Kerala was one of those overhyped travel blogger destinations I had no desire to visit. After seeing what had happened to places like Chiang Mai and Bali, it was way at the bottom of my desires list for travel. Oh, how misguided I was. Southern India is perhaps one of the most beautiful, welcoming, and “natural” places I’ve visited. I would argue it’s the most beautiful place in India.

I’ve visited/worked in India enough to dread returning at times. I’m aware of the sheer chaos I’m going to experience. Pollution, traffic, food safety, and other issues are always in your mind as you explore most of this beautiful country. And these fears slowly faded away as I spent more time in Southern India. Evaneos Travel was the perfect company to explore with. Here are some of the reasons Southern India is a must visit.

Weather Accents Instead of Limiting Travel Opportunities

While the north was dealing with the usual cold winter weather, Southern India was basking in an Autumn like season in December. While the evenings could be a bit chilly, the weather was perfect during the day. Allowing us the ability to explore the region easily. Especially when cruising along the Backwaters of Kerala.

Authentic Local Interactions on Full Display


The more touristic a place becomes, the more jaded locals become. Tourists can be exhausting to local communities. And while the profile of Southern India has risen in the last decade, it’s still relatively local. People are incredibly kind and welcoming, as with most of India, but there was something different in the South.

While locals are friendly all over India, you have to be on guard as to if someone is trying to sell/hustle you. I didn’t experience that once in Southern India unless I was speaking with a vendor about purchasing something. Then it makes sense.


Breathtaking Cuisine in a Land of Breathtaking Cuisine

I’ve long been a fan of Chettinad cuisine. It’s long been my favorite Indian cuisine, and that’s saying something. The diversity, flavors, and heartiness make it one of my favorite food cultures to explore. What stood out to me wasn’t the availability of beef, which is banned or rare in many states of India, but the quality of seafood.

This makes sense given that Tamil Nadu and Kerala border the Arabian Sea, Laccadive Sea or Lakshamandeep Sea, and the Bay of Bengal. Let me tell you right now, Meen Kuzhambu is lifechanging. You’ll never look at fish curry again — also, Uttapams.

Pollution Relatively Under Control

Three days into my ten days stay in Mumbai, I purchased a plane ticket to Malaysia. Why? I could barely breathe or swallow due to an infection caused by severe air pollution. While we explored southern India, the air quality never came up as an issue. It was quite lovely in places like Munnar and Kochi. Kerala statistically has some of the cleanest air in India.

India isn’t alone in its issues with pollution. My adopted home of Bangkok is getting worse and worse. But 22 of the top 30 most polluted cities in the world are in India. Southern India is a breath of fresh air. Both figuratively and literally.


Brilliant Landscapes Truly Captivate

In 10 days, we visited cities, villages, forests, mountain tops, rivers, and the sea. To say Southern India is diverse would be an understatement of the highest order. India has some beautiful places to offer. But, what I found in Southern India was a dedication to interacting with nature in a symbiotic way. While I find other regions to be full of concrete, I appreciated the abundance of green space here in the South.

Check out the excellent itineraries and opportunities you can find with Evaneos Travel. One of the worlds best luxury travel companies.

See my full Photo Essay Here: http://bit.ly/EvaneosIndiaSlideShow