South India can soon look forward to a new airline offering flights only within the region.
The Ministry of Civil Aviation has given ‘in-principle approval’ to a Mumbai-based company, Freedom Aviation Private Ltd, to import six aircraft to start scheduled regional airline operations in the South.

The airline, which hopes to take wing by next year, plans to link most major tier-II cities in the southern region. Official sources confirmed to Business Line that the licence to start a regional airline has been cleared by the Government.

The airline can import three ATR-72 and three Bombardier aircraft. Both seat 68-80 passengers.
The Bombardier can fly more than 2,500 km with about 70 passengers. The ATR 72 can carry between 68 and 80 passengers. “It is still too early to discuss all the details of the airline,” Captain Vijay Kumar Madan, listed as Accountable Manager on the Web site of the Directorate-General of Civil Aviation, said, over phone from Mumbai.

In 2007, the UPA -I Government had introduced the concept of regional airlines to promote regional connectivity. A regional airline is allowed to operate flights from any airport in the four designated regions, to any airport in the country. Most of them would, however, be prohibited from operating flights to a metro airport outside their region. The exception to the rule is in South India, where a regional airline would be allowed to operate among the three existing metro cities of Hyderabad, Chennai and Bangalore. Yet to take off,At present, there are no regional airlines operating in the country. Several entrepreneurs announced plans to launch regional airlines, but only one airline — MDLR — started operations in North India. The airline, however, stopped operations some time ago.

Courtesy ” Travel Techie News”

Called sometimes the Jewel of the Lakshadweep, Bangaram Island is an sparsely populated haven. Barring the occasional visitor from nearby Agatti (where the airport is situated), the only residents are the resort staff. Teardrop shaped, thick with cool coconut plantations and encircled by a corona of silver sand, Bangaram lives up to every ‘desert island’ fantasy you’ve ever had.The air is fresh with ozone. Sparkling coral reefs unwind around turquoise blue lagoons, bursting with tropical life. The waters are calm, warm and perfect for swimming, snorkeling, diving or just plain wading and messing about.

There are many things missing from this island in the Lakshadweep. People, for one. But to compensate, you’ll get swaying palms, crystal waters and some of the best diving in the world.The Lakshadweep or Laccadives, as they were formerly called, are a string of little-known islands, lying 250 or so miles off the Malabar coast of India.There are 36 main islands in all, forming an archipelago of surpassing beauty. This is a world of silver sands and clear warm waters, of submerged banks and virgin reefs, enclosing a fascinating underwater world.

Legend has it that the islands were discovered by shipwrecked sailors during the reign of Cheraman Perumal, a legendary King of Kerala, around 435 AD. Frankly, things haven’t really changed much since. Nature and culture have both remained preserved over the centuries, miles from the mainland and the trade routes.And so the crabs scuttle. The reefs remain pristine.The people continue to fish, grow coconuts and smile a lot. And that’s in the handful of islands that have any population at all. The vast majority still remain much as they were the day nature conjured them up.

All this, of course, would tend to leave you with a difficult choice. Activity or inactivity?

If you’re in an unhurried mood, you can simply laze on the silver beaches, soak in the sun, listen to the sound of the waves and watch the swaying of the palms.The island feels like it was designed specifically for languid strolls. Step out, stretch and watch the beach dances of hermit crabs, or listen to the raucous music of a hundred-piece seabird chorus.

But should you feel the need for a little more adventure on your holiday, Bangaram island offers a wholly different set of activities.The resort offers you a variety of outdoor pursuits – Kayaking, Catamaran sailing, snorkelling, deep sea fishing, and scuba diving.

A well-equipped and professionally manned Scuba Diving facility is available at the resort. As a diving location, the virgin reefs of Bangaram have been ranked by many of the world’s experienced divers as being among the best anywhere.Ancient shipwrecks get discovered every now and then, since the reefs aren’t even fully explored yet. That’s one reason why they abound in undersea life. Manta rays, eagle rays, moray eels and Hawksbill turtles are common, as are game fish.

There are three uninhabited islands in the same atoll, Tinnakara, Parali and the not very imaginatively named Parali-II. Each can be reached by outboarding, sailing, rowing or for the incurably athletic, by kayaking or windsurfing from Bangaram. Perfect for a day’s outing, if you’re up to it.

