kerala travel forum

Log in or Sign up

You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly. You should upgrade or use an alternative browser .

• This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this site, you are agreeing to our use of cookies. Learn More.

Kerala travel forum for discussions about Kerala backwaters, Kerala beaches and every thing else Kerala has to offer to its visitors.

How To Reach Gavi Kerala?

Best Time To Visit Wayanad?

Places to visit in Kerala

Best Places to Visit in Kerala

Places to see in Alleppey

Top 10 tourist places in Kerala

Places to See in Wayanad

Places to see in Trivandrum

Places To Visit In Munnar

Smoking In Kerala

Kozhikode To Wayanad Bus Fare

Places to visit in Kerala in December

Trip To Kerala In Jan'16

How Many Lakes in Kerala?

Kerala tourist places map with distance

Kerala honeymoon packages from Delhi

5 star hotels in Cochin

List of tourist places in Kerala

Backwaters of Kerala

Kerala honeymoon packages with airfare

4 star hotels in Munnar

Most beautiful places in Kerala

The Zuri Kumarakom Kerala Resort & Spa

5 star hotels in Munnar

The Gateway Hotel Marine Drive Ernakulam

Must visit places in Kerala

Places to visit in Thiruvananthapuram

Kerala tour packages for family

Wonderla Veegaland Amusement Park Kochi entry fees

Wonderla Amusement Park entry fee Kochi

Tourist places in Kerala for one day trip

Best season to visit Kerala

One Day Trip in Kerala

Places to visit near Trivandrum

Airports In Kerala

Best time to visit Munnar

Best honeymoon places in Kerala

Alappuzha houseboat rates for one day

Distance from Cochin to Alleppey

Kerala tour packages with price

Resorts in Wayanad with Tariff

Ayurveda treatment in Kerala, South India

Current price of houseboats in Kerala

Trivandrum City Points of Interest

Places To See in Munnar

Kerala suggestions and tips

Christmas in Kerala

Is it Good to Visit Kerala in July

How to Reach Ooty From Trivandrum

Kerala boat tours in monsoon.

Best Time to Visit Kerala

North Kerala Beaches

Cochin Airport to Munnar Bus Service

Which is better Munnar or Thekkady?

Things to do in Alleppey

Weather in Kerala India in July

Cochin Airport to Guruvayur Bus

Information About Kerala House Boats

Kerala Trip in September

Kerala - Gods Own Country !

What are Kerela Backwaters?

Boat Trip From Alapuzha To Kollam

Kerala in July

Thread display options.

• Log in with Facebook
• Log in with Twitter
• Log in with Google
• No, create an account now.
• Yes, my password is:
• Forgot your password?

• Search titles only

Separate names with a comma.

• Display results as threads

Useful Searches

• Recent Posts

• Kerala Tourism
• Kerala Hotels
• Kerala Bed and Breakfast
• Kerala Holiday Rentals
• Flights to Kerala
• Kerala Restaurants
• Kerala Attractions

Kerala Travel Forum

• Kerala Photos
• All Kerala Hotels
• Kerala Hotel Deals
• Last Minute Hotels in Kerala
• Kerala Motels
• Kerala Campsites
• Kerala Hostels
• Kerala Green Hotels
• Spa Hotels in Kerala
• Kerala Ski-In / Ski-Out Hotels
• Luxury Hotels Kerala
• Kerala Resorts
• Kerala Beach Hotels
• Business Hotels Kerala
• Family Hotels Kerala
• Romantic Hotels Kerala
• 3-stars Hotels in Kerala
• 5-stars Hotels in Kerala
• 4-stars Hotels in Kerala
• Kerala Hotels with a Pool
• Pet Friendly Hotels in Kerala
• Kerala Hotels with Parking
• Beach Resorts in Kerala
• Kerala Spa Resorts
• Hotels with Hot Tubs in Kerala
• Boutique Hotels Kerala
• Luxury Resorts in Kerala
• All Inclusive Resorts in Kerala
• Kerala Hotels with Allergy-free Rooms
• Kerala Hotels with EV Charging
• Kerala Hotels with Sauna
• Kerala Hotels with Heated Pool
• Things to Do
• Restaurants
• Holiday Rentals
• Travel Stories
• Add a Place
• Travel Forum
• Travellers' Choice
• Help Centre

