Welcome to Akkara! Here at the riverside of the Meenachil, come experience a walk down memory lane by living in a 200 year old mansion with unique rooms housing period designs and furniture. Take a walk in pristine nature to he chirping of birds and insects and enjoy the warm hospitality of your host, Mrs. Shanta Kurien. Explore the homestay experience, so different from a cold hotel room, and dig in to the delicious local Travancore Syrian Chistian cuisine.
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OUR SPECIALITIES
AC ROOMS WITH ENSUITE BATHROOM
Closest Airport: Cochin International -91 km
Closest Railway Station: Kottayam - 4 km
Closest Bus Station: Kottayam -5 km
Airport, Railway, Bus and Boat pickup and drop available.
A great way to relax and spend the day while also taking back your treasure is leisurely country fishing. Inquire with Akkara to spend some time with local fishermen learning traditional fishing techniques and come back to the homestay to enjoy your catch!
For those who cannot avail of the houseboat rides, or indeed those looking for a more open tour of the Meenachil, the dugout canoes are a great way to explore the waterscapes. Once used for trade and transport purposes, the canoes are now the mainstay of Kottayam tourism, offering the traveler a glimpse into the world of Kerala wildlife and scenery.
For the amateur and professional ornithologists, the nearby Kumarakom Bird sanctuary becomes a paradise in the months from June to August. Birds to look out for include Waterfowl, egrets, water ducks, cuckoos, teal, herons, darters, cormorants, kingfishers etc.
Kerala is also one of the eighteen biodiversity centres of the world. This land is home to more than 500 birds and 330 butterfly species, 37 of these endemic to the region. According to Birdlife International, it is also one of eight centres of endemism in the Indian Subcontinent. Comprising of the largest butterfly in India, the Southern or Western Ghats Birdwing (Troides minos) with a wingspan of about 25 cms to the smallest, the Grass Jewel (Zizula hylax) with only 1.5 to 2 cm wingspan, the Kerala butterfly fauna is rich, diverse and scientifically very interesting.
Kottayam is well-known for its rubber plantation, and in the Akkara plantation tour, you can also see the different stages of growth of Nutmeg, Pepper, Ginger, Turmeric, Bay leaf, Cinnamon and Green Chillies also Coffee, Silk Cotton, local Vegetable & Fruits.
For the cultural explorer, Kottayam is a land of diverse interests. It is the first city to have become 100% literate in India, and home of the first Malayalam printing press. It continues to be a publishing stronghold. There are also over 200 Syrian Christian churches in Kottayam, and the cultural enthusiast can avail of local tours of historic sites, temples and churches.
Experience the magic of the traditional Kerala kettuvalloms houseboats. The style and design remain in integrity with the houseboats of old, while offering the best of modern amenities and luxurious stay and dining. The Backwaters from Kumarakom have a range of houseboats catering to all budgets, this experience can add something to life without taking away too much from the pocket!
Celebrating something special? Integrate the homestay experience in your plans and lie back and enjoy your special moments come alive with the food that you desire. Its the perfect way to surprise special someones and liven those precious moments.
Interested in living life to the fullest and collecting new experience to integrate into your life back home? Take back the delicious Travancore Syrian Christian meals you experience at the homestay. Its not just a cuisine, but a delicious slice of history, where the unique heritage of Kerala has created some of the most unique and tasty inventions in food history!
Specialities to check out include Appam and stew, tapioca and fish curry, Fish molee, pearl spots fry-local fish (watch the bones), Idlis and Dosa, Bread fruit and chutney,The Kerala Fish curry, Beef Fry, Iddiappam and Coconut cream with local maple syrup, Dry fish chutney, variety of pickles (seasonal), par boiled rice, Puttu (Steamed rice cake) and Kadala, local plantains and seasonal fruits like jack fruits, mangoes, papaya etc.
Have you always been intrigued about the food on your plate? Its journey from the land to the delicious morsel that you are about to consume? Here is your chance to explore organic farming, getting your hands dirty in the best way possible! Play with the land, learn how to grow fruits and vegetables naturally, and take back the knowledge to grow your own gardens! Join the movement to re-green the planet at this precarious time with Akkara!
Write to us to know more about the upcoming Yoga Retreat in collaboration with Ruchi Kapoor aka Cityogini. You can visit her website in the link below for more information as well.
Enjoy soothing and energising activity at once with our yoga retreats, where your body, mind and spirit can heal and rest. Learn different asanas (physical stretches) and breathing exercises, something precious to take back from the homestay experience.
We also offer customized day packages where you can combine Yoga Sessions with Tea/Snacks or Lunch. Please contact us to avail of these services.
