Post by berrypluto on Aug 3, 2008 22:34:21 GMT -5
In Kerala, the coconut is only the latest example of using aging crops to harvest tourists. A decade ago, many of the state's rubber plantations began offering Kerala Home Stay amid a slump in prices, while more recently, tea plantations have become B&BS. In contrast to those plantations at higher elevations, most of Kerala's coconut plantations are located around the area's famed backwaters, a network of lagoons, lakes and river tributaries that help produce the sandy soil in which the trees grow. Because the plantations are secluded, it isn't unusual to go days without seeing other tourists. During winter months, fishermen in dugout canoes pull through purple-flowered water hyacinth, a weedy plant that covers the waterways. Only rings from their cell phones disrupt the rhythmic rowing.
The fading fortunes of the coconut industry mean that more homestay options are becoming available. Kerala has made a name for itself in recent years by growing its spa industry. That business continues to command the lion's share of attention from high-end travelers to the state. In recent years, several luxury resorts, such as the Leela's Divya Spa in the state capital of Trivandrum and Taj Malabar's Jiva Spa in Cochin have sprung up around the ancient Indian science known as Ayurveda, which involves meditation, dietary advice and very oily massages. But the rising popularity of home stays has also helped power Kerala's surge in tourism. In Thykattusserry, built up around Ayanat House, it is possible to see how some villages in Kerala are coming to grips with the global changes in the coconut market. The village still relies heavily on the coconut, but stagnant prices have rippled along the supply chain -- from grower, to plucker to husker -- and changed lives. But the standard wage for climbing the trees hasn't changed much over the years. These days, fewer villagers believe the pay -- four rupees a tree -- is worth the 30-meter climb with a sharp knife slung over one's back.
The fading fortunes of the coconut industry mean that more homestay options are becoming available. Kerala has made a name for itself in recent years by growing its spa industry. That business continues to command the lion's share of attention from high-end travelers to the state. In recent years, several luxury resorts, such as the Leela's Divya Spa in the state capital of Trivandrum and Taj Malabar's Jiva Spa in Cochin have sprung up around the ancient Indian science known as Ayurveda, which involves meditation, dietary advice and very oily massages. But the rising popularity of home stays has also helped power Kerala's surge in tourism. In Thykattusserry, built up around Ayanat House, it is possible to see how some villages in Kerala are coming to grips with the global changes in the coconut market. The village still relies heavily on the coconut, but stagnant prices have rippled along the supply chain -- from grower, to plucker to husker -- and changed lives. But the standard wage for climbing the trees hasn't changed much over the years. These days, fewer villagers believe the pay -- four rupees a tree -- is worth the 30-meter climb with a sharp knife slung over one's back.