A soothing sun dangling over the tiny canals fringed by swaying palm trees, fragrant spice plantations, amazonian backwaters, spicy coconut curries, pink bougainvillea sprouting in cozy corners and endless tea estates make Kerala a dreamy escape for the urban civilized. Looking straight out of a picture postcard, Kerala does not offer urban fun. It takes you back in time – to simpler days, days when the air was prehistoric and the water, fresh.
A densely populated, self-sufficient village; Kerala is where you are fed rice by law, order and tradition. An insane scale of hygiene checked even at the cheapest and the smallest of restaurants, Kerala is God’s own Country. Still spotless. Still so pure. The jade environs of Kerala delightfully assault your senses to breathe fresh life into you.
What the rest of India can learn from Kerala
The last couple of years have been rather difficult for Kerala. First, there was the Nipah virus outbreak followed by the deluge in 2019. But much to everyone’s surprise, Kerala shined back like a phoenix rising from its ashes, starting all over again.
Kerala is beautiful. Inspiring. Undeterred, illuminating the rest of the world on how well adversities can be handled. Adversity, as it appeared, made Kerala only better and stronger. It showed the rest of the world how advanced it’s healthcare system is and how well organized the state and society is. So when the first few cases of COVID 19 pandemic were traced in Kerala, the state did a commendable job in handling the virus and flattening the curve. While the rest of us are struggling to survive, Kerala is preparing to look ahead.
The state is well ahead of time irrespective of the calamities thrown at it by the supernatural forces and the rest of us have a lot of catching up to do. Be it the quality of life or air, everything you see or feel here will make you throw up your arms in the air and wonder why Kerala is the way it is.
The Kerala model
In just the blink of an eye, tourism was pushed off the cliff after the COVID 19 pandemic. The lethal blows of the virus first hit the tourism sector also making it the last to stand and recover. Read our detailed report on “India Travel Report – Mobility after the COVID Pandemic“. Here’s how Kerala has dealt with the pandemic so far –
- In India, Kerala has the highest recovery rate and lowest mortality rate.
- Kerala is the only state in the country to hire 300 doctors and 400 health inspectors in government hospitals within 24 hours of coronavirus being declared a pandemic.
- COVIDTesting Kiosks (WISKs) were set up in India for the first time in Kerala, two at Ernakulam Medical College.
- Kerala is the only state with two COVIDhospitals in every district.
- Kerala has the largest number of COVID tests per million people in the state.
Responsible tourism post-COVID 19 pandemic
Kerala has been promoting “Responsible Tourism” even before the term was introduced to the Indian lands. The experiences offered under this mission attracted experiential travelers from different corners of the world. And while COVID 19 completely wiped off those ambitious plans, Kerala again has a plan of action in place to offer the same experiences, under refined hygiene and improved sanitization regimes.
More than 1000 ‘Work at Home’ videos are made by Responsible Tourism teams in the state to showcase the state’s preparedness and adherence to the new safety and hygiene protocols. The team is also in the process of preparing “story-telling” audios and videos in various languages to keep the morale of the stakeholders as well as travelers high amidst major adversities.
It goes without saying that Kerala put up a brilliant fight against COVID, and this achievement will not go unnoticed. Not for years to come. And as the world decides to take a sip of the new normal, Kerala will be on top for its secluded, isolated, ecotourism places giving broader insight into the well-oiled functioning of local self-governments and self-help groups, and not to forget the benefits of ayurvedic wellness to rejuvenate the mind and soul during some of the toughest and uncertain times mankind has seen in 100 years.
Getting around
Kerala is a tourist-friendly destination. Till February this year, travellers coming in had a lot of commuting options to choose from. Be it buses, flights, trains, or taxis; the Department of Tourism in Kerala ensured an effortless travel experience in the state.
Now, unfortunately, COVID 19 has irrevocably changed the way we traveled. Our commuting options have been narrowed down to road trips in safe, sanitized car rentals. But the silver lining is, this could be one of the greatest returns of the road trips. Traveling in spaces that are not shared by strangers is the new as well as the most important priority of travellers in the post-COVID world.
At Savaari, we take your as well as our driver partner’s safety very seriously. When you book a Savaari, you can skip the hassle of controlled boarding and exiting, chances of traveling with strangers whose health statuses are unknown, etc. Book a Savaari for doorstep pick up and drop and let us redefine travel for you. Click here to know about Kerala tourist packages.
Watch the video issued by the District Administration of Ernakulam giving us valuable insights into how we can help flatten the curve.
God’s Own Country – Our Choicest Recommendations for Kerala tourism
- Take a wildlife Safari at Periyar National Park
- Give yourself the luxury of living in a houseboat and exploring the backwaters in Alleppey
- Try your hands at canoeing Vembanad Lake
- Visit a spice, coffee or tea plantation at least once in Wayanad
- Drink in the vistas at Munnar
- Look for secret waterfalls in Athirappalli
- Try the local cuisine, especially spicy coconut curry in Kerala
- Do not forget to drive to the stunning Echo Point in Munnar
- For the lovers of photography, do stop at Panduhkuzhi
- Go for bird watching in Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary
- Treat yourself to an ayurvedic spa
- Go surfing in Kovalam
- Pick up a word or two of Malayalam from the locals
- Relax and unwind on the beautiful beaches in Kerala.
- Spend time at the magical Munroe Islands
- Spend time exploring the ancient temples
Savaari has drafted a comprehensive report on the Travel and Mobility trends in India in the context of the COVID pandemic. The information presented in the report will help you make an informed judgment on how Car Rentals have emerged as the safest and affordable mode of transport during these unprecedented times.
Last Updated on March 1, 2023 by blogadmin