Popular dive spots off Bangaram include Manta Point and the wreck of the Princess Royal, sunk 200 years ago.Diving courses and lagoon diving are offered for beginners too. Diving is permitted only within safe depths around 30 meters. Visitors can avail of a decompression chamber, except from 15 May to 15 September.

Accommodation on the island is simple and unpretentious. Set in 128 acres, there are 30 tiled – roof beach huts, each with its own palm-thatched verandah, en-suite bathroom, ceiling fan and fridge. In a bit to preserve Bangaram’s unique environment, a hotel atmosphere is avoided intentionally, but fret not – there are enough creature comforts to ensure your stay is an enjoyable one.

There are also four bungalows, which are bigger and offer total privacy. At the heart of the resort is the restaurant hut. It’s a little architectural marvel made by the islanders, crafted entirely out of bamboo and palm fronds, around a single tall central pole.Coconut and fish are abundantly available on the island. So naturally, no meal would be complete without a selection of the day’s catch. The cuisine styles are international and the menu also offers a selection from the coastal cuisines of India and local island recipes.There is also a well-stocked bar, right off the beach. Not that the enchantment of the islands won’t get you high enough already.

Click here to view photos

With such peace and natural beauty surrounding you, Bangaram Island is the ideal place to try an ayurvedic treatment, or even just a relaxing massage. The resort, like all CGH Earth properties, has fully-equipped ayurvedic facilities.Ayurveda is the Indian system of traditional medicine, and it’s a great way to treat niggling, chronic health problems. Not to mention the odd aches and pains resulting from a long days dive.

Accommodation is categorized into two types

• Standard huts.
• Deluxe huts.

PUBLISHED TARIFF
WINTER – 2010 – 2011 RATES IN INR FOR INDIAN NATIONALS
EFFECTIVE 01 OCTOBER 2010 TO 30 APRIL  2011

High Season
01 October 2010   -   20 December 2010
11 January 2011   -   30 April  2011

Peak Season
21 December 2010  -  10 January 2011

PLAN
CP  – Bed & Breakfast
MAP -  Half Board
AP  – Full Board

WINTER 2010 – 2011 PUBLISHED RATES IN INR

APPLICABLE FOR FOREIGN NATIONALS ONLY
EFFECTIVE 01 OCTOBER 2010 TO 30 APRIL 2011

High Season
01 October 2010   -   20 December 2010
11 January 2011   -   31 January 2011
01 March 2011      -   30 April 2011

Peak Season
21 December 2010  -  10 January 2011
01 February 2011    -  28 February 2011

PLAN
CP     – Bed & Breakfast
MAP -  Half Board
AP    – Full Board

TRANSFER FROM AGATTI:
Boat Transfer Agatti-Bangaram-Agatti INR. 1400/- per person including tax

ENTRY PERMIT :
All visitors to Lakshadweep need an Entry Permit.  Please send us the following information when making your bookings

Domestic Tourists - Full name, Date of Birth & Place of Birth
Foreign Tourists – Full Name, Nationality, Passport Numbers, Date and Place of Issue, Date of Expiry, Date and Place of Birth.

If you were to volunteer to get marooned – Bangaram Island Resort would the apt choice !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Photo courtesy “Flickr” and Videos courtesy ” You Tube”

There are so many facets to the Coconut Lagoon experience. The heritage of the old fuedal villages of Malabar. The vast frolic of the Vembanad lake. The shimmering waters of the canals that criss-cross the property. Together, they become an experment in ecological living that remains startlingly different.

Water and history are the defining elements at Coconut Lagoon.Water surges in clockwork rhythms on its shores, through its canals and pools. And history stands watch from the grounds above. From the centuries-old beams of the heritage mansion to the carved woods of the reception,the past comes alive as liquid reflections, mirrored in ripples and shards wherever you look.

Fittingly, Coconut Lagoon can be reached only over the water. The great Vembanad lake, an inland sea that stretches clear across central Kerala, forms a breeze-laden watery highway. Your coach transfer happens via a generously clunky wooden boat with a little inboard motor (so as not to disturb the fishes). And the lobby, when you arrive, turns out to be a reconstructed 19th century mansion with a stone jetty attached. Your boat putters sedately through a narrow canal, its banks covered with flowers. Tiled-roof bungalows peer through the foliage. And with a reviving coconut cocktail in one hand, you step off the boat and up to the reception desk, all ready to check in.

