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• 8 Kerala Travel Tips To Bear In Mind While Planning For A Trip To God’s Own Country In 2024

23 Mar 2023

Kerala, entitled with the term coast of India, builds up the combination of beaches surrounded by numerous coconut trees. It acertains the higher literacy rate of India. Being entitled to statement God’s own country by adding the natural variations such as the combination of flora and fauna reestablished Kerala to lead out its fame. But before heading to God’s own country check these  Kerala travel tips  that come in handy.

Kerala creates room for elephants and tigers to restore them in the wild environment. You can catch out to Kerala as the destination of enjoying the natural beauty set up by humans and nature by securing the Public or private mode of transportation such as cars, buses, trains, and airways. 

8 Important Kerala Travel Tips

If you were planning for a vacation to God’s Own Country you are doing yoursself a favour! So, keep these Kerala travel tips and have a safe and sound trip!

1. Get The Permissions Beforehand

One of the most important Kerala travel tips anyone can give you is to get the permissions beforehand and The place is entitled to delightful hill stations across the country India. Christ church hereby in is the main attraction spot of the states of Kerala. The place is ascertained with the creation of stone and wood. The interior & exterior designing enabled with decoration on Glass windows. Kundala lake creates the attraction hope for tourists. The most beautiful Kundala dam is the most ancient dam in Asia. The echo point, Tea yards, and museums are the most sighted places in Kerala. Anamudi which is the largest city in India to travel here by we need to take the permission of wildlife authority & intend to view the national beauty of the state.

For further inquiries, contact: The Chief Conservator of Forests, Thiruvananthapuram 695 014, Tel: + 91 471 2322217

Must Read: 37 Amazing Things To Do In Kerala For An Incredible Holiday

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2. Don’t Litter

When in Kerala, you will certainly visit – Alappuzha the most beautiful city in Kerala settled on lac, a diving sea. Alappuzha is famous for a houseboat. Alappuzha is rated as the cleanest city in India. The Alappuzha carries a 1.74 lakh population in India. The Alappuzha is entitled the term Venice of the earth by Lord Curzon and thus is being ruled as Venetian capital of Kerala. Samudra beach is an attractive spot for many domestic as well as many international tourists to get visit here. sound of many natural lives like trees, aquatic creatures, etc. These are the cleanest beaches ever so itss better to help them remain the sanctity of it and help the authorities keep the beaches clean and that right there is another one of the important Kerala travel tips.

Suggested Read: Kerala Group Tours: Find Your Reasons To Meet Like-Minded Strangers Here!

3. Best Time To Visit

Another one of the important Kerala travel tips is for you to check what is the best time to visit the destination. The best time to visit is in the winter season as  the winter landscape of Kerala is mesmerizing. A variety of flora and fauna is spread across Kerala. Hence it is the paradise for many who have actually visited it. Beautifully carved, sculpted catches the attraction of tourists on fire. Soochipara Waterfall also known as Sentinel Rock waterfalls surrounded by evergreen forests. The tourists hereby carry frequent visits during any period. It is suitable to have a visit here. No special season is there to visit. Nature here welcomes the tourists to visit here.

Suggested Read: Our 5 Days In Kerala Were Spent Exploring the Beautiful Place And Falling In Love With It

4. Get To Know The Culture

The Nehru Trophy Boat race is being given a lead here, many regional participants have active participation in the boat race. The lake occupies major tourist attractions. It built up the native place to many regional and migratory birds. It is backed with the agricultural fishing occupation of regional peoples. Tourists enjoy fishing with the localities. The regional people here carry out various occupations and few are engaged in natural activities. The behavior of regional peoples here is well mannered with tourists. The most engaged occupation is fishing ruled out by regional peoples. The birds’ sanctuary here holds the attraction of tourists and regional peoples here we can watch out for a variety of birds. Kerala kathakali Centres enable classical dancing format to build up the stage dancing skills hereby undertaking Kathak, Bharatnatyam and etc. Moreover, some temples do not allow non-Hindus to enter. Strict dress codes are to be followed in most of the temples here. Footwears are strictly not allowed inside the temple premises.

Suggested Read: 4 Best Airports In Kerala: Designed For A Smooth Flying Experience

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5. Know The Specialities

One of the Kerala travel tips to keep in mind is that you should research well and know about the specialities of each place. The Lighthouse beach is the largest beach here it enables many seafood restaurants to have their business surrounding the beach. The Kovalam beach is the frequent, popular, attractively visited by the number of tourists. Hawa beach establishes the sound of waves and creates artificial peace here. It leads to the opportunity for many Fishers to continue their occupation. Kochi is termed as the queen of Arabian sea backed with beautiful beaches and natural variety. Hill palace here is famous for architectural designs determining Kerala history. Santa Cruz Basilica, the most renowned churches. The interior and exterior design market cut the huge rate of tourist attraction. Cherai beach is the peace-oriented city in Kerala marked out with beautiful beaches, sea stones and carries out the tourist attraction.

Suggested Read: 20 Places To Visit In Kerala In December

6. Be Prepared For Adventures

Kerala enables us to sustain the Natural flora and fauna. It is the hometown for 1000 elephants as well as it welcomes the 20 Bengal tigers. A variety of 200 Birds can be seen here. The Periyar National park is the cleanest park ever and therefore one of the Kerala travel tips we give you is to mantain the same and be prepared for adventures, nevertheless. It welcomes enlargement to many tourists to have a visit. It is surrounded by many Natural beauties. Many varieties of animals are found here wild as well as domestic. It gives opportunities to lead out healthy as well as prosperous living aspects. It creates the space for tourists attraction for Agasthyamala rain forest Neyyar wildlife sanctuary Kallar Karila deva lake etc.

Suggested Read: 10 Resorts In Thrissur That Would Make Your Escape To Kerala Extremely De-Stressing!

7. Get In Touch With History

One of the Kerala travel tips that is not much talked about is that you must get to know the history of the place better. Wayanad is the combination of national and artificial beauty Banasura Sagar Dam built-up tourist destinations trekking is the adventure skills adopted by tourists here, speed boating is up next to it. Edakkal Caves were discovered by Fred Fawcett in the year 1896 signifying the history of Kerala. The Thiruvananthapuram, the leading capital of south Indian state Kerala. The architectural designs lead out the cities historical significance. It releases the home town for many leading institutions such as the Indian Institute of Science Education, Tata Elxsi, etc. It is ascertained to hold many sports events like cricket, football, and many others. Mattan cherry Palace was inaugurated by Portuguese in the year 1555 and gifted to the king of Kochi, the city of historical significance. Marine drive gives the additional to Kochi to build up the beauty of the city.

Suggested Read: 12 Enthralling Adventure Sports In Kerala To Challenge Your Adventurous Souls!

8. Get Well Versed With The Routes

Kerala consists of a lot of beautiful beaches such as poplar, Shankumugham beach, Veli beach, etc. It built up the network of public and private transportation like buses, car trains, airways etc. And that is why one of the important Kerala travel tips is to get well versed with the routes and the transportation available. A small coastal town in the Arabian Sea far from 16 km away from the city is Kovalam beach. Being a home town to many of the coconut trees grown up here. These are the second largest dam in Asia 21km away from the city. Kochi airport and Kochi Fort are 40km away from each other. Usually, tourists choose to land at midnight and stay by airport, so in the morning hours, the fort could be reached and explored.

Further Read: 14 Guest Houses In Kerala For The Ultimate Comfort And A Pocket Friendly Vacay

As the Kerala travel tips are already discussed above, the bottom line is simple, don’t pack too much. The tip is generalized but applies perfectly for the Kerala trip if you are planning to trek. And in Kerala, do all the adventures that you could. Make the trip to Kerala loaded full of adventures and memories. Collect the experiences as much as you can by trying fishing and climbing the wild mountains. Get cultured and historic with temples here. Even the tradition in Kerala is worth getting involved in.

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Please Note:  Any information published by TravelTriangle in any form of content is not intended to be a substitute for any kind of medical advice, and one must not take any action before consulting a professional medical expert of their own choice.

Frequently Asked Questions About Kerala Trip

When to schedule a houseboat?

Don’t schedule the houseboat trip on the first day of your trip unless you are reaching before 10 AM.

Which time of the day is the best to visit Kochi?

You will enjoy the sightseeing at Kochi in the evening hours.

Where to spend more time in Kerala?

Munnar. Reserve two nights, if possible, for Munnar to enjoy the green peaceful tea gardens.

Can Kochi and Munnar be done in a day?

Do not head further if you reach the Kochi airport post 4 PM to proceed for Munnar.

Do residents in Kerala understand Hindi?

Very few of them do. They are good in English. However, it is a good idea to be familiar with a few Malayalam words before visiting Kerala.

How to pre-book houseboats?

There are many online portals allowing you to do so. Else, get in touch with agents. You cannot book it too early. A week or two is fine to book a houseboat.

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Unforgettable 10 Days Kerala Itinerary: see the Best of Kerala

Planning a trip to God’s own country?? read my 10 days Kerala Itinerary which will allow you to see the best that Kerala has to offer. I also included a few Kerala travel tips.

Kerala, India’s southernmost state is known as God’s own country and for every right reason. The state is blessed with backwaters, lagoons, tea and spice plantations, wildlife as well a vibrant culture. There are so many things to do in Kerala!!

It is an extremely safe state for family tours, group travelers, as well as women, and solo travelers. That is one of the reasons why it is popular not only in India but also with international travelers. Kerala or Rajasthan is generally the first choice of visit in India.

So here is the Perfect 10-day Kerala itinerary by road to explore the lush greenness and the lovely countryside.

Note: This itinerary starts in Kochi(Cochin International Airport) and finishes in Varkala (leaving from Trivandrum International Airport).

• 1 10 days Kerala itinerary & Kerala Travel Tips
• 2 What is the best way to cover this 10-day Kerala itinerary?
• 3.1 Things to do in Kochi: Kochi Sightseeing
• 4.1 Things to do in Munnar
• 5.1 Things to do in Thekkady-Periyar
• 6.1 Things to do in Kumarakom
• 7.1 Things to do in Alleppey
• 7.2 Should you go to Alleppey or Kumarakom?
• 8.1 Things to do in Varkala
• 9.1 Things to do in Thiruvananthapuram
• 10 Best time to visit Kerala
• 11 Must visit activities in Kerala
• 12 Must try the food in Kerala
• 13 How to reach Kochi, Kerala for 10 days Kerala Itinerary
• 14 Getting around Kerala

10 days Kerala itinerary & Kerala Travel Tips

What I love most about Kerala is lush greenery, amazing backwaters, rolling hills with tea plantations, varying landscapes throughout the state, amazing temples, beautiful beaches, a blend of cultures, and amazing food- it offers everything one can ask for! Every place has its charm and Kerala is special on its own.

In this article, I have covered the Best places to visit in Kerala, must-visit attractions how to get there, and what to do. I have covered most of the things to do in Kerala in this 10-day Kerala itinerary article which may help you to plan your perfect Kerala trip.

What is the best way to cover this 10-day Kerala itinerary?

It is ideal to hire a car or self-drive to cover the maximum number of places possible. However, this itinerary can be covered using public transportation such as a bus.

Ideally, you can fly or ride a train up to Kochi or Thiruvananthapuram which are the major cities in Kerala, and driving from here to other places is ideal. The plus side is both are on the coast so one can cover the entire state either from north Kerala which is Kochi to south Kerala which is Thiruvananthapuram or vice versa.

This itinerary will cover various places from Kochi to Thiruvananthapuram(Trivandrum).

Day 1 of 10 Days Kerala Itinerary : Explore Vibrant Kochi

Kochi is the major airport in Kerala and is connected to the country’s most important domestic airports as well as many international ones. Kochi is the economic capital of Kerala and is the perfect Keralean city to orient you towards the state and what to expect. In its modern lanes still lies the traditional heart.

You can see the fort, and Kochi beach, enjoy a traditional meal, and cultural dance, or enhance your senses with a spice market, all in one city. But I suggest that you experience each of these in various places across Kerala.

To make the most of your 10-day Kerala Itinerary , make sure you arrive early in the morning so that you can freshen up and start exploring Kochi right away! I suggest spending one day in Kochi and then moving towards the hills of Munnar.

Things to do in Kochi: Kochi Sightseeing

Thankfully, most of the sightseeing places are all located in one part of the city. Spend the half-day at Fort Kochi and the rest of the day visiting other Places in Kochi. In Fort Kochi, you can visit the Mattancherry Palace and Pardesi Synagogue. Mattancherry Palace is also known as the Dutch Palace which has beautiful mural paintings.

There are so many amazing places to visit in Fort Kochi as it is known for Dutch, Portuguese, and British colonial architecture. The famous bamboo Chinese Fishing Nets are still being used for 500 years, it is interesting to learn how they still work! St Francis and Santa Cruz Cathedral Basilica are also must-visit Places while in Kochi.

Also, check out souvenir shops on Princess Street. Kochi is a good place to watch the Kathakali Dance show which is an ancient dance form of India. If you have more days in hand, I would recommend spending 2 days in Kochi and exploring its cafe scene. One must visit Kashi Art Cafe to see the unique art creations.

Day 2-3 of 10 Days Kerala Itinerary: Munnar – Hill Stations and Spice Plantations

Munnar is Kerala’s favorite hill station. Famous for its tea gardens, it is indeed a tourist paradise. Chosen by people of all ages, there is a lot to do or not in Munnar. Ideally, you need 2 days in Munnar.

Leave early from Kochi for a 5-hour road trip to Munnar- One of the Best Hill Stations in India. The city traffic will slowly reduce towards this hill town as the cool breeze will welcome you.

As you go closer to Munnar, the straight roads will turn into zig-zag rods and all you will see around are acres and acres of tea plantations across the valleys.

Things to do in Munnar

Munnar is one of the most popular places to visit in Kerala. It is a great location to spend 2 days amidst the tea plantations and hills. The temperature remains cool throughout the year in Munnar. One of the most popular things to do in Munnar is take a stroll in one of the many tea plantations that are open to visitors.

India produces the best tea in the world and you can take guided tea-tasting tours that explain the history and manufacturing process, you can even taste different varieties of tea at the end of the tour. You can buy what you taste from the retail shop.

Related Read: Ooty- the Tea Capital of India

The next day, pay a visit to one of the many wildlife parks in Kerala. Eravikulam National Park which is situated close to Munnar is famous for the goat species known as Nilgiri Tahr. These mountain goats exclusively roam in the hills of Munnar and it is amazing to catch a glimpse of them in their natural habitat.

It is best to book the tickets online to avoid waiting in line. If you want to cover more wildlife parks, Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary is 2 hours away from Munnar and has sightings of birds, elephants, and spotted deer.

The park will take up most of the morning so you should head towards Mattupety Dam and Tea Estate , Echo Point, and Top Station which are some of the most touristy places in Munnar. These are good places for a photo-op and have a nice relaxing atmosphere.

Apart from this, there are so many places to visit near Munnar and you can even take do many adventure activities in Munnar.

There exist many hiking trails which can be covered with the help of local tour operators or guides. Rock climbing, rappelling, and many such adventure camps also exist in Munnar which offer activities from a few hours to days.

Day 4-5 10 Days Kerala Itinerary : Thekkady-Periyar

Thekkady is another hill station in Kerala. While it is okay to give this a miss if you are visiting Munnar,I will highly recommend you to visit Thekkady. Thekkady is 4 hour driving distance and the roads from one hill station to another are nothing short of breathtaking.

Things to do in Thekkady-Periyar

After reaching Thekkady, relax for a bit and then take a stroll in the many spice plantations in the area. Kerala is the largest producer of spices such as black pepper, small cardamom, and cloves.

It is also the largest producer of rubber. Many spice plantations allow visitors and take them on a guided tour where each of these fruits and spice trees is shown and their life cycle is explained.

In the evening, immerse yourself in the cultural event of the Kathakali dance . Kathakali is a religious dance that draws inspiration from the Ramayana and stories from Shiva traditions. It is performed by men in traditional attires with face paints.

It takes hours to perfect the art of getting ready for the performance. All of this is showcased during the show. There are many places where this takes place.

On the next day, get ready to visit Periyar. One of the top things to do in Thekkady is visit the Periyar Tiger Reserve. Thekkady is home to the stunning Periyar river which hosts the elusive Tiger in its forests.

To experience the best of Periyar Tiger Reserve, opt for Bamboo Rafting which includes a trek through the Jungle and a Boat ride. A boat ride on the Periyar River is therapeutic with beautiful and peaceful surroundings.

The ride paints a beautiful picture with broken tree barks in the river, deers drinking water from the riverbank, and cormorants trying to catch a fish. Catching a glimpse of a tiger or elephant is difficult on a boat ride but not impossible.

If you are a serious wildlife enthusiast, you can choose to take up a gypsy ride in the forest or even decide to stay in the forest guesthouse. This whole experience of exploring the untouched beauty of  Periyar Tiger Reserve may take 6-7 hours.

Day 5-6 of 10 Days Kerala Itinerary : Kumarakom

After the boat safari in Periyar, it is time to move to Kumarakom. Located on the banks of Vembanad Lake, Kumarakom is a refreshing change from the hills to the lake.

It is located 3 hours from Munnar so by the time you reach Kumarakom it will be evening. So relax and chill on the banks of Vembanad Lake watching the sunset.

Things to do in Kumarakom

Kumarakom is a popular destination lined with resorts for a relaxing stay. There are some resorts located on the banks of Vembanad Lake while some are in the backwaters.

There is an option of choosing a houseboat here. You can choose to stay in Kumarakom and explore Alleppey the next day or choose to spend 2 nights in 2 different places. You can read about my one day in Kumarakom along with many recommendations.

Day 7: Alleppey : Cruising Through Coconut Groves

Kumarakom and Alleppey are located on opposite sides of the Vembanad lake and both have backwaters, which Kerala is famous for.

Things to do in Alleppey

Other than exploring the country life in Alleppey, relaxing by the backwaters, or experiencing ayurvedic massages, there are not many activities to do in Alleppey. If you want to cruise the backwaters and stay a night on a houseboat you might want to choose Alleppey.

The boats leave from both locations but Alleppey has by far the biggest choice for a backwater cruise. You can either choose Kumarakom or Alleppey in this itinerary and save a day. If I had to choose, I would choose Alleppey over Kumarakom for the rugged country life.

If you choose to go for the houseboat cruise, note that the boat sails only for 6 hours. Local regulations reserve the lake for the fishermen at night and all houseboats have to dock by 5:30 pm.

Instead, choose a hostel on the backwater and hire a shikara or narrowboat to navigate through narrow channels. The Shikara boats are available around the backwaters and if you request them they will show you many birds around the area.

Should you go to Alleppey or Kumarakom?

This depends on your choice and what you want to do! If you want to cruise the backwaters and want to spend the night in a houseboat, choose Alleppey. There are more choices to choose houseboats for Alleppey. You will not find many resorts for the stay for the Alleppey.

If you want to experience both the resorts and overnight Stay in a Houseboat or cruise, Kumarakom would be the better choice. Many resorts offer packages for the same.

Day 8-9 of 10 Days Kerala Itinerary : Explore the beaches of Varkala

The day is the 8th day of the Kerala itinerary to visit the beach town of Varkala. Varkala is approximately 4 hours from Alleppey and is famous for stunning and clean beaches all across. Varkala is one of the most popular tourist destinations of Kerala and for good reasons.

firstly, the iconic cliff beach and the shops, and cafes around the cliff make it one of the hippiest places in Kerala. Secondly, it has a beach that is perfect for surfing in India. Thirdly, it has many Yoga ashrams and is known for its Ayurveda. These reasons are enough to include Varkala as one of the must-visit destinations in your 10-day Kerala itinerary.

Things to do in Varkala

Enjoy the evening sipping coconut water overlooking the sunset on Papanasham beach or Bekal beach. Taking a dip in the beach water will relax you from all the driving you have been through in the week! Or perhaps some yoga by the beach may calm your nerves?

On the next day, visit the Varkala cliffs. Varkala is the only place in Kerala where cliffs are found adjacent to the sea. It is a perfect place to take a stroll, play some volleyballs or simply chill in the many cafes set up on the cliff. Do visit the red laterite cliff which is one of the most popular tourist places in Varkala.

If you want to drive away to do something else, Kappil Pozhi Lake is a serene lake that is approximately 6 kilometers from Varkala town. It is surrounded by coconut and palm trees which makes it tranquil. If an adrenaline rush is on your mind, Varkala offers Paragliding adventure activity over the cliffs, overlooking the ocean.

Anjengo Lighthouse is another place you can visit while in Varkala. Climbing a good 250 stairs from the lighthouse offers a stunning panoramic view of the Arabian Sea.

You can try surfing, visit Yoga Ashram, or visit the beaches of Varkala, there are so many things to do in Varkala that keep you relaxing.

Day 9-10 of 10 Days Kerala Itinerary : Thiruvananthapuram

Thiruvananthapuram (or Trivandrum) is the capital of Kerala and is distinguished by its British colonial architecture and art galleries. Thiruvananthapuram is the last leg of the journey which is located 2.5 hours away from Varkala.

Things to do in Thiruvananthapuram

One of the most popular places to visit in Trivandrum is the Shri Padmanabhaswamy temple. The temple is said to be built as an amalgamation of Dravidian and Kerala-style architecture with tall Gopuram.

After visiting the temple, visit the museum complex which is something not to be missed. Also known as Palayam, the Museum Complex houses a museum (Napier Museum), an art gallery (Chitra Art Gallery), churches, a botanical garden, and a few markets. The museum and art gallery inside the complex are known to have restored many historic artifacts and selective paintings.

Next day head to Kovalam, a small beach town located 30 minutes from Thiruvananthapuram. Kovalam is most famous for its iconic Kovalam beach and Vizhinjam Lighthouse , a must-visit while in Thiruvananthapuram. Kovalam Beach will certainly remind you of one of the North Goa beaches if you have been to one!

Water sports, beachside shacks, people sunbathing on the beach, and overall a lot of crowds will welcome you to the beach. But it has a vibe not to be missed!

The Vizhinjam Lighthouse and promenade along the beach which is lined with stores, cafes, and restaurants are a few of the distinctive features of the beach. After climbing 150 stairs of the lighthouse, you will come across beautiful landscapes not to be missed!

Either go for a swim on the beach, laze around in the lounge chairs or sit back in one of the cafes and read a book. And end your trip by just chilling out by the beach.

Best time to visit Kerala

Kerala enjoys a tropical climate across the year but the best period to visit Kerala is from November to March when the weather is much more pleasant. Most visitors prefer the Indian winter period because it’s warm but not too hot and fewer chances of rain in Kerala.

From April, the temperatures start rising towards 30 degrees and more. Most tourists avoid Kerala during these months but it is a great time to explore the region if the heat doesn’t bother you and the hotel rates are lower with fewer crowds.

June, July, and August are the monsoon season in Kerala which is extremely hot and humid. There are heavy showers and floods are common during this time of the year.

Must visit activities in Kerala

• Kumarakom Boat race which takes place in September and October
• Cochin Carnival which is widely celebrated in January

Must try the food in Kerala

Kerala food deserves a blog of its own because it is influenced by so many different cuisines across the world and has developed a unique flavor that is hard to get anywhere. The distinct curry leaves and coconut used in the local food will keep you coming back for more. Kerala cuisine has an abundance of rice, tapioca, and spices like black pepper, cloves, cinnamon, and ginger. Both vegetarian and non-vegetarian options are available in plenty here! These dishes are available in humble roadside restaurants as well as resorts.

