You Should Go To India's Kerala Region And This Is Where You Should Stay

It's not the India people think of when they conjure up images of the country. Instead of colorful frenzy, packed streets, tuk-tuks jockeying for a place in traffic, Kerala, in the country's southwest,  is serene, tropical, dotted with backwater canals. And it's especially tranquil bordering Lake Vembanad near the village of Kumarakom on the grounds of the CGH Earth property Coconut Lagoon. Recently reopened and restored after the damage caused by historic floods in Kerala last August, this  resort blends history, nature and just enough ayurvedic practices to be health inducing but not too austere.








The view of Lake Vembanad and the 150 year old restored tharavad houses.
The rooms are in 150 year old traditional tharavad houses,  local wood structures that were once threatened with destruction when residents elsewhere in the region planned to tear them down to build more modern ones from concrete or else were falling into disrepair.  Composed of beautiful teak and rosewood, they were taken apart, moved here, restored and reassembled, giving the resort the look of a handsome village in an earlier century. Sitting on the terrace of one of the heritage mansions in which duplex suites are housed, watching the  kettuvallams, the thatched roof rice boats now used for cruising, glide by is an appealing, gentle start to the day.

Coconut Lagoon has its own kettuvallam for guests to cruise through the quiet canals past fishermen and waving residents sitting on the banks while a panoply of multicolored birds from the adjacent bird sanctuary flutters alongside. So much revolves around the water  that there are also motorized canoes and a larger launch for sunset cruises and to ferry guests back to the resort's jetty—the resort is reachable only by boat which adds to the sense of tranquility and seclusion.

 For those who want to venture to the shore, there are bicycles to explore nearby villages to learn about local culture but there's plenty of opportunity to experience it without leaving the grounds.  A woman from the next village comes over every day at 4 to serve chai (tea)  and snacks from her canoe. In the restaurants, the culinary offerings are rich and varied, from the a la carte menu to the buffet in the main restaurant Ettukettu and the seafood restaurant Aymanam featuring local dishes such as the local lake fish karimeem, marinated, wrapped in a banana leaf and grilled and konju vattichathu, tiger prawns baked in a clay pot. Even for fans of Indian food at home, the dishes on the buffet table will be discoveries, somewhat on the spicy side but absolutely delicious. And on most nights before dinner, another cultural aspect of the region is on view: dancers and musicians including performances of a particularly expressive dance known as OttanThullal.

Great snowy breaks around the world: readers’ travel tips

Winning tip: Snow trails, Valmalenco, Italy

This is a stunning area of Lombardy, high in the Alps. From the top of the Valmalenco cable car we followed snow trails through the woods to the enchanting Lago Palù, where we walked across the frozen lake to a little igloo with ice table and stools. Fifteen minutes further on we reached the cosy Rifugio Palù overlooking the lake below, where we stopped for a hearty lunch in the sunshine before jumping aboard its motor-sledge, which whisked us back to the cable car station. All three generations enjoyed the winter adventure.

Having no skiing skills, the best fun I ever had was snow tubing in Kyrgyzstan. The resort, Kashka Suu, a short drive from the capital, Bishkek, is not busy, has beautiful powdery snow and offers great runs for the whole family. The hotel is warm and the food wholesome. We went as a group of families and had a wonderful weekend under blue skies, whizzing down slopes in inner tubes, which the resort provided. And from £25 a night it offers great value for money.

The Roc’n Bob in Les Menuires, part of the Trois Vallées, is a 4km tobogganing run. The price includes use of the cable car that takes you to the top of the course, where you will pick up your toboggan, equipped with brakes used for slowing down and steering your way around the course. There are breathtaking views as you skid and slide around multiple turns and banks.

Six Chinese cities you need to know

Most visitors to China are inevitably drawn to the headline-stealing trinity of Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong, all enormous, vibrant cities that are, justifiably, at the top of the list of must-sees. However, China has more than 100 cities of over 1 million residents, many of which remain little known to foreign travellers but boast attractions worth more attention.

Suzhou
In the southern half of China's fertile Jiangsu province, Suzhou has earned the nickname the Venice of the East thanks to its network of historic, picturesque canals. Suzhou has long been affluent and it supported a famous arts and cultural scene during the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1912) dynasties; it maintains a reputation as a centre for intellectuals to this day. While the city is now home to more than 6 million, the majority of whom live in the modern new parts of town, Suzhou's old town features tiny canal-side alleyways, elegantly arched stone bridges and traditional whitewashed buildings overlooking beautiful gardens.

While many come to Suzhou for its refined heritage, the big draw is the city's historic gardens, nine of which are Unesco world heritage sites. Built over thousands of years by scholars and retired government officials, the gardens are exquisite examples of the classical Chinese style. The largest and most famous is the Humble Administrator's Garden, which, while stunning, can get extremely busy. Visiting smaller gardens such as the Garden of Cultivation gives a better sense of the peaceful havens the gardens were originally designed to be. The city is also renowned for its silk production and has an excellent museum dedicated to the commodity.

Where to stay
In the midst of Pingjiang Road, Suzhou's most famous historic canal street, Dongfang Hostel (doubles from £45 room-only) offers seven modern rooms with traditional Chinese design touches and is within walking distance of many of Suzhou's best attractions.

Getting there
Suzhou does not have its own airport. High-speed trains run regularly from Shanghai, taking as little as half an hour, and from Beijing, in around five hours.

It’s a jungle out there: Costa Rica with kids

It's dark in the rainforest, the air thick with strange croaks and chirps, and our group moves slowly, following José's torchlight. As he gestures for us to stop, we gather around in silence, the adults as keen as the children to see what he's spotted. There on a leaf, with its bulging orange eyes, neat green body and comically big tangerine feet, sits a Costa Rican tree frog. Cue delighted squeals all round.

"It's so cute!" whispers my niece, Georgia, and I nod, partly relieved it's not a boa constrictor or tarantula.

We're halfway through a night safari at Maquenque Ecolodge in the far north of the country and the jungle feels tangibly alive. Caiman eyes shine at the edge of the lagoon and frogs and toads of all colours and sizes add to the howler monkeys, turtles and toucans we'd seen earlier in the day.

For somewhere the size of Denmark, Costa Rica packs a powerful punch when it comes to wildlife. A quarter of its land is protected and, with half a million species, it's one of the world's most biodiverse countries.

A wild natural playground with decent tourist infrastructure, it seemed the perfect choice for an adventure to remember with a 12-year-old. It is our first trip together, my first time alone in charge of a child (I don't have kids) and the longest Georgia has been away from her parents. My plan is to show her a world away from life at home – and get her back in one piece.