Kerala - South India and Kerala - page 641

Hidden back from the beach but with the backwaters on your doorstep, Les 3 Elephants (
04842480005, 9349174341; www.3elephants.in ; Convent St; cottages ?4000-8000; ) is a superb
French-run ecoresort. The 11 beautifully designed boutique cottages are all different but
have private sit outs, thoughtful personal touches and lovely backwater views. The res-
taurant serves homecooked French-Indian fare. Worth the trip!
For European-style comfort food by the beach - think burgers, pizzas and barbecue -
Chilliout Cafe (mains ?180-250;

9am-late Oct-May) is a cool hangout with sea breezes and a re-

laxed vibe.
To get here from Fort Cochin, catch the vehicle-ferry to Vypeen Island (per person ?2)
and either hire an autorickshaw from the jetty (around ?350) or catch one of the frequent
buses (?15, one hour) and get off at Cherai village, 1km from the beach. Buses also go
here direct from Ernakulam via the Vallarpadam bridge.

WORTH A TRIP
THATTEKKAD BIRD SANCTUARY

A serene 25-sq-km park in the foothills of the Western Ghats, cut through by two rivers and two streams, That-
tekkad Bird Sanctuary ( 04852588302; Indian/ foreigner ?10/100, camera/video ?25/150; 6.30am-6pm)
is home to over 320 fluttering species - unusual in that they are mostly forest, rather than water birds - including
Malabar grey hornbills, Ripley owls, jungle nightjars, grey drongos, darters and rarer species like the Sri Lankan
frogmouth. There are kingfishers, flycatchers, warblers, sunbirds and flower peckers (which weigh only 4g). To
stay in the Treetop Machan (Indian/foreigner dm ?80/150, d incl meals ?1500-2500) in the sanctuary, contact the
assistant wildlife warden ( 04852588302) at Kothamangalam. Another option is the Jungle Bird Homestay
( 08452588143, 9947506188; per person incl meals ?900), located inside the park and run by the enthusiastic
Ms Sudah and son Gireesh, who will meet guests at the gate. Ms Sudah also offers guided birdwatching trips for
?600.
For more luxury, visit the lovely Soma Birds Lagoon ( 04712268101; www.somabirdslagoon.com ; Pala-
matton, Thattekkad; s/d incl breakfast €70/85, with AC from €75/90; ). Set deep in the villages near That-
tekkad, this low-key resort lies on a seasonal lake among spacious and manicured grounds. The basic rooms here
are roomy and the whole place feels refreshingly remote but is just 16km from Kothamangalam. There's also the
tented Hornbill Camp ( 04842092280; www.thehornbillcamp.com ; d full board US$110), with accommoda-
tion in large permanent tents in a sublimely peaceful location facing the Periyar River. Kayaking, cycling and a
spice-garden tour are included in the price. Birdwatching guides cost ?1500. It's around 8km from Thattekkad by
road.
Thattekkad is on the Ernakulam-Munnar road. Take a direct bus from either Ernakulam (?30, two hours) or
Munnar (?55, three hours) to Kothamangalam, from where a Thattekkad bus travels the final 12km (?8, 25
minutes), or catch an autorickshaw for around ?150.