Some of the must-try vegetarian dishes are:

• Malabar Parotta with Kadala Kurma
• Appam with curry – a soft thin pancake made from rice batter and served with curry
• Puttu and kadala curry – Rice Cake made out of steamed rice flour; cylindrical in shape
• Idiyappam with curry – Noodles made out of rice batter
• Erissery (Lentil & Pumpkin Stew) – a kind of dal curry
• Payasam (Rice kheer) – a dessert made out of milk and rice
• Sadya – a feast consisting of many vegetarian dishes served on Banana leaf

Some of the must-try non-vegetarian dishes are:

• Nadan Kozhi Varuthathu (Spicy Fried Chicken)
• ​Kerala Prawns Curry
• Karimeen pollichathu (fish)
• Malabar Parotta with Kerala beef curry
• Fish moilee

If you are fussy about the food then you can find so many cafes and restaurants that serve vegetarian, nonvegetarian, and regular continental dishes. Most hotels and resorts serve a variety of food at their restaurants.

How to reach Kochi, Kerala for 10 days Kerala Itinerary

Kochi has an international airport and is well-connected with most major cities of India and the world. Here is how to reach Kochi.

Reaching Kerala by Air

Cochin International Airport is 25 km away from Kochi city at Nedumbassery. Visitors can board direct flights from Ahmedabad, Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Hyderabad, etc.

There is also good air connectivity to Kochi from most Gulf countries and South Asian countries. Most people prefer to fly in and out of the Kochi International Airport as Kochi is near most of the sightseeing places to visit in Kerala.

Train to Kerala

Most of the major tourist places of Kerala are well connected by train. Also, India has a heavily connected train network that covers all major cities of India. The state capital of Kerala- Kochi has train connectivity to Ernakulam Junction which is the busiest rail junction in Kerala.

You can board direct trains from major cities like Mumbai, Delhi, Mangalore, Bangalore, and many others. Internal state connectivity is also good from here. You can reserve a seat in the AC or Sleeper class via the IRCTC website . For shorter journeys, you can travel in a general compartment.

Kochi is well-connected to neighboring cities and states. The NH-17 connects the city to Mumbai, Kozhikode, Mangalore, Bengaluru, Chennai, and Goa. Deluxe Volvo buses, AC sleepers, as well as AC normal buses, are also available right from the cities to across the major destinations.

Kerala KSRTC runs numerous buses within Kerala to reach major tourist destinations. You don’t require any prior reservations to board these Buses. Check the Bus timings online on the KSRTC Website. You can show up at the station and board the bus as per your route. If you want to do a long-duration trip, you can always book the Bus via Red Bus or any other online website.

Getting around Kerala

To reach one destination to another, you can travel via Kerala KSRTC buses. It’s a reliable and convenient option. Trains are also a popular option for transportation around Kerala.

Within cities, you can rely on tuk-tuks or auto rickshaws which are a common way to get around in the cities in India. You can hire an auto for a full day at lower prices than taxis.

If you are a luxury traveler and want a comfortable trip without budget issues, hire a car with a driver throughout your stay in Kerala for your 10-day Kerala trip.

If you like my 10 days Kerala itinerary Post, Pin it for the later:

Mayuri Patel, owner of the fernwehrahee Blog loves to travel and helping you to plan your Next Trip! She is full time Travel Blogger, dreaming about her next adventure! Join her Journeys where she takes you to destinations around the world with the pinch of history & culture!

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How to Plan a Trip to Kerala (Guide for First-timers 2024)

4 reasons to visit kerala.

• Top 7 Places to Visit
• Best 11 Things To Do
• Festivals and Events

Keralan Food

Best time to visit kerala.

• Best Accommodation
• How to Travel

Tailor-Make Your Kerala Itinerary

Kerala is often called God's Own Country because of its incredible natural beauty and charm. This South Indian state is a tropical paradise with beautiful waterfalls, bountiful wildlife, and a laid-back and peaceful vibe.

If you want to explore the main highlights of Kerala, your trip should be at least 4-5 days but a full 7-8 days is better. The top 3 places to visit in the state are Kochi with its great food and culture, Munnar with its expansive tea plantations, and Alleppey with its canal networks.

In this article, we will explain everything you need to know about planning your trip to Kerala including why you should visit, where you should go, what you should do, what to expect with food and accommodation, as well as a sample itinerary for your trip.

• Kerala is the perfect place to visit for travelers who are looking for a relaxing and laid-back trip to India or those who have visited India once before.
• In Kerala, visitors can explore tea and spice plantations, take a boat ride through rural backwater villages, try great food, and experience Ayurveda or yoga retreats.
• The top places to go in Kerala include Cochin, Munnar, Periyar National Park, and Alleppey.
• Kerala has excellent heritage hotels and gorgeous resort accommodation that offer spa services and Ayurvedic treatments.
• The best time to visit Kerala is from December to February, but those who don't mind hot weather can also visit from March to May.

Kerala is not usually the first place that travelers think of when they start planning a trip to India, but it is the perfect location to relax and is especially great for travelers who have already visited the Golden Triangle and have seen classic India.

While the rest of India tends to be chaotic, crowded, and dry, Kerala is tropical, laid-back, and peaceful. The culture here is unique and the scenery and wildlife are unbeatable.

1. Culture and cuisine that are refreshing and different from anything else in India

Kerala is a small piece of land that contains a large mixture of unique cultures. From the influence of the Portuguese, Arabs, and Chinese that you will find in Kochi to the rural villages of the backwaters, in Kerala travelers can experience parts of India that are often unseen.

The uniqueness and diversity of Keralan culture can also be seen in the local cuisine. Out of all the states in India, Keralan food is the most loved for its sweetness, fresh seafood, and mixture of aromatic spices that provide a depth of flavor without too much heat.

2. An abundance of opportunities to experience Ayurvedic treatments or do yoga

Kerala is the best place to go to experience Ayurveda which is one of the world's oldest and best-known forms of traditional medicine. This state is known for its Ayurvedic retreats that give clients unique treatment plans to cure their ailments naturally.

Kerala also offers yoga retreats and classes for people of all levels. Yoga enthusiasts can take a few classes or enroll in a longer and more intense program that involves meditation and spiritual awakening.

3. The state is absolutely full of unique wildlife and animals

Kerala has more than 25 wildlife reserves and its vast jungles are teeming with beautiful wild animals like elephants, Bengal tigers, and monkeys.

Periyar National Park is one of the state's biggest wildlife reserves covering almost 100 square kilometers of jungle. This is one of the best places to see Bengal tigers in their natural habitat. The park also includes lots of other critters like flying squirrels and macaques.

4. A tropical paradise with beaches, jungles, and forests

The state's absolutely beautiful scenery is one of the reasons that Kerala that draws so many visitors and continues to leave them awestruck. The coasts are lined with white-sand beaches that are bordered by the Arabian Sea on one side and tall palm trees on the other.

Once you leave the coast, you can head into the villages of the backwaters which are small patches of farmland separated by deep canals with blue waters full of lotus flowers.

In the hill stations near the Western Ghats, visitors can take in the lush green mountain forests and the local tea and spice plantations. In the national parks, you'll find the dense jungles, calm lagoons, and picturesque waterfalls.

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Top 7 Places to Visit in Kerala

Although Kerala is a small state, it has a lot to offer and many incredible places that are worth visiting.

Travelers who have 4-5 days can spend time in Kochi, Munnar, and Alleppey.

Those who have 7-10 days can also add visits to some of the state's other beautiful destinations such as Periyar National Park or some top beaches.

Kochi or Cochin is often called the 'Gateway to Kerala' and is the first place travelers will visit upon their arrival in the state. Kochi was originally an important port city during the spice trade and was once a Portuguese colony . The city has also been influenced by the Arabs, British, Dutch, and Chinese.

Walking through Fort Kochi, visitors can take in the charming colonial architecture, see the Chinese Fishing Nets at sunset, stop inside a spice shop to try the locally grown pepper or cardamon, and relax in boutique coffee shops near the Arabian Sea.

Munnar is Kerala's most famous hill station which was originally founded by the British as a place to grow tea. Today, Munnar is still famous for the variety and flavors of tea it produces. It also has coffee plantations and spice farms that grow everything from ginger and garlic to vanilla, cloves, and cardamom.

Munnar is located in the Western Ghats and because of its higher elevation is a great escape from the heat and humidity of the rest of the state. Here you can stay in a resort and spend your days taking in the rainforest scenery or touring aromatic plantations.

3. Alleppey

Alleppey is the name of a small island that is located in Kerala's famous backwaters . The backwaters are an area of Kerala with many small villages and farms that are separated by a complex system of canals . The people in these villages have their own unique culture and language.

The best way to explore this area is to rent a houseboat. Houseboats are comfortable and private boats that come with a captain and a chef and take travelers on excursions through the backwater canals.

4. Periyar National Park

Periyar National Park is located in Thekkady and is one of the most popular wildlife reserves in South India. This is a great eco-tourism destination where travelers can explore the jungles and see animals in their natural habitats instead of in captivity.

In Periyar, visitors can take a safari through the jungle or boat through the waterways in search of Bengal tigers, wild Asian elephants, and mischievous monkeys.

5. Varkala Beach

Varkala Beach is one of the best beaches in India due to its striking views and location. Varkala is a long stretch of land that is bordered by sheer cliffs on one side and the Arabian Sea on the other.

When visiting, travelers can stay in resorts and hotels on the cliff that overlook the beach and sea below. Varkala is becoming more and more popular these days but is still less developed than Kovalam while also offering plenty of beach shacks and shops for travelers.

6. Kovalam Beach

Kovalam Beach is the most popular and most developed beach in Kerala. This is the perfect place to go if you are looking for plenty of things to do, great restaurants, and adventure sports.

Kovalam is a great place to get a traditional Ayurvedic massage which will helps your body achieve balance and calm. Kovalam is full of massage parlors and most hotels here offer Ayurvedic treatments too.

7. Marari Beach

Marari Beach is located about 30 minutes north of Alleppey and is a quieter and less developed beach that is off the normal tourist track.

Marari is the perfect place to go after taking a tour of the backwaters on a relaxing houseboat. Here you can continue your relaxation by spending some time on the sand near the coconut groves.

Get some inspiration about  How to Plan an Affordable Luxury Trip to India .

Best 11 Things To Do in Kerala

A good way to figure out where you want to go in Kerala is to first decide which experiences you are most interested in.

Check out the top 11 things to do in Kerala below:

1. Cruise Through the Backwaters

One of the most popular things to do in Kerala is to explore the backwaters on a houseboat. Taking a houseboat through the canals of local villages is an incredibly relaxing experience. On the boat, you can sit on the upper deck and unwind while your personal chef and captain take care of the rest.

Taking a cruise through the backwaters gives travelers an opportunity to see culturally unique villages that would otherwise be difficult to reach. It is also a great way to take in the tropical scenery of the Keralan countryside.

2. Get an Ayurvedic Treatment

Ayurveda is a traditional medicine practice that includes many different methods to bring the body back into balance through a variety of techniques that have been studied for 5000 years.

Those who are interested in learning more about Ayurveda can spend some time at an Ayurveda retreat where they will get a personal diagnosis and treatment plan. Most hotels and resorts in Kerala offer Ayurvedic massages for those who are curious but don't want to take the retreat route.

3. Relax with Yoga

Kerala is a popular destination for travelers who want to learn more about yoga and meditation from the place they originated.

Yoga practitioners of all levels can spend time at an Ashram where they will learn about the principles of yoga and follow a strict schedule and regimen. There are also plenty of options for more laid back yoga retreats that include yoga on the beach and massage treatments.

4. Take a Cooking Class

Keralan cuisine is famous for the way it achieves a perfect balance in the use of local spices and ingredients. Compared to North India, Keralan food is lighter and sweeter in flavor.

Taking a cooking class is a great way to get hands-on experience with this important part of Keralan culture. In your class, you can learn how to make the classic sambar (veggie curry), dosa (a flat rice batter crepe), fish masala, and more.

5. Explore the Tropical Jungles and See Native Wildlife

Kerala has a large variety of national parks and wildlife reserves. The most famous is Periyar which is a great place to see wild tigers and elephants while on a jungle safari.

Eravikulam is a beautiful park that is located near Munnar and is full of great forest treks and famous waterfalls and Idukki Wildlife Sanctuary is one of the most beautiful parks in the state with its expansive evergreen forests.

6. Visit a Tea Plantation

Kerala is one of the top tea producing states in India and has some of the best plantations that grow the most high-quality tea. The Munnar hill station is covered in tea fields and plantations that visitors can explore.

All the tea in Munnar is handpicked by field workers to ensure quality. After exploring the plantations, travelers can hike around the surrounding hills or check out the local Tea Museum.

7. Explore the Spice Plantations

The high elevation hills of Munnar aren't just perfect for growing tea but are also great places to grow a variety of spices. The spices grown on plantations in Munnar have long been very lucrative for the state of Kerala and were once considered to be highly valuable by merchants from Europe, China, and the Ottoman Empire.

When exploring a spice plantation, you'll find a variety of spices including cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, vanilla, nutmeg, mace, and ginger all growing in their separate sections of the field.

8. Take a Food Tour

When talking about Kerala, one thing that is always mentioned is its incredible food. While it might seem like we are over exaggerating when we say Keralan food is amazing, our proof is in the travelers who return from India with nothing but love for this fresh and balanced cuisine.

The best way to experience everything that Keralan cuisine has to offer is to take a food tour. These tours often include cooking classes, visits to plantations, and lots of sampling and tasting.

9. Join in a Festival

Because the culture of Kerala is completely different from the rest of India, the state also celebrates unique and interesting festivals. Participating in a festival is one of the best ways to understand more about India's complex relationship with religion and local heritage.

Onam is Kerala's biggest festival of the year and is celebrated in late August or early September. This festival lasts for 10 days and includes large feasts, traditional Kathakali dance performances, music, intricate rangoli decorations, rituals, and boat races.

10. Hike Through the Lush Green Landscape

The Himalayan region of India is the most famous amongst trekkers who are interested in difficult climbs at high elevation. Kerala offers a different type of hiking that is more relaxed with the goal of taking in rural villages and tropical scenery.

The Western Ghats are the best area in Kerala for hiking or walking tours. Here you will find a large variety of landscapes including shrub forests, tropical jungles, evergreen forests, and rolling grasslands. On your walks, you will also see plenty of local wildlife including birds and small animals.

11. Unwind at the Beach

Kerala has a long coastline filled with beautiful tropical beaches that are surrounding by tall palm trees and the Arabian Sea.

Besides relaxing in the sun, Kerala's beaches offer plenty of things to do. In recent years, many beaches have become popular places for Ayurveda or yoga retreats where clients can learn about these traditional practices while also catching some rays.

The Keralan coast is also the best place to try local seafood dishes. Here, fish is caught and then immediately brought into restaurants where it is freshly cooked. Nowhere else does fish masala taste better than on the beaches of Kerala.

Festivals and Events in Kerala

While the most important festival for most Indians is Diwali, the most important holiday of the year in Kerala is Onam . Onam is a 10-day celebration that occurs in early September and is celebrated through many rituals and events.

During Onam, travelers can watch as people perform pujas or rituals at temples and celebrate in the streets of Kochi with dance performances and music. Onam is also famous for the beautiful rangoli which are designs that are made from colored rice and flowers.

Kerala also holds many temple festivals that celebrate one specific temple with rituals and parades of painted elephants. Our favorite temple festival is Thrissur Pooram which is celebrated at Vadakkunnathan Temple.

Other great festivals to experience in Kerala include Theyyam , the 800-year-old celebration of deities, and the boat races including Nehru Trophy Boat Race in Alleppey.

If there is one thing that travelers can't stop talking about in Kerala, its the food. While food all over India is incredible, Keralan food is beloved by so many for its fresh ingredients, sweetness, and flavor that includes many spices but is not too hot.

One of the most famous and commonly eaten dishes in Kerala is fresh fish masala . This dish includes the catch of the day cooked in a spice-filled coconut sauce.

Another great thing to try in Kerala is the South Indian dosa . Dosas are a typical South Indian breakfast food that are made from rice batter and are fluffy and light pieces of flatbread. Dosas are often dipped in sauces or gravies like sambar.

Hotels and resorts in Kerala often have great chefs that serve some of the best authentic local food along with some western options. Eating in your hotel for lunch is a great way to get an introduction to Indian food. We also recommend eating in specialty restaurants or cafes to try out some local specialties.

If you want to learn more about Keralan food and spices, then make sure to take a cooking class to get first-hand experience with how authentic local food is made.

Kerala has a tropical and humid climate.

The best time to visit is typically from December to February when the state experiences dry and slightly cooler weather. This is the high season for tourism in Kerala which means higher prices on accommodation and travel. With Asia Highlights , you enjoy 100% refund of any payments made to China Highlights prior to 3 weeks before departure ( detail⇒ ).

It is possible to visit Kerala during the hot season from March to May. During this time you can expect hot and humid days with temperatures typically 28 and 32°C (82 and 90°F). The hot season is the best time to visit Kerala's wildlife reserves because the animals are more active in hot weather.

Kerala experiences a long monsoon season that typically lasts from June to November. The state actually gets hit with two monsoons. The first brings the most rain and lasts from June to September. Kerala sometimes experiences flooding at this time.

The second monsoon hits in November and December, but brings much less rain and can be a great time to visit for those looking for more affordable prices on yoga retreats or Ayurveda resorts.

Best Accommodation in Kerala

Kerala is the perfect place to spend your holiday if you are interested in staying in beautiful colonial heritage hotels or resorts with pools, spas, and massage treatments. No matter where you go in Kerala, you'll be able to find great options for accommodation.

Check out some of our recommendations below:

Cochin is the largest city in Kerala and was once colonized by the Portuguese. This area's unique history makes it the perfect place to stay in a beautiful heritage hotel. We love the Taj Malabar Resort & Spa for its old-world charm, first-rate spa, and views of the harbor.

We also love the Trident Cochin for its 5-star facilities, beautiful gardens, and Ayurvedic center. If you would like to stay in a beautiful location that's farther away from the hustle and bustle of downtown, you can check out Le Meridien Kochi which overlooks the Cochin backwaters and has two beautiful restaurants that serve great western and Indian dishes.

Munnar is Kerala's best hill station and is famous for its cool and comfortable weather. This is a great place to stay in a luxurious hotel with views of the surrounding tea plantations.

One of our favorite hotels in Munnar is Fragrant Nature Munnar which is located in the mountain forest surrounded by wildlife. This hotel offers comfortable bungalows with mountain views and cozy fireplaces. Fragrant Nature also has a restaurant with all-day dining that serves North and South Indian cuisine.

We also love the Windmere Estate for its great views and location near the aromatic coffee and spice plantations and Ragamaya Resort & Spa for its luxurious rooms and on-site authentic Ayurvedic treatments.

When traveling to the backwaters of Alleppey, you will spend at least one night on a houseboat. If you would like to stay in the area for a longer period, then there is nowhere better than at a homestay. Homestays are a great way to get to know the local people. Most homestays in Alleppey offer simple but comfortable accommodations.

Our favorite homestays include Venice Castle and the Bella Art and Meditation House .

How to Travel in Kerala

In order to get to Kerala, most people will fly into the Cochin International Airport. This airport receives flights from many domestic cities including Delhi and Mumbai and a few international flights as well.

Once you have arrived in Kerala by plane, the best way to travel throughout the state is with a private chauffeured car. Hiring a chauffeured car is quite affordable in India and is the most convenient and comfortable way to travel in Kerala.

Here are the normal travel times by private car:

• Cochin to Munnar: 4 hours
• Munnar to Periyar: 4 hours
• Periyar to Alleppey: 3.5 hours
• Alleppey to Cochin: 2 hours

It is also possible to travel between these cities by bus. Local buses normally take longer than traveling by a private car and are often uncomfortable and crowded.

While there are some trains in Kerala, train travel is not as convenient as other methods of transportation. Kerala is a very hilly state that is full of dense jungles and wet lowlands making building large highways and train routes difficult.

At Asia Highlights, we tailor-make the itinerary of every guest to suit each traveler's specific interests and travel goals.

Our basic Kerala itinerary consists of visiting Cochin, Munnar, Periyar, and Alleppey. Go ahead and take a look to get some inspiration and then contact us if you would like to make changes or add on different destinations.

There are many benefits of taking a private tour of Kerala. Through a private tour, you will be able to see the best parts of this beautiful state conveniently and comfortably. The cost of a private tour includes a chauffeured car, private English-speaking guide, breakfast and lunch, and your gorgeous hotel.

Day 1: Arrive in Cochin

On the first day of your Kerala journey, you will arrive at the Cochin International Airport and then will be met by one of our representatives at the arrivals gate. Afterward, you will be introduced to your private chauffeur who will take you to your hotel.

Feel free to spend the rest of the day relaxing at the hotel spa or exploring nearby neighborhoods.

Day 2: Cochin

On your second day, your private guide will take you around this ancient port city to explore the streets of Fort Kochi and other areas. Here you can learn about Cochin's diverse heritage by visiting the Dutch Mattancherry Palace, Portuguese Santa Cruz Basilica, and the St Francis Church which is believed to be one of the oldest churches in India.

In Cochin, you can also take a cooking class, visit spice shops, relax in high-end restaurants, and explore local art galleries.

In the evening, head to the waterfront to see the fisherman using the famous Chinese fishing nets and get great photos of the sunset over the Arabian Sea.

Day 3: Munnar

After Cochin, you will take a private transfer to Munnar where the weather is cooler and the vast tea plantations are surrounded by misty jungles. Here, you can spend your first day touring a tea plantation, visiting the tea museum, or simply taking in the views of the surrounding forests from your hotel.

Day 4: Munnar

Wake up in the early morning to take a trek through the gorgeous forests and surrounding hills. On your trek, you will see various animals and plants and take in the beautiful views.

After your hike, you can check out some of the local coffee and spice plantations to learn more about Kerala's flavors. You can also take an excursion to the nearby Eravikulam National Park.

Day 5: Periyar

Spend the next morning in Munnar at your hotel spa or sipping a cup of tea while taking in the surrounding scenery. In the afternoon, you transfer to Periyar National Park via private car.

Day 6: Periyar to Alleppey

Wake up in the early morning to take a jungle walk with a park ranger to see monkeys, deer, giant squirrels, and some beautiful birds. Jungle walks typically last for around 3 hours and it's important to wear good shoes and comfortable clothes.

For those who don't want to walk, it is possible to take a boat safari through the jungles. Periyar National Park has wild Bengal tigers but spotting them often takes multiple days spent inside the park.

Day 7: Alleppey and the Backwaters

In the afternoon, head to Alleppey where you will meet the captain of your gorgeous houseboat. Spend the afternoon cruising through the canals and trying authentic local cuisine.

You can sit on the boat's upper deck to catch some sun with views of the surrounding villages.

Spend the night on the boat in your own private room.

Day 8: Return to Cochin Airport

The next morning, your driver will meet you at the docks and take you back to Cochin where you can catch your flight to your next destination.

