At a time when the importance of mental health is discussed more than ever, many are choosing to club a hobby that relaxes them along with their holidays or vacations. And thus was born the word, 'Hobbiday.' According to travel experts, many in India are choosing to assign at least one day for their hobbies, while travelling in India or abroad. Baking, crafts, gardening, trekking, painting, singing, cooking, pottery... anything that gives a hit of dopamine can qualify as a tourist's 'hobbiday' activity.
In Kerala, tourists often try a hand at learning to cook Kerala dishes, training in yoga, traditional dance forms, mountaineering, engaging in fishing, paragliding, bird watching, hiking, boating, kayaking, trekking and more while visiting the state, which offers many avenues for the same. Depending on the hobby you love, a destination can also be selected for your holiday. Tourists should just make sure that the avenues for their activity of choice are open during their travel dates. Most of the activity centres have active social media pages and telephone numbers, which can be made use of to plan their holidays, hobbidays and timings for the same in advance. If you are lucky, you might also end up making multi-cultural friends during the activity.
While planning a hobbiday, also make sure that you keep the following in mind:
1) Make sure you carry the gear, gadgets and equipment to engage in your hobby while travelling. If you wish to travel light, ensure that your activity service provider can lend/sell them to you.
2) Check whether you are in the prime of health if your hobby involves physical activities. Changes in climate, food and more might affect you while travelling to a new location.
3) Read the reviews, ratings and comments you can source online to ensure the service provider is credible and charges you right. Also, look for alternate service providers in the area if you end up needing a backup option.