Kerala Forum

• Asia    
• India    
• Ireland Forums
• United States Forums
• Europe Forums
• Canada Forums
• Asia Forums
• Central America Forums
• Africa Forums
• Caribbean Forums
• Mexico Forums
• South Pacific Forums
• South America Forums
• Middle East Forums
• Honeymoons and Romance
• Business Travel
• Train Travel
• Traveling With Disabilities
• Tripadvisor Support
• Solo Travel
• Bargain Travel
• Timeshares / Holiday Rentals
• Asia forums
• India forums
• Important Travel tips for Kochi, Munnar & Backwaters
• Tips for Kerala tour planning
• A Guide on Kerala Houseboats
• Best time to Visit Kerala
• Trip to Cochin, Munnar, Thekkady, Kumily, Periyar, Kumarakom, Kottayam & Cherrai
• Precautionary Medicines..
• What are the details required while posting a query ?
• Travel options in Kerala

• Kerala Tourism
• Kerala Hotels
• Bed and Breakfast Kerala
• Kerala Holiday Rentals
• Flights to Kerala
• Kerala Restaurants
• Kerala Attractions

Kerala Travel Forum

• Kerala Photos
• All Kerala Hotels
• Kerala Hotel Deals
• Last Minute Hotels in Kerala
• Kerala Motels
• Kerala Campsites
• Kerala Hostels
• Kerala Green Hotels
• Spa Hotels in Kerala
• Kerala Ski-In / Ski-Out Hotels
• Luxury Hotels in Kerala
• Kerala Resorts
• Kerala Beach Hotels
• Business Hotels Kerala
• Family Hotels Kerala
• Romantic Hotels in Kerala
• 3-stars Hotels in Kerala
• 5-stars Hotels in Kerala
• 4-stars Hotels in Kerala
• Kerala Hotels with a Pool
• Pet Friendly Hotels in Kerala
• Kerala Hotels with Parking
• Beach Resorts in Kerala
• Family Resorts in Kerala
• Kerala Spa Resorts
• Exclusive Resorts in Kerala
• All Inclusive Resorts in Kerala
• All Inclusive Hotels in Kerala
• Romantic Boutique Hotels Kerala
• Kerala Resorts on the Lake
• Kerala Ski Lodges
• Kerala All Inclusive Honeymoon Resorts
• Things to Do
• Restaurants
• Holiday Rentals
• Travel Stories
• Add a Place
• Travel Forum
• Travellers' Choice
• Help Centre

Kerala Forum

• Asia    
• India    
• United Kingdom Forums
• United States Forums
• Europe Forums
• Canada Forums
• Asia Forums
• Central America Forums
• Africa Forums
• Caribbean Forums
• Mexico Forums
• South Pacific Forums
• South America Forums
• Middle East Forums
• Honeymoons and Romance
• Business Travel
• Train Travel
• Traveling With Disabilities
• Tripadvisor Support
• Solo Travel
• Bargain Travel
• Timeshares / Holiday Rentals
• Asia forums
• India forums
• Important Travel tips for Kochi, Munnar & Backwaters
• Tips for Kerala tour planning
• A Guide on Kerala Houseboats
• Best time to Visit Kerala
• Trip to Cochin, Munnar, Thekkady, Kumily, Periyar, Kumarakom, Kottayam & Cherrai
• Precautionary Medicines..
• What are the details required while posting a query ?
• Travel options in Kerala

• Kerala Tourism
• Kerala Hotels
• Kerala Guest House
• Kerala Holiday Homes
• Kerala Flights
• Kerala Restaurants
• Kerala Attractions
• Kerala Travel Forum
• Kerala Photos
• All Kerala Hotels
• Kerala Hotel Deals
• Last Minute Hotels in Kerala
• Things to Do
• Restaurants
• Holiday homes
• Travel Stories
• Add a Place
• Travel Forum
• Travellers' Choice
• Help Centre