Explore Kerala with Asia Highlights

If you want to see the best destinations in Kerala and have meaningful cultural experiences along the way, then look no further than Asia Highlights. At Asia Highlights, we make tours that are specifically created to fit the needs of each individual customer. Let us plan your trip for you so that you can just relax and prepare for your dream vacation.

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The Best Kerala Itinerary for 7 Days or More

Last Updated on April 17, 2024

In this post, I’ll share with you the best road trip itinerary for Kerala based on my experience of travelling to the state again and again in the last 6 years.

Kerala is a culturally rich, liberal, and breathtakingly beautiful state of southern India. It’s vastly different from the northern side of India both in landscape and cuisine. So, planning what to do here on a limited time can be overwhelming.

I will help with your Kerala trip planning with an itinerary for Kerala for 7 days with ideas to modify it for longer or even shorter durations.

If you already have a basic knowledge about the state, then jump to the Kerala itinerary .

I’ ve tried to cover all bases in the post to help you plan a trip to Kerala . Expand the table of contents below and jump to the relevant section if you want to.

The post contains affiliate links for tours, hotels etc. This means if you make any purchase through the links in the post, I may get a commission without any additional cost to you.

A Quick Outline

The Best 1-week Kerala Itinerary at a glance

While you can tweak as per your liking after reading the full article, this is the plan I recommend for your first vacation in Kerala.

Day 1: Reach Kochi via train or flight and then hire a cab (or rent a self-drive car) for your Kerala trip. Explore Kochi and end the day with a Kathakali performance.

Day 2: Drive to Alleppey or Kumarakom and stay in a houseboat. It’s time to rejuvenate in luxury after the hectic sightseeing at Kochi.

Day 3 & 4: Drive to Munnar on day 3 and explore the exceptional beauty of nature. You will need to stay at-least 2 nights in this resplendent hill station.

Day 5: Drive to Thekkady for wildlife safari and to witness the Kalarypayattu performance.

Day 6: Drive to Kovalam for some luxury experiences, much needed after the hectic sightseeing in the hills

Day 7: Drive to Trivandrum for exploring the historic charms and shopping before you depart.

In a 10-day Kerala itinerary you can include a day-trip to the Athirapally waterfalls from Kochi. From Thekkady you can drive to Varkala – an offbeat coastal paradise.

From Varkala you can easily visit the Jatayu Earth center – a new landmark in Kerala. Then drive to Kovalam the next day and depart from Trivandrum on the 10th day.

You can go slightly off-the-beaten track even in a packed 7-day Kerala tour. Skip the wildlife experience in Thekkady for a day trip to Athirapally waterfall. Or stay near the Varkala beach instead of Kovalam.

First time in Kerala? I recommend booking Kerala tour with Sangine Holidays . You can ask them to customise based on your preferences.

2 Weeks Itinerary for Kerala Roadtrip

Most of the tourist destinations and international airports are concentrated in the southern part of Kerala. So, most of the shorter Kerala tours are also designed to explore the south. Entire northern half of Kerala is therefore left out in my 7 and 10-day itinerary above.

If you can plan 2 weeks in Kerala , you could see how the culture and cuisine transform as we move from north Kerala towards the south, even in this rather tiny state.

Northern Kerala towards the Karnataka border has a strong Arabic influence in their culture, architecture and cuisine. Here you’re more likely to get the best type of non-vegetarian dishes like Keralite biryani, chicken curry etc.

As you move towards the south you notice a distinct change. Towards the hills in the south there is a dominant influence of Hinduism. You’ll find a plethora of pure vegetarian restaurants serving Appam-ishtew, idli, iddiyappam etc . 

On the coastline, there is a larger European influence in the monuments but also a blend of old Hindu culture as seen in the attire and performances. So, here’s how I’d plan a longer itinerary of Kerala for 2 weeks .

Day 1: Take a train or overnight bus to Kasargod from Bangalore or anywhere else.

Day 2: Explore Bekal Fort , beaches and backwaters of Kasargod

Day 3: Drive (or take a bus) to Sultan Bathery in Wayanad . Take a wildlife safari there

Day 4: Visit Edakkal Caves and Banasura Sagara Dam in Wayanad

Day 5: Trek to Chembra Peak in the morning. Have a brunch and drive to Palakkad

Day 6: Explore Palakkad – Palakkad Fort, Malampuzha Dam and Hanuman Temple

Day 7: Drive to Kochi via Athirapally falls

Day 8: Exploring Kochi

Day 9: Drive 126 km to Alleppey and take a houseboat tour

Day 10: Explore Alleppey and drive to Munnar

Day 11: Exploring the best of Munnar and Chinnakanal

Day 12: Skip Thekkady and drive to Varkala

Day 13: Take a memorable day trip to Munroe Island

Day 14: Explore Varkala and drive to Kovalam

Day 15: Drive to Trivandrum for departure

🙋‍♀️Want to custom-design your Kerala itinerary and have some questions? Join the awesome Backpack & Explore Facebook community – a safe place to discuss all your queries and concerns about traveling in India

A quick note on name of the places

Because of the colonial history of India, many popular destinations have an anglicized name that were coined by the European colonizers. The names have been reversed to their original form post indepedence.

However, because of the complex pronunciation, people unofficially refer to them by their anglicized names. So, before you get confused by these names, here is a short lexicon of Kerala’s cities for you.

• Cochin is the anglicized name for Kochi (which is not at all difficult to pronounce)
• Calicut is the anglicized name of Kozhikhode (pronounced as “koh-ree-kode”)
• Trivandrum, the capital of the state of Kerala is the anglicized name of Thiruvananthapuram (a proper tongue-twister challenge for foreigners)
• Alleppey is the anglicized name of Alappuzha , city in the namesake district

One Week in Kerala – The Plan in Details

So, let’s dive deeper into the wilderness of Kerala and take a virtual tour that will make you fall in love with the state.

Day 1 in Kerala – Arrive at the Historic Kochi

Kochi is the unofficial tourism and cultural capital of Kerala. It has a well-connected railway station as well as an international airport. So, this is a great place to start your trip.

As soon as you arrive, bargain the rates for a local cab. Normally the rates start from Rs. 12/km for lower-end 4-seater cars, and the fares would go up for the type of car, number of seats, travel season, night rates etc.

You can check the rates here to have a fair idea of the current rates and avoid being scammed.

Kochi is a bustling modern city haunted by a long, intriguing history. It’s the place believed to be Vasco da Gama’s passage to India .

Then there’s the oldest Jewish quarters in India that you can find in Kochi, the Pardesi Synagogue standing as a tall testimony to the thousand years of religious tolerance in India.

There are the Dutch Palace , Portuguese churches as well as remnants of the Bristish colonialism. And thriving despite centuries of brutal invasions and colonial atrocities are the age-old pagan art forms that you can witness through dance performances, artefacts in the markets and music.

Kochi’s beauty lies not in its architectural grandeur but in the unique stories behind the buildings, the streets and corners.

Kochi Sightseeing Plan

Assuming you reached Kochi at around 10 am, you can drive directly to Mattancherry Palace . The Mattancherry Palace also known as the Dutch Palace was actually a monument gifted by the Portuguese to the Indian raja. It was later extended and renovated by the Dutch in 17th century.

After a tour of the palace, enjoy a walking tour of the Jew Town and visit the Pardesi Synagogue .

Then drive back to Fort Kochi . There are some amazing places here for having a delicious lunch.

I have created a map here for a walking tour of Kochi.

The best way to explore Kochi in one or two days is with a local tour guide. Check our my recommendations below.

🌟A guided walking tour of Fort Kochi and Mattancherry with a local

🌟A private tuktuk tour with hotel pickup. This is suitable for people of all ages and small families

Stay near Fort Kochi , so that you can easily walk to the beach to see the photogenic Chinese fishing nets in the evening during the golden hour. Then return to Fort Kochi for dinner and an enthralling Kathakali dance performance in the Kerala Kathakali Center. It is one of the eight classical dance forms in India and also one of the most difficult dance forms in the world.

Best places to Stay in Kochi

Hotel Marine Inn – A 5-star luxury hotel located at the Marine Drive, in close proximity to Kochi’s highlights Casino Hotel – CGH church – A sustainable 5-star luxury property located midway between Marine Drive and the Dutch Palace. In the mid-range and budget category, Fort Bridge View hotel located in Fort Kochi is the perfect place.

Check out other options and get best prices below.

Day 2 – Relax in the backwaters of Alleppey or Kumarkom

After an exhausting, yet fulfilling day exploring Kochi, it’s time to relax in the backwaters of Kerala. Today we will drive 55km to Alleppey, often touted as the Venice of India .

But before that we can wake up early and walk to the beach to catch a glimpse of the sunrise and explore the morning markets.

After a wholesome breakfast at hotel, we set out for Alleppey or Kumarakom. They are on two sides of the Vembanad lake – the largest natural lake in India.

You can either stay in a houseboat or in a hotel on the banks of Vembanad lake . 

A day in Alleppey

Assuming that you started from Kochi at around 10 am you will reach comfortably by 11:30 am. Kochi is a bustling city with heavy traffic, so we need to account for that time.

Take a boat-ride for 3-6 hours to explore the beauty of canals, watch the birds enjoying the sun and the blossoms of the lake, and enjoy the tranquility of nature.

While on your boat or Shikara, visit the Pathiramanal island to say “hi” to the thousands of birds that flock into the magical backwaters during winter.

Stop midway at a village, to relish on sea-food prepared with fresh catch of the day mixed with Kerala’s spices. If you book a houseboat for stay you can have a traditional fish-meal for lunch in the boat itself.

On our trip, we stayed in a lakeside cottage and hired a shikara for maneuvering through the narrow canals and have lunch at one of the villages on the lakeside.

After the soulful trip, take some rest in the afternoon to avoid the scorching sun. Then drive to explore the beaches, churches and temples of Alleppey.

Next visit the Alleppey lighthouse, Alleppey beach and the loveliest Marari beach at sunset.

Once again, a paid trip will help you optimize your short time in Alleppey. These are the best-rated tours.

🌟 A 6-hour private Shikara cruise through the canals and lakes of Alleppey

🌟 There’s a popular 2-day houseboat trip from Kochi to Alleppey to explore the backwaters of Alleppey and then return to Kochi Port.

Best places to Stay in Alleppey

Lemontree Vembanad Resort

☑️Affordable luxury ☑️Houseboat and Cottages

A 4-star luxury hotel on the banks of Vembanad lake, with options to stay in houseboat as well as lake-view cottages. You can read my full review here

Xandari Riverscapes

☑️Organised houseboat tours

A fleet of luxurious houseboats floating in the backwaters of Kerala.

Sterling Lake Palace Alleppey

While I haven’t stayed here, I have always been impressed by the hospitality at Sterling properties in India. They are great options for affordable luxury accommodations .

Day 3 in Kerala trip plan: Drive to Munnar

Munnar is one of my favorite places in India. I think it is the best hill station in south India which despite the hype, manages to leave you awestruck at its raw natural beauty.

Speckled with waterfalls, adorned by lush green tea gardens, and pine forests, and surrounded by lofty hills, Munnar does seem like God’s own country.

While most people stick to places near the Munnar town, the outskirts, especially the Chinnakanal region is breathtaking.

On Day 3, you have to drive about 180 km from Alleppey to reach Munnar. While driving you will bid goodbye to the coastal warmth and move higher towards the hills.

As you enter the serpentine roads of the Western Ghats , turn off the AC and wind down the windows of your car.

The temperature has suddenly dropped, and the scenery has completely changed within a 4-hour drive. Watch out for the scenic viewpoints at every turn.

Try not to stop everywhere you want to, lest you get late, or the driver gets annoyed.

Don’t have a fixed itinerary for the day. Rather just stop and absorb the beauty around you wherever you can.

I highly recommend staying away from the city center and close to some tea garden. Keep an eye for the numerous waterfalls as well while driving to your hotel.

Best places to Stay in Munnar

The beautiful park in Sterling Munnar, covered in green is full of great activities for Children

Sterling Munnar

☑️Family Activities ☑️Best Location

Located in Chinnakanal area right opposite to the Tata Tea Garden, this is where we stayed on our second trip to Munnar. A perfect place to stay on a family vacation, with great activities for kids as well as the elderly.

Elephant Passage Resort

☑️5-star luxury ☑️Great Views

Located 25km from city center, this is the most affordable 5-star luxury you can get in Munnar. There’s jacuzzi rooms, infinity pool and great views of nature.

Day 4 – Exploring Munnar

After a fulfilling brunch at hotel or outside, you can set off for a long exhausting tour of Munnar. One day may not be enough, but here’s an itinerary covering the most memorable places in Munnar.

Drive to Eravikulam National Park right after breakfast. You need to set aside at least 2-3 hours for the trip, because of the long queue for tickets, the safari bus-ride and exploring on foot.

The beauty of this sensitive Nilgiri-biosphere is awe-inspiring. You will lose the idea of time while exploring the waterfalls and spotting the Niligiri tahr (an endangered species of animal found here) while walking in the forest. 

After this, head to Kanan Devan hills for a tour of the Tea factory

Then drive to Mattupetty Dam . If it is too crowded (which likely it will be), then drive to Kundala lake for a boat ride. 

And then, skip Top Station and save yourself some time for the other spectacles.

Similarly, if you want to watch the elephants, Carmelagiri is a touristy location where you can ride on them. But a more offbeat place for Elephant sighting is the Anayirangal Park (aka the Elephant Abode) in Chinnakanal . For more such tips and detailed guidance on your Munnar trip, check out my Munnar itinerary .

Like any other hill stations, most places close by 5pm. Stop at the Lockhart viewpoint on your way back to the hotel.

Shall I tell you a secret?

Skip the tea factory tours in Munnar and instead head to Kolukkumalai in the early morning.

Technically it’s in Tamil Nadu state, but Chinnakanal is the closest getway to this hidden paradise on earth which also has one of the world’s oldest and higest tea-factory .

Take a tea factory tour here instead after a bumpy jeep-ride.

Day 5 – Thrilling Thekkady

Thekkady is situated only 90 km away from Munnar, but it can take about 2.5 – 3 hours to reach because of the hair-pin belts. It is the home to Periyar National Park, the abode of Royal Bengal tigers among many other stealthy predators.

It’s also significant for religious pilgrims as this is where the trek to the Ayappa Temple of Sabrimala begins.

Make sure you stay close to the Periyar National Park which is the center of all the activities in Thekkady itinerary.

Thekkady Sightseeing Plan

Assuming you started from Munnar at 9-9:30, it will be almost noon by the time your reach Thekkady.

Head to the reception of the Periyar National Park and get the brochure for all activities they offer and their timings

First you can go on a jeep ride through the tea and spice plantations. It will also take you to Ottakathalamedu, a hill-top from where you cans see magnificent panoramic views.

Then, after a quick lunch it will be time for the unmissable Periyar Lake Cruise . You will see a host of migratory birds in the lake, deer and antelopes on the banks, and, if lucky, you have a chance to spot elephants here too. 

Spend the evening shopping in Kumily and then head on to Mudra Cultural Centre to witness Kalaripayattu . This is an ancient martial art form which is both brave and beautiful.

If you have the energy, you can also book a thrilling night safari in the forest. Or simply rest at night; you’ve had a long day already.

Best places to Stay in Thekkady

Abad Green Forest Resort ☑️Best Location

Located in the Periyar National Park area, this 4-star property is the best place for luxury jungle experience.

Chrissie’s hotel ☑️Pocket-friendly

This is one of the most popular pocket-friendly property near Periyar National Park. It’s also pet-friendly!

Day 6 – Pamper yourself at Kovalam

Our trip is coming to an end soon. But don’t be sad as it’s time to drive to Kovalam. Located approximately 215 kilometers (134 miles) from Thekkady, it will take around 5-6 hours by road.

While like everywhere else in Kerala there’s a plethora of options available for different budget types, I highly recommend booking a beach-side spa resort in Kovalam.

In most places in Kerala you can easily stay in budget hotels and explore outdoors all day. But Kovalam and the Alappuzha regions are famous for Ayurvedic Spa and medicinal treatment. Why not pamper yourself a bit here?

Kovalam itinerary for the day

Assuming you started from Thekkady at 9 am, it will be almost 3pm by the time you reach Kovalam.

You can stop for lunch on your way to the hotel, or have lunch immediately after checking in.

You can then head off to the  three beautiful beaches of Kovalam  – the  Lighthouse beach , the  Hawah beach  and the  Samudra beach . You can trek to the short cliffs for capturing amazing views.

You can spend the entire evening strolling in the beaches or go for an  Ayurvedic spa massage .

Best places to Stay in Kovalam

🥇 Raviz Kovalam (formerly Leela Kovalam)

☑️Stunning Location ☑️5-star Luxury

Located at the cliff-top the views from this hotel is heavenly. The water looks vanilla-blue from here.

Samudra Leisure beach resort

☑️Pocket-friendly☑️Spa available

At nearly half the rate of Raviz or Taj, you can enjoy luxury at pocket-friendly rate . This also has a wellness center for Ayurvedic spa.

Day 7: Bidding goodbye from Trivandrum

The last day of a vacation always makes your heart heavy. But don’t worry, we still have a lot to do today before we depart from Trivandrum in the evening. 

It is located only 19 km away from Kovalam and you can reach easily within 30 minutes through the smooth coastal road. But before that we will take a detour to Poovar, a floating town in the Poovar lake near Kovalam.

After a delectable lunch in the Poovar island you can drive to the airport for final departure.

A guide to Kerala Trip Planning

Now that you have your Kerala trip plan and a detailed 7-day itinerary of Kerala, I want to share some practical information to help you travel. Here are a few travel tips and trivia about Kerala that you need to know before going on this vacation.

How to reach Kerala?

Kerala is well-connected by air, rail, and road. There are three main international airports located in Kochi , Trivandrum , and Calicut respectively. Several railway stations connect Kerala to other parts of India.

All the destinations mentioned here can be covered on the most scenic road trips from Bangalore , the city where I live in.

🚙 🚗 Rent a  Zoomcar  for self-driving all the way in Kerala 🚔

Going around in Kerala

While I’m all for exploring India solo, I get that it can be a bit overwhelming if you’re not a local. So, your best bet is to rent a cab with an English-speaking driver.

But hey, if you’re up for a little adventure, local transport like KSTDC buses work great for inter-city travel, and tuk-tuks are your go-to for getting around town.

If you’re the kind who likes to take the wheel, you can also book a self-drive car. Just make sure to download the maps and have an online translator app handy.

📲 Getting simcard is difficult in India for foreign nationals. The easiest way to stay connected is with an India e-sim . 🤳

Cuisine and Dining in Kerala

While you have a plethora of “safe” options in most hotels in India, Kerala’s authentic cuisine is a must-try.

Rice is the staple food of Kerala and most of the dishes are just the most innovative, mind-boggling ways you can use rice. These are my favorite Keralite dishes.

• Kerala porotta aka Malabar porota(a white-flour Indian bread) with fish-curry
• Appam-stew ( Appam is a type of pancake made of fermented rice flour and coconut milk which is usually had with a vegetable stew)
• Iddiyappam with curry (looks like idli made of rice noodles)
• Puttu with curry (Putti is a cylindrical shaped steamed rice cake)
• Karimeen Fry
• Bamboo chicken biriyani

Although known for sumptuous sea food and one of the few states in India where beef preparations are mainstream, Kerala is actually a great place for vegans.

Many of the authentic dishes as you can see in my list above use only vegan ingredients sourced locally.

If you have time, and want to do something memorable, take a home cooking class of Kerala cuisine

What is the best time to visit Kerala?

The best time to visit Kerala is between November to January . This is the winter season, when coastal Kerala is still hot but comfortable. Rest of the year is extremely hot and humid, except for the Western Ghats region.

If you want to spend most of the time in the Western Ghats of Kerala, you can visit any time of the year.

In fact, if you want to see the famous boatrace in Alapuzha , you should plan your trip around August . This is the peak monsoon season, so temperatures cool down significantly. It will still be humid in the coastal region, but the hills will look spectacular.

The boat races are held as part of the “Onam” celebrations. It is the harvest festival of Kerala, and one of the most important days in Malaylam Calendar.  ( Malaylam is the native language of Kerala, also the native culture).

Just check for the weather reports before embarking on road-trip in the monsoon . 

A few more Frequently Asked Questions Answered

How many days are enough for kerala.

You cover the best of Kerala on a tight schedule in 7 days. This is usually the most practical time-frame most people have for spending in one state of India.

If you can extend your stay to 10 days, you will have more time to explore some of the destinations and enjoy some excursions.

If you are on an India tour and can’t afford a week for Kerala , 5 days should be enough to enjoy the unmissable experiences – natural beauty of Munnar, the backwaters of Alleppey or Kumarakom and the pristine beaches of Kovalam along with some cultural performances.

Ofcourse the longer you stay the better.

How to explore Kerala in 5 days?

A Kerala trip plan for 5 days should ideally have 1 day in Kochi for historic sightings, 1-day Alleppey for experiencing the backwaters and some amazing clean beaches and 2 days in Munnar for blissful Western Ghats experience.

On day 5, drive from Munnar to Kochi via Athirapally Falls. That’s what I suggest because I love Munnar. However, you can squeeze in Thekkady on Day 3 and skip Athirapally Falls.

If you are visiting Kerala for the first time and have only 5 days, I highly recommend this packed 5-day Kerala trip by Saffron India Tours .

What souvenirs can I bring back from Kerala?

You can bring the best quality of Indian spices – cardamom, cloves, cinnamon etc. What most people would ask me to bring whenever I travel to Kerala is “ Banana chips “. These thinly slices dried bananas deep-fried in coconut oil is a delicacy that can travel with you back to your home easily.

Besides I highly recommend buying Kerala cotton or Kerala silk sari. You can also buy “ Mundu ” for men in the same material. The white saris or mundu with golden border is a specialty.

Is Kerala safe for solo travelling?

Kerala is one of the safest states in India for tourists. Women usually don’t face lecherous stares or bad behavior in public places in Kerala. You are less likely to be scammed as a tourist. Only thing that scares me is the speed at which people drive in the hills in Kerala.

How expensive is Kerala?

In my experience I have found Kerala more expensive than the other states of south India when it comes to tourism. It is certainly the most famous tourist destination in south, and the tariff for cabs, fun-activities, etcetera is relatively higher.

Having said that it is completely affordable for budget backpackers with good hostels and homestays starting from Rs. 1000/- per day.

You cover the best of Kerala on a tight schedule in 7 days. This is usually the most practical time-frame most people have for spending in one state of India. If you can extend your stay to 10 days, you will have more time to explore some of the destinations and enjoy some excursions. If you are on an India tour and can’t afford a week for Kerala , 5 days should be enough to enjoy the unmissable experiences – natural beauty of Munnar, the backwaters of Alleppey or Kumarakom and the pristine beaches of Kovalam along with some cultural performances.

Closing Thoughts

I hope this article inspires you to travel to this amazing state and make memories of a lifetime. I will leave you with a list of my favorite travel sites for travel planning in India. 

If you liked this post, you may also find these articles interesting.

Best of Karnataka – One state, many worlds

Best of Enchanting Tamil Nadu

I have already linked detailed itineraries to the places mentioned in my post. But here they are again for you to read and save for later.

