Travel "Ekaterinburg - Kerala - 2012", hotel "Pappukutty Beach Resort 2*"

A trip to Kerala is a fascinating journey to the palm paradise. Kerala, a small state in southwestern India, is famous not only for its rich vegetation, sandy beaches, but also for its numerous Ayurvedic centers. Thousands of tourists go there to relax from the bustle of the city, enjoy the beauty of Indian nature, improve well-being.

Our trip began with a flight from Koltsovo airport (Yekaterinburg) on November 4, 2012 and lasted 6 hours 30 minutes. Then - refueling in GOA (about 40 minutes) and another 1 hour 30 minutes to the capital of Keralla - Trivandrum. Only the second plane departed from Yekaterinburg, which sent tourists to Kerala. The tour was 13 nights and 14 days and cost us about 30,500 rubles per person + 2,500 rubles per visa. The weather in November in Kerala is just wonderful +30-32 degrees Celsius, sometimes it rains, but they will not spoil your rest, but on the contrary, will give you a little rest from the sun.

Hotel

After a long flight, we landed at Trivandrum Airport and were then safely taken to Kerala hotels. We settled in Pappukutty Beach Resort 2*, which is located in Kovalam. When going on a trip, I searched the Internet for reviews about Pappukutty Beach Resort 2*, but, unfortunately, I did not find anything detailed and necessary, so I am writing a review that may be useful for tourists considering this hotel.

Photo from the tour operator website

The two stars were 100% successful. The hotel is located twenty meters from the beach, in the heart of the resort. My friends and I booked a triple room of improved layout "Deluxe room" for 32 sq.m. The impression of the room remained good (expected the worst). All you need is: three single beds, air conditioning, refrigerator, closet, bedside tables, table, mirror, new TV. A small veranda where you can sit in a chair and read a book. View from the pool room. The bathroom was also quite decent. The only drawback is that hot and cold water is poured from different taps, they have to be mixed in a bucket and only then used for washing. In standard rooms, someone did not have TV, someone did not have a refrigerator. Cleaning in the room is carried out upon request: left the keys from the administrator - then they will clean, not left - they will not clean.

Hotel views from the lighthouse

The price of "Deluxe room" for the day amounted to 4500 rupees (2700 rubles), "Standard room" cost tourists 3,500 rupees (2100 rubles).

Our number.

Near our hotel there were shops with clothes, souvenirs, products, there were several currency exchange offices (where you can exchange dollars and euros for local currency - rupees). By the way, in one dollar about 54 rupees, and in terms of domestic currency, one rupee is 60 kopecks), bars, cafes, restaurants, Internet clubs, telephone points, excursion bureaus, massage parlors and much more. There's everything on the line. The only drawback was that, having arrived in India, we could not pick up summer clothes: our tastes and the Indians were different, and the choice was not particularly impressive.

Beach.

The beach near the hotel is equipped with sunbeds and umbrellas, but you can lie down on them only for a fee (bed and umbrella for 100 rupees or 60 + 60 rubles). The waves on the beach are very strong, and swimming there is almost impossible. The only place where there are no waves is the beach of the Leela Kerala 5* hotel, walk to it for 15 minutes. The disadvantage is that there are no umbrellas or sunbeds (more precisely, there are, but only for residents of this hotel).

Beach view from the hotel

Language in Kerala

There are almost no Russian speakers in Kerala. Employees of hotels, cafes and restaurants speak English, so if you plan to go there to relax, then be prepared for the fact that you will have to speak English. If you have problems with English, then be sure to buy a Russian-English dictionary for travelers. For example, the dictionary helped us a lot at the restaurant, with the help of it we studied and translated the menu.

Take him with you.

Food in Kerala

As far as the local cuisine is concerned, the food is really spicy, and although on several occasions we told the waiters, “No spices, please,” they still brought us dishes that we were “indescribable delighted with.” The main thing that a tourist needs to do during a vacation is to find a good waiter who will understand you from a half-word and really explain to the cook that a bunch of spices are not necessary to add to food, Russians are not used to eating “fire food”. As for prices in restaurants, they are quite acceptable - there are expensive options, and there are cheaper options. During our vacation, we visited almost all restaurants, but I would like to highlight three of our favorites: Crab Club, Pizza and the restaurant at the Pappukutty Beach Resort 2*. Here is the price of Pappukutty Beach Resort 2*:

Ayurvedic procedures in Kerala

If you come to Kerala, you should sign up for a couple of sessions of Ayurvedic procedures, because this state is famous for them like no other. We signed up for a five-day course at the Guruprakash ayurvedic center, which the tour operator offered us.

Guruprakashash

The cost of the course was 220 dollars (that is, one procedure cost us 2400 rupees or 1500 rubles). To be honest, it is very expensive, you can choose a center where you will be offered the same procedures, but an order of magnitude, or even half cheaper.

The funny thing was that the guide, selling us the service, told us that for each tourist will be selected individual treatment program. When we arrived at the clinic, we were met and escorted to the office of the chief physician, where they asked for a long time what we complained about, what we were sick and what we wanted to cure, wrote out a treatment program and sent to the offices. After the first session, my friends and I shared our impressions, and it turned out that we had the same procedures, although we complained of very different diseases. The same procedure is prescribed to all Russian tourists! And everyone had the same question: "Why have we been asked about illnesses for so long when everyone has the same course?"

This is where the interview took place.

But let’s not focus on it, let’s move on. During the course, you will be assigned a certain masseur, if after the first procedure you did not like him, feel free to talk about it to the chief doctor, you will be replaced. I was sent for a massage with a lady who didn't impress me, the replacement was only for the fourth time, but very safely. Some photos with our doctors:

Wonderful girl Sunita

Tatiana and Sunimol

Catherine and Ruby

Excursions in Kerala

During our 14 days in Kerala, we visited several excursions from Pegasus Touristik and a couple of independent routes.

