This will be our third long trip to India but the first to the south. Usually our trips are a bit different than the normal itineraries, and this may be too. But, it still has a lot of the usual locations. We are in our 60s and enjoy the outdoors, architecture, colorful local markets, walking, nature and history. We've found that often we most enjoy just observing and participating in everyday life rather than having to run around to all the must-see tourist attractions. We've also discovered that where we stay will make or break our trips so often plan around a lodging that offers a special kind of experience or access to different activities. And, we are leaving in a couple weeks because this is a February and the first half of March trip (late planning as usual).

For the beginning of our trip we'd gone back and forth and back and forth on Hampi and finally decided to do it. Then, SpiceJet, in the midst of their financial woes, cancelled the critical flight we needed to make our already semi-booked itinerary work out. So, Hampi went. And, with the elimination of Hampi I am a teeny bit concerned that I may have an imbalance of too much outdoor, nature type stuff in this itinerary and not enough of the cultural. But, maybe not...

If you will look at my itinerary, there are two different places where I need major help. We'll most likely hire a car and driver for these parts of the trip, so this opens up more possibilities. But, comments about other aspects of the itinerary are also appreciated.

Days 1-4 4 nights

4 nights--Late night arrival from US to Mumbai. Spend four nights and three days in Mumbai sightseeing and recovering from jetlag.

Days 5-12 8 nights

Fly to Goa for 8 nights total.
2 nights Olalulim (1/2 hour from Panjim) OR stay here 4 nights and visit Old Goa and Panjim from here. http://www.olaulimgoa.com/index.php

2 nights Panjim OR eliminate this and see it from Olalulim

2 nights Wildernest http://wildernest.bestweekenddeals.com/#Home

2 nights Arco Iris http://arcoiris.in/index.html

Days 13-15 3 nights

Train to Kannur 8.5 hours day Kolkan train to hopefully see the scenery

3 nights Blue Mermaid in Kannur for a bit of beach time and local scenery http://www.bluemermaid.in/

Days 16-17 2 nights

Train to Kochi 5 hours day Kolkan Railway train to hopefully see scenery

2 nights Kochi

Days 18-23 6 nights

6 night custom bicycling trip from Cochi—includes stops in Thattekkadu, Dewalokam, Pulikkunnil and backwaters of Alleppy

Days 24-28 5 nights

Here is where I need help. I know nothing about distances involved. I've thought about trying to add in a couple temple experiences in Tamil Nadu or a visit to Munnar or another stay in the remote backwaters or a stay at a place like this in Kollam (not for yoga and Ayurveda but for their other activities). http://www.ayushkamy.com/activities.php

Days 29-31 3 nights
http://www.olappamannamana.com/home_farm_stay.html

3 night stay to visit annual local pooram festival and another temple festival. Dates are fixed for these events, so this can’t be moved around.

Days 32-38 7 nights

Here is where I need help again .

I've thought about Conoor, the NIlgiris and Wayanad. But is this too much time for those types of pursuits? If so, where else could I easily fit in this itinerary?

We've thought about doing a couple of these day activities with Muddy Boots in the Wayanad area. http://muddyboots.in/the-wayanad-hig...on-the-kabini/

Days 39-41 3 nights

Mysore In Mysore we'll probably do a couple of the bike sightseeing trips in addition to the usual. http://www.flourish.co.uk/Manjulas_M...cle_Tours.html

Day 42

I haven't read much positive about Bangalore as a tourist destination, so I don't think I'll plan any time there to do any sightseeing.

Last day get to Bangalore and have early afternoon airport hotel check in can relax before 03:45 flight back to US.

I'd love to hear what you think. I am fairly settled on the part of the trip until after we re done bicycling out of Kochi. The rest has left me baffled. Thanks much.

Will need to get out the maps to help with your major questions, but it does seem a pity to visit the south without seeing the Tamil Nadu temples, especially if you feel there is too strong an emphasis on the outdoors.

But I wanted to mention that both dogster and I (and another Fodors poster, I think it was gertie) really enjoyed staying here: http://www.panjiminn.com Dogster stayed in the posh Panjim Peoples building, which wasn't part of the hotel when I was there, but I stayed in the other two buildings and liked both. The verandah is good for meeting people.

Kathy--

Yes, I am conflicted about whether to stay in Panjim. My choice in Panjim would probably be the Panjim Pousada, the smaller sister of the Panjim Inn and probably what you are referring to when you say you stayed in both their other buildings. Panjim People's is too pricey for our blood. There is now another lovely and well-recommended heritage place to stay in Panjim, but they are booked up. I think part of the reason for my conflict about this is that it sounds to me as though the Fontainhaus area is really a relatively small part of Panjim and could be covered in a leisurely walk in a couple hours. Old Goa requires transportation to get to anyway no matter where I stay. So, TBD.

If you get a chance to get your maps out and have some more thoughts, I'd appreciate the help. Tamil Nadu has me in a quandary too, and I am thinking that perhaps it might be a part of a future itinerary in combination with Sri Lanka. There are just too many attractive-sounding places to visit, so I keep eliminating options and narrowing it down further. Thanks.

Saving Tamil Nadu for a southeast India plus SL trip, and treating this as a southwest India trip would certainly make sense. Plenty to see in the southeast!

Re: Bangalore. I enjoyed the Botanical Gardens.

Re: Panjim Inn. Right, I stayed in both the Inn and the Pousada, and I didn't find a lot to do in Panjim itself.

Did you decide against an overnight boat trip on the backwaters? I don't think there is a compelling reason to go further south unless you want more beaches, or have a burning desire to go to Kanyakumari (I didn't). I spent several days in Trivandrum, but it was mostly an R&R stop.

Have you looked at taking the mountain railway up to Ooty? From there to Mysore is a scenic road trip that takes about half a day going uphill, presumably faster downhill. I believe there is a regular bus, although a car and driver will be more comfortable - easy enough to arrange through your hotel.

Did you decide to skip Coorg/Kodagu? I really enjoyed that area, which has a unique culture. But it would fit better with either Kannur or Mysore.

The more I look into it my period where I have a seven day gap seems much easier to fill with too many places for us to go and too many things for us to do. And, Coorg is still on the list.

Now I am interested in a night perhaps in Ooty despite the fact that I've read this it is just an overdeveloped and commercialized hill station. The train sounds good, and I've read the rose garden there is fabulous. And, I've found an appealing sounding heritage hotel way on the outskirts so we may do that.

Interesting to hear that you did find the gardens in Bangalore nice as Villa Pottipati is having a two night special there and I'd thought about taking it and getting in late afternoon on day one, spending day two doing a half day sightseeing and then retreating to try to rest before our flight at that god awful hour.

After what you said about not finding much to do in Panjim I am inclined to think that we may just skip staying there and instead stay all four nights at Olalulim, using it as a base for day trips.

We re not beach people, but we are fascinated by water and water activities. So, that might draw us to try out a completely different and remote area of the backwaters for a couple days.

Thanks again for the help. What trip(s) are you in the midst of planning now?

Nothing exotic for this year. I have to be in England the end of August for a niece's wedding, and I am thinking of Scandinavia beforehand - never been - including the Hurtigruten boat, perhaps with return trips to Lviv and Riga. Then maybe France, maybe Switzerland into Austria and northern Italy. Or Greece....

I had put travel on hold, as I was thinking I was going to need cornea transplants in the not too distant future, but my eye surgeon thinks not yet, so now I am considering Central Asia for next year.

Julies - are you out there still? Getting ready to plan our February trip to southern India and have not heard how yours went. Any trip reports or advice?

My biggest piece of advice is to go earlier than Feb. if at all possible. We went Feb. 1 to mid-March, and it was sooooooooo hot that we vowed we'd never do a hot, tropical vacation again. The last few weeks of our vacation we ended up basing our travel decisions on where we could go that wouldn't be as hot.

I'll try to write up some brief trip report type of thing when I get a chance.

Julies - too late now...got our tickets already so we will deal with it. Would love to hear what you loved most and what you would avoid in the south. Can't remember if you did the backwater boat trip...if so, is there a company or boat you can recommend? Is it worthwhile as an overnight, or would a day trip be just as well? Don't want to end up on a boat that doesn't go into the narrower backwaters.

Any advise would be greatly appreciated, even if you don't write up a whole trip report.

I look forward to reading your report.

Give me a bit of time (it is vacation time once again for us), and I'll get something put together.

Thanks Julies. Looking forward to it.

Hey Julies - please don't forget about us...no pressure, but still awaiting a report. Trying to make plans for our upcoming trip. Thanks! Hope your vacation is great.