Munnar travel guide

Thekkady travel guide

Wayanad itinerary

Kasargod (Bekal) travel guide

Top Travel Sites in India for 2024

🏨 Booking.com  for the best hotel prices (Price match and free cancellations)

🚗Get discounts on package tours and special experiences with Viator

💸Secure your vacation with travel insurance from Visitors Coverage

🚗Book local transport on 12Go

🚶🏼‍♂️ Free walking tours on Freetour

🛏️ For hostels around the world, check out Hostelworld

🛍️ Myntra for travel fashion and Amazon for travel gear

Liked the post? Please share with your friends and family, and plan the trip now. Or you can save this guide to plan later.

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Author Alice is a full-time business professional with a penchant for writing and travel planning. She shares her travel stories and exclusive practical tips on Backpack & Explore, that you won't find anywhere else.

17 Comments

Wow! I never realized all there is to do in this region, and I love the itinerary. Thanks for the pointers and great list of things to see and do!

Thanks a lot Meggie.

I have been to Kerala 23 years ago! I really loved it but I was only there for a very short time. I remember seeing the houseboats on the backwaters and thinking I’d like to come back someday and do that. This is excellent information you have provided. Thanks for sharing!

Thank you so much for reading. Hope you come for another trip.

That’s a long time. I hope you come again to see what has changed and spend a night in the houseboat

I’ve had the opportunity to visit Kerala on four occasions within the past three years, and each visit brings forth a fresh allure. My most recent visit o Kovalam refreshed me for at least the next couple of months.

Thanks for this comprehensive post. Now I know what exactly to look for in my next trip.

Great post! The thing that draws me to Kerala is how lush, green and gorgeous the natural landscape can be. Places like the waterfalls at Munnar are just stunning and it would be fantastic to see all the wildlife. Oh, and then the food! 😀

Thank you so much. I hope you visit soon

Wow that beach view is amazing – did you have a favorite one? I have never heard of Kerala but have enjoyed reading about it as I am trying to learn more about the different states of India. Will be saving this for my trip to India!

Thanks a lot Natalie. My favorite beach in Kerala is Kovalam. I love the Marari beach too. Glad to help further if you’re planing a trip to Kerala

What a stunning place to visit- those waterfalls are amazing. And I would definitely love to take a boat ride to see elephants, how awesome!!

What a wonderful guide — so much excellent information!

And the history of the region — I never knew! Thank you!

Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts

Munnar and tea gardens are sooo on my list! I was planning a visit in 2019 while working remotely from Pune, but didn’t get around to it, as work got too busy. But looking at your recommendations, definitely a must-visit!

thanks a lot Alina Hope you get to take this trip soon

I love the Munnar waterfall as well as the idea of a 6 hour cruise! The animals look cute and so glad you can see them from the bus.

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A 7 day Kerala itinerary perfect for first-timers

By: Author Sylvia

Posted on Last updated: March 11, 2023

The make-up is done in such a way that you might think that the actors wear a mask.

Are you wondering what’s the best Kerala itinerary? You came to the right place.

Kerala is super green with lots of palm trees.  

We loved the seemingly endless lush green nature of Kerala, a paradise for nature lovers and for those who want to relax for a few days.

In this Kerala travel blog post, we share our complete Kerala trip itinerary.

So definitely keep reading.

There is a really good chance that this post contains affiliate links. If you click one of them, we may receive a small commission (for which we are deeply grateful) at no extra cost to you.  

In a hurry? Here we share our Kerala trip plan for 7 days

If you don’t have time to read through the full 7 days Kerala trip itinerary,  use this overview to get an idea of the things to do each day and save it for later.

• Day 1-2 Kochi ( Cochin ):  Chinese Fishing Nets, the Pardesi Synagogue, the St. Francis Church, walk through Princess street, Mattancherry Palace, attend a Kathakali dance show.
• Day 3-4 Munnar:  Visit the tea plantations, Mattupety Dam, Echo Point, and Top Station. Go hiking, visit Eravikulam National Park, Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary.
• Day 5-7 Allepey, Kumarakom, and Cochin: Relax in Allepey, cruise the backwaters, make a Shikara boat ride, take an Ayurveda massage.

Table of Contents

India essentials 

• To find  cheap flights to India, click here.
• Most travelers need a visa for India. The easiest way is to apply for an e-visa through  a Visa agency. Click here to see prices and submit your application.
• For more inspiration on what to do and to see in India, take a look at our  2 weeks in India itinerary  and our  Rajasthan itinerary.
• Here you can find an overview of  the best India group tours . If you are specifically looking for  group tours that visit Kerala, click here.
• Last but not least, make sure you have good  travel insurance.

Kerala tour itinerary 7 days 

In this 7 days Kerala travel itinerary you will discover most of Kerala’s highlights. 

Day 1-2: Kochi (Cochin)

If the use of Cochin and Kochi gets you confused you’re not alone. 

Both names refer to the same city.  Kochi is the official name but many people still use the unofficial Cochin which was used by the British occupiers.

Kochi is the major airport in Kerala.  The airport is served by many domestic and international flights.

Depending on how late you arrive in Kochi we would recommend staying one or two nights.

Our driver was waiting for us at the arrivals hall.  In hindsight, we can now tell you that we are glad we had arranged one.

Although the distances that you will cover to visit these Kerala sights are nothing compared to the kilometers we traveled in the Northern part of India it is still a much more comfortable way of traveling.

45 Amazing facts about India you should read before you go

Kochi sightseeing

I’m not sure if you have ever been to Rajasthan.

If you have we can tell you that Kerala will be a whole different experience. It could just as well be another country.   

It’s a very tropical city with lots of water and palm trees and if somebody would have told us that we were no longer in Indian but in Thailand instead we could have believed him.

Here we share the best things to do in Kochi.

Things to do in Fort Kochi

Kochi is the economic capital of the state of Kerala. 

It is a big city but the highlights are all located in the same part of the city called Fort Kochi and can be covered in a half-day.

We visited the Chinese Fishing Nets, the Pardesi Synagogue, and the St. Francis Church.  Along the way we walked through Princess street, the place to hunt for souvenirs, snoop around bookstores or relax with a drink and some food.

Next, we went to the Mattancherry Palace, also called the Dutch Palace.  It’s a beautiful small palace with some awesome mural paintings.  It can in no way be compared to any of the palaces we visited in Rajasthan.

The museum does a good job of showcasing the many differences in the life of the Maharaja between the north and the south of the country.

Kochi is also a good place to attend a Kathakali dance show. This is a story play that originated in Kerala and is still unique to this region. 

The show kept us amused for the full hour.  Although we lost the storyline somewhere halfway, the costumes, make-up, and acts alone justify attending the show.

You can see a similar Kathakali show in Munnar if your agenda wouldn’t allow you to attend the show in Kochi.

Here you can find more places to visit in Fort Kochi. 

Where to stay in Cochin

Le méridien cochin.

We stayed in  the Meridien Cochin  and had a wonderful time. We had a very big comfortable room and enjoyed the delicious breakfast.  The staff was very accommodating and even invited us to the miss Kerala election that was held in the hotel. We would definitely stay here again if we would return to Cochin.

Check prices and availability:

Booking.com

If you aren’t convinced of this hotel, you will find a lot of other hotels in Cochin on Booking.com: Booking.com

Day 3-4: Munnar

From Kochi, we continued our journey towards the hill station of Munnar.

Driving time:  112 km- approximately 4 hours.

Things to do in Munnar

Munnar is a great location to spend 2 days.  Best of all is that the temperature is really enjoyable as it is higher up in the mountains.  It might even feel a little chilly when you’re acclimatized to the temperatures in the other parts of India.

So bring a warm jacket or sweater.

The main tourist attraction of Munnar are the many tea plantations. Did you know that India is famous for producing one of the best teas in the world? 

You can’t miss them, all roads in the area zigzag through the tea plantations. 

The sight is so spectacular that I think we may have asked our driver a hundred times to stop for a picture.

Several tea plantations are open to visitors. 

Some of them have a small museum where you can see how tea is made in the factories. 

There’s also the tea museum that tells more about the history of tea in this region.

For an even more authentic experience, you can book an organized tour that takes you on unpaved routes deep into the fields.   You will meet some of the tea pickers and see how they still mostly manually pick the leaves.  Did you know that they collect around 100kg of leaves every single day?

We loved the tea plantations so much that we would almost forget the other sights of Munnar. 

Once we sort of had enough of the impressive vistas on the tea plantations we headed to the Mattupety Dam, Echo Point, and Top Station.

Except for Top Station, the sights in themselves are not that special but the roads that take you there are all the more. 

Along the way, you pass several photogenic waterfalls as well as many more incredible vistas.

Munnar is also surrounded by some beautiful national parks.

Eravikulam National Park is located half an hour outside Munnar and is the habitat of the almost extinct Nilgiri Tahr . 

Almost 2 hours North of Munnar is Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary where you can spot elephants and deer (and even leopards if you are really really lucky).

Hiking is another excellent way to witness the beauty of the region. 

Several gorgeous hikes and trekkings can be done ranging from easy to rather difficult but most are unmarked and require a guide.

If you plan on doing a lot of hiking, we would advise you to wear hiking leggings. They are a lot more comfortable than shorts when you plan on hiking a lot.

In the evening you can attend the Kathakali as well as Kalaripayattu shows.   The latter is a very energetic martial arts show.

Where to stay in Munnar 

Fragrant nature munnar.

The Fragrant Nature Munnar hotel is gorgeous and beautifully situated on the top of the valley amidst the jungle.  It is surrounded by tea and spice plantations. The hotel has comfortable and well-equipped rooms and is run by helpful and accommodating staff. The view from the room is outstanding.

Check prices and availability: Agoda

Day 5-7: Alleppey-Kumarakom-Cochin

Kumarakom and Alleppey are both nice places to end your vacation in Kerala. They are located on opposite sides of the Vembanad lake. 

We ended our vacation with some quality time in a resort in Kumarakom but you can also spend some relaxing days in Alleppey.

We have included a short comparison between the two to help you pick the best destination for your vacation.

Driving time: 175 km- approximately 4-5h

Should you go to Alleppey or Kumarakom?

This depends on what you want to do.

If you want to cruise the backwaters and stay a night on a houseboat you might want to choose for Alleppey.

The boats leave from both locations but Alleppey has by far the biggest choice for a backwater cruise.

You won’t find a lot of resorts in Alleppey, these are all located along the lakeside in Kumarakom.

Kumarakom is the most flexible of the two as it allows you to combine a stay in a resort with an overnight cruise in a houseboat.  Some of the resorts have their own houseboats and offer this as a package.

You should know that although a Kerala backwater cruise lasts almost a full day the boat will only sail for about 6 hours. 

Local regulations reserve the lake for the fishermen at night, all houseboats need to dock by 5:30 PM. 

The majority of the 6 hours are also spent on the lake, most Kerala houseboats are too large to navigate the narrow channels of the backwaters where you can really experience daily life.

The small boats called Shikara offer an alternative way to see the backwaters. You can charter these per hour as a couple or family.

An advantage of these small boats is that they can navigate the narrow channels and because it’s a private tour you can ask the driver to stop if you want to take pictures.  We saw a lot of colorful birds so there’re plenty of picture opportunities.

We arranged a 2-hour Shikara boat ride. It seemed like 2 hours was enough although the scenery is really stunning. This cruise was one of the highlights of our trip to Kerala as the backwaters are so peaceful and beautiful. I think the backwaters might be the reason why they call this state “God’s own country”.

If we would go back we would definitely opt for a Shikara again.

The Shikara boats leave from the Kavanattinkara boat jetty in Kumarakom.  This is close to the entrance of the bird sanctuary and your boat ride will actually take you along part of the edge of the sanctuary.   The sanctuary is a nice place to enjoy nature but the dense forest will make it difficult to spot birds. 

You can combine your boat ride with a visit to the sanctuary, just know that you will probably see more birds during the boat ride than during your forest trek in the sanctuary.

This region in Kerala is also famous for its Ayurveda massages. 

Ayurveda is a buzzword that’s popping up all over the world.  What you may not know is that it originated in India several thousand years ago.  It’s a way of life that revolves around creating peace and harmony in the body by aligning different energy channels, called chakras. 

The Ayurveda oils that are used have medicinal and detoxing properties.

You should try an Ayurveda massage if you currently suffer from insomnia or high levels of stress.

We had our massage at an Ayurveda Massage Center but you will see that most hotels offer these massages as well.

If you like to combine a backwater tour with a massage, this is the perfect tour for you. 

Where to stay in Alleppey 

Angel queen houseboat.

A lovely boat with a top deck for great viewing. The boat has comfortable bedrooms with ensuites. The meals that are served are delicious and the scenery divine.

A good option for a relaxing and comfortable trip.

If you aren’t convinced of this houseboat, you will find a lot of other houseboats in Alleppey on Booking.com: Booking.com

Where to stay in Kumarakom?

Park regis aveda kumarakom.

Classy resort with beautiful rooms that look out over the pool. Excellent food and service at the restaurant.  Very courteous and friendly staff. The hotel offers a complimentary sunset cruise. 

A beautiful peaceful place on the lake.

If you aren’t convinced of this hotel, you will find a lot of other resorts in Kumarakom on Booking.com: Booking.com

Best time to visit Kerala

The best period to visit Kerala is from September to March although it can rain occasionally until December.

We had some daily scattered showers in October.  They usually occurred somewhere during the afternoon but not to that degree that it affected our travel plans for Kerala.

Kerala has an overall enjoyable climate whole year-round.  Most visitors prefer the above period because it’s warm but not too hot and there’s only a small chance to have vacation days ruined by rain. 

There are some popular activities in Kerala in this period. 

One is the Kumarakom Boat race in September and October and there is also Cochin Carnival which is widely celebrated in January.

This is the most popular tourist season and that is reflected in the hotel prices.

You will have to pay more for your accommodation, certainly around the year-end period.

As of April, the temperatures start rising towards 30 degrees and more.  Most tourists avoid Kerala during these months.

It’s a great time to explore the region if the heat doesn’t bother you, the hotel rates are lower and there will be fewer crowds.

In general, there will be plenty of sun during the daytime. 

Chances of heavy showers and thunderstorms towards evening increase as April ends and May kicks in.

June, July, and August is monsoon season in Kerala. 

The temperatures are hot and humid and almost daily there will be some heavy showers. 

Floods are not uncommon during this time of the year so it may be difficult to get around.

If your travel plans are limited to this time of the year and you are looking for a nature destination, we would recommend you to consider a trip to Borneo.

Cheap Flights to Kerala

If you want to score  cheap flights to Kerala we advise you to have a look at Momondo  and  Skyscanner.   

Both are flight aggregators that compare several hundreds of booking sites and give you an overview of the best flights and the cheapest sites to book them. 

Momondo and Skyscanner are both very good at finding good deals, of the two, Momondo is probably the one with the most intuitive user interface.

Visa requirements for India

With the exception of residents of Nepal, Bhutan, and the Maldives everybody needs a visa to enter India.

Recently the country has introduced e-visas.  You can find out if you’re eligible to apply for an e-visa on the government’s e-visa website .  The website also lists the fees.  These vary by country. (see point 4 of the instructions)

Note that the Indian government charges the fee regardless of whether your application has been approved or not.  The fee is seen as a processing fee and therefore non-refundable.  It’s always charged, even if your application would be rejected due to an unclear picture or an unreadable scan of your passport.

This made us a little uncomfortable and we decided to apply for our e-visa through a visa agency so that our information would be subject to an additional review by the agency before it was finally submitted.

Apply for a travel visa with VisaHQ: Visa for India

When you want to apply for the e-visa yourself make sure to do this directly on the official government website.  Ignore sites that falsely claim to be official like the one below, they add significant service charges to your application, more than reputable visa agencies such as iVisa.  The official e-visa site run by the government is  https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/ .

Take a car and driver or join an organized tour

We always prefer to explore a country on our own. Primarily for the freedom that it gives us but also because it feels more authentic if you mingle with the locals on public transportation and in the streets.

We did some research but it wasn’t really easy to find something that worked for us. 

There’re buses that go to the hill stations but you would need an additional taxi or tuk-tuk to get to your hotel as many of them are spread out across the region and not really within the limits of those stations.

Then you will also have to make arrangements with a taxi or tuk-tuk to take you to the various sights, or you could book an organized tour.

Car and driver

In the end, we opted for a private chauffeured tour as it looked much easier.  

To book a private chauffeured tour you need to provide the company with your planned itinerary. This is because the price not only depends on the number of days but also on the number of kilometers that you will travel.

If you’re not sure about your itinerary for Kerala you can finetune it together with the company.

Most companies will be able to book your accommodations as well but you’re free to arrange your hotels yourself if you prefer.

Your driver will be waiting for you at the airport in the arrivals hall.  From this point on you have all the freedom about how you fill in your days.  We were well prepared and had a list of things that we wanted to see and do. Our driver always had some extra suggestions ready.  Each evening we made the final arrangements with him for the next day.

It worked out really well and turned out to be a comfortable way to visit Kerala.

If you are looking for a car and driver, take a look here. 

Joining an organized tour 

If you don’t have time to create your own itinerary or just don’t want to go independent, then you could also join an organized tour. 

TourRadar is an online travel agency specialized in multi-day tours.  Their well-arranged interface makes it easy to compare package tours from different operators.

They have several 7 days Kerala tour packages.

Tipping in India

There’s something strange about tipping in India and it took some time before we got a hold about when and how much we should tip.  Tipping, in India known as Baksheesh, is not common and didn’t exist before tourism became popular in India.  You will hardly ever see a local give a tip.

Westerners introduced the custom of tipping, maybe because poverty can be confronting, but our driver was quick to remind us that we didn’t need to be overly generous.

The Baksheesh has already found its way in the culture and staff in restaurants that see a lot of tourists now seem to expect tips from foreigners.

We sometimes noticed how we got treated differently than an Indian couple sitting at the table next to us.  Mostly regarding the bill because the service was equally good regardless of skin color, language, or origin.

We usually tipped about 10% in restaurants.

Make sure to check the bill for a service charge before you tip. 

Some restaurants will add this automatically, others don’t. 

We did try to hand the tip subtly to our waiter because we often noticed how restaurant managers were quick to collect the tips that were left on the table and they just disappeared in their own pockets.

The tipping policy was not any more clear in hotels. 

We noticed how luxury hotels seemed to have a no-tipping policy. 

We had some small rupees handy (the guideline is 50 rupees per bag) each time we arrived in a hotel but the porters in most luxury hotels were very fast to leave to the room. We often didn’t have the chance to hand over the tip. 

On the occasions where we did, they were overly grateful.   

Less luxurious hotels often showed a completely different picture. 

Hotel porters in these hotels would put on a whole show and acted like our bags weighed at least 50kg each. 

They clearly expected a tip and did not make a start to leave the room until we handed them the Baksheesh. 

We tipped the first group with pleasure, but the 2nd group gave us a bad feeling.

“If you reject the food, ignore the customs, fear the religion and avoid the people, you might better stay at home.” 

If you have a car with a driver it is also expected that you tip your driver for good service. 

Our driver was always on time and even acted as a guide whenever he could. 

He would tell us more about the places that we visited and would always offer suggestions about the places where we could go to. 

If you’re happy with the services of your driver the suggested tip is 200 INR per day per person. 

If you’re sharing a driver with a larger group you can lower these amounts, a tip of 800INR/day is very generous.

Scams in India

We encountered various small scams but luckily nothing that was too bad.

Most of them occurred in Rajasthan but you will be confronted with them in all public and touristic places all over India, even in temples.

Do not accept any free things that are offered to you.  Once you have accepted the so-called gift they will ask money in return.

Overall we had the impression that things weren’t as bad in Kerala as in Rajasthan but we prefer to share our tips anyway.

A small piece of advice is to not be annoyed too much by these scams.  If you allow them to influence your mood it will just ruin your experience.  Let it go and move on. It’s not worth ruining your trip over it.

Know how much you need to pay

We experienced how Indians shamelessly dared to ask a twentyfold of the official price for snacks or drinks. 

A coke in an ordinary Indian supermarket was suddenly more expensive than what we would pay in a fancy bistro along the Champs-Elysée. 

Although you clearly know that this cannot be correct it’s hard to negotiate a fair price if you do not know this price. 

After we overpaid once our driver showed us where could find the official price.

All drinks and snacks should have the price printed on them.  If the bottle or package is not showing the price or the price has been barred just move on and find a trustworthy seller.

We visited most sites with our driver and when we did he told us the entry fees we needed to pay. 

Most of the time these were also clearly indicated at the ticket offices. Prices for foreigners are more expensive than those for locals. 

Luckily the difference is not that big here than it was in the North where foreigners often paid the fifteenfold or twentyfold of locals.

Most entrance fees can be paid with a credit card or cash. 

Monuments that are run by the government often have some discount for credit card payments. 

 When paying cash make sure to check your change, short-changing is not uncommon in India.

The chances are smaller that they will try to pull short-changing tricks on you if you clearly show the notes that you hand over or even mention how much cash you give them.

Something else we experienced, although in New Delhi, is that people pretended to be ticket vendors although the entrance is free. 

This happened at the Jama Masjid mosque. 

Scammers stopped us at the entrance and rather aggressively asked us to pay 300 INR per person and an additional 300 INR for each camera.

Because we knew the entrance was free we ended up only paying the camera fee and saved 600 INR.

2 days in Jaipur, a detailed itinerary. 

If you plan on visiting any monuments look up the price online before you go.

Adapter for electrical appliances

India uses a mix of electrical plugs type C (also known as Europlug), D and M .  The type C plug is similar to what is used in most European countries. 

The Type M plug has three round pins in a triangular pattern and looks similar to the Type D plug, the only difference being that its pins are much larger.

Type M pins are used for bigger appliances.

Since we are from Belgium, we did not need an adapter.

If you have problems using type C plugs in Type D sockets you should try to insert an object with a fine tip into the top hole while inserting the plug.

Stay healthy

Maybe it was the temperature that was slightly more pleasant or maybe the kitchen hygiene is just better, whatever the reason was, once we arrived in Kerala we were released of the famous Delhi belly.

We still obeyed the following rules:

Avoid drinking any tap water or brushing your teeth with it.  Try to steer clear from any food that may have been washed in it like salads and order any soda’s without ice.

Indians have the lowest rate of meat consumption in the world. India has 500 million vegetarians, that are more vegetarians than the rest of the world put together.

The country offers perhaps the world’s most fabulous choice of vegetarian food so it may be a good choice to go veggie for the duration of your stay in India.

Undercooked or rotten meat can do a lot more harm than a badly prepared vegetarian dish.

Expenses abroad can be seriously inflated by fees from your bank or credit card.  That’s why I’m a huge fan of my  N26 account.   

The account is available to most EU residents.

 The  checking account  is free as well as the associated Mastercard and there’s no exchange rate provision when you use to card for payments abroad. 

There’s a 1,7% exchange rate provision when you withdraw money abroad but even that is free with  the premium Black Mastercard.  

The app is another great feature of the card, you can follow your expenses in real-time and instantly block your card if you see any signs of fraud.

When paying cash double-check the amount you hand over to the cashier and double-check the notes you get back.  Shortchanging is, unfortunately, a common practice in India.

Also, check the quality of the notes you get back.

