and dawn yoga, and Neeleshwar Hermitage is a beachfront retreat of thatched villas in the north of the state.

The backwaters

Kerala’s backwaters are a network of rivers, brackish lagoons, canals and lakes across much of the state. The Alappuzha, or Alleppey, stretch is the best known; the quieter Valiyaparamba backwaters in the far north, around Kasaragod, are another option. The traditional houseboat, the kettuvallam, is a converted rice barge, and the houseboat journey is the classic way to see them. Neeleshwar Hermitage keeps its own houseboat for guests in the north.

On land, Chittoor Kottaram is a restored eighteenth-century palace on the Cochin backwaters, with pillared verandas.

Fort Cochin, trade and art

Fort Cochin is a waterfront district shaped by traders since the fifteenth century, with Portuguese churches, Dutch-style houses and Chinese fishing nets along the shore. Nearby Mattancherry has a sixteenth-century palace known for its Hindu murals, and a synagogue famous for its hand-painted blue porcelain tiles from China. Brunton Boatyard is a harbour-front hotel with 1920s-style design and no televisions.

The Kochi-Muziris Biennale, India’s largest art exhibition, is held every other year from December to March and has made Fort Cochin a centre of creative activity. Check the dates of the current edition before planning a visit around it.

Sources: Ayurvaid Hospitals: Karkidaka Chikitsa; Lonely Planet: Kerala attractions. Check the official websites for current information.