Advise - Kerala Forum

• Asia    
• India    
• Kerala    
• India Forums
• United States Forums
• Europe Forums
• Canada Forums
• Asia Forums
• Central America Forums
• Africa Forums
• Caribbean Forums
• Mexico Forums
• South Pacific Forums
• South America Forums
• Middle East Forums
• Honeymoons and Romance
• Business Travel
• Train Travel
• Traveling With Disabilities
• Tripadvisor Support
• Solo Travel
• Bargain Travel
• Timeshares / Holiday Rentals
• India forums
• Kerala forum

I'm at the start of planning a 3 week trip so would like to thank you in advance for any advice/ recommendations of a relaxed itinerary. We have a reasonable budget for our trip but would prefer not to stay in large resort style hotels.

I would like to include:

A visit/tour to Taj Mahal

A 2/3 night riverboat tour

Best wishes

2 replies to this topic

//A visit/tour to Taj Mahal//

So, the Taj Mahal is in Agra, between Delhi and Jaipur. Those three cities comprise the “Golden Triangle” and you could comfortably spend 9 days exploring those destinations.

Perhaps 3 days in Fort Cochin , followed by 2 days in Munnar, 2 days in Thekaddy, and then to Alleppey for 2 nights on a houseboat. Return to Kochi airport for your international departure.

Which month are you planning to visit India?

Hello Lila,

Welcome to India.

Ideally you can land in Delhi and spend 1 week in Agra (Taj Mahal), Delhi (Culture) and Jaipur (History) and the fly to Kochi .

For 2 weeks here is a rough itinerary,

Fly into Kochi. Spend 2 full days relaxing and organizing sightseeing in Ft. Cochin.

Spend 2-3 day sin Munnar . Enjoy tea gardens and go for some hiking etc

Go to Thekkady and spend 2 days enjoying Boating and Jungle Safaris.

From Thekkady go to Aleppey or Kumarakom spend a 2-3 days on a houseboat on a river trip ans stay in backwater resorts

Proceed to Varkala to enjoy the cliff beach experience and do sightseeing

Visit Kovalam , Poovar and visit temples in Trivandrum

Here are few more suggestion that may make your trip much better

Tip 1- I would suggest to arrange car and all sightseeing before hand

Tip 2- Book your stay in advance in both Kerala and Agra through a local tour operator. This will help in enjoying your trip rather than worrying about last minute changes

Tip 3- If you are coming from abroad you will save a lot by booking directly with a local tour operator in India. Check https://www.tripadvisor.in/ShowTopic-g297631-i5501-k12298473-L1500_Savings_on_a_Kerala_Holiday_from_UK-Kerala.html for some details from other travelers

Hope this helps

Iris Holidays

TripAdvisor Travelers' Choice Winner - 2023, 2022,2021 and 2020

TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence Award Winner - 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015 & 2014

• Kozhikode & Wayanad Trip 12:01
• Kerala 10 days with infant in Jul 1-10 11:39
• Monsoon kerala ...places to visit recommendations yesterday
• a unusual question yesterday
• Getting from Kerala to Sri Lanka 12 May 2024
• Madurai to Munnar - Thekkadi? 10 May 2024
• Req Spiritual/ pilgrimage itinerary 6-7 days 10 May 2024
• I got scammed by Nova Self Drive 09 May 2024
• Kerala in 2 weeks 08 May 2024
• How much a private driver cost? 08 May 2024
• Munnar - spices and teas 07 May 2024
• First visit to Kerala 07 May 2024
• Kovalam hotel recommendations for a couple please. 06 May 2024
• Shoranur to iduki 2 days trip 06 May 2024
• Weather in June 3 replies
• Where to stay in Alleppey 12 replies
• How far is it from Munnar? 6 replies
• Gavi Forest 3 replies
• The town of Mahe 13 replies
• Alleppey – Kollam backwater government boat service resumes 11 replies
• Houseboat Advise 62 replies
• Best place to visit in Kerala during May first week ? 11 replies
• which is a better choise Kovalam or Kumarakom 5 replies
• Best place to visit in Kerala for this summer 2 replies

Kerala Hotels and Places to Stay

• Important Travel tips for Kochi, Munnar & Backwaters
• Tips for Kerala tour planning
• A Guide on Kerala Houseboats
• Best time to Visit Kerala
• Trip to Cochin, Munnar, Thekkady, Kumily, Periyar, Kumarakom, Kottayam & Cherrai
• Precautionary Medicines..
• What are the details required while posting a query ?
• Travel options in Kerala

• Kerala Tourism
• Kerala Hotels
• Kerala Bed and Breakfast
• Kerala Vacation Rentals
• Flights to Kerala
• Kerala Restaurants
• Things to Do in Kerala
• Kerala Travel Forum
• Kerala Photos
• All Kerala Hotels
• Kerala Hotel Deals
• Last Minute Hotels in Kerala
• Things to Do
• Restaurants
• Vacation Rentals
• Travel Stories
• Rental Cars
• Add a Place
• Travel Forum
• Travelers' Choice
• Help Center

Kerala - Kerala Forum

• Asia    
• India    
• Kerala    
• United States Forums
• Europe Forums
• Canada Forums
• Asia Forums
• Central America Forums
• Africa Forums
• Caribbean Forums
• Mexico Forums
• South Pacific Forums
• South America Forums
• Middle East Forums
• Honeymoons and Romance
• Business Travel
• Train Travel
• Traveling With Disabilities
• Tripadvisor Support
• Solo Travel
• Bargain Travel
• Timeshares / Vacation Rentals
• India forums
• Kerala forum

I am looking for some ideas for a 4 week route around kerala in Jan/Feb. How to get around where is a must, places to avoid. Travelling as a foodie couple on a budget, but will stretch to some luxury. Overnight Houseboat a must. Enjoy being in and amongst locals. Like to relax by a pool or beach on some of the days.

Any help would be appreciated

>> 4 week <<

https://www.lonelyplanet.com/india/kerala/northern-kerala

https://www.lonelyplanet.com/india/kerala/central-kerala

https://www.lonelyplanet.com/india/kerala/southern-kerala

https://www.lonelyplanet.com/india/kerala/the-western-ghats

https://www.lonelyplanet.com/india/kerala/wayanad-wildlife-sanctuary

>> How to get around where is a must, <<

Because Kerala is a smaller State, and because trains don't go up into the mountains, a car +driver is the ideal way to see and explore Kerala.

>> Travelling as a foodie couple <<

Generally speaking, the food in Kerala is fantastic.

>> Overnight Houseboat a must. <<

As a minimum, take 2 nights on board. A round trip from Alleppey wil work well.

http://www.evergreen-kerala.com/ or http://lakeslagoons.com/index.php

>> Like to relax by a pool or beach on some of the days. <<

No shortage of beaches; nor resorts with pools.

Kannur: https://www.lonelyplanet.com/india/kerala/kannur-cannanore

Kovalam : https://www.lonelyplanet.com/india/kerala/kovalam

Varkala : https://www.lonelyplanet.com/india/kerala/varkala

Marari Beach : https://www.lonelyplanet.com/india/kerala/marari-kattoor

Cherai: https://www.lonelyplanet.com/india/kerala/cherai-beach

>> route around kerala in Jan/Feb <<

For the sake of planning - 3 nights everywhere:

Fort Cochin - Alleppey - Chertala - Murinjapuzha - Munnar - Vellinezhi - Kannur - Neeleshwar - Mangalore

Thank you, will have a look at these places :)

Namaste Alison,

You can consider landing at Trivandrum . Stay can be at a beach side property in Kovalam . Kovalam has resorts, home stays and hotels suiting all pockets. While at Trivandrum, consider visiting Kanyakumari. If you are not keen on spending much time on the road, you can opt for 01 night stay at Kanyakumari. A stay will give you a chance to experience beautiful sunset and sunrise at Kanyakumari. 02 nights should be enough to explore Kovalam. But considering the jet lag that you might need to get over before you start the holiday, a 03 night stay will let you explore the place pretty well.