It doesn’t matter so much for small notes (anything up to 100INR) but don’t accept any notes over 100 that are damaged or have been written on. 

We had one 500 rupee note with some yellow marks on it and it took us a while before somebody wanted to accept it.

We stayed in both 3, 4, and 5-star hotels. 

The level of service in all of them was excellent but we noticed how the cleanliness was significantly lower in 3-star hotels. 

We found dust on the shelves, old worn towels, raffled carpet in the corridors, sticky tables in the restaurant, and pigeon poop all around the pool. 

What we didn’t find was toilet paper in the public toilets. 😊 Not what we would expect from a 3-star hotel but you have to keep in mind that the standards for cleanliness are different in India.

Indian cities are often very hectic and noisy and we were often happy that we could relax in a comfortable hotel after a busy day.

We would recommend taking slightly better hotels then you usually take so that you can unwind and relax after a hectic day.

Travel Insurance 

Last but not least… I’m not sure how good or bad Indian hospitals are. 

I do want to believe that they have a higher standard of cleanliness than the average Indian restaurant but still, I rather don’t experience it myself.

We never had anything serious happen on any of our journeys around the world but we never take any risks, better safe than sorry…  That’s why we always travel with good travel insurance.

If you don’t have travel insurance yet, check out HeyMondo or Safetywing . Both companies over good travel insurance for a competitive price.

HeyMondo Travel Insurance

SafetyWing Insurance

We had an amazing week in Kerala.

The backwaters are incredibly beautiful and although this is the third time that we visit tea plantations they keep on inspiring us to snap hundreds of pictures.

Kerala has everything you need for a lovely vacation. 

There’re fantastic hotels in all price classes.

One thing I noticed about hotels in India is that the service is always excellent.  Cleanliness is somewhat troublesome in 3-star hotels (we did not stay below 3 stars) but the service remains spotless.

Nature lovers as we are we were definitely charmed by the beautiful nature of the state. 

If we would come back we would certainly do some trekkings and maybe even try one of the bounty beaches to relax afterward.

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Bharat Taxi

Friday 27th of December 2019

Thanks for sharing your itinerary for the trip, Kerala is very beautiful city and there have many places to visit for sightseeing. I really appreciate this post, all images are so beautiful, Thanks for sharing this post.

10 days road trip in Kerala: An itinerary and Guide

Last Updated on December 5, 2023 by admin

Planning a Kerala Itinerary across the state? This blog on 10 days road trip in Kerala covers all the Kerala highlights for first-time visitors. This classic Kerala tour covers Central and South Kerala tourist destinations.

The first thing that comes to mind when someone says Kerala is the backwaters against the swaying coconut and palm trees. However, there is much more to Kerala than that – the beautiful architecture and heritage of Fort Kochi , tea estates of Munnar , spice plantations of Thekkady , wildlife sanctuaries in Shola forests , landscapes filled with coffee farms and virgin beaches. 

The God’s own Country is power-packed with a plethora of things to do in Kerala , see and experience for all kinds of travellers. Dive into this ultimate Kerala travel guide to assault your senses as I help you plan a 12-day road trip across some of the popular destinations.

In this 10 days Kerala itinerary, I’ll be covering Central Kerala locations such as Kochi, Munnar, Kumarakom and Alleppey and South Kerala locations such as Varkala and Trivandrum.

Kochi – 1.5 days

Munnar – 3 days

Thekkady – 2 days

Kumarakom – 1 day

Alleppey – 1 day

Varkala – 2

Trivandrum – 1.5 day

Table of Contents

HOW TO GET AROUND KERALA

This Kerala road trip is based on a self-driven car so as to save time while travelling from one place to another. Ideally, it is best to hire a car that services the 10 days in Kerala trip from point to point.

If you are on a budget and have more days in hand, you can spread out the itinerary to suit your travel style. Public buses serviced by Kerala State Road Transport Services (KSRTC) ply between each town of Kerala and are comfortable and affordable. 

WHERE TO START THE 10 DAYS ROAD TRIP IN KERALA?

It is ideal to start at Kochi (formerly Cochin) which is on the southwest coast of India. All modes of transport – domestic and international are easily available to reach here.

DRIVING OR RENTING A CAR FOR A ROAD TRIP IN KERALA?

While many would feel like driving by themselves during the entire journey but be mindful that this itinerary involves going on mountain roads. I would recommend driving on hills, only if you have done this before. Also, you would probably be too tired driving all-around to actually enjoy the entire journey. 

Car through many rental services like Zoom Cars, Revv, Mychoize, etc. can be received at the Kochi airport. 

If self-drive is not your thing, hire a local guide who will take care of everything for you. On my latest trip to Kerala, everything was taken care my tour guide – C Satish. Car booking, accommodation, kind of places I want to stop at, food preferences and a detailed itinerary. He made the entire trip to Kerala extremely effortless and seamless. His knowledge of his home state is commendable (architecture, heritage culture, flora, food and the list goes on). I highly recommend him for arranging accommodation, planning a Kerala itinerary or even for food recommendations. He is based in Kochi and is a great resource for Fort Kochi Heritage Tour as well.

C Satish can be reached at +91 9495690929

Day 1: Kochi

How to get from kochi airport to fort kochi.

Kochi Airport is around 36 kilometres from Fort Kochi, so having a car to pick up is a must. In my 3 visits to Kochi, I always requested my hotel or tour guide to arrange for a car pick-up. This guarantees that the car driver is genuine and you don’t have to keep checking your phone if you are being taken in the right direction!

App-based taxi and auto services are also available. You can simply download Ola or Uber and book a taxi. However, many times these taxis are not available so charge more for unforeseen reasons.

Pre-paid taxis are also available from the booking counter in the Kochi Airport arrival hall.

Bus service is available for transfer from Kochi airport into Kochi city.

Things to do in Kochi in one day

Kochi, the largest city in Kerala, has historically been an important port city from earlier times. Reach Kochi by late evening so as to start the next day with a visit to Fort Kochi. With a history of the European spice route trade, there are many places in Fort Kochi reminiscent of that bygone era.

Fort Kochi is one of the most happening places in Kochi and has many architectural and heritage places. Beautiful artsy cafes, wall arts and heritage homestays line up the Fort Kochi area.

Fort Kochi Heritage walk

Kochi Beach, Mattancherry Palace, Pardesi Synagogue and St Francis Church are the must-visit places in Fort Kochi. Do not miss out on the working of Chinese Fishing Nets which have been functional for decades.

Shopping is a must while in Fort Kochi so head over to Jew Street for spices, handicrafts, Kerala souvenirs, traditional Kasavu sarees and snacks.

Day 2 in Kochi should be spent at the beautiful Cherai Beach as well as learning about the Chendamangalam Handlooms .

Where to eat in Fort Kochi

Kashi Art Cafe, Oy’s cafe, and Loafer’s corner are some of the best cafes in Fort Kochi and are open for breakfast too.

For lunch, try the traditional Kerala sadya (meal on banana leaf) at Bharath Hotel.

Where to stay in Kochi

For a luxurious experience: Grand Hyatt Kochi Bolgatty

For a heritage experience: Ginger House Museum and Hotel

Medium budget: Abad Atrium , Niko Hotels

If you are a backpacker choose: Zostel, Kochi

Kashi Art Cafe, Fort Kochi

Day 3: Kochi to Munnar

On day 2 start early for the 5-hour road trip to Munnar. For Munnar, it is not about the destination, but the journey. Enjoy the hot and humid air giving way to chilly winds as the car passes the road with tea gardens on both sides.

Famous for the lush tea estates which you can romance along the way while hoping that there is no roadblock due to elephants crossing the highway. Relax and enjoy the valley views while sipping on Chai after reaching! If you are not too tired, you can go for a short hike.

Things to do in Munnar

A short hike is possible to Echo point which is 15 km one way. Trekking in Munnar is also a great way to explore the tea gardens and Shola forests. Or you may choose some adventure sports like rock climbing and rappelling in other nearby towns of Munnar. Other trekking trails in Munnar include Top Station Trek, Chokramudi Trek, Meesapulimala Trek and Lakshmi Hills Trek amongst others.

Exploring the Munnar tea plantations during Road trip in Kerala

Next, head towards the Eravikulam National Park to sight the endangered Nilgiri Tahr or the mountain goat. The 15 km journey, the waiting line and a small hike up the Kannan Devan hill will consume over 4 hours. On the way back you may stop at the Mattupetty dam and head towards its catchment area if you want to try some water sports.

Other things to do in Munnar include visiting Attukal Waterfalls, Lakkum Waterfalls and paying a visit to Lockhart Tea Factory & Museum.

Where to stay in Munnar

For a luxurious experience: Spice Tree Munnar, Blackberry Hills Spa and Resort

Medium budget: Hotel Cloud Valley

If you are a backpacker choose: Vedanta Wake up

Nilgiri Tahr at Eravikulam National Park Munnar

Day 5: Munnar to Thekkady

Gear up for another hill station of Kerala which is 4 hours away from Munnar.  

Things to do in Thekkady

After reaching Thekkady, the most important place to visit is the Periyar National Park. Thekkady offers boat safari on Periyar and one can see wild animal gets on the river banks. The river has barren tree logs and the landscape across the mountains looks breathtaking. Bird and animal sighting is possible here and in the 2 visits so far, I have got some great shots! Read in detail about Periyar National Park .

After the national park visit, the evening can be spent attending a cultural program – Kalaripayattu or Kathakali at the Kadathanadan Kalari, Mudra Cultural Centre.

Kathakali performance in Thekkady

Ayurvedic massage in Thekkady is also one of the things to experience. In Thekkady there are many resorts offering ayurvedic retreats offers that are month-long ayurvedic treatment solutions for people suffering from chronic ailments. It is like a resort where people can stay for long durations and get their treatments done with consultation from an in-house doctor.

On the next day before moving to the next destination, spend some time in spice gardens knowing and sniffing the organic produce. A guided tour of Thekkady spice gardens is the awe-inspiring experience of how each spice that we use in Indian cooking is made. 

Read in Detail: Places to visit in Thekkady

Where to stay in Thekkady

For a luxurious experience: Greenwoods Resort , Cardamom County, Thekkady

If you are a backpacker choose: Jungle Paradiso Homestay

Periyar National Park Boat Safari

Day 6: Thekkady to Kumarakom

Move over to lakes from the hills by visiting the town of Kumarakom. Leave early morning from Thekkady and drive 4 hours to reach the idyllic village of Kumarakom

Things to do in Kumarakom

Popular as a spa destination, Kumarakom is lined with luxurious resorts along the Vembanad lake. Kumarakom is gorgeous thanks to the lake and backwaters. Spend the evening watching the sunset by the Vembanad Lake, go on a river cruise or choose to visit the Vembanad Bird Sanctuary.

Sunset on Vembanad lake, Kumarakom

One of the most interesting ways to spend time here is to know and experience the activities under Responsible Tourism in Kumarakom . Learn some crafts and ways of living of the local villagers, interact with them and how easy it is to lead an ethical lifestyle.

Where to stay in Kumarakom

For a luxurious experience: Kumarakom Lake Resort , Aveda Kumarakom  

If you are a backpacker choose: Nallathanka Nest Homestay

Coir rope making in Kumarakom

Day 7: Kumarakom to Alleppy or Alappuzha

Alleppey is the backwater town of Kerala and can be reached from Kumarakom by driving for 1.5 hours.

Things to do in Alleppey

The backwaters paradise of Kerala should be experienced by not spending the time on a houseboat which is expensive but by choosing a homestay on its banks! Take a canoe ride which will take you to small alleys wherein you can also do a village tour and watch the sunset over paddy fields.

Watch the sunrise and chill at the backwaters and watch the boats go by listening to the birds sing on the coconut tree near you. Read in detail: Kerala Backwaters of Alleppey

Where to stay in Alleppey

For a luxurious experience: Sterling Lake Palace Resort

If you are a backpacker choose: Nomad’s Hostel

Canoe ride in Alleppey Backwaters

Day 8: Varkala

This is Day 8 and time for some Vitamin Sea! 

Things to do in Varkala

Varkala is a famous beach town with beautiful virgin beaches – Papanasham and Bekal. Take a dip or just relax by the beach listening to the waves crash.

Visit the picturesque Kappil Pozhi Lake which is approximately 6 kilometres from Varkala town. It is surrounded by coconut trees that give this peaceful and tranquil lake some serious wanderlust vibes. On the way back visit the red laterite cliff which is one of the most popular tourist places.

Where to stay in Varkala

For a luxurious experience: Gateway Varkala

If you are a backpacker choose: Mad about Coco

Kappil Pozhi Lake Varkala

Day 9-10: Trivandram or Thiruvananthapuram

Drive from Varkala to Trivandrum, the Kerala state capital which is a 2 hours journey. 

Things to do in Trivandrum

Trivandrum has a lot of influence of British architecture and can be seen in many buildings. You may choose to visit Napier museum which has historical artefacts, Kerala science and technology museum or Kanakakkunnu Palace.

Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple is one of the most important temples of Lord Vishnu and is now the world’s richest temple too. The temple has a sleeping Vishnu idol, which is a unique feature.

Spending a night in the Kovalam houseboat is one of the most popular tourist activities in Thiruvananthapuram. Book a traditional houseboat that is made out of reed, cork, and bamboo. Cruising with Kovalam Houseboat Tours is a great way to spend time in Kovalam backwaters. One can lounge around watching the sunset or villagers going about their way. The cruise offers unparalleled views of backwaters.

Where to stay in Trivandrum

For a luxurious experience: Vivanta Thiruvananthapuram

If you are a backpacker choose: Bed Pods

Kanakakunnu Palace Trivandrum

This sums up the 10 days road trip in Kerala, India. This road trip offers a plethora of landscapes, sights, and cultural experiences which is bound to leave you rejuvenated!

FAQs related to Kerala road trip

Best time to visit kerala.

The Winters months (November to February) are ideal to visit Kerala. The temperatures are moderate and humidity is less (read: bearable). The hills can get chilly in the morning and night but maintain a comfortable temperature during the day.

However, winter is also the time when most people travel to Kerala. So expect to pay higher charges for cars and hotels. 

Kerala monsoon can be uncomfortable for some but the months of July and August are popular with local tourists who want to chase waterfalls and enjoy a rainy vacation.

Is the weather in Kerala good for a road trip in Kerala?

The average summer temperature is 24°C-37°C; while the average winter temperature range from 17°C-33°C. It rains quite often around the year.

Must try food of Kerala?

Kerala food is a mix of vegetarian and non-vegetarian meals mostly cooked in coconut oil. Do try the delicacies like ‘ appam-stew ’, ‘ puttu-kadala curry’, ‘ Avial ’ and ‘ iddiyappam ’ for breakfast or lunch. Just like the North-Indian thali, the Kerala thali is called sadya and is served traditionally on a banana leaf.

You will find the regulars like Idli, Dosai and Uttapam or even Punjabi and Indian-Chinese dishes in most of the places.

Traditional Kerala Sadya

What to wear in Kerala?

Comfortable clothing like a t-shirt and jeans is recommended. Women can choose a knee-length dress. Try to wear camouflaged colours during safaris.

Is Kerala safe for travellers/solo travellers/female travellers?

Kerala is extremely safe for all kinds of travellers, even solo women.

Sustainable tips for an ethical Road trip in Kerala

• Kerala is one of the cleanest states in India, in spite of the tourist influx so let’s try to maintain the same and be disciplined.
• If you come across a wild animal crossing the road/highway, give them time and space. Do not encroach on it by trying to get a selfie.
• Do not write on the palace walls or rocks at the beach. Let’s maintain the pristine heritage.
• Avoid wearing perfumes while going in the seawater or national parks.
• Blend in the culture by wearing the right clothes and eating the local food.

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. It means it adds no extra cost to you if you book through the link but I get a referral bonus which helps me earn a little to keep this website up and running.

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Ketki Gadre

Ketki is an environmental consultant and a sustainable travel blogger, who loves nature, wildlife and heritage. She enjoys bringing places to life through her informative blogs to inspire readers to travel sustainably and become responsible travellers.

10 Best Things to do in Kandy

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The backwaters of Kerala sound beautiful. I love the idea of taking a canoe ride and village tour. Seeing sunsets over the paddy fields would just be icing on the cake.

Kerala has always intrigued me ever since the program to bring bloggers there has been on. I can see some of the beauty through your exceptional photos of unique scenes.

I love that you drove to each destination. My husband and I think that you see so much more of an area by driving yourself from place to place. I’m glad that there are plenty of outdoor activities like hikes and canoeing. Seems like a great trip!

I have always wanted to go to Kerala and your guide reminds me that it is still I destination I want to get to! I was wondering if this is an itinerary that you could do via public transportation as I prefer not to rent a car when I travel solo. Would that be a viable option?

Hi Alison, yes this itinerary is very much doable in public transportation. Luckily public transport is super efficient and safe in Kerala and you shouldn’t face any problem. I hope you have a good time whenever you are in India 🙂

This is a great itinerary. Kerala looks beautiful. I’d love to visit the beaches and the spice plantation. Your sustainable tips are spot on for many locations. My daughter keeps asking to visit India …. perhaps this should be our destination.

I always recommend Kerala as the first place international tourists to go. Northern states tend to be very overwhelming and relatively not safe. I am sure you and your daughter will have an amazing time in Kerala 🙂

This is an area of India that is VERY high on our bucket list of places to visit. Therese has a friend who live near Trivandrum and has shared how wonderful the region is with us. I love that you can do this via public transport too though I have to imagine having a vehicle would offer much more freedom to explore … is driving relatively easy? And by that I mean for a someone not used to India. 😉

It would be difficult to drive on Indian roads if you are not used to it. But you can easily hire a taxi for the duration and it would work out to be cheaper.

This looks stunning, I’d love to get lost in Kerala for a week or so. I’ve never been to India, but I hope to get there soon.

That sunset in Kumarakom is so pretty that I would have to go there just for that shot over the water! Glad to know that the winter is the best time to visit because I’m not a huge fan of summer. Is it still pretty hot or does it actually get cool?

Thank you for showing another side of the country that I might have not known otherwise. This looks so well taken care and peaceful. What I love is that you can experience it as a backpacker as well as on the luxury side. I cant wait to visit India!

This Kerala travel guide is an absolute gem! It’s packed with all the information I need to plan my trip. From the picturesque backwaters to the lush tea plantations, every aspect is beautifully covered. I especially appreciate the detailed itinerary suggestions—it’s like having a local guide right at my fingertips. Thanks for sharing such valuable insights and making my Kerala travel dreams a reality!

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thetarzanway

Experiences, travel guides.

• Jul 13, 2023
• 11 min read

Kerala Calling: Tips and Tricks for Planning Your Ultimate Kerala Trip

Welcome to Kerala, a charming state in southern India renowned for its verdant scenery, tranquil backwaters, stunning beaches, and rich cultural history. While organizing a trip to Kerala is thrilling, having a well-thought-out itinerary is essential because there is so much to see and do there. We'll provide you helpful advice and pointers in this blog post so you can plan the perfect vacation to Kerala and make the most of your time there.

If you're looking for a destination that offers natural beauty, cultural richness, and unique experiences, look no further than Kerala. This south Indian state is a popular tourist destination that boasts of stunning backwaters, beautiful beaches, lush hill stations, wildlife sanctuaries, and historic sites.

Kerala, often referred to as "God's Own Country," is a mesmerizing state located in the southern part of India. With its breathtaking landscapes, vibrant culture, rich history, and warm hospitality, Kerala has captivated the hearts of travellers from around the world.

Understanding Kerala

Before planning your trip, it's important to understand Kerala's geography, climate, and seasons. Kerala is a narrow strip of land that lies between the Arabian Sea and the Western Ghats. The state has a tropical climate with two monsoon seasons - Southwest monsoon (June-September) and Northeast monsoon (October-December).

Kerala's key attractions include the backwaters, beaches, hill stations, wildlife sanctuaries, and historical sites. The state is also known for its cultural richness, including traditional art forms, festivals, and Ayurveda.

Kerala is well known for its extravagant festivities and festivals that showcase its diverse cultural heritage. One of the most well-known festivals is Thrissur Pooram, which takes place at the Vadakkunnathan Temple and features stunning elephant procession displays, authentic percussion groups, and a mesmerising fireworks display. Another notable holiday is Onam, the harvest festival, which highlights Kerala's rich cultural heritage with colourful floral arrangements, boat races, cultural performances, and the Onam Sadhya, a large feast.

Kerala has become a pioneer in promoting ethical travel practises. The state promotes eco-friendly activities, community support, and environmental stewardship to visitors. Choose accommodations that put sustainability and conservation first. To help the community and learn more about Kerala's culture and customs, choose local tour operators and craftsmen. Consider how your actions may affect the delicate ecosystems and indigenous peoples, and make an effort to leave a favourable trail after your stay.

For tourists looking for a distinctive and enlightening experience, Kerala's natural beauty, cultural legacy, and genuine hospitality make it a tempting destination. You may genuinely enjoy and embrace the delights that this state has to offer if you comprehend what Kerala is all about. Explore its stunning landscapes, savour its cuisine, and engage with its dynamic communities as you get immersed in its rich traditions. Making lifelong memories while exploring "God's Own Country" will help you understand its essence.

Best Time to Visit

The ideal time to visit Kerala is during the winter months of September to March. Kerala enjoys a good environment and beautiful weather with lower humidity during this time of year. Winter is the ideal season to visit Kerala's beautiful towns to experience their magical lagoons, peaceful canals, and spicy plantations. Hill towns like Munnar and Wayanad are quite popular with tourists during Kerala's summer months, which are April and May. The monsoon season, which lasts from June to August, is preferred by those seeking ayurvedic treatments.

Generally speaking, the winter season, which lasts from September to March, is the greatest time to visit Kerala to take advantage of the stunning surroundings and comfortable climate. The months of November through February are the ideal ones to visit Kerala's backwaters.

Choosing Your Itinerary

The captivating state of Kerala in southern India is a veritable treasure trove of scenic beauty, rich cultural history, and kind people. Kerala provides a wide range of experiences for every type of traveller, from calm backwaters to scenic hill towns and immaculate beaches. Now we'll outline the Kerala attractions that should be on your schedule so you won't miss out on the treasures that make this state so unique.

Kochi (Cochin)

The thriving port city of Kochi, which serves as the entrance to Kerala, skillfully combines tradition and innovation. Discover the historic Fort Kochi neighbourhood, which is noted for its colonial buildings, Chinese fishing nets, and mediaeval churches. To see the stunning murals, go to the well-known Mattancherry Palace, also called the Dutch Palace. Don't miss the thriving Jew Town or the Paradesi Synagogue, one of the Commonwealth's oldest still in use.

Munnar, a charming hill station hidden within the Western Ghats' undulating hills, is renowned for its verdant tea plantations, mist-shrouded valleys, and beautiful vistas. Visit the Tea Museum to learn about the art of brewing tea, tour the enormous tea farms, and enjoy in energising tea tasting sessions. Don't forget to take a tranquil boat ride on Kundala Lake and take in the captivating views from well-known lookout sites like Top Station and Echo Point

Alleppey (Alappuzha)

Alleppey is a must-visit location in Kerala because of its backwaters and houseboat tours. Take a captivating houseboat tour through the serene backwaters, winding canals, and quaint towns. As you pass rice fields, coconut groves, and traditional wooden homes, take in the tranquilly of rural life in Kerala. Long snake boats compete in an exhilarating race in Alleppey's annual Nehru Trophy Boat Race.