Conde´ Nast Traveller once described Coconut Lagoon as one of the 25 best destinations in the world. Our guests tell us that the journey inward is an experience to match.

Fuedal Kerala was a jigsaw of tiny states, principalities and landholdings, creating a unique culture, architecture and way of living. It is this heritage that echoes in Coconut Lagoons dark timbers. Until a few years ago, the old ‘therawads’ or family homes of the area were running to seed, the landed families scattered, the craftmen unable to make a living. CGH Earth Hotels wanted not only to perpetuate this slowly vanishing world, but to bring it alive for the contemporary traveller. Village craftspeople were invited to restore the work of their forefathers, to transport an ancient way of life to the shores of the Vembanad, and create an experience of ecological living that was shot through with the spirit of ancient Malabar.

CGH has tried its best to ensure that this spirit reflects in every structure. From the carved woods of the ceilings, to the brasswork on the doors, it’s all faithful to a forgotten graciousness. Those with an eye for detail will find much to delight in. Sunlight filtering through the intricate fretwork of a roof shade. A gleaming of brass, a slash of cast iron, a preternaturally gleaming, polished wooden pillar.

History might be the inspiration, but it is nature that breathes life into Coconut Lagoon. A Vechoor Cow keeps the grass from growing too tall, content in the knowledge that it belongs to a special breed indeed. Butterflies flit about a garden created for their pleasure alone. And compost heaps are kept, not out of sight (and therefore out of mind), but right where you can see them, in neat little wicker-framed stacks dotted about the grounds.

Click here for photos

Canoes ply silently through the pellucid afternoon, and our next-door neighbours from the Kumarakom bird sanctuary drop by at the restaurant for an occasional snack.Through recycling, composting and organic farming, we’ve kept our impact on the environment as minimal as possible. What can Nature be if she is nourished and treated with gentle hands? At Coconut Lagoon, we’ve found that she gives back all that she gets and more.

One of the best ways to enjoy the lake is to take our sunset cruise, an hour-long idyll with flute accompaniment.The half-day cruise (extendable at will – time has a strange meaning around here) along the backwater canals is a fine way to experience village life , unfolding in vignettes along grassy banks shaded by tropical canopies, the village houses at mere handshaking distance.

Those who like a bit of a walk can amble along to Philip Kutty’s Farm, through lush paddy fields spotted with coconut groves. At the end of it all, you can get up close with organic farming, done the old-fashioned way.Or try a glass of refreshing palm toddy, a mildly alcoholic local tipple that should fortify you nicely for the walk back.

Water lovers might enjoy taking an oar- or punt-boat out on to the lake. Within minutes, you’re in a watery universe, so quiet, you can hear your own blood pumping around your head. The terminally sedate can borrow a rod and bait from the reception and spend their time just fishing in the canal, right outside their cottage. Or take up that time-honoured activity beloved of our guests: get a book from the bar library, then let it slip gently out of your hands as your hammock lulls you into dreamland.

Coconut Lagoon also plays host to some of the finest dancers, musicians and performers of traditional Keralan art forms (sorry, there’s not a movie or a disco in sight, thank goodness). So you should try to catch an evening’s show of Kathakali, Mohiniattam or Carnatic music. You may find the rhythms unusual, the scales unfamiliar. But give it a few minutes, use your heart rather than your head, and you may be in for a near-spiritual experience.

The spirit of old Kerala is alive and well in our cuisines. Coconut Lagoon’s the place to sample some authentic Malabari food, with the accent, of course, on fresh fish from the lake and the sea. Sample some giant freshwater prawns, along with a plate of nourishing red rice. Or try the local delicacy, Karimeen (Pearl Spot fish) a dish beloved of its connoisseurs, who will argue for hours over the proper method of cooking it (we’ve adopted them all).

Ayurvedic Centre is the place to experience the gentle, yet deep healing of an Ayurvedic massage in its authentic form. Ayurveda, of course, is India’s ancient science of healing, combining medicine, therapy and massage to produce wellness in the mind, body and spirit without the slightest side effects.

