Winning tip: Backwaters bolthole, Kerala

Vijeesh Vimalan is a brilliantly hilarious local host. He runs a small homestay on Munroe Island in southern Kerala, right in the heart of the backwaters. You will be warmly welcomed to stay with his family and eat glorious home-cooked (by his lovely mum) local grub. On top of this, Vijeesh will canoe you round for hours at sunrise or sunset (or midnight, if you’re keen) but be warned: he’ll definitely try to push you in! This is easily the best way to see Kerala and afterwards he’ll take you round the local village on bikes … it’s non stop! The guy and his family are awesome, he gets his guests involved and will absolutely make your trip. It won’t break the bank and is easy to get to. We won’t forget our stay or his insistence that my girlfriend’s name was Colin (it’s Claire).
• sites.google.com
Will Barton

Community-run village resort, Gujarat

Walking over the almost surreal white desert areas of the Rann of Kutch salt marshes is a truly sublime experience. The perfect place to stay in the area is Hodka village situated in peaceful grasslands on the edge of the quiet expanse. Shaam-e-Sarhad Village Resort is community-owned and managed by the people of Hodka. The accommodation is simple but comfortable and the bhunga (circular mud huts) are unique and beautiful places to sleep. It’s not five star but it’s satisfying knowing your rupees are going directly to local people.
• Two-bed mud huts from £48pn, hodka.in
temarispheres

Cooking with Shashi in Udaipur, Rajasthan

Shashi was at a loss when her husband died; unable to do many jobs because of her caste, she worked in a kitchen where visitors encouraged her to teach. Now she welcomes visitors from across the world into her own home and allows them into her kitchen to learn to cook the dishes which she makes for her own family. A warm and vibrant woman who didn’t let the system stand in the way of looking after her family, you leave not only with a full belly but a sense of being welcomed into Shashi’s family.
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GoodEggFoodie

Eco products, Madhya Pradesh

While staying at Saria at Toria, an eco-lodge in Panna national park, we found Neev products in our bathroom, including shampoo, soap and citronella oil for warding off mosquitoes. We found out that Neev Herbal Handmade Soaps was founded in 2007 by a young couple, Shikha and Anurag, who are committed to providing opportunities for marginalised people. Its products are made by women in rural communities and profits are used for the education of rural children. No harmful chemical additives are used and they smell fabulous.
• saraiattoria.com, neevsoaps.com
HM Jackson

Street children tours, Delhi

The first time I went to Old Delhi I was fascinated by the colour, the chaos, the cows. I had a great time soaking up the atmosphere but no idea what was going on around me. To get the experience, with the addition of context and a deeper understanding, I suggest a tour with Street Connections. The tours are led by well-informed, friendly former street children who were helped by the Salaam Baalak Trust. They include the best bits of the markets and streets and highlights of the architecture – places you wouldn’t stumble upon alone.
• £6 for a three-hour tour (9am, Mon-Sat), streetconnections.co.uk
Julia O’Connor

Superb homestay, Kerala

After being greeted with the ear-to-ear smile and purring 4X4 of Anoop in a rain-soaked Anchal, Kerala, we were soon rumbling over the mud tracks, through the jungles and down to the hidden little homestay of Jade Munnar. Nestled in its own little valley in the the misty Western Ghats, it’s shrouded by thickets of cardamom and wild coffee plants. Within moments of arriving, we were sipping handpicked tea in the company of Dorrie (Munnar’s other host), Anoop, a duo of kittens and Ginger (the galumphing Jade Munnar pooch). The next couple of days brought tuk-tuk tours of the mountain tea plantations (Biju is the best guide!), self-guided treks (watch out for the snakes) and some of the best home-cooked Indian meals we’d tasted (Dorrie is a fantastic chef – think coconut-packed stews, spicy dals and green banana curries).
jademunnar.com
Bolkonsky

Animal welfare, Goa

Wags is a godsend. Its team rescues dogs, cats, camels, cows, goats, donkeys and a host of other creatures. Atul runs the place. The group needs people to volunteer to do loads of stuff, such as walking the dogs, feeding dogs on the beach in the monsoon, helping with the cows, with fundraising, and helping at reception. They are always out patrolling and picking up animals to neuter and give shots to. You must be vaccinated against rabies to volunteer.
• wagoa.com
ID766785

Bamboo bicycle club, Manipur

While cycling across India we were lucky enough to meet the directors of the Manipur Cycling Club. These two guys are using their talent and enthusiasm to build affordable bikes for the people of Imphal, in the north-east state of Manipur, using an accessible, fast-growing and cheap material – bamboo. They are also planning to develop other enterprising community projects, such as bike hire and a floating youth centre. It was great to see projects like this happening in a city with high levels of poverty, where government funding and support is lacking or non-existent.
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Claire Mason

Mumbai cycling

The thick, heavy heat hits you at 6am on a Mumbai morning during monsoon season. This, however, is the ideal time to wake up if you plan to venture out into the streets on a bicycle, ready to explore its hidden areas. I spent a morning weaving through the streets of Mumbai with Reality Tours, an India-based organisation that creates change within communities through providing young people from underprivileged areas in India with high-quality education and opportunities. It provides new, exciting ways to see Mumbai (they also run programmes in Delhi), with 80% of its profits going back into lasting, beneficial community projects, all of which they are happy to explain, show you and even have you get involved in.
realitytoursandtravel.com
Natalie Lever

Stand-up paddleboarding eco-hero, the Ganges

While visiting the Ganges river at the end of last year we saw a TV crew who told us they were filming Kumaran Mahalingam, a geologist who in January finished paddleboarding (as part of a team of three) the entire length of the 2,600km river to raise awareness of the conservation of water bodies. He had his work cut out; from sewage plants pumping untreated waste straight into the river to floating plastic debris as far as the eye can see. The Discovery Channel has made a documentary about the trip which will air later this year.
• bayoflife.com
Dolly Sully

Kala Raksha textiles co-operative, Gujarat

This NGO works with the women of the Kutch area (north of Bhuj in Gujarat) to preserve their unique handicrafts. The people of this area migrated from what is now Pakistan, but can trace their origins further back, and are famous for producing (among other things) incredibly fine embroidery and textiles. This craft is born out of the tradition of giving dowries when marrying, some of the best dowries being fine textiles. The organisation doesn’t just sell stuff for them, it catalogues their designs, as well as making them available online. It provides the women of the various villages (each with their own unique traditions) with everything they need to produce their goods, and then sells them responsibly and sustainably on their behalf, allowing them to concentrate on producing more while enriching their own lives.
• kala-raksha.org
Awen Schiavone