Thekkady, which is situated in the Periyar National Park, is a paradise for those who enjoy the outdoors and wildlife. To see herds of elephants, sambar deer, and many bird species, go on a boat safari on Periyar Lake. Explore spice plantations, trek through thick forests, and take in the area's abundant biodiversity. Thekkady is renowned for its exceptional opportunity to witness the age-old martial art style known as Kalaripayattu.

Kovalam is the place to be if you're seeking for sun, beach, and the ocean. Three crescent-shaped beaches, palm trees, shacks and resorts surround the shores of this lovely seaside town. Enjoy rejuvenating Ayurvedic massages, lazy days on the golden dunes, and swims in the pristine waters. Don't forget to take in the captivating sunset view from the lighthouse at the beach's southern end.

Accommodation Options

The correct lodging should be one of your top priorities while organising a trip to Kerala. Kerala offers a variety of accommodations to meet any traveler's preferences and budget, from opulent resorts to inexpensive guesthouses. We shall examine the many forms of lodging in Kerala in this blog, assisting you in selecting the ideal location to stay and forging lifelong memories in God's Own Country.

Kerala is home to several luxurious resorts that offer a blend of comfort, elegance, and impeccable service. These resorts are often nestled amidst nature, providing breathtaking views of the surroundings. Many luxury resorts in Kerala feature world-class amenities such as infinity pools, spa and wellness centers, fine dining restaurants, and private villas. They are perfect for travelers seeking a pampering and indulgent experience.

Consider staying at a heritage hotel to experience a little of Kerala's fascinating history and culture. These homes offer a distinctive fusion of historic appeal and contemporary luxury because they are frequently converted versions of historical mansions, palaces, or traditional residences. You can directly experience Kerala's architectural splendour, customary hospitality, and cultural history by staying in a heritage hotel.

The traditional houseboat is one of Kerala's most recognisable forms of lodging. These floating homes provide a distinctive experience by letting you travel around the tranquil backwaters while taking advantage of a houseboat's amenities. Houseboats offer a quiet and private location to take in the beauty of Kerala's backwaters, with cosy bedrooms and a private deck. For anyone looking for a trip that is truly immersive, this is a must-try activity.

Choose a homestay in Kerala if you want to feel the warmth and kindness of the people there. The opportunity to stay with a local family in their home during a homestay offers a more intimate and genuine experience. The hosts will be available for conversation, and you may discover more about their way of life while enjoying home-cooked meals made with regional products. Budget-conscious travellers and those looking for a more thorough cultural experience might consider homestays.

Consider staying in a treehouse or eco-lodge tucked away in Kerala's lush forests for an unforgettable experience that is also environmentally responsible. These lodgings offer a tranquil escape and a chance to rediscover nature because they mix in perfectly with it. Enjoy panoramic views of the surrounding woodlands as you awaken to the sound of singing birds and lose yourself in the peace of nature.

Transportation in Kerala

Kerala has a well-connected transportation system that includes flights, trains, buses, and taxis. If you're traveling within the state, buses and taxis are the most convenient options. If you're traveling between cities, trains are a good option. If you're traveling from other parts of India, flights are the best option.

A vast network of buses run by Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) connects the state's cities, towns, and villages. Express and regular services are both available on buses, making them an economical means of transportation. They are well-kept and offer a relaxing way to travel around the state's various regions. Private bus companies also provide services on well-travelled routes, giving passengers more choices. But because they can change, it's best to double-check the timings and timetables in advance.

Given how well-connected Kerala is to the rest of the world, both domestic and foreign tourists frequently choose to travel by train. Numerous trains run by the Indian Railways connect Kerala's major cities to other regions of the nation. Trains offer a relaxing and beautiful mode of transportation, especially when passing through Kerala's stunning landscapes. It's a good idea to purchase train tickets in advance to guarantee your desired class and itinerary, especially during busy travel times.

Ferries and boats play a crucial role in Kerala's transport system because of the state's wide network of backwaters, lakes, and rivers. Ferry services provide a distinctive opportunity to experience the backwaters and explore the surroundings on well-traveled routes including Kochi to Vypeen, Alleppey to Kottayam, and Kollam to Alappuzha. Houseboat tours are another well-liked activity that let you relax while gliding around the tranquil backwaters while taking advantage of their luxury and allure.

For those seeking more independence and flexibility, renting a vehicle can be a convenient option. Car rental services are available in major cities and airports, offering a variety of vehicles to suit different needs and group sizes. Self-driving allows you to explore at your own pace and venture into the offbeat destinations of Kerala. However, it's important to familiarize yourself with the local traffic rules, road conditions, and be cautious while driving, especially in crowded areas.

A lovely way to see Kerala's natural beauty and fully immerse oneself in the local culture is to explore the state on foot or by bicycle. It is convenient and safe for pedestrians and cyclists in many towns and cities thanks to the well-paved sidewalks and designated bike lanes. Walking and cycling give you the chance to take in the local flavour, meet people from the community, and find hidden gems that might not be reachable by other modes of transportation.

Kerala's transport system provides a range of choices to accommodate various tastes and price ranges. You can explore God's Own Country's natural beauty and cultural richness using any means of transportation, including taxis, auto-rickshaws, buses, trains, ferries, rental cars, walking and cycling. To guarantee a comfortable and enjoyable tour around Kerala, plan your schedule appropriately, taking into account the distances, times, and local advice.

Must-Try Cuisine

Kerala, known as "God's Own Country," not only captivates visitors with its stunning landscapes and cultural heritage but also tantalizes their taste buds with its rich and diverse cuisine. From aromatic spices to fresh seafood and traditional vegetarian delights, Kerala's culinary offerings are a feast for the senses.

Kerala's cuisine is diverse and flavorful, with a mix of vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes. Some must-try dishes include appam, puttu, fish curry, and beef fry. Make sure to also try the local snacks, such as banana chips and jackfruit chips.

In conclusion, Kerala is a destination that offers something for everyone. By following these tips and tricks, you can plan an unforgettable trip to Kerala. So pack your bags and get ready for a memorable experience!

Kerala's cuisine is a reflection of its rich cultural heritage, diverse geography, and bountiful natural resources. The must-try dishes mentioned in this blog are just a glimpse of the culinary treasures that await you in God's Own Country. So, prepare your taste buds for a gastronomic adventure, explore the local eateries, savor the authentic flavors, and let the traditional cuisine of Kerala leave an indelible mark on your culinary journey.

Essential Packing List

Kerala, often referred to as "God's Own Country," is a captivating destination known for its picturesque landscapes, tranquil backwaters, lush tea plantations, and vibrant cultural heritage. As you prepare for your trip to this enchanting state in India, it's important to pack wisely to ensure a comfortable and enjoyable experience. In this blog, we present an essential packing list for Kerala, encompassing everything you need to make the most of your journey, from practical essentials to items that will enhance your exploration of this beautiful region.

The tropical climate of Kerala necessitates light, breathable clothing. For comfort in the hot and muggy conditions, bring lightweight cotton or linen clothing. For evenings and in places where mosquitoes are a problem, don't forget to pack a couple long-sleeved choices. A lightweight rain jacket or poncho is also a good idea to pack since Kerala occasionally gets showers, especially during the monsoon season.

Always keep a small first aid kit with you that includes necessary supplies like bandages, antiseptic cream, pain killers, and any personal prescription prescriptions you might need. Even though most cities have pharmacies, having your vital prescriptions on hand during your journey will provide you piece of mind.

Keep all of your important travel documents organised and simple to find. This contains your passport, visa (if necessary), tickets for your flights and accommodations, and any other identity documents you might need. Kerala has a sophisticated banking system, however for convenience, especially in rural regions, it's a good idea to carry some local money (Indian Rupees). For safe and convenient purchases, you might also think about carrying a travel card.

Cultural Etiquette and Local Customs

Understanding and respecting the local culture and customs is crucial while travelling to a new place. Kerala has a distinctive set of manners and customs that visitors should be aware of due to its rich cultural heritage and traditions. You may assure a more rewarding and polite trip by being familiar with the local customs. To assist you in navigating the social environment and meaningfully interacting with the local population, we will cover the cultural etiquette and regional traditions of Kerala in this blog.

It is best to dress modestly when visiting religious sites and rural areas in Kerala because of the state's traditional dress code. Both sexes are expected to cover their shoulders and refrain from donning exposing or scant attire. Sarees and mundus, a white cotton garment worn by males, are examples of traditional clothing that is highly regarded and admired. Carrying a shawl or scarf with you can help you protect yourself if necessary.

There are some manners to observe when dining at a traditional restaurant or being invited to a local's home because Keralan cuisine is a key component of its culture. Meals are typically served on banana leaves in Kerala, and right-handed eating is the norm. Both before and after the meal, wash your hands. It is permissible to use the provided cutlery when dining. Ask for seconds if you'd like after taking tiny servings at first. Compliment the host or the cook to show how much you enjoyed the meal.

Even though English is commonly spoken and understood in Kerala, building relationships with the locals might be facilitated by learning a few simple Malayalam words. Simple salutations like as "Hello" (Ninakku oru 'Namaskaram'), "Thank you" (Nanni), and "Please" (Ariyamo) can demonstrate your desire to interact with and respect the local culture.

If you get the chance to attend one of Kerala's colourful festivals, it's important to respect the traditions and rituals that go along with them. Be aware of the festival's significance, adhere to the organisers' instructions, and treat the ceremonies with respect. Before shooting pictures of individuals or religious procession, one is expected to get permission.

You may improve your trip experience and create lasting relationships with the local population by embracing Keralan cultural etiquette and customs. You can demonstrate your respect for the culture and make a good first impression by upholding traditions, dressing modestly, adhering to religious customs, and expressing thanks. So, enjoy the cultural diversity that makes this state a really one-of-a-kind travel destination by immersing yourself in the lively traditions of Kerala.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What are some popular tourist attractions in Kerala?

Kerala, often known as "God's Own Country," is a veritable treasure trove of scenic beauty, rich cultural history, and extraordinary experiences. The following are some well-known tourist destinations in Kerala that you might want to visit:

Alleppey's backwaters: Alleppey's backwaters give a serene and beautiful experience. On a classic houseboat tour of the tranquil canals, take in the lush vegetation and observe the way of life of the locals. Don't skip the stunning views of the sunset over the backwaters.

Munnar: A hill resort in the Western Ghats noted for its tea plantations, mist-covered slopes, and breathtaking vistas. Take in some daring activities like trekking and paragliding, visit the Eravikulam National Park to see the critically endangered Nilgiri Tahr, and explore the tea gardens.

Athirapally Falls: Located in Thrissur district, Athirapally Falls is a breathtaking waterfall surrounded by lush green forests. Witness the cascading waters amidst the picturesque setting, take a refreshing bath in the natural pools, and enjoy the serene atmosphere.

How many days should I spend in Kerala to explore the major destinations?

What are the must-try dishes in Kerala?

Are there any specific clothing recommendations for visitors to Kerala?

What safety precautions should I take while traveling in Kerala?

• Destinations
• Things to Do
• Travel Guide

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Immerse yourself in the rich tapestry of Kerala’s culture! From its vibrant festivals and traditional art forms to its delicious cuisine and warm hospitality, Kerala offers a cultural experience like no other. It’s not just a visit, it’s a journey into the heart and soul of ‘God’s Own Country’!

This Post is awesome! If you’re looking for even more insights and advice on planning the perfect Kerala trip, I highly recommend checking out this additional blog: WanderOn’s Kerala Travel Tips . It’s packed with useful information that can help you make the most of your journey. Happy travels! 🌴✈️

HOW TO PLAN YOUR KERALA ITINERARY

By Author Katie

Posted on Last updated: July 11, 2022

Kerala is indeed a paradise for the nature lovers which is why we have created this guide to planning the perfect Kerala itinerary!

Why Kerala?

The southern state located way down in India is bursting with tropical jungles, lively rainforests and spice plantations. One feels relaxed as soon as they step inside “God’s own country” with a slower and calmer pace of life and pure nature around. It is no wonder to see the tropical paradise attracting millions of tourists from all over the world.

Kerala has something for everybody, whether it is those glorious palm-fringed beaches for beach lovers, favourite hill stations for nature lovers or colonial traditions and seafood. Go through the Kerala travel guide that can help you to plan a great trip to the popular state.

When to go to Kerala

Although winters are the best time to visit Kerala, it is also the peak time. The temperatures are just perfect, and this is an ideal time for beach activities. For those who love monsoons, can plan a trip from July to September. Nature is at its truly best during these months. One should avoid the hot and humid months of summers from March to June.

How to reach Kerala

You can easily reach Kerala by air, train or road as it is well connected to other cities and states. The major railway stations in India are connected to Cochin, and the Kochi International airport caters to domestic and international flights. There are State Run Volvo buses to and from cities within India.

Getting around Kerala

One can make use of the extensive network of buses that connect to major cities and towns within the state. Auto Rickshaws are available in most cities, and another great way to travel is a ferry.

What to Pack for Kerala

As the temperatures are warmer in Kerala, pack light cotton clothes as well as loads of sunblock. As you would be walking a lot, do not forget to pack comfortable shoes for walking. Do carry bug and mosquito repellent especially if planning to visit some areas like Periyar. Do not forget to pack a camera as there would be many splendid places and moments to capture.

Where to stay in Kerala

There are many different and impressive places to stay in Kerala, and a lot relies on what one looks for and the budget. There are humble homestays, eco beach resorts, colonial estates, and a whole lot of other options. There are affordable lodgings as well as luxurious resorts available to suit every type of traveller.

What to do in Kerala

Kerala is diverse in every sense and creates unique experiences for the tourists who arrive here. One can visit the thriving port town of Kochi to look at the brightly painted houses and the oldest existing synagogues. Munnar is world-famous for beaches and tea plantations in South India. Alappuzha is home to famous backwaters of Kerala and is best experienced on a houseboat. Kovalam is the most popular beach destination.

Tourists can take a lazy ride on winding backwaters of Alleppey or cruise along the Periyar River. Explore the jungles of Periyar that are home to popular wildlife species like bison, sambars, langurs, and tigers. Enjoy the ancient form of storytelling through dance at the Kathakali Centre. Jatayu Earth Centre is also popular place to visit whilst in Kerela.

What to shop in Kerala

Kerala is not just a touristy place but is a haven for shopaholics too. Get ready for a great shopping experience here, and the first item on your list should be tea and coffee that can be obtained from local certified counters. Kerala spices are world-famous, and you must shop for those fresh spices like turmeric, cardamom, cinnamon, pepper, cloves, and more. Banana chips and cashew nuts are amongst the most popular items, and other famous handicrafts include coconut and coir products as well as aroma oils.

What to eat in Kerala

There are many different local cuisines to try on your trip to Kerala, and some of the most popular with locals and tourists include Appam with Stew, Kerala Beef Fry, and Prawn Moilee. Appams are fluffy pancakes made of rice and served with meat and vegetable stew. Kerala beef fry is enjoyed with flakey Malabar paratha and Prawn moilee made from coconut and kokum is simply delicious.

There are a lot of other things to do, places to visit and other information which can make your Kerala experience memorable. Sites like eKerala Tourism have very comprehensive travel information to help you explore more information about Kerala.

Helpful resources

Travel essentials:

• We LOVE this camera for our travel photography.
• For a cheap, easy and compact camera, we use this to vlog and take photographs.  
• We use this travel drone (but make sure to check drone laws in your chosen destination first).  
• This is our favourite travel insurance because it covers so many activities and travel situations that could arise on longer trips but also offer year coverage.

What to pack

• No matter where we travel to, I always take these trusty hand sanitizers and a mini first aid kit.  
• We love these toiletry bags (especially great for smaller bathrooms) and choose a laptop bag like this as our hand luggage. 
• We keep our devices charged on long travel days with these lightweight battery packs  and bring these worldwide travel adaptors on all our trips. 
• I still struggle not to overpack so stick to using an expandable suitcase like these and always take my trusty luggage scales to avoid being charged at the airport. 

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arhaholidays

Tuesday 25th of February 2020

Good article regarding keral Itinerary with best ideas in detail

Wednesday 26th of February 2020

Thanks so much! We are glad to hear you found this post helpful

Top Thekkady places to visit on your next trip | SweetAnnu

Wednesday 21st of August 2019

[…] People Also Read – How to Plan your Kerela Itinerary […]

KERALA TRAVEL GUIDE | The Best of Kerala Without the Crowds

Our Kerala travel guide covers the best places to visit in Kerala and how to get the best out of this beautiful corner of India with fewer crowds, supporting local and sustainable travel options along the way.

Exploring the Best of God’s Own Country

Think swaying palm trees, crashing surf, coffee plantations, hill retreats, silent backwaters, rice paddies, beautiful national parks that are home to a host of wildlife and you’ve teleported yourself to Kerala.

One of the better known states of India, there’s a lot to pack in to a trip to Kerala. Known as God’s Own Country, Kerala in South India has a lot to offer: from ayurvedic retreats and yoga centres, to hill stations and tea plantations up in the Western Ghats (mountains), to national parks that are home to tigers and elephants, to palm fringed beaches. And then there are the Kerala Backwaters, which despite their overcrowding issues, still provide a serene backdrop to any Kerala experience – when experienced in the right way.

We spent over a month travelling Kerala at the beginning of this year, and despite having more time to spend than many visitors to Kerala, we still could not fit everything in. There’s a lot to do in captivating Kerala: so pick wisely!

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This guide will help you get to the best of your time in Kerala – we have put together our recommendations for travelling mindfully in Kerala. Here you’ll find the best eco friendly resorts, homestays, community tourism projects, wildlife projects, locally owned restaurants, and a whole lot more!

What’s in a name? The place names in Kerala are a bit of a jungle. For some strange reason most places seem to begin with a ‘K’ or an ‘M’ (if anyone can enlighten us as to why please do so!), the names are also remarkably similar / mix-up-able, and there’s also an eclectic mix of old and new names used. Allapuzha is commonly referred to as Alleppey still, whereas Kollam – which was Quillon – universally goes by its new name. We’ve included both old and new names wherever relevant in this Kerala Guide to help with getting around.

Ecotourism in Kerala

Kerala’s beauty is no longer a secret, and with its popularity have come crowds of visitors – both from within India and from overseas. Those crowds have congregated in specific areas of Kerala and led to problems for Kerala’s wildlife, environment and local inhabitants: from pollution, to over-development, to lack of local empowerment and economic benefit from tourism.

Local resources have become drained, including water, and upsetting that very delicate balance of flora and fauna. In Alleppey, where going on a house boat cruise is on the bucket-list for so many, the scenes are often of overcrowding of houseboats, islands of floating plastic and filth a-top inky black water.

The good news is that it is possible to travel in Kerala in a way that avoids the eyesores and mass-touristed spots, and more importantly supports local and community based initiatives where local Keralites see the benefits from tourism. We’ve got you covered for the best of sustainable travel in Kerala.

A word – before we begin – about use of the word “Ecotourism” in Kerala (and the rest of India). Ecotourism, unfortunately, is not always and only used for places that are focused on the principles of responsible tourism (ie. giving back to local communities, being environmentally sensitive and protecting local people and cultures). Instead, “Ecotourism” in India is often used to describe any tourist activity which involves the outdoors (such as walking, camping) and / or seeing wildlife. Whether or not it is eco-friendly or in any way sustainable. 

Short on time or too busy to plan your own trip? There are plenty of local tour companies who can help such as eKeralaTourism  who offer many of the highlights of Kerala or can offer tailor made itineraries.

There are also global companies such as G Adventures who we have travelled with several times and recommend. 

Find out more about G Adventures South India Tours here.

Our Top Picks for Where to Stay in Kerala

Coconut Lagoon (High End) – For luxury along the backwaters there’s no better place than Coconut Lagoon. Owned and run by Keralan family run CGH Earth group, watch the sunset over the backwaters in this beautiful and sustainable hotel which is only accessible by boat… Check rates & book Coconut Lagoon here!

Ashtamudi Villas (Mid Range) – Set on the southern end of Kerala’s backwaters in Kollam, Ashtamudi Villas are owned and run by a local, who also offers trips in dug out canoes and kayaks to local villages for a more intimate experience with the backwaters. Perfect for chilling in one of their lake-side hammocks and experiencing a much less touristy side of the backwaters… Check rates & book Ashtamudi Villas here!

Marari Beach House (Budget) – Right on Marari Beach (one of Kerala’s nicest beaches near Kochi), this simple place is clean and walking distance to the waves. Perfect for hanging by the beach for a few days! Check rates & Book Marari Beach House here!

North Kerala

Kannur & thottada beach.

Kannur was our first port of call in Kerala after spending 3 weeks in beautiful Bangladesh. As our first taste of Kerala this year, Kannur did not disappoint.

Northern Kerala has been off the beaten track for many visitors to Kerala, who have focused more on the central and southern parts of the state. But that may be about to change. This year, Lonely Planet has named Northern Kerala as one of Asia’s hotspots , and as a paradise for those seeking a quieter taste of Kerala. Small homestays line the palm fringed shores, with uninterrupted views out across the Arabian sea.

Planning a trip to Kerala? Grab your Lonely Planet here!

Where to Stay in Kannur & Thottada Beach

Thottada beach is one of the best beaches in the area, with a range of accommodation to suit all budgets . There aren’t any facilities as such or shade, so the best time to visit is morning or late afternoon for a stroll. Ladies are recommended to cover up a bit on the beach as this is a rural and mainly Muslim area.

We stayed at Haris Seashell Inn  just outside of Kannur, which turned out to be one of the best decisions we’ve made. Owned by the enigmatic and kind Mr Haris, these bungalows are perched on a clifftop, with panoramic views out to the beaches below and the sea. I loved waking up and falling asleep to the sound of the crashing waves below.

Mr Haris has done a lot to build the guesthouse in a sustainable way – the villa and rooms are made of repurposed  / upcycled materials salvaged from inhabited traditional Kerala houses, there is an organic farm, and Haris Seashell employs a number of physically handicapped staff, to name but a few initiatives. We happened on this place by chance but were delighted to find  place that was doing so much to create a positive impact!

Check rates and availability for Haris Seashell Inn here .

Getting to and from Kannur

Kannur is well connected by railway north to Goa and Mumbai, and south to Kochi and the rest of Kerala. There’s reportedly a new airport for those coming from further afield. There are also buses connecting to the rest of Kerala and nearby Karnataka state. Our recommended mode of transport in India is by train.

Little heard of – outside of India at least – Wayanad is a tranquil uphill oasis of homestays, quiet villages, scenic winding roads that take you through wild forests, and is a place where you can truly escape.

Things to do in Wayanad

There’s no “centre” to Wayanad as such, so to the first time visitor it can take some time to get your bearings. Sights and activities are spread all over the region, so wherever you base yourself, some road travel will be involved. Our best tip is to pick somewhere quiet to stay, un-plug and relax to the backdrop of the peaceful Wayanad scenery. It’s better not to try to pack too much sightseeing in – but rather adapt to life at a slower pace.

Jeep Safaris.  Wildlife is a big attraction here, but we found our jeep drive at Tholpetty to be disappointing. After an early start and being inline at the forestry department by 6am to get our tickets, we got the second jeep out of the gates. We didn’t see anything apart from a few deer.