Accommodation at Coconut Lagoon has been categorized into three types

• Heritage bungalows.
• Heritage mansions.
• Deluxe pool villas.

PUBLISHED TARIFF
WINTER – 2010 – 2011 RATES IN INR FOR INDIAN NATIONALS
EFFECTIVE 01 OCTOBER 2010 TO 30 APRIL  2011

High Season
01 October 2010   -   20 December 2010
11 January 2011   -   30 April  2011

Peak Season
21 December 2010  -  10 January 2011

PLAN
CP  – Bed & Breakfast
MAP -  Half Board
AP  – Full Board

WINTER 2010 – 2011 PUBLISHED RATES IN INR
APPLICABLE FOR FOREIGN NATIONALS ONLY
EFFECTIVE 01 OCTOBER 2010 TO 30 APRIL 2011

High Season
01 October 2010   -   20 December 2010
11 January 2011   -   31 January 2011
01 March 2011     -   30 April 2011

Peak Season
21 December 2010  -  10 January 2011
01 February 2011  -  28 February 2011

PLAN
CP  – Bed & Breakfast
MAP -  Half Board
AP  – Full Board

A backwater village life is simple and humane – Experience it in the humble Coconut Lagoon

Photo courtesy “Flickr” and Videos courtesy ” You Tube”

Imagine a resort where less is really more. No air-conditioning or television or nightclubs. Just a mirror, held up to an age old culture and a living harmony. This is the tribal village, reborn for the modern traveller.

Wait for a clear, clear day. Then, wherever you might be in God’s own country, just look high to the east, above and beyond the paddy fields and the palm tops. Pitched and standing like pavilions against the horizon will be rows of faint blue smudges, fading into the sky.These are the highlands of Kerala, and they are another world.

A few hours inland from the coast are places of cool mists and sun-dappled, silent valleys, home to vast plantations of teak, cardamom, tea, rubber and coffee.Home also, to an astonishing biodiversity, preserved today in some fine wildlife sanctuaries. For centuries, tribal cultures built their own unique habitats in these mountains. Empires ebbed and flowed across the plains, but they left the Mannans and the Ooralies untouched. Here continued an ancient wisdom, a way of living that sustained itself from nature, yet respected it and left it uncorrupted. Spice Village Resort is our tip of the hat to this wisdom. A timeless experience in ecological living, recreated for the modern traveler.

Curling around a misty ridge 2,000 ft high in the Periyar fastness, we found an arborarium, one man’s personal forest, with fruit trees, rare herbs and a profusion of flowering plants.And here, we set out to build a resort. A village, produced whole, using mountain spirit and tribal wisdom as building material.Your cottage is brick and log, the roof thatched with the same elephant grass used in tribal huts, woven in the same traditional techniques.

Of course, the comforts of a modern hotel exist, but they never intrude. Modern plumbing, comfortable beds and hot showers find their place, but in a setting stripped down to its natural essence. Hewn stone replaces shag carpets. Birdsong takes the place of television. Air-conditioning? Unnecessary anyway in the fine mountain climate, and what would it do but mask the heady scents of spice forests?

At Spice Village, its easy to think that you’re in the middle of wild nature. Not so. These trees were born out of one man’s passion. His name was A. W. Woods. An Anglo-Indian, he worked for the Government of the British Raj in the 1930s. Woods was a remarkable man, nearly illiterate, given charge of the forests solely on the basis of his passion for nature and his love and understanding of the local Ooralie culture.Woods also had the greenest of thumbs. And on the grounds surrounding his home (now the Woodhouse Bar), he created a remarkable arborarium.
You can still take a deck chair out to his verandah, sip (what else?) a gin-and-tonic and say hello to its denizens.

Click here for photos

A kingfisher dives low out of a clear blue sky, hunting vainly for its fish lunch. Bees hum around teak trees, and Colombian coffee bushes. Guinea fowls and ducks chatter about (amazingly tame, because they’re used to guests.) Bamboos burst in tilting spires. Cascades of trumpet flowers, pepper vines and honeysuckle wash down the hillsides. And everywhere, the structures of Spice Village peep out of the woods, as if growing naturally from the surroundings.

