The very journey to India will feel like the beginning of your adventure; and it really is only the beginning. Once you arrive in Kerala, the culture, climate, food, natural environment and of course the people will make you feel as though you have embarked on a trip that you’ll never forget.

Arriving at Bethsaida Hermitage is exciting in itself. The drive here from the airport is about 30 minutes by taxi and once you arrive through the gates, the magic of our Hermitage begins. The smell of jasmine, beautiful and romantic lighting, smiling faces, winding pathways, the sound of the waves lapping on the sand and the many palm leaves swaying in the breeze tell you that this is going to be an adventure to remember.

Once you have settled in, the range of activities is vast here, although many people find that relaxing in the Hermitage is just as much fun as getting out and about.

Here is a taster of what we have to offer right on our doorstep:

We have the renowned backwaters just round the corner and you can take a houseboat for as much or as little time as you want to explore the palm fringed, peaceful waters which are full of exotic wildlife and plant species.


 

There is also the famous Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu, which we would recommend you take a day trip to using a taxi service. This is where 3 major bodies of water (Arabian Sea, Bay of Bengal and the Indian Ocean) meet. Kanyakumari is also home to the beautiful, pink Ghandi temple, which gives a history of Ghandi’s work and pays tribute to his life. It is also a bustling and interesting town to hang out in with it’s colourful markets, fortune tellers and many small shops selling intricately made Indian artifacts.
 

Trivandrum is our closest large city and there are shopping opportunities galore here if you are interested in Indian fabrics, gold / platinum jewellery, cultural artifacts, rugs, sculpture, wood carvings and anything else Indian you can think of! Our friendly and knowledgeable staff will be happy to advise you of the best places to find what you are looking for. Shopping trips are a city explorer’s dream as there are many shops, many people and far too much choice! Trivandrum is also home to many temples, palaces and markets and once again, we’ll advise you where to find the best ones.
 

About an hour’s ride away we have HAPPY LAND which is a water fun park for people of all ages, it’s a colourful journey, across Trivandrum and up into the hills on the other side of the city. The area is full of rubber and coconut trees and the terrain is vastly different from this side of the city. The fun park has waterslides, a wave machine, natural rock waterfall, rubber ring water coasters and lots of restaurants and places to hang out and watch the Indian fun go by. Guests should ask at reception for organized group visits to HAPPY LAND.

These are just a few of the attractions around us here at Bethsaida Hermitage and in our local area we have a multitude of restaurants, tailors, pashmina shops, Indian supermarkets, small souvenir shops, a surfing beach, many Indian artifact shops, bars, art shops and many more. Kovalam is a 10 minute ‘tuk-tuk’ ride away where you will find all the supplies you need in this small beachfront tourist town. (a ‘tuk-tuk’ is basically a motorbike with a shell on it’s back which holds a bench for the passengers to sit on – a fun, breezy and inexpensive way to get around).

Remember also that we have a range of cultural, games and sports activities at Bethsaida Hermitage open to all guests, including badminton, volleyball, water polo, table tennis, board games, giant garden games, pottery painting classes, cookery classes, yoga, meditation and more…..we hope to create a sense of community and friendship with our guests joining together in play. Again, please enquire at reception for the current programme.

Whether it’s an active adventure you want or a relaxing retreat, Kerala and Bethsaida Hermitage has everything to offer.