Unfortunately the “Safari” consists of a 30 minute drive through the section of national park that is right next to the road, in a line of about 20 jeeps. If you’re more than the second or third jeep in, your chances of seeing wildlife are likely non-existent. We should probably be happy that this means less interference for the animals! As an alternative, safaris at Muthunga are reportedly better than Tholpetty – and even better are the wildlife opportunities in neighbouring Karnataka state.

Beyond the safaris, there are beautiful lakes to visit  and countless hikes one can go on. There are several different boating lakes. Pookode lake has pedals-style boating (we did not visit here) and Banasura Sagar Dam is the place to go for those needing an adrenaline kick – on a speedboat. There is also a slow ferry that you can go on around the lake, at 12 midday.

Homestays in Wayanad

We were lucky enough to stay in two amazing homestays in Wayanad.

The first we found through I-likelocal.com – our go to website for homestays and responsible tourism activities in Asia. We planned to stay one night in a homestay on a working coffee plantation, but our one night turned into four nights! In a simple cabin away from the main house and down a bamboo walkway, we were surrounded by trees and jungle.

Our shady balcony was the perfect spot to relax and read, practice a little meditation, and just enjoy the sound of the birds. Hosted by a welcoming couple, the homestay is the family home and plantation of Sunil, who is also a responsible tourism advocate. We enjoyed chatting about the development of tourism in Wayanad over many a cup of home-grown coffee. 

The homestay is a short distance (15 minutes by rickshaw) from Meenangady, which is a small town with some simple but good thali and dosa restaurants and is a regional transport hub.

Find more information and rates for i-like local homestays here .

Our second homestay in Wayanad was with the inspiring  Kabani Tour  which we found through Visit.org. Kabani Community tourism have set up two village community tourism projects in Kerala and are currently working on a third. Promoting “thoughtful travel”, their concept is one that revolves around travellers experiencing village life through homestays, meeting village elders, learning more about traditional life through guided walks and learning more about traditions. Revenue is then reinvested directly into the community from these activities.

We went to the Kabani village of Mothakara which is famous for its Women-to-Women travel initiatives. Set among villages of winding lanes, emerald paddy fields, and extended lolly-pop shape betel-nut trees, this village is a truly peaceful place. Local women from the village have been trained in guiding and showing (female) visitors to the village, the ways of local village life. These women previously had no employment opportunities, but rather were housewives.

Through the Women to Women travel project they have been given the opportunity to expand their horizons through interactions with visitors to the village, and also to earn additional income for the family. Initially the women did not have any English language skills, and relied on communicating through gestures, expressions, and through their hearts. Over time, English words have been exchanged and learned, and the project has continued to grow. These days these even a guesthouse run entirely by this inspiring team of women. Unfortunately during our visit, the women guide team were oversubscribed and so we didn’t get to experience their project in full; however we did get to meet the charming Radha. 

Our homestay – where we stayed in our host family’s house – was the soft bed and crisp cotton sheets kind of comfortable, and we were served some of the most delicious home-cooked food during all of our time in Kerala.

Find out more info and book Kabani’s Women-to-Women tour here . 

Responsible Travel in Wayanad

Despite Wayanad being little known and considered “off the beaten path” outside of India, it is a different story within India. Wayanad has become / is becoming a popular escape for weekenders from Bangalore and the visitor footfall (or carfall) is steadily increasing. As such Wayanad’s blissful peace and quiet is coming under pressure from tourism, too. Do your bit to leave a positive impact from your visit by taking time to learn about the local culture, respecting the environment by not littering (even better – avoid plastic bottled water) or causing noise pollution (being noisy) and consider staying somewhere that supports eco friendly travel.

We did not have time to visit all of the ecotourism options in Wayanad, so here are some suggestions beyond our experiences above:

Eco Friendly Hotels / Resorts in Wayanad

• Uravu Bamboo Grove is an award winning sustainable lodge, with design-led rooms surrounded by nature.
• An award-winning sustainable guest house set high up in the Wayanad hills, Fringe Ford  is a place that prides itself on being “as cut off from the world as you can get” (we think that’s a good thing!).
• Award winning CGH Earth’s property Wayanad Wild  offers a luxury escape deep into the forest

Wayanad Responsible Tourism Tours & Activities

The best way to support responsible tourism in Wayanad is to be environmentally sensitive (e.g. avoiding plastic and limiting your water use), using public transportation if possible to reduce the number of cars on the road, and to be respectful of wildlife. There are a number of operators offering ways to connect with the local culture and community on your trip, here are a few resources (we did not use all of them, but they are all reputable and highly regarded organisations.

• I-like Local offer a number of Farmstays, Homestays and responsible experiences
• The Blue Yonder offer trips including day activities throughout Kerala.
• Many of the accommodations listed above will be able to help you arrange activities during your stay in Wayanad.

Getting to and from Wayanad

Wayanad is easily accessible from the northern Kerala cities of Calicut (Khozikode) and Kannur. There are also connections to Cochin, Bangalore, Mysore and other major regional hubs. There are more frequent bus services to Calicut, although you can take a direct bus from Mananthadvady to Kannur. There are no railway connection to / from Wayanad. Most buses are run by KSRTC but we found the redbus website far more helpful.

Central Kerala

Kochi / cochin.

Kochi / Cochin (the town’s old name)  is one of Kerala’s most popular tourism spots and transport hubs, and so the starting point for many travellers in Kerala. It’s possible to spend many a day wandering the old lanes of Fort Cochin between colonial houses, organic cafes, art galleries, churches and boutiques. Note that Cochin is quite separate (it is an island) from the mainland town of Ernakulam, where all major transport arrives and departs from.

Things to do in Kochi

Kathakali Performances  – for many visitors, a Kathalkali performance is on their list – this is a chance to see traditional Keralan dance and music, complete with incredible makeup and costumes. The Kerala Kathakali Centre is the most authentic theatre to see this at.

Exploring Fort  Cochin –  taking in its churches, museums and even Synagogues. As an old trading and naval outpost, over the last 600 years, Kochi has seen the arrival of many immigrants of different nationalities and religions – from Portuguese to Dutch, to British to Arabic traders. There’s an Indo-Portugese museum, a Dutch cemetery, as well as several beautiful churches to explore such as the Santa-Cruz basilica. There’s also a growing number of art galleries (often with cafe), such as the Kashi Art Gallery.

Shopping –  there are plenty of artisan style shops in Fort Kochi, making it something of a shoppers paradise. Many shops sell organic toiletries and ayurveda products, and lovely Aambal is an eco clothing store  which sells hand-woven, natural and handmade and recycled fashion.

Eating –  There are plenty of cafes lining the streets of Fort Kochi, and if you’ve been on the road for a while, this is a good place to splurge on western treats aka good pizza and avocado wraps with a good latte. It does come at a price though. The local fare is much bewe dtter priced, usually more delicious, and we got bitten by the traditional Keralan Thali bug, at the Solar Cafe . For a truly authentic dining experience head to Authenticook to arrange to dine in someone’s house. We were hosted by the charming and kind Bindu at her home in Ernakulam and enjoyed a delicious brunch.

Take a day trip (or longer) to Marari Beach –  The beaches at Kochi itself are grubby (at best) but head an hour and a half or so south, and the lovely Marari beach awaits. Rent a two-wheeler and drive straight south through paddy fields, small towns, and backwater scenery. Marari beach (also known as Mararikulam) itself is as yet not very developed, and is a pretty stretch of sand with clean water for swimming. Accommodation options nearby vary widely in quality if you want to stay longer – the shacks on the beach looked decidedly dilapidated, whereas the Marari Beach hotel is fit for a king.

The Kerala Backwaters –  Kerala’s largest draw, you’ll likely be offered a backwater cruise (or two) during your time in Kochi. See more on arranging a backwaters trip below , we don’t recommend  booking it from Kochi due to high prices.

Where to Stay in Kochi

The Fort Kochi area is the place where most visitors stay – while there are plenty of hotels over in Ernakulam on the mainland that are useful for if you have an early / late bus or train to catch, most of the main attractions of Kochi are in the fort area. Homestays are the name of the game here, and the city has seen an explosion in them. Indeed you can’t walk more than a few meters without coming across a homestay sign. The word “homestay” has been applied in a liberal sense though – and these are usually just guesthouses with a number of rooms that are sold on a bed & breakfast basis, but hosts are usually very welcoming!

Because of the explosion of homestays in Fort Kochi, the centre can get a little crowded and there are no “eco-friendly” accommodation options as such in Kochi. For a quieter experience, head a little away from the fort. If travelling in December / January, book well in advance!

Check rates and book accommodation in Kochi here.  

Getting to and from Kochi

The main gateway to Kochi is Ernakulam. There are two train stations (on opposite sides of the city so please check which one your train arrives at/leaves from) Ernakulam Town (sometimes referred to as “North Railway” and Ernakulam Junction “South Railway”). Trains run north-south along the Indian coast and link directly to Mumbai, Goa, Karnataka, and southern Kerala. There are also direct trains across country to Bangalore, Chennai and even Delhi (46 hours!). Buses run routes from Ernakulam across the region.

Kochi airport is also located in Ernakulam about an hour away from Fort Kochi, and is remarkable for being fully run on solar energy! It’s a major hub and as well as domestic flights has connections to the Gulf countries, Sri Lanka, Maldives and Singapore.

Despite being one of Kerala’s major attractions this is one place that we failed to squeeze into our Kerala itinerary, except for passing through its scenic gardens. Tea is of course, the name of the game here and is the main draw, and most visitors come to soak up the ambience and enjoy being surrounded by the beauty of the tea gardens.

Munnar tea country resort is a sustainable accommodation option – they have implemented sustainable initiatives and are looking to reduce their footprint.

Find prices and book Munnar hotels here .

South Kerala

Thekkady & periyar tiger reserve.

Travelling inland and up into Kerala’s mountains – the Western Ghats – was one of the highlights of our Kerala trip. Winding through hills, tea plantations and around several hair pin bends, our bus journey (although bumpy) provided spectacular views. Thekkady is best known for Periyar National Park (or sometimes, rather optimistically known as Periyar Tiger Reserve) and many come here for a chance to see Kerala’s wildlife. It’s also, more simply, a chance to get away from the hot and humid air of the backwaters and coast.

Things to do in Thekkady and Periyar

Exploring Periyar –  Kerala’s Western Ghats are one of the largest refuges for wildlife in India, and Periyar National Park is one destination that tourists flock to, in the hopes of seeing wild elephant, leopards, tigers and more. There are various ways to explore the national park, but during our trip to Periyar  we found some to be far more enjoyable than others. While the boat trip on the lake felt like a foray into disneyland, we loved walking in the park in the early morning mist with our local guide (Periyar is one of the last remaining parks you can walk into), and we also loved our stay at Kerala’s most sustainable resort, in Thekaddy: Spice Village .

Learn about Tribal Communities near Periyar –  Periyar and the surrounding area are home to different tribal communities , including the Mannan, Paliyan and Malampandaram tribes. Such communities often leave a significantly different lifestyle from “mainstream” society, and as such are sometimes marginalised. They have an unprecedented knowledge of the forest areas, and are now benefitting from the tourism that comes from Periyar through a number of ecotourism initiatives. You can support the people who have relied on the forest in the past by taking a walk or trek with one of the village guides, or going to visit the Tribal Heritage Museum in Thekkady.

Seeing Wildlife – While we loved our visit to Thekkady and our stay, if your primary motive for visiting is to spot wildlife, you may be disappointed. Due to crowds, many animals hide deep in the forest. And we can’t say we blame them! Get the full low down on visiting Thekkady and Periyar in our post here .

Where to Stay in Thekkady and Periyar

The highlight of our time in Thekkady was without doubt our stay at the beautiful and very eco-friendly Spice Village Resort . This resort has won awards for its environmental and community initiatives, and no wonder… the resort is powered by a solar plant the size of a football pitch,  they have their own water filtering and bottling plant, a paper recycling operation (all paper you’ll find in the hotel is recycled), several types of compost, biogas, and the list goes on. It’s also a beautiful place to relax – designed as a traditional spice village, the cottages are well spaced out and set among tranquil gardens, where black monkeys and birds rest peacefully over head. You will not want to leave!

Check rates and book Spice Village Resort here . 

There are a few other small eco-friendly lodges and smaller accommodations such as Indhrivanam, a vegan and eco friendly homestay, however we did not have time to check out their credentials in person.

Check rates and book Indhrivanam here . 

Kerala Backwaters

The number one tourism draw in Kerala (and possibly southern India) are the Kerala backwaters, and the chance to take a cruise along them. Over recent years images of floating quietly and serenely through Keralan villages on a converted traditional Keralan rice barge, surveying life, warm chai in hand, have drawn in the crowds. After all, who wouldn’t be tempted by such a blissful watery escape?

Over the last ten years, crowds have flocked in steadily increasing numbers to Alleppey (Allaphuza) which – somewhat prophetically if not wistfully – has been self-dubbed as the  Venice of the East.  What were once tranquil backwaters have become noisy, congested with tourists and polluted in many parts – due to poor regulation of houseboat tourism and overcrowding. Where tourism was once seen as a blessing by locals, it has now become a bit of a curse. The inky black waters of Alleppey itself tell of a different side to the Kerala backwaters .

To Houseboat or not to Houseboat?

One of the biggest culprits in spoiling the backwaters has been houseboat tourism. There is no accurate figure for how many houseboats are currently in operation, while un-registered houseboats have been clamped down on since 2015, the number of houseboats have still been growing. In recent efforts to curb houseboat tourism growth further, Kerala tourism recently introduced a measure as part of their Kerala Responsible Tourism mission that prevented any new licences being granted for new houseboats on the Kerala backwaters. Results, however have yet to be seen, and sources say that it’s not working: when a ship retires from service, the licence is simply “recycled” for a new houseboat – meaning little to any reduction in the number of houseboats. During our time in Alleppey we saw rows on rows of houseboats moored just outside the town, hoping for customers.

So what’s the the problem with the houseboats? Essentially the damage that they cause falls into a few different categories. The most obvious is their environmental impact – 95% of houseboats are diesel powered, and that fuel often leaks into the waters. Many boats are high-end and offer air-conditioning, meaning the constant burning of fuel on board to power the boat and generators. There are no sewage treatment facilities on the boats meaning that sewage is dumped directly overboard, and there’s no waste disposal either – meaning that the plastic water bottles you drink from usually go straight over the side too.

This pollution has impacted water quality, and fishermen have reported a decline in fish and prawn stocks in areas frequented by houseboats, meaning a direct impact on the livelihood of fishing communities in the backwaters. For many villages, their only water supply is from the backwater channels themselves for cooking and even drinking – more shockingly only a fraction of villagers reported boiling or treating the water in any way before drinking it. In the agricultural sector there has been an effect too, with concerns over polluted paddy fields, damage to rice crops, and even labourers becoming reluctant to work in the polluted fields.

Then there is the noise pollution for locals from the passing boats (many of which blare (awful) music loudly), and the lack of economic or social benefit for most locals from houseboat tourism. Houseboat tourism was initially thought to provide economic benefits to locals by providing jobs on boats, but in reality the high prices that tourists pay for their houseboat experience rarely reach the villagers who need to deal with the effects of the passing boats. Rather the money goes to companies and private individuals who often own large numbers of houseboats. Granted there are jobs on the boats, but this number is small compared to the number who feel the effect of pollution in the backwaters.

For all of these reasons we decided not to go on a houseboat cruise in Alleppey or elsewhere on the Kerala backwaters, and we don’t recommend it.

Exploring the Backwaters Responsibly

But what about my backwaters dream? Worry not – there are some less damaging ways to enjoy Kerala’s watery scenery. In general, these consist of either taking public ferry routes that are already in service, and/or staying on land next to the backwaters. Choosing to use existing infrastructure helps to keep our footprint lower and brings more benefit to locals, particularly in the case of choosing to stay in existing accommodation, particularly if it is homestays or on a small scale.

One of the best places to stay next to the backwaters and enjoy all their beauty, without supporting houseboats is Kumarakom – more on that below!

Alleppey (Allappuzha)

Alleppey is backpacker central and ground zero for backwater cruises – expect wherever you stay to persist with offering you houseboat services during your stay. We however enjoyed our time in Alleppey (we spent nearly a week there) and found it to be a great town for unwinding, with good wifi for when we needed to catch up on work, good food, and plenty of facilities.

Things to do in Alleppey

The Beach – away from the backwaters scene, Alleppey is blessed in being located both on the ocean with its own long beach, and on the edge of the backwaters. The beach itself is a nice stretch, and has a number of accommodation options, and cafes. We loved strolling the beach at evening time when the bhaji and chai wallahs come out to sell their tasty snacks, and the beach becomes a popular gathering point for families and couples. The beach is reportedly safe for swimming although take care as the waves can get strong. The beach is quite touristy and you’ll see plenty of pale skinned visitors in their swimwear, but we recommend ladies to cover up with a sarong while not swimming.

Take the Local Ferry  – ferries go on a number of different routes leaving from Alleppey and are a chance to see the backwaters, the local way. We took the morning ferry to Kottayam (3 hours) and returned the same day at 3pm from Kottayam to Alleppey. It made for quite a long day on the boat, but we loved the experience of sitting in the well ventilated boat and seeing local life. The 3pm return ferry to Alleppey was filled with school children ( please do not give them pens as this encourages begging from tourists ) giving us plenty of opportunity to chat and practice their English. You can find the Kerala Water Transport Dept schedules here .

Go on a Walk of Old Alleppey –  The Award Winning Preserve Alleppey Society , started by a group of local ladies, was created due to the need to preserve the character of Alleppey. In a country where it is uncommon for women to be able to work as guides or in tourism, this is a cause well worth supporting to encourage the work of women in tourism, and also to see the original character of Alleppey. The ladies offer guided walks of Alleppey and cooking classes.

Where to Stay in Alleppey

Like other tourism hotspots, Alleppey has seen a surge in accommodation options over recent years, and is suffering from the problem of too many homestays and hotels being opened. When we visited, homestays were complaining of being empty (despite us visiting in January – supposedly high season). Homestays also vary hugely in quality. We moved quickly from our first homestay which we did not like until we found Heritage Homestay (below).

We loved our time at Heritage Homestay – a very simple, locally owned place with two big and airy rooms at the front – which immediately felt like home to us. Run by the charming and very kind Johnny and his team, the homestay is located about 10 minutes walk from the beach.

Check prices and book Heritage Homestay here .

Nestled on the opposite bank of Lake Vembanad from Alleppey, Kumarakom is the perfect place to slow down and experience the backwaters (from shore) at their most peaceful. The lake is large and looks like an inland sea, providing the perfect backdrop for beautiful sunsets over the water. Kumarakom is also one of the locations where Kerala tourism is implementing more sustainable measures: many hotels and tour companies are part of an initiative to minimise their environmental impact and make sure that products are procured locally where possible, helping to maximise the economic benefit that goes back to locals.

Things to do in Kumarakom

Enjoy life at a slow pace – possibly the best thing to do in Kumarakom is – not much! Our best memories were of sitting back and watching the sunset from the serenity of Coconut Lagoon (below). Taking a quiet stroll along the backwaters and through villages is a great way to get a sense of local life here.

Visit Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary –  This is one of the best bird sanctuaries in India, with many rare species being sighted particularly during the monsoon months of June, July and August.

Where to Stay in Kumarakom

We loved our stay at Coconut Lagoon , one of CGH Earth’s most beautiful properties. The experience here is unique, the only way to arrive and leave here is by boat. The resort has been hard at work at sustainability too, and is part of the Kumarakom responsible tourism initiatives. Wake up to the sight of passing boats and the resort’s own rare breed “lawnmowers” (aka cows). There’s also a renowned Ayurveda centre on property.

Find more info and book Coconut Lagoon here .

Getting to and from Kumarakom

One way to reach Kumarakom is by boat, there is a ferry service to Muhamma on the other side of Lake Vembanand, near Marari beach. Services are not that regular though, so you may find taxi / private transfer is the easiest way to get here. There is no train station or direct buses to Kumarakom. 

Kollam (formerly known as Quillon) is another quiet alternative for exploring Kerala’s backwaters, this time from the southern end, and it’s also a colourful former fishing town set on the Arabian sea. It’s a great place to get off Kerala’s beaten tourist path for a couple of days if you want something a bit different. Outside our guesthouse, we didn’t see any other foreigners during the three days we spent here. 

Things to do in Kollam

Ashtamudi Lake –  Away from from the beach and on the other side of Kollam lies Ashtamudi lake, which forms the southern end of Kerala’s backwaters. The lake offers opportunities for boat trips to Monroe island in the lake and exploring village life – there are fishing villages dotted around the lake. The government run boat trips are cheaper than the same itinerary offered by private companies. There’s also a ferry that goes all the way to Alleppey from Kollam. 

Beach & Tangasseri Lighthouse –  head a little south of the centre of Kollam and there’s a beach (nothing spectacular) and a pretty fishing harbour filled with colourful boats. Tangasseri lighthouse, standing tall in red and white stripes is a good lookout point across the town and out to sea – climb up the stairs for your daily dose of cardio. A visit just before sunset provides the best light. 

Where to Stay in Kollam

We struck gold with our choice of Ashtamudi Villas, a small and peaceful retreat with about eight bungalows on the banks of Ashtamudi lake. The resort is largely eco-friendly, with a focus on using natural materials and reducing waste, and it is the perfect spot for lounging in the gardens in a hammock and just reading a book while fishermen pass in their dug out canoes just a few meters away. Mr Joseph, the owner, also runs boat trips to small channels and villages around the lake. 

Find more info and book Ashtamudi Villas here .  

In the south of Kerala along the Arabian sea, Varkala is fast becoming the new hippie destination of south India – some would say the next Goa. Set atop cliffs, Varkala is the place for sunsets, yoga, ayurveda and perfect turmeric lattes. We didn’t make it to Varkala, but given the number of people who told us we should go, we thought we’d include it in this guide! If you have tips to add, let us know in the comments section below. Alcohol is officially not permitted in Varkala, although you may find some places serving it. Seeing as tourism in Varkala is booming, so is a problem with plastic waste and (over) development. Please do your bit by avoiding plastic bottles wherever possible. 

Need a bit more help with your Kerala trip? We recommend G Adventures Tours. Find out more here!

Things to do in Varkala

The Beach –  we’ll start with the obvious, many come to Varkala to sit back and enjoy some sun, sea and sand. Varkala’s beach is set below cliffs – beaches become quieter and cleaner if you venture further north or south from town. Do watch out for currents and big waves while swimming as the waters here are known to be treacherous. 

Take to the Waves –  Surfing outfit Soul & Surf (who we loved during our visit to Sri Lanka ) offer surfing retreats, courses and lessons combined with yoga, massage and music. They work to minimise their impact and work with as many locals as possible. Their base in Varkala is at the top of the cliff, with prime view out to the ocean. More info here . 

Anjengo Fort & Lighthouse –  Sometimes spelt as Anchuthengu, 10km south of Varkala, this fort was built in 1696 as the first Malabar stronghold for the British East India company. Climb up the nearby lighthouse for views down onto the fort and coastline. 

Eat and Juice your way around town –  Varkala is full of trendy juice bars and organic cafes (the wifi may or not work), perfect for reading a book or a day away from the beach. 

