At this tranquil and reasonably priced stopover in the foothills of the Western Ghats (delicious Keralan meals included in the price), adventurous tourists travelling from Mysore to coastal Kerala or Goa can take time out from sightseeing, enjoy the scenery, and get a taste of life in the countryside! If you want your home comforts but are happy to stay out in the sticks, and are not afraid of the odd spider, Coconut Castle is the ideal place to break your journey! Book in at this comfortable bungalow built in traditional style, surrounded by banana, coconut and mango trees, for one or two nights, depending on your onward plans. Half board (afternoon snack, dinner and breakfast) and unlimited tea, coffee and cold drinking water are included in the room price. Guests are offered a fan...At this tranquil and reasonably priced stopover in the foothills of the Western Ghats (delicious Keralan meals included in the price), adventurous tourists travelling from Mysore to coastal Kerala or Goa can take time out from sightseeing, enjoy the scenery, and get a taste of life in the countryside! If you want your home comforts but are happy to stay out in the sticks, and are not afraid of the odd spider, Coconut Castle is the ideal place to break your journey! Book in at this comfortable bungalow built in traditional style, surrounded by banana, coconut and mango trees, for one or two nights, depending on your onward plans. Half board (afternoon snack, dinner and breakfast) and unlimited tea, coffee and cold drinking water are included in the room price. Guests are offered a fan-cooled double or twin bedded room, a private bathroom with western-style toilet and hot/cold water, use of a spacious common sitting/dining room, and a verandah overlooking the garden. They have access to binoculars for bird watching, an extensive collection of books and games, and wifi. Rajalaxmi and her daughter Jisha provide a warm welcome, and deliver continental-style or Keralan breakfasts, and delicious home-cooked Keralan meals and snacks, from their neighbouring cottage. Although always at hand if needed, they leave their guests to enjoy the surroundings in peace when their presence is not required. The area is densely cultivated with banana, areca nut, tapioca and coconut trees, whilst jungle and cashew trees cover the hillsides. Traditional Keralan houses with red tiled roofs are interspersed with grandiose Middle-Eastern style villas, built by those working in Gulf countries. Temples and mosques abound, as do the shrines which host the theyyams (spirit dances) unique to North Kerala. Each comes alive for 24 hours each year, when elaborately painted and costumed dancers reinact events in their deity's life, accompanied by the wild drumbeats. The god's spirit is believed to enter them, and between dances they give advice or blessings to members of the audience. Guests can relax on the verandah with a book, watch the huge variety of colourful bird life, or take a leisurely walk through the fields, perhaps stopping at one of the nearby villages for a cup of tea. For the more energetic, a visit to a theyyam (if available) or into the colourful fishing port of Tellicherry can arranged, either by taxi or by local bus. English is not widely spoken here, and inhabitants are conservative, with a large Muslim as well as Hindu population. Guests should therefore observe local dress style and manners. Alcohol is not readily available- if brought to the property it should be consumed discreetly. This is a no-smoking property, there is no TV, there are no good restaurants in the immediate area, and there is no night life! Wifi is accessed on the verandah only. There are occasional power cuts but guests are supplied with an emergency lamp. To maximise their own enjoyment and that of future guests, visitors are kindly requested to be patient with curious local children, but not to give them sweets, pens, or any other gifts. They are asked to be very discreet if taking photographs, and never to photograph local people without first obtaining permission. The journey here to / from Mysore is extremely scenic, passing via Kuthuparamba through luxuriant rubber, tea and coffee plantations and dense jungle (5-6 hours by bus or taxi). Tellicherry (Thalassery), on the main Trivandrum/Varkala/ Kochi to Goa railway line, is easily reached by bus / taxi / auto rickshaw ( 35 minutes). Price includes pick-up from Panoor (35 minutes from Tellicherry by bus, taxi or auto rickshaw), or from Kuthuparamba (on the Mysore-Tellicherry bus route). More