After that, you may head to Alleppey by road for the backwater experience. There you can opt for 01 night of backwater resort stay and 01 night in the houseboat.

From there, consider travelling to Munnar for a 03 night stay followed by 02 night in Thekkady . Fort Kochi can be the next where you can spend 02 nights.

From Kochi , it is better to take a train to Calicut to cover the attractions of North Kerala including Calicut, Wayanad , Kannur , Nileswar Bekal etc. A train journey would be more relaxing and economical than taking the cab all the way from South Kerala till Northmost. So you can have 2 separate, the first starting Trivandrum till Kochi and the second cab starting from Calicut railway station. This will also give you a chance to experience the train travel, which is really rewarding. An AC Chair car is a comfortable option.

Since you are a foodie, please do include North Kerala. From Biriyani to Sorbets, North Kerala, especially Calicut, is a foodie's paradise. Also, try to witness the 'Theyyam' a temple art form while at Kannur which is a must see while in this belt.

Departure can be from Kannur International airport of from Calicut. Mangalore airport is also easily accessible from there.

A rough route can be Trivandum - Kovalam - Alleppey - Munnar - Thekkady - Kochi (Fort Kochi) - Calicut - Wayanad - Nileshwar - Kannur

Hope this helps

Indus Holidays

Thank you so much, this is super advice and much appreciated

Thanks Alison!

Happy to help :-)

We liked Allepey, that was fun. You could do the boat thing which is expensive but interesting. We would avoid all areas where they keep elephants for tourism, as these animals are horribly abused, starved and beaten. You can read about it here https://www.independent.co.uk/news/long_reads/indian-temple-captive-elephants-kerala-chained-beaten-whipped-died-modi-a8313696.html

Also make sure you keep an eye on your change, we once gave a 500 rupees at a cafe and he tried to shortchange us. You might want to try staying near the water, we actually got a place that was like a small traditional heritage house which was good. There are a couple of good beaches but make sure women in your group do not go there alone after dark.

You should always cover these places on your Kerala tour.

Here are their contracts if you need to get in touch.

They will be more affordable then going through agencies.

Bobin: +91 98953 77609

Jikson: +91 90615 48965

Also if you go to Marari Beach , and you really should as it is gorgeous, you should stay at Flamingo Marari Boutique Hotel. This is one of the most beautiful places I’ve stayed and the owners are super friendly.

I highly recommend it!

• Kozhikode & Wayanad Trip 2:31 am
• Kerala 10 days with infant in Jul 1-10 2:09 am
• Monsoon kerala ...places to visit recommendations yesterday
• a unusual question yesterday
• Getting from Kerala to Sri Lanka May 12, 2024
• Madurai to Munnar - Thekkadi? May 10, 2024
• Req Spiritual/ pilgrimage itinerary 6-7 days May 10, 2024
• I got scammed by Nova Self Drive May 09, 2024
• Kerala in 2 weeks May 08, 2024
• How much a private driver cost? May 08, 2024
• Munnar - spices and teas May 07, 2024
• First visit to Kerala May 07, 2024
• Kovalam hotel recommendations for a couple please. May 06, 2024
• Shoranur to iduki 2 days trip May 06, 2024
• Train from Goa to Kerala 6 replies
• Alleppey – Kollam backwater government boat service resumes 11 replies
• Best Ayurvedic Ocean-front spas in Kerala 3 replies
• Weather in September/October 3 replies
• Alleppey to Kollam houseboat 7 replies
• Hotel abbreviations . 4 replies
• Houseboat recommendation 8 replies
• Looking for an Ayurveda Retreat 4 replies
• Kerala - Weather in October 5 replies
• Rainbow Cruises Kumarakom-Allepey 4 replies

Kerala Hotels and Places to Stay

• Important Travel tips for Kochi, Munnar & Backwaters
• Tips for Kerala tour planning
• A Guide on Kerala Houseboats
• Best time to Visit Kerala
• Trip to Cochin, Munnar, Thekkady, Kumily, Periyar, Kumarakom, Kottayam & Cherrai
• Precautionary Medicines..
• What are the details required while posting a query ?
• Travel options in Kerala