Take time for yourself  with a yoga or ayurveda retreat – Ayurveda and Yoga options about in Varkala and there are many to choose from. Some offer one off treatments whereas others offer week+ long detox programs. Book Ayurveda and Yoga retreats in Varkala here . 

Where to Stay in Varkala

Puccini Lala Eco resort has an art cafe and eco friendly mud rooms, and is a conscious / sustainable living concept. They also offer healing and cooking classes. 

More info and book Puccini Lala here . 

The Bohemian Masala is an alternative eco retreat that has been built as handcrafted tribal herbal cottages – using a mixture of mud and traditional ayurvedic herbs that are sure to provide a restful and healing night’s sleep. The huts are set in gardens filled with hammocks and quiet spots for reading and relaxation. 

More info and book Bohemian Masala here . 

Getting to and from Varkala

The best way to reach and leave Varkala is by train; trains leave for Kollam, Alleppey and Ernakulam to the north, and to Trivandrum to the south (which has regular connections). There are also buses to Trivandrum and Kollam. 

Have you been to Kerala or are you adding it to your “ bucket list”? Let us know about your Kerala experiences in the comments below. 

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Passionate about all things India travel - journeys of transformation and discovery, local experiences, and getting under the skin of India.

Copyright Soul Travel India 2022, All rights reserved. This website uses compensated affiliate links. 

Tourist Places to Visit for 5 Days in Kerala India

The state of Kerala in India is known by its moniker of ‘God’s Own Country’. After spending 5 days in Kerala, it’s not hard to see why. The state is filled with stunning natural beauty from tranquil backwaters to verdant tea plantations and tropical beaches. A confluence of religions also coexists in Kerala, including Christians, Hindus, Muslims and Jains. This Kerala itinerary covers the best places to visit in Kerala in 5 days.

Note: This post contains affiliate links. This means that if you click on a link, I may make a small commission at no additional cost to you.

Kerala Itinerary Overview

Best time to visit kerala.

The best time to visit Kerala is in the winter from October to March. Don’t let the ‘winter’ label fool you, as the weather during this season is pleasant, hot but not humid and outside the main monsoon season.

Kerala’s weather gets rather hot and humid in April and May, and then turns monsoonal from June to September. We visited in January, when the weather was hot and dry, but not wet or humid. In other words, just perfect!

Getting Around Kerala

Once you’re on the ground, it’s super easy to get around Kerala. While you can hire a private driver for the duration of your trip, there’s actually no need at all to book transport in advance. Rather, your accommodation will be able to hook you up with transport to your next location, with very reasonable rates for private drivers or taxis.

Kerala 5 Day Itinerary

In 5 days in Kerala, you’ll comfortably have time to visit Fort Kochi (1 night), stay on a houseboat in the Kerala backwaters (2 nights), and visit either the inland hill country (and tea plantations) or the coastal beach (1 night). We opted for the hill country, as we feel it’s more unique to the region and we can take beach holidays many places around Asia.

If you really want to pack in everything that Kerala has to offer, then adjust this Kerala 5 day itinerary to spend 1 night in Fort Kochi, 1 night on a houseboat, 1 night in Munnar for the tea plantations and 1 night at the beach. Disclaimer: This will be pretty rushed and will involve a lot of driving.

Even better, extend your Kerala itinerary and spend an additional night or two at each location. Kerala is a beautiful and relaxing place, and I could easily have spent a few extra days whiling away life on a houseboat. And don’t forget to factor transfer times into your itinerary – the roads can be slow, narrow and windy. Read on for a more detailed breakdown of your perfect 5 day Kerala itinerary.

Day 1: Fort Kochi

Start your Kerala trip with a day exploring Fort Kochi, a charming historic beach town in central Kerala. Fort Kochi is famous for unique Chinese fishing nets that line the shores of the beach, and has a blend of Dutch, Portuguese and British colonial architecture. Fort Kochi is very compact, so is easy to explore in just one day.

How to Get to Fort Kochi

Kochi is the best place to start your Kerala itinerary, as Cochin Airport is the largest airport in Kerala. Cochin Airport is served by direct flights from many domestic and international locations.

The drive from Cochin Airport to Fort Kochi is around 1 to 1.5 hours, depending on traffic. You can organise a pick up with your hotel in advance, or grab an airport taxi for around 1350 rupees / US$18.

Fort Kochi Itinerary

The very best things to do in Fort Kochi can be visited in one full day, although there’s certainly enough going on to keep you entertained for 2-3 days.

To make the most of a short time in Fort Kochi, I recommend starting your day with a tuk tuk tour of Fort Kochi . Tuk tuk tours typically cost a very reasonable US$15-20 per person for around 4 hours. The tours will take you to the best spots in Fort Kochi and nearby Mattancherry, including the Chinese fishing nets, spice markets and various temples, churches and palaces.

If you prefer to explore alone, spend the morning sightseeing in Fort Kochi on foot before it gets too hot. Visit the following spots:

Beach Front: Get started with a stroll along Fort Kochi beach and Mahatma Gandhi Beach. In between the beaches, stop to check out the 18th century Dutch Cemetery with over 100 tombs and the ruins of Fort Emmanuel.

Chinese Fishing Nets: Just past Mahatma Gandhi Beach, you’ll find the impressive (and rather massive!) Chinese fishing nets. The fishing nets were introduced to Kochi by Chinese explorers over 500 years ago. The cantilevered design means that the large nets can be operated by 4 to 6 local fishermen. It’s strangely mesmerising to watch the nets slowly bob up and down catching fish.

St Francis Church: St Francis Church is just a few minutes walk from the Chinese Fishing nets near River Road. It’s one of the oldest European Churches in India, and has a gorgeous faded facade with a small bell tower.

Santa Cruz Basilica: Continuing the church theme, Santa Cruz Basilica (photo above) is an utterly impressive basilica straight out of a fairytale. The basilica features towering white spires with intricate detailing, and gothic pastel interiors filled with murals, frescoes and ceiling paintings. The basilica is on Bastian St, around 5 minutes walk from St Francis Church.

Jew Town: Jump in a tuk tuk and head around 2.5km southeast to Jew Town, a historic Jewish area in Mattancherry. Wander around the local spice markets and antique shops, and put your bartering skills to the test! Don’t miss the Paradesi Synagogue, the oldest remaining synagogue in the British Commonwealth dating back to 1568.

Mattancherry Palace: If you have time, visit Mattancherry Palace just five minutes walk from Jew Town. Mattancherry Palace is a large palace with a mix of Kerala and colonial styles, which is also known as the Dutch Palace.

Depending on your start time and pace, the tuk tuk tour or independent sightseeing should take you through to lunchtime or early afternoon. In the afternoon, why not take it down a notch and relax. (You are on holiday after all!)

Have a lazy lunch at one of the upscale hotels along the waterfront, such as Brunton Boatyard (which I loved) or Fort House Hotel. After lunch, meander through the historic colonial streets of Fort Kochi which are packed with shops, cafes and art galleries, including cute Princess St. Afternoons in Fort Kochi can get pipping hot and humid, so finish your day with a relaxing swim and cocktail at the hotel pool.

Fort Kochi Accommodation

Fort Kochi has a wide range of hotels to suit every budget and taste.

Luxury ($$$): If you have cash to splash, then you can’t go past the gorgeous colonial hotels in Fort Kochi. We adored the lovely Forte Kochi Hotel  (photo above), a beautifully restored colonial hotel in the heart of Fort Kochi with a great swimming pool. If you prefer to be on the waterfront, check out Brunton Boatyard where we loved the restaurant with harbour views.

Check Forte Kochi Rates:   Booking.com  |  Agoda

Check Brunton Boatyard Rates: Booking.com | Agoda

Mid-range ($$): For a mid-range hotel right on the Fort Kochi harbour, check out Fragrant Nature Fort Kochi . The hotel boasts a pool, multiple restaurants and harbour views.

Check Fragrant Nature Rates: Booking.com | Agoda

Budget ($): When I was debating whether go el-budgo in Kerala, I was tempted by the Coconut Grove Homestay , a really reasonably priced and well reviewed homestay in Fort Kochi. Tossing up between a luxury Kochi hotel and a luxury Kerala houseboat? I recommend saving your pennies for the houseboat as you’ll be spending much more time on the houseboat than in your hotel!

Check Coconut Grove Homestay Rates: Booking.com | Agoda

Days 2 and 3: Kerala Houseboat

Staying on a houseboat and cruising around the tranquil backwaters is probably the quintessential Kerala bucket list activity. It is bound to be one of the most relaxing holidays you’ll ever take, as there’s literally nothing to do other than chill out on the boat’s deck and watch the incredible natural beauty of the backwaters.

The Kerala backwaters are a network of around 900km of waterways made up of interconnected lakes, canals, rivers and lagoons, surrounded by lush rice fields and small villages. Houseboats float along the beautiful waterways, docking up for meals and overnight stays.

How to Get to Kerala Houseboats

The main area where houseboats depart from is Alleppey (also known as Alapphuzha), around 60km south of Fort Kochi or 80km south of Cochin Airport. The roads are a little slow, so expect the drive from Fort Kochi to Alleppey to take around 1.5 to 2 hours.

The easiest way to get from Kochi to Alleppey to join your houseboat is to ask your hotel to organise a transfer. Our Kochi hotel organised a transfer in one of the hotel’s super comfortable cars for 3500 rupees / US$45. If you’re travelling on a budget, you can get a taxi or transfer for as little as 1500 rupees $US20.

Kerala Houseboat Itinerary

I recommend staying on a Kerala houseboat for 2 nights. Why? The longer you spend on the houseboat, the further away from civilisation (read: other houseboats) you’ll get. If you only stay the day or one night on a houseboat, then you’ll spend a lot of time around the main lake area and nearby canals which are packed with houseboats and tend to have more rubbish. Plus, the houseboats need to be back at the main dock at around 9am, so a one night stay can feel quite short. However, if you’re easily bored and like to keep busy with activities on holidays, then one night might be enough for you.

A typical itinerary on a Kerala houseboat starts at around 12pm. After introductions and a welcome drink, you’ll putter along the lakes and canals for an hour or two before docking the boat at a beautiful spot for lunch. Meals on the houseboat can be quite an affair, with multiple delish curry and vege dishes, served with rice, bread and sauces. Houseboats do not serve alcohol, but will usually happily chill wine or beer for you if you want to bring your own along.

After lunch, you’ll set away again for an afternoon of cruising around the backwaters soaking up the incredible lush green scenery, and maybe stopping at a local village or going for a canoe ride. The boat will dock overnight at around 5:30pm (overnight cruising is not permitted) just before the sun goes down, which makes for the perfect time for a walk along the banks by the rice paddies before dinner.

On day 2, you’ll do it all over again, venturing even further into the backwaters. Make sure you stock up on books, movies, podcasts, games … whatever’s your jam to keep you entertained. Houseboats generally don’t have wifi, so download your choice of entertainment in advance. For those yearning to hark back to a simpler era, switch off the devices, and spend your time watching the world go by and reading books.

On day 3, you’ll head back to the Alleppey bright and early after breakfast. The boats arrive back in Alleppey at around 9am, ready for cleaning before the next lot of guests board.

Kerala Houseboat Accommodation

Kerala houseboats are made in a similar traditional style, called the ’Kettuvallam‘ with a thatched roof and simple design. Most houseboats have bedrooms and bathrooms down the hallway, and an open dining area / deck out the front, sometimes with an upper relaxation deck. The boats come in all sizes from private 2 people boats to large shared boats, and from budget to luxury.

There’s two main options to secure your houseboat. First, book one in advance online. Second (and most common), rock up to Alleppey, walk the docks and negotiate the rate and inclusions for your preferred boat.

While you can get great deals on the spot, I preferred to have a houseboat booked in advance as we only had five nights in Kerala and were visiting over a busy public holiday, so didn’t want to risk wasting time or missing out on a boat.

We opted for the luxury Xandari Riverscapes and honestly couldn’t have been happier. Yup, it’s a little more exxie price wise, but our private boat was spacious, clean and comfortable, with 3 dedicated staff, incredible fresh tasty food, and (my personal fav) a lounging deck up top for the ultimate in relaxation. We were even upgraded to a larger boat on arrival at no cost! I highly recommend snagging a top deck if you can, as otherwise you’ll be spending your time relaxing downstairs with the driver.

Check Xandari Riverscape Rates: Booking.com | Agoda

Days 4 and 5: Kerala Hill Country

For the final leg of your 5 day Kerala itinerary, choose between the verdant inland hill country or the tropical coastal beaches. In the hill country, you’ll find green every which way you look, with picturesque tea plantations and rubber plantations. The hill country is the perfect option for hikers.

How to Get to the Kerala Hill Country

In the Kerala hill country, most people visit the hill station Munnar which is nestled in amongst picturesque tea plantations. Munnar is around 150km northeast of Alleppey, or 4-5 hours drive (yup, those slow roads again!). If you’re finishing your Kerala trip by flying out of Cochin Airport, it will then take around 130km / 4 hours drive back from Munnar to the airport.

For us, this was a little too long on the road for just one night. We opted to stay roughly halfway between Kochi and Munnar at Windermere River House, in Inchathotty near the small town of Neriamangalam. While it’s not quite as beautiful as Munnar, the estate is set on a lovely river in a rubber plantation. The drive is around 125km / 3-3.5 hours from Alleppey to Windermere River House. It’s then another 56km / 1.5 hours from Windermere River House back to Cochin Airport.

Kerala Hill Country Itinerary

If you’re staying in Munnar, the area is all about the natural beauty of the great outdoors. If you only have one day in Munnar, take your pick from these breathtakingly beautiful activities:

Tea Plantations: Munnar is all about the beautiful tea plantations. You can visit a tea plantation, stroll through the green tea gardens, and see how tea is made at the tea factory.

Photo Point: As the name might suggest, Photo Point is a beautiful spot to take photographs, due to the tea plantations on both sides and mountain backdrop. Photo Point is around 3km from Munnar.

Echo Point: Around 15km past Photo Point, you’ll reach Echo Point. At Echo Point, you can hear your voice reverberate right back at you. As with most places in Munnar, the scenery is also pretty stunning!

Top Station Viewpoint: Drive for another 17km past Echo Point to reach Top Station, which offers panoramic views of the Western Ghats mountain range. Allow 1-1.5 hours for the return drive to Munnar.

Eravikulam National Park: For animal lovers, visit Eravikulam National Park around 8km north of Munnar. The highlight here is the rare but friendly Nilgiri Tahr.

Munnar Hiking: If you have longer than a day, take your time and hike to Top Station, wander through the tea plantations or venture on another Munnar hike .

If you decide to visit Windermere River House instead of Munnar, spend you days relaxing by the incredible infinity pool overlooking the river, cycle up the road, and talk a walk through the rubber plantation with the resident naturalist.

Kerala Hill Country Accommodation

Munnar & Surrounds

There’s a lot of gorgeous accommodation in and around Munnar. The main feature here is the spectacular scenery and not the towns, so there’s no need to stay anywhere particularly central. Depending on your budget, some good options are:

Luxury ($$$): For a remote luxury retreat, check out SpiceTree Munnar . The resort offers jacuzzi and spa suites and even a villa with a private pool. SpiceTree is in a cardamom plantation around 1 hour drive from Munnar, so is perfect for those looking for nature and solitude.

Check SpiceTree Rates: Booking.com | Agoda

Mid-Range ($$): Neelakurunji Luxury Plantation Bungalow is another great option nestled in a cardamom plantation. Choose from one of 10 lovely rooms in 4 bungalows.

Check Neelakurunji Bungalow Rates: Booking.com | Agoda

Budget ($): Okay, it may not exactly qualify as budget, but if you want relatively affordable accommodation surrounded by tea plantations, then a good option is Tea Valley Resort . The resort has a range of rooms and cottages with and without views, and is around 11km south of Munnar.

Check Tea Valley Rates: Booking.com | Agoda

Inchathotty

If you want to reduce driving time and don’t mind missing out on the tea plantations, then I can highly recommend the luxury Windermere River House (photo above).

Windermere River House is a gorgeous colonial bungalow perched on the Periyar River and surrounded by two acres of gardens. The rooms are grand and comfortable, with verandahs for relaxing. The local chef whips up Kerala style fare (no menu) in the open air restaurant, and the resident naturalist takes guests for walks to discover local flora and fauna, including the rather surreal and incredibly gorgeous Malabar Giant Squirrel. If you simply prefer to relax, chill out in the infinity pool overlooking the river.

Check Windermere River House Rates: Booking.com | Agoda

Kerala Itinerary Option or Extension: Kerala Beaches

If you prefer the beach to the countryside or have longer in your Kerala itinerary, then you may wish to visit the beautiful Kerala beaches instead or or in addition to the hill country. (You know, just in case you hadn’t done enough relaxing in Kerala yet.) The coast is lined with beaches, so find a spot at your favourite or spend your days beach hopping.

While there’s plenty of beaches to choose from in Kerala , the beaches most commonly featured on Kerala itineraries are Kovalam and Varkala.

Kovalam Beach is a busy beach with two pretty coves (Hawa and Lighthouse), with plenty of choices of restaurants. Kovalam is around 240km south of Cochin Airport (around 5.5 – 6 hours drive), or around 160km south of Alleppey (around 3.5 – 4 hours drive).

Want to stay in Kovalam? Check out Kovalam accommodation options .

Varkala Beach is a little more chilled than Kovalam, but still touristy with lots of beach activities and beach bars. Varkala is or around 200km south of Cochin Airport (around 4.5 – 5 hours drive) or around 120km south of Alleppey (around 2.5 – 3 hours drive).

Varkala more your style? Check out Varkala accommodation options .

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It is easy for you if you can visit for a 5 days trip to Kerala. Places to be covered Munnar, thekkady, alleppey and cochin beaches. Thanks for sharing all these wonderful information.

Kerala is major contribution in South India travels and exploration. Do keep posting such relevant content.

I am flying out of Singapore. Which airport which I land in? Cochin?

Yes, Cochin is the best option for flights from Singapore to Kerala. Enjoy!

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Kerala Tourism

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We have a few travel tips for all our visitors to ensure their trips run smoothly and that they have a great time in God's Own Country.

There is no limit to the amount of foreign currency that visitors can bring.

Banks are open for transaction from 10:00 - 15:30 hrs on weekdays and on First and third Saturdays. Second and Fourth Saturdays will be holidays.

Credit Cards

Main hotels, restaurants and shopping centres honour major credit cards.

(Hours fast (+), slow (-) on IST) USA: -10.30, Germany: - 4.30, Canada: - 10.30, France: - 4.30, Australia: + 4.30, Spain: - 4.30, UAE: - 1.30, UK: - 5:30.

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High season: September-May Monsoon Rejuvenation programmes : June-August

Cotton outfits; hats, sunglasses, sunscreen lotion etc.

Heavy penalties including imprisonment for possession of narcotic drugs.

Go only to those Ayurveda centres that are classified/approved by the Department of Tourism. Click here to see the list

All standard restaurants offer a variety of cuisines including Continental, Chinese, Indian and typical Kerala food.

Emergency Numbers

Police control room: 100 Fire station: 101 Ambulance: 102, 108

Police Helpline

While traveling on Highways (Highway Alert Number): 9846 100 100 While traveling in Trains (Railway Alert Number): 9846 200 100 Website: www.keralapolice.org

Temple Codes

Some temples do not permit entry to non-Hindus. Strict dress codes are followed in most of the temples. Footwear is banned inside the temple premises.

Nudity is not allowed in any Kerala beach.

Smoking is banned in public places.

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Visitors to most Kerala houses leave their footwear outside before entering the house.

Demonstrativeness in Public

Behaviour, demonstrating affection in public like hugging or kissing is not an accepted practice in Kerala.

Wildlife Sanctuaries

To visit a wildlife sanctuary, prior permission has to be taken from the authority concerned of the sanctuary. Website: www.forest.kerala.gov.in

For further enquiries, contact: The Chief Conservator of Forests, Thiruvananthapuram 695 014, Tel: + 91 471 2322217

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To know more about Kerala, visit the website of the Government of Kerala www.kerala.gov.in

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The Ultimate Kerala Travel Guide

India is a beautiful country. There are enchanting locations from its head to toe. Kashmir in the North has been the fancy of everyone around the world for a very long time but no more. Anyone now visiting  India  never flinches to have Kerala on their list. And why wouldn’t it be? For those visiting, here’s the ultimate Kerala travel guide to help plan your trip to this beautiful region.

Kerala is a wondrous state and accommodates so many physical features ranging from the  seas, the mountains and everything in-between . So, when you are visiting Kerala the next time, make sure you are not missing on any of the below-listed places.

Kerala Travel Guide

Our Kerala travel guide includes how to get to Kerala as well as the best places to visit in Kerala, including the not-to-miss Kerala beaches!

Getting to Kerala

A very important thing to take care of, while travelling in Kerala is the airport connectivity.  The 2 major airports in the state are in Kochi in the North and Thiruvananthapuram in the South.  So either you start your trip from the North going towards the South or the other way round.  This way you’ll be able to cover more places and use the time at your hand in the most optimum manner. You can view the Indian Railways schedule and book your tickets here , or search below.

Tourism in Kerala

It is one of those fully absorbing places that are highly praised for its excellent tourism infrastructure. You can enjoy being in the midst of wildlife sanctuaries, bird sanctuaries, lakes, hill stations as well as enjoy rich cultural festivals. You’ll be amazed at the outstanding structural design, villages and polite natives.    Vacationers also come here to resuscitate themselves at Ayurvedic Treatment & Spa Center. In fact, the whole state is a  picture-perfect tourist destination . On the other hand Kerala is more than tourist spot; it is also a destination used for  divine and intellectual exploration .

View some of the most popular Kerala tourism places and the activities that you can get up to here .

Wellness and yoga in Kerala

Kerala is a popular destination for yoga and wellness retreats. If you’re interesting in spending a few days immersed in either yoga, meditation or Ayurveda, we recommend checking out a few of the options available on Tripaneer .

Below are a few of the most popular retreats in Kerala:

• 7 Day Wellness Retreat with Yoga, Meditation, and Ayurveda in Kerala
• 10 Day Ayurveda Panchakarma Detox Retreat in Chalakudy, Kerala
• 28 Day Ayurveda Panchakarma and Yoga Retreat in Kerala
• 4 Day Relaxing Ayurveda Treatments and Yoga Retreat in Kerala

Nature in Kerala

On your tour of Kerala you will learn why the state is known as  “God’s Own Country” .

The rich culture and heritage of Kerala also attract nature lovers from all over the world. Once you step into this charming paradise, all other things will appear dull and fading. The good part is that you can enjoy all this abundance without making any big hole in your pocket.   You can explore the backwaters of Alleppey (read more about things to do in Alleppey ), beaches of Varkala, deep and dense forests of Thekkady, and the tea gardens of Munnar. The cool and crispy feel of this beautiful hill town called Munnar offers a perfect view to its tourists. Enjoy a hot cup of tea and overwhelm the sweet smell of pleasing surroundings.   Apart from these, you can visit harbors of Cochin, Kumarakom and incredible Wayanad.  The extensive mountains and thick and profound forests will give you an out-of-the-world and one-of-a-kind experience.

Kerala Travel Guide: