Kerala is leisurely, unusual and fun. Start at the top at Kochi - or Cochin, as it used to be known - a sleepy Macau-like port where the Portuguese set up trading depots in the 16th century until they were pushed out by the Dutch in 17th century. (They in turn, were shoved aside by the British in the 18th century.) For the best views of the city, take a ride on a wooden launch. If you miss the boat, you can always hire someone to row. Head for Fort Cochin, a maze of narrow streets and old buildings, where most visitors stay. Within this labyrinth is Jew Town, Asia's oldest Jewish enclave, though most of its residents moved on to Hong Kong and Shanghai more than a century ago. Its 400-year-old synagogue is decorated with blue-and-white willow pattern tiles from China. Jew Town is the main source for antiques, especially colonial furniture, in South India.

Afterward, head south to Alappuzha, formerly known as Alleppey, spend a night on a converted rice boat in the "backwaters" and, after a day or two, make your way to the sea. The backwaters are similar to south Vietnam's Mekong Delta, featuring canals, lakes, banan trees and paddy fields, only much less populated. If you like company and backwaters, try grubby Kovalam Beach. I prefer to walk the coast and visit temples. And if you want to be truly far from the madding crowd, there are many small and medium-sized hotels tucked into the cliffside north adn south of Kovalam, where you can enjoy an endless ayurvedic R&R. One session every other day, aficionados say, should be enough to remove the kinks from your body and your soul.