CHOOMTI TRAVELLERS ~ Tours ~ Southern Journeys ~ Olavipe Homestay


Long, long ago, in God's own country, Kerala, a small island emerged from the depths of the Kaithappuzha backwaters. There was lots of sunshine, lots of rain, lots of green and lots of breeze. So the natives called it 'Olavipe' meaning 'gift of the waves', in the local language. Down the centuries, many people from far and near came looking for the fabled spices of Kerala. The Arabs, Chinese, Portuguese, Dutch, French, and the British, they all came to 'Gods own country' and left their footprints on the Malabar Coast. But through it all, time stood still at Olavipe and the local people cherished its pristine ambience. Olavipe, its backwaters shimmering in the sunshine under wide-open blue skies, with its coconut plantations, green paddy fields, small secluded village ponds and hospitable people, still remains the quintessential idyllic Kerala village. Olavipe is many things to many people. She can be restful and calm- or adventurous and exciting enough to sweep you off your feet with her flamboyance.
	So, welcome to Olavipe the gift of the waves, and Thekkanatt Parayil, the ancestral house of the Parayil Tharakans, a well-known Syrian Christian family of Kerala, who trace their history over 250 years. The Parayils have lived in this house for more than a century. The house was built in the time of Parayil Varkey Mathu Tharakan, (1851-1919). The construction of this home took 13 years, since most of the material that went into it, had to be brought to the island in large country boats. This old mansion has been built in the traditional Kerala style.
Olavipe is just 25 kilometers from the heart of Cochin city. This stately heritage home and its estate provide facilities for both rest and recreation. The family has now decided to share this exclusive home with select visitors who would like to stay at 'Thekkanatt' and experience the lifestyle of a typical Syrian Christian household of Central Kerala. This stately heritage home and its estate offer an ideal place for visitors to absorb a village ambience. You can walk up to the waterfront on the western side and the southern side.

The eight large and airy bedrooms of the house need no air-conditioning.	The bathrooms attached to the bedrooms offer both cold and warm water options.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner will be with the family and other guests. Food is mostly in the traditional Kerala style. If you choose to, you can even eat off a banana leaf as Keralites do at festival time. Vanilla, pepper, arecanut, mulberry and cassava are also grown on the estate. Prawn farming is active in the season in the larger ponds and canals. The canals are also used for rearing the local delicacy-the pearl spot fish. Over a hundred varieties of Ayurvedic medicinal plants are cultivated and preserved here.

	A short walk away from the house are the lagoons where prawn farming is done. Nearby are the canals where the pearl-spot 'Karimeen' in local parlance, "a gourmet's delight" and other fish grow.
Fish in the family's farms or in the surrounding lagoons/canals using traditional 'Choonda' (fishing rod). Learn to cast fishing nets in the Kerala style. The paddy fields on the western side of the house grow a special variety of rice used in the household.

	Visit the island's ancient places of worship. Known for their unique architectural styles. They include three churches built by the family. The oldest of which is almost two centuries old.
- Learn Kerala cooking. - Learn 'Parayil Duck Roast' and 'Karimeen pollichathu' from the family recipe book. - Swim in the village pond. - Watch the coconut climbers at work with the crop, which is picked every 45 days. - Help with the feeding of prawns during the farming season - Take a bicycle tour of the village. - You can even walk through the village and soak up the ambience of the place. - Learn the traditional techniques of making coir.
	Row in small country boats through the village canals. Visit other nearby islands. Take a 'serenity cruise' at sunset - a slow boat ride through the Kaithappuzha backwaters and through the lagoons surrounding the island. Visit the 'Healing garden' on the family's estate, where many local ayurvedic medicinal plants are being cultivated and preserved. Play badminton, volleyball, table tennis, chess and carroms. You could even join in a village cricket or football game.
We also have facilities for outdoor table tennis, badminton, cricket, volleyball, basketball, indoor games like carroms (disk billiards) and chess. We can also provide Canoes, wind-surfing, walking tracks, bi-cycles.	Do absolutely nothing if you choose to! You can relax on the 'Kulir Kallu' (a cooling stone) at one end of the house with a book, laze on a hammock with lots of tender coconut water to drink - or just contemplate with pleasure all the things that you are not doing!
Internet and other communication facilities are available on the island.
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