Kerala advice

[Cl]

Has anyone (probably in a previous life - BK - before kids) been to Kerala and have any good accomm recommendations. My thirty something Sis is going next week to meet up with a friend (19) on her gap year. Not worried about 19 year old but my sister thought a week in Cairo with Thomas Cooks was a huge and scary adventure, so not sure waht she'll make of backpacking in India! I've offered to fund the first couple of nights in a niceish hotel to break her in gently and wondered if anyone had suggestions - I think they want to start out near Kovalam.
Ta
Ta

I havent been but we have been recommended to go by several people including one of my husbands work colleagues who comes from Kerala. We were considering going with kids in the future so I have done some research. We got a recommendation from a company called kerala connections www.keralaconnect.co.uk. They recommended the marari beach hotel for us. Also there is a websitefor kerala www.keralatourism.org. there is a lonely planet guide to kerala and the lonely planet website has a forum called the thorntree. We have been told that the backwaters are a must. If you find out anything I would be interested.
thanks
helen

I don't know about hotels in Kerala, as I've stayed in Karnataka but if your Sis's friend is also female then they'll need to be prepared for a lot of attention from men, although I think Kerala is more westernised than some other parts of India. Western women are seen as 'easy' and the men are very persistant. Avoid giving money to beggars, because at the first chink of coins they'll be engulfed in a swarm of thousands of others.
Hope she enjoys her holiday, though!

I travelled from Bombay to Kovalam in 1990/91 so it might not be relevent to today, but there were masses of rooms and hotels when we were there. We found accommodation on new years eve at the last minute, just by turning up and asking around (although it was very basic). There used to be about 3 or 4 biggish hotels and lots of smaller guest houses and rooms, so there shouldn't be a problem finding what they want.

On the attention front, it wasnt too bad really, unless you decide to topless sunbathe, which i would tend not to advise, as when I was there all the men would stand around anyone doing it just watching!

I hope she has a great time!