Kottayam: The village of Aymanam in Kerala's Kottayam district has featured among '30 best places to visit in 2022' listed by international luxury travel magazine Conde Nast Traveller (CNT).
Kerala's Tourism Minister PA Muhammad Riyas announced it on Twitter on Tuesday.
The list prepared by CNT editors comprises eight other Indian cities, including Sikkim and Bhimtal in Uttarakhand.
According to CNT, Aymanam that had bagged an international award last November for its responsible tourism initiatives offers "birdwatching tours, walks in paddy fields and boat rides" among other highlights.
"The charming village of Aymanam, on Kerala’s backwaters near Kottayam, is perhaps best known as the setting of Arundhati Roy’s 1997 Booker Prize-winning The God of Small Things," noted CNT.
The village, bordered by Lake Vembanad and River Meenachil, is "the stuff that makes people dream of taking a writing retreat to become a published author, or plugging out in a digital detox, or living a simple life close to nature," points out Conde Nast in its commendation of the place.
It also beckons tourists to visit Aymanam for undertaking bird watching tours, walking in paddy fields, visiting temples and churches, watching the martial art Kalaripayattu and the classical dance Kathakali, enjoying boat rides, and savouring delicious coconut-rich preparations.
"Aymanam may be a tiny village, but its pristine charm is spellbinding and its cultural diversity spectacular. Till recently, it was largely an unexplored area for tourists, but its recognition as a model RT Village has changed its profile on the global tourism map. The recognition by Conde Nast is a huge testament to it," said Riyas.
"It is an important recognition which will spur us to give an impetus to our efforts to set up Responsible Tourism projects across the state," added the minister.
Besides Indian cities, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Qatar, Japan, UAE, Egypt, Oklahoma (USA), Seoul (South Korea), Singapore, Sumba (Indonesia), London (UK), Trondelag County (Norway), Istanbul (Turkey), Balearic Islands (Spain), Rapa Nui (Chile), Cape Verde, Gabon, Sicily (Italy), Malta, Uzbekistan, and Serbia also feature in the list.
