Why holiday with South India Tours?

Here is a message from the English owners, Peter and Dorinda Balchin, who run South India Tours from their Lakeside guesthouse in Tamil Nadu:

We are an English couple who run South India Tours from our Lakeside guesthouse in Tamil Nadu where we have lived since we bought the company in 2008. Living as we do in the heart of rural India, we are uniquely placed to offer you a holiday with a difference. When travelling ourselves, we like to see something of the local culture as well as major tourist sites and so we have developed our business to offer this to others. At South India Tours, we provide both seasoned and first-time visitors with the opportunity to explore rural India.

Past visitors of our Lakeside property have described it as a wonderful place to stop and recharge their batteries before setting off to explore some of the main cultural attractions of southern India. With that in mind, we have tailored our holidays to provide the perfect balance of rest and relaxation, and stimulating excursions. When travelling with South India Tours, you stay in hand-picked accomodation as you experience the beautiful state of Kerala before completing your holiday with a visit to Lakeside in the heart of Tamil Nadu. With its comfortable accomodation to European standards, excellent food, good service and friendly local staff, a stay at Lakeside is the perfect end to a remarkable holiday.

Guests at Lakeside have a chance to meet with us and find out a little more about our lives here in India and, with a mix of visitors from around the world or Indians seeking a quiet retreat from the big cities, there are usually plenty of other travellers here with tales to tell. Many a new friendship has been forged at Lakeside around the dinner table!

As a small company with a focus on holidays for singles, couples and small groups, South India Tours is able to retain that all too rare 'personal touch'. We believe that our itineraries, which deviate from the standard tours provided by larger tour operators, ensure that your holiday gives you a unique experience of southern India and memories to treasure for a lifetime.

So if you enjoy meeting new people, experiencing local culture and foods, and escaping from the rat-race for a while, then a holiday with South India Tours is just what you are looking for!

We hope to welcome you to southern India soon...

Best Wishes,


© South India Tours Ltd. Registered in England. Reg No 04319451.
A sister company to South India Motels and Resorts Pvt. Ltd.
for people travelling and working within Southern India.
Designed and maintained by Saltway

Guesthouse Blog:

  • For a glimpse of daily life at Lakeside, follow Dorinda's Blog [external link]

In the News:

  • Notable Newspaper The Hindu reviews Lakeside. Read the article here [external link]

View the location of Lakeside Resort in a larger map

What South India Tours
offers you:

  • A company experienced in providing south Indian holidays since 1980
  • Great value for money
  • Carefully selected quality accomodation
  • Holiday itineraries developed from our own extensive experience and customer feedback
  • Carefully selected historic sites and temples on tour itineraries
  • An opportunity to explore rural Tamil Nadu from a comfortable base at Lakeside
  • A relaxed pace and flexible schedule whilst staying at Lakeside to ensure that you make the most of your visit
  • The opportunity to see the real India, its people, local customs and culture
  • Experience... elephants!