Closest Airport: Cochin International -91 km
Closest Railway Station: Kottayam - 4 km
Closest Bus Station: Kottayam -5 km
Airport, Railway, Bus and Boat pickup and drop available.
We are delighted to offer annex properties in addition to Akkara Homestay, providing extra rooms or private independent spaces to cater to your accommodation needs. These annex properties are well-appointed, serviced villas located near Akkara Homestay and are fully equipped with modern amenities.
Guests have the flexibility to book these properties either as standalone units or alongside rooms at Akkara Homestay, making them suitable for a variety of preferences. While meals are not included in the standard charges, they can be arranged upon pre-order based on the number of guests.
These safe, clean, and independent villas are conveniently located near Kottayam town, making them perfect for small family retreats, friendly gatherings, or hosting guests attending events or functions at Akkara Homestay.
Akkara Ayurveda, located alongside the serene Akkara Homestay, offers a range of rejuvenating treatments designed to harmonize the body, mind, and spirit. We specialize in invigorating Ayurvedic massages, including the renowned Kerala massage, known for its deeply therapeutic and relaxing effects. Our massages, which focus on oil-based treatments rather than muscle manipulation, help reduce stress, lower blood pressure, and promote overall wellness. Regular sessions can also provide medical benefits such as relief from chronic pain, diabetic neuropathy symptoms, and even help improve conditions like hemiplegia.
Additionally, Ayurvedic massage is known to enhance skin health, reduce heel cracking, aid in weight loss, and boost physical strength. Complementing our massage offerings, we provide private yoga sessions led by certified instructors, as well as Ayurvedic herbal steam baths, which detoxify the body, improve skin conditions, and help with weight management.
Nestled within the embrace of a 200-plus-year-old heritage home, Akkara Homestay offers an enchanting backdrop steeped in history for crafting unforgettable events. Embracing the essence of heritage, this exclusive venue boasts multiple options for hosting, including both covered and open-air spaces that beckon celebrations.
With six lavishly appointed air-conditioned rooms within the main house and multiple Annex properties offering additional accommodations, privacy and exclusivity are seamlessly woven into the experience.
The 250 plus Year old Heritage Homestay on the banks of the Meenachachil river in Kottayam is just the place to relax, rejuvenate, entertain or celebrate.
Nestled beside the tranquil Meenachil River, an enchanting experience
awaits you at our riverside abode.Step into the embrace of history as you
reside in a 205-year-old mansion exuding a unique charm. Each room is a
testament to a bygone era, adorned with period designs and furniture that
breathe life into the past. Nature's serenade, orchestrated by the melodies
of birds and insects, accompanies your leisurely walks in the pristine
surroundings. With water enfolding you on three sides, the clamor of urban life is a distant memory.
Kottayam is the birthplace of the publishing industry in Kerala and thus known as the land of letters. Cradled by the backwaters and the Western Ghats, it is epitomised by its stretches of vast greenery, paddy fields and sprawling rubber plantations.
These are the famous water lilies of Malarikkal, a rising tourist hotbed in Kerala, located in the southern tip of India. This natural phenomenon in the paddy fields turns the entire landscape into a luscious pink carpet that is a mesmerizing sight to behold. This year, thousands shall assemble at the site of the blooming, situated near Thiruvarppu in Kottayam district.
The famous Vembanad lake made Kottayam a popular tourist destination. The backwater cruise in through Kottayam backwaters offers the sight of historic churches and temples. Pallam backwaters is an enchanting backwaters located to the south of Kottayam town.
Kodoor river is a river between the Kottayam and Alappuzha districts. Kodoor River has a long history with the old trading routes between
the coastal district Alapuzha and the eastern villages of Kottayam. There was a busy jetty at Puthuppally named Angadi, which means market. The river is originated from the beautiful hills in between Kottayam and Pathanamthitta districts and finally empty into the Meenachil River.
Tucked away in the outskirts of Kottayam city, the tiny village of Aymanam has its own special story to tell.Aymanam welcomes you with some of Kerala’s most sought-after heritage buildings, religious shrines, and vibrant arts and art forms.
An exclusive tour of Pallikoodam, the school that British-Indian architect Laurie Baker, also an ardent Gandhian, designed for educationist Mary Roy in Kerala. This school has one of the most beautiful interior design in India. Click here to read more about this school.
St. Joseph's Monastery at Mannanam in Kottayam district of Kerala, was built by the blessed Saint Father Chavara Kuriakose Elias. The mortal remains of this saintly priest are preserved here. Thousands of devotees gather here to pay homage to the saint every day.