The wilder side of nature can be found just around the corner. Exit from our gates and you find yourself in the little hill town of Kumily, and a short drive beyond brings you to the gates of the Periyar Reserve, and the boat landing beyond.Periyar is a designated tiger reserve, one of a handful scattered across India.

The sanctuary surrounds the waters of an eponymous lake, covering 777 acres of mixed grassland and vegetation, including some of the most pristine tropical rain forests in the world.
While there are 40 tigers around (according to the last census), they’re shy animals, so don’t bank on seeing one. But elephants, definitely – herds and herds of them. Not to mention monkeys like the Nilgiri Langur and the Lion-tailed Macaque, deer like the Sambar, Gaur, flying bats, flying squirrels, flying snakes (harmless, really), and over a 143 species of Orchids.

Pack a picnic lunch at the hotel, take one of our naturalists in tow, and you’re ready for an adventurous and instructive day at the Periyar reserve. We’ve got treks, ranging from a leisurely half-day stroll, to an overnight jungle halt where you can experience the rain forest up close and personal. You can visit a tribal village, for a first-hand experience of a way of life that’s fast vanishing from the modern world. Today, these indigenous peoples still carry on their age old practices of herding and bee-keeping in perfect harmony with the environment.

A Spice,Tea plantation is a pleasant days outing from the hotel, to learn how spices cultivated and Tea bushes picked.Depending on the season, there are other adventures activities like fishing and river rafting too. As with all the cgh properties, Spice offers a holiday for the inner you as well. With healing and rejuvenation therapies combining ayurvedic massage and yoga.
We’ve got qualified ayurvedic doctors who’ll guide you through a regimen of massages and herbal baths guaranteed to give you new verve and vigour.

Mealtimes at Spice Village are an unhurried affair. In fact, we urge you to dawdle. Eat too quickly, and you miss the subtle nuances that spices take on when they’re absolutely fresh. Rush through your meal and you give yourself no chance to enjoy the amiable atmosphere that’s common to all our dining areas.

There are three of these. Choose from the rustic wooden tables in the dining hall proper, or take a heaped plate out to the long verandah and enjoy your meal al fresco, watching the kingfishers flit around the swimming pool.

Besides these. literally, is the historic Tiffin Room, where light snacks are served all day. The rosewood chairs and tables here are restored antiques, from a 100-year old restaurant in the next valley that sadly closed its doors in 1995. Spice Village’s popular cookery classes for guests are also conducted here, most evenings, and you can pick up some tips while chef Velayuthan unveils a few (but only a few) of his secrets.

PUBLISHED TARIFF
WINTER – 2010 – 2011 RATES IN INR FOR INDIAN NATIONALS
EFFECTIVE 01 OCTOBER 2010 TO 30 APRIL  2011

High Season
01 October 2010   -   20 December 2010
11 January 2011   -   30 April  2011

Peak Season
21 December 2010  -  10 January 2011

strong>PLAN
CP  – Bed & Breakfast
MAP -  Half Board
AP  – Full Board

WINTER 2010 – 2011 PUBLISHED RATES IN INR
APPLICABLE FOR FOREIGN NATIONALS ONLY
EFFECTIVE 01 OCTOBER 2010 TO 30 APRIL 2011

High Season

01 October 2010   -   20 December 2010
11 January 2011   -   31 January 2011
01 March 2011     -   30 April 2011

Peak Season
21 December 2010  -  10 January 2011
01 February 2011  -  28 February 2011

PLAN
CP  – Bed & Breakfast
MAP -  Half Board
AP  – Full Board

Photo courtesy “Flickr” and Videos courtesy ” You Tube”

A short drive from Trivandrum (Thiruvananthapuram) International Airport unfolds one of the most inspiring of Kovalam hotels, The Leela Kempinski Kovalam Beach, Kerala. With 182 rooms and suites dotted over many verdant acres, Kerala’s largest beachside resort is cradled between two sweeping beaches. Perched on a rock-face, this 5 star deluxe resort offers the most panoramic views of the famed Kovalam shoreline.

