Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
orphanages and an old people's home. It's also an inviting, somehow old-fashioned beach-
side escape with sculpted gardens, a friendly welcome and putting-green perfect lawns.
Thapovan Heritage Home ( 2480453; www.thapovan.com ; hillside s/d from ?2700/3480, cottages ?4500/5700,
beachfront s/d cottage ?4800/6000) has two properties about 100m apart - one has beachfront cot-
tages in Keralan style and the other is on a gorgeous hilltop location, with teak cottages
filled with handcrafted furniture and set amidst perfectly manicured grounds with wonder-
ful views to the ocean and swaying palm groves.
OFF THE BEATEN TRACK
PADMANABHAPURAM PALACE
With a forest's worth of intricately carved ceilings and polished-teak beams, this palace ( 04651250255; Indi-
an/foreigner ?25/200, camera/video ?25/1500; 9am-5pm Tue-Sun) is considered the best example of tradi-
tional Keralan architecture today. Parts of it date back to 1550; as the egos of successive rulers left their mark, it
expanded into the magnificent conglomeration of 14 palaces it is today.
Asia's largest wooden palace complex, it was once the seat of the rulers of Travancore, a princely state taking
in parts of Tamil Nadu and Kerala. Constructed of teak and granite, the exquisite interiors include carved rose-
wood ceilings, Chinese-style screens and floors finished to a high black polish.
Padmanabhapuram is about 60km southeast of Kovalam, just over the border in Tamil Nadu. Catch a local bus
from Kovalam (or Trivandrum) towards Kanyakumari and get off at Thuckalay, from where it's a short autorick-
shaw ride or 15-minute walk. Alternatively, take one of the tours organised by the KTDC from Trivandrum.
TOP OF CHAPTER
Varkala
0470 / POP 42,270
Perched almost perilously along the edge of dizzying cliffs, the resort of Varkala has a nat-
urally beautiful setting and the cliff-top stretch has steadily grown into Kerala's most pop-
ular backpacker hang-out. A strand of golden beach nuzzles Varkala's cliff edge, where
restaurants play innocuous trance music and stalls sell T-shirts, baggy trousers and silver
jewellery. While this kind of tie-dye commercialism can grate on the nerves - the daily
wander along the cliff path is made a little less relaxing by the constant chants of 'come
see my shop' - Varkala is still a great place to watch the days slowly turn into weeks, and
it's not hard to escape the crowds further north or south.
Despite its backpacker vibe, Varkala is essentially a temple town, and the main
Papanasham beach is a holy place where Hindus come to make offerings for passed loved
ones, assisted by priests who set up shop beneath the Hindustan Hotel. You can while
 
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