Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
the other, this is the ideal affordable Kumarakom getaway. The three double rooms are
plain but have verandahs facing the water. Go a couple of kilometres past the sanctuary to
Cheepunkal and take a left; it's then 2km down a rugged dirt road. Management can ar-
range pick-ups from Kottayam (?450), and houseboats and all meals are available from
here.
Tharavadu Heritage Home
( 2525230;
www.tharavaduheritage.com
; d ?1070-2025, bamboo cottage ?1575, d with AC ?2475-2800; )
Rooms are either in the superbly restored 1870s teak family mansion or in equally com-
fortable individual creekside bamboo cottages. All are excellently crafted and come with
arty touches. It's 4km before the bird sanctuary.
GUESTHOUSE
$$
HOMESTAY
$$
Santitheeram Heritage Home
( 048112525122; Pushpalayam, Kavanattinkara; r ?1200)
Just two rooms in this cosy and welcoming
traditional family home on the water's edge just a few hundred metres from the KTDC
boat jetty.
Ettumanur
The
Shiva Temple
at Ettumanur, 12km north of Kottayam, has inscriptions dating from 1542,
but parts of the building may be even older. The temple is noted for its exceptional wood-
carvings and murals similar to those at Kochi's Mattancherry Palace. The annual
festival
is
held in February/March.
Sree Vallabha Temple
Devotees make offerings at this temple, 2km from Tiruvilla, in the form of traditional,
regular all-night
Kathakali
performances that are open to all. Around 10km east of here, the
Aranmula Boat Race
, one of Kerala's biggest snake-boat races, is held during Onam in
August/September.