Along with spoiling you with a host of impeccable dining and entertainment options, The Leela Kempinski Kovalam Beach, Kerala also has Divya, an authentic Ayurveda Wellness Spa. You could also choose to unwind in our splendid infinity pools that merge into the westerly horizon. And when living in God’s Own Country, can the living be anything less than divine in one of the best hotels in Kovalam? All our beach-view guestrooms have their own private sundecks. And the Sea View wing, which houses The Club, is perfectly positioned on a seaside cliff.

In keeping with the stark, yet stunning setting at The Leela Kempinski Kovalam Beach, Kerala, we’ve arranged our rooms in three unique wings. But rest assured, every room and every wing comes with complimentary sea views and sunsets in our Kovalam beach resort.

Garden View Pavilion Room : If privacy is what you are looking for, these are the rooms meant for you. The rooms have a traditional Kerala decore with modern amenities like mini bar, el safe etc Located at the beach level away from the main pavilion rooms are individual units of two rooms each, surrounded by coconut groves and are hardly a minutes walk from the beach. With its own secluded pool and green lawns, these rooms are ideal for holiday by the beach with the book you never got to read.

Beach View Superior Room : The Beach View Superior Rooms are located on the main block atop of the cliff. All rooms have a private sundeck overlooking the Beach and the Sea. The rooms have a traditional Kerala décor with modern amenities like mini bar, electronic safe etc. The best part about these rooms is the view from its elevated location.Considered a gem among Kovalam beach hotels enjoy the splendor, simplicity and elegance of The Leela Kempinski Kovalam Beach, Kerala, watching the most mesmerizing views of the Kovalam shoreline from these rooms.

Beach View Deluxe Room : Ideal rooms for romantic couples. Detached from the main building these rooms have the advantage of both sea and Beach view Superior. The décor of the interiors is traditional Kerala style blended with modern amenities like mini bar, electronic safe etc. With an open air bathroom and sunken bathtub with rain head showers, these rooms play the perfect host for that dream holiday you have always wanted with your loved one.

Club Room : The ideal getaway for the discerning traveler. An entirely exclusive wing only for Club residents. Its hard to describe which is the best part of the Club experience, the room or the exclusivity of the Club wing with the ocean rim infinity pool, The Cafe; serving delicacies to suit your taste and dishes you would have never dreamt of. Sunsets could have never been better from the exclusive lounges – The Living Room and The Library. And for the personal touch there is always our team of butlers to fulfill your wishes.Built on the edge of the cliff top the Club rooms all have an astounding view of the Arabian ocean. Stand on the balcony of the room and gaze for hours at the ocean while enjoying rhythmic sounds of the waves and soothing winds.

Club Suite : When size does matter, it could not be anything other than the Club Suite. Virtually double the size of the Club room, the Club Suites offers all the advantages of the Club along with the luxury of absolute space. With a daylight 5 feature bathroom, extended work desk and private sundeck which has its own sun bed, the hardest part would be to step down to reality when you check out.

Duplex Suite : Our two level suite is the ideal room which has the best of two worlds space and privacy. This two level duplex suite has a living room with a private balcony and bedroom on top with panoramic views of the Arabian Sea. Exclusive access to an all day fine dining restaurant, International Spa and fitness center, Ocean view Infinity pool, Library cum cigar room, and a lounge with evening high tea presentations.

Built to showcase our vision of a hotel within a hotel, The Club at every Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts property is actually the epitome of a luxury hotel within a luxury hotel. And the The Leela Kempinski Kovalam Beach, Kerala is no exception to that rule.

The Club offers many exclusive delights to its guests, but perhaps none more enjoyable than the awe-inspiring sea view. In fact, you’re so close to the restless Arabian Sea that the pounding of the waves on the rocks below acts as the perfect lullaby.

Guests at The Club also enjoy services like in-room entertainment, a minibar, a writing desk overlooking the sea, airport transfers and high tea in the lounge, to mention a few services. And if that wasn’t enough, you will also have a 24 hour butler to help you with packing, food and drink of your choice and travel and ticketing arrangements.

From exclusive wining and dining areas to the whole Sea View Wing, The Club at The Leela Kempinski Kovalam Beach, Kerala is where you truly belong.

To have birds eye view of the sea atop a mountain is rare – Leela gives you just that

Photo courtesy “Flickr” and Videos courtesy ” You Tube”