Wayanad district (India)

Apart from the tea estates, I didn't find the other places you can visit in this region, such as the wildlife sanctuary, Thirunelli Temple and the Kuruvadweep river delta, to be particularly memorable.

The reserve opening times (7:00-10:00 am and 3:00-5:00 pm) and those of the tea factory (closed Saturdays and Sundays) are also a bit bizarre. So when visiting here on a trip to India, it's best to check these details before setting off.

If you happen to be based in the northern part of Kerala, near Kozhikode or Kannur, and want to get out and enjoy some fresh air, Wayanad is a good option; though I don't recommend making a detour to the wildlife sanctuary afterwards: better instead to head to the hill station of Ooty, or to Darjeeling, in the north of India.

Before pursuing my trip to India by transfer in the famous region of tea, Darjeeling, at the extreme north of the country, I wanted to discover the lesser known plantations of the south. Thus, I went to the preserved region of Wayanad, on the doorstep of Kerala, between pepper and coffee crops, and of course vivid tea trees. I then spent nearly a week with a local family, in a small village in the Deccan plateau. I was able to share the everyday life of inhabitant, leaving for work in the morning in the fields, surrounded by exotic fruits in thousands: cocoa, mango, grapefruit, avocado, papaya... In starting to get to know the population I was deeply moved to learn to what extent the Wayanad district particularly suffered from the agricultural crisis of 2008, which, further to the massive and devastating introduction of Monsanto hybrid seeds in the country, led certain farmers to end their lives, ruined and disgraced to not be able to meet their family's needs.

I had a wonderful experience in this rural region, savouring numerous typical Keralese dishes and discovering the life of one of the hundreds of villages in this tropical part of southern India. I don't think I've ever been as close to Christ as I was during my pathway to Wayanad, the population being deeply religious.

Before pursuing my trip to India by transfer in the famous region of tea, Darjeeling, at the extreme north of the country, I wanted to discover the lesser known plantations of the south. Thus, I went to the preserved region of Wayanad, on the doorstep of Kerala, between pepper and coffee crops, and of course vivid tea trees. I then spent nearly a week with a local family, in a small village in the Deccan plateau. I was able to share the everyday life of inhabitant, leaving for work in the morning in the fields, surrounded by exotic fruits in thousands: cocoa, mango, grapefruit, avocado, papaya... In starting to get to know the population I was deeply moved to learn to what extent the Wayanad district particularly suffered from the agricultural crisis of 2008, which, further to the massive and devastating introduction of Monsanto hybrid seeds in the country, led certain farmers to end their lives, ruined and disgraced to not be able to meet their family's needs.

I had a wonderful experience in this rural region, savouring numerous typical Keralese dishes and discovering the life of one of the hundreds of villages in this tropical part of southern India. I don't think I've ever been as close to Christ as I was during my pathway to Wayanad, the population being deeply religious.