Lighthouse in Kovalam

In Kovalam you can independently go to the lighthouse, which is clearly visible from everywhere. It works only two hours a day (from 15.00 to 17.00). Entrance – 25 rupees (15 rubles) + 20 rupees (12 rubles) for the opportunity to photograph. The lighthouse offers a beautiful view of the sea and the city.

Fishing Harbar ride. Life of the locals

From the locals, we heard about the fish market and decided to go there on our own, took a tuk-tuk (for 500 rupees or 300 rubles for two hours) and went.

Our driver turned out to be a great person, he not only took us there, but also arranged a tour of the market. Fishing is the main income of many Kovalama residents. Every night they go out to sea for "work" and in the morning they sell the catch.

Near the market are houses of local residents. In the photo you can see their real life.

The Puvar Big Water Trip

On this tour we went through a local travel agency. The cost was 800 rupees per person (480 rubles). The price included a transfer from the hotel to the place of excursion and back, a trip on a motor boat with a guide driver through the backwaters and canals of Kerala.

This is the car we were taken to.

Our captain.

This excursion was very interesting for us, we enjoyed the beauty of Kerala nature, visited the golden beach and swam past resort centers, water restaurants and houses of local residents.

Very funny man picking his nose ;

Locals brush their teeth

Golden Beach

Big waves on the same golden beach

Tourist homes

Cape Kanyakumari

Information from the tour operator's website: "This is one of those unusual places that is definitely worth visiting. The southernmost point of India, the place where the waters of the Indian Ocean, the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea meet. Hindus call it the “Edge of the World”. Along the way you will visit the temple of Padmanabhapuram, the former palace of Prince Travancore. This is the best example of wooden architecture in India.

Also at the cape itself you will visit the Hindu temple of Kunyakumari Devi, the Gandhi and Vivekananda memorial. On the way to Kovalam, you will see the temple of Suchendram, where the god Shiva is worshipped. Lunch. The cost of the tour is $70 per person.”

Comment: Departure from the hotel took place at 7:00, then we had a long road (about three hours) to the cape, on the way we visited the temple of Padmanabhapuram and the temple of Suchendram.

The tour is interesting, but tedious, as it takes a whole day (returned to the hotel at 21.30). If you are traveling to Kerala with children and want to go on this excursion, think a thousand times, will your child survive this trip?

View from the restaurant to the cape

Here's what they'll take you to the Cape.

Photo of some girls.

Photo of some boys.

Someone's group photo

Travel through the canals and backwaters on House Bot

Information from the tour operator's website: "On the houseboat you will make an interesting trip along the lake and canals. During the tour you will not only enjoy the beauty of Kerala nature, but also get acquainted with the life of the local population. You will have the opportunity to try traditional Kerala cuisine during lunch. The cost of the tour is $70 per person.”

Cap.

House bot

Room on board

2 hours by bus and 3 hours slow-moving on a beautiful wooden boat with absolutely nothing to do. The only interesting object we saw was the back of the statue of Light.

During the tour, we did not witness the life of the locals, we did not try the local cuisine, we were given a regular lunch. On the way to the hotel, we were taken to the beach of Varkala (we never understood why they did it, because in Kovalam the beach is much more beautiful).

View of the ship

Nightlife

There is no nightlife in Kerala. All restaurants and cafes close at 22:00 and there are no nightclubs. Moreover, there are no establishments in this city where you can watch Indian dances or some performances. Having talked to the staff of our hotel (local residents), we were very disappointed to see that there is practically no place to go in Kerala.

Interesting facts:

• You need to take off your shoes before entering the store. In the center of Trivandrum, about one jewelry center stood about a hundred pairs of shoes.
• There are no dumpsters in India. If an Indian is asked, “Why don’t you clean up your garbage?” he will be surprised and answer, “Why do you clean it?” The rainy season will come and wash it away.”

• If a family decides to marry their daughter or choose a bride for their son, they put an ad in the newspaper (not all, but there are) and wait.
• When a girl marries, she moves to live with her husband’s family and remains there as a maid until she gives birth to her first son.
• In restaurants, hotels, shops, almost all men work.
• Every morning and every evening the lights go out. In India, this is a normal phenomenon, it is associated with voltage drops. So be prepared for the fact that in the morning you can leave the room with dry hair.
• I don't think PPD exists at all. Everyone is honking, going to meet...

Advice:

• When you arrive in India, do not change money at the airport, there is a very low rate, ask your guide where there are currency exchange offices in the city.
• Do not change all the money into rupees at once: it may turn out that you will spend less than planned, and it will be problematic to change back. And in exchanges, you lose even small, but still money. There were three of us, and in Kovalam rupees were exchanged for dollars only two, for a third girl there were not enough dollars, and she had to change money very unprofitable at the airport.
• If you do not want to spend a lot of money on excursions, do not buy them from a tour operator, there are many local travel agencies in Kerala that offer the same excursions, but much cheaper. You will be offered Russian-speaking guides, there is no problem with this. Walk the streets and you will see these companies.

• If you buy things or some souvenirs, then be sure to bargain, for tourists there are very much inflated prices. For example, my friend was offered to buy a drum for 700 rupees, but she managed to bring the price down to 200.
• If you want to go to Trivandrum, know that there are buses from Kavalam (I know exactly number one: 404): comfortable with air conditioning for 26 rupees and uncomfortable, without windows for 12 rupees. The final stop is the Leela Kerala 5 Hotel. Entering the bus, ask: "Trivandrum?" and feel free to go to the city, get lost there will not work. There are several good shopping centers in the city that may prove useful for you.

Cherepkova Elena, November 2012.

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