Take Your Big Trip | Travel Advice, Inspiration, and Stories

“The Delectable Dosa: The Art of Making South Indian Crepes” was brought to six hungry students on rainy San Francisco night by RoutetoIndia.com. Our tour guide, Nalini, a chef, Aruveydic guru, and overall lover of Kerala, took her eager and hungry pupils to the south Indian palate. With sweet humor, she shared dosa-making secrets over the course of our three-hour class together

Any South India itinerary needs to include this state and stops in Fort Cochin, Alleppey and the Backwaters, and Varkala. Here’s an itinerary I would give a friend who wants to experience a very lush, green, and laidback spot of India.

Alleppey is known as the departing point for the famous Kerala backwater. However, there’s more to the town than an in and out houseboat tour. Spend some time in this South India town with excellent food, dramatic beaches with killer sunsets, and  relaxing oil-filled Ayurvedic massages.

I saw the flier for the free Reiki class while walking down a narrow road in Varkala. The flier said 11 a.m. on Mondays. It was Sunday and I was thankful that I could take the opportunity to attend this class. My mother and sister both do Reiki and healing with the energy was interesting [...]

The day is languid, hot and sweaty, the humidity dripping off the trees. I spend the morning going to breakfast and walking around. During my walk, I see a sign for an Ayurvedic massage, which are all over the place in Fort Cochin.