Two-minute guide to family-friendly India

     Photo  of Kerala by Saad Faruque

India may not be the first destination that comes to mind for a family holiday; stereotypes of chaotic cities, crazy driving and crippling poverty often win over. But look closer and you realise that a holiday in India is not only for the most intrepid of explorers. For active families who love cycling, walking and kayaking through beautiful areas, who love to learn about history and culture and who enjoy a healthy dose of adventure, responsible tourism in India offers up the trip of a lifetime.

As with all travel in India the key is to be selective. The country is too huge, and too chaotic to cram everything in at once. Families will find their time much more rewarding if they stick to one area, and give themselves time to savour and enjoy the treats on offer.

For the uninitiated Kerala and southern India are an easier holiday starting point. Responsibletravel.com’s specialist supplier Rajat Kumar, from ExplorIndya explains: "The north of India is a product of its turbulent history, and a bit more brusque. Keralites are innately more peaceful, creative and spiritual." The laid-back approach to life may require some patience – it is a virtue after all – but children will love this area of India for its colour and character, as well as its beaches and backwaters, homestays and houseboats.

Homestays may seem daunting, but really are an excellent way to discover the region, and are often one of the most memorable things families will do together. Arrive with a bat and ball and children will find that through the international language of cricket they will form firm friendships in minutes. The Keralites offering homestays delight in sharing their lives with their visitors, offering them an insight into the real Kerala and a chance to sample some truly delicious home-cooked food. Ask about the food you’re eating and you and your children may find yourselves mid-way through an impromptu, informal lesson in how to create some of the wonderful dishes yourselves.

Kerala’s coastline is stunning, but the worldwide epidemic of all-inclusives is starting to spread here, and families are particularly vulnerable. Splash in Kerala’s sparkling sea but eschew popular Kovalam for places north or further south such as Kasaragod, Neeleshwar or Marar for real beach bliss. However idyllic the sand, families should venture beyond the beach. There are backwaters to be explored by kayak, wild elephants to be seen in Periyar National Park, houseboats to drift in and bikes to pedal along lush cycleways.

Both a house and a boat, the famous, traditional crafts plying Kerala’s backwaters will captivate kids and families will be happy to hear they have a good safety record; each boat should carry a qualified lifeguard. However, parents should be aware that the water can be deep, so a careful eye will need to be kept on young swimmers and non-swimmers. Kayaks offer a more active, more immersive way to experience Kerala’s waterways. Float past houseboat traffic jams and into smaller channels other crafts can’t reach. Here families will discover kids canoeing to school, local farms and tiny villages. Not only is a great way to spend the day together as a family, but the switched-on local guides love where they live and know the waters like the backs of their hands.

For even more water-based wonder consider booking a bamboo raft tour through Periyar National Park. In peak season this needs to be planned well in advance, but families will have a much better chance of spotting the park’s wild elephants as the rafts will reach quieter, more secluded spots than the larger tourist boats. If you’re lucky an elephant may even swim past using its trunk as a snorkel as you drift past.

Travel with an open mind and don’t rush a holiday through Kerala. Allow time for a cycle ride to be a leisurely exploration not a sportive, and a kayak trip to merge into a wonderful wildlife-spotting opportunity. The Keralites are very family-orientated, so the more family time you give to become immersed in local culture, the more welcome you’ll be made. You’ll come home with magical memories, and maybe even friends for life.

More advice for family travel in India and Kerala can be found in responsibletravel.com’s 2 minute travel guides – http://www.responsibletravel.com/holidays/india and http://www.responsibletravel.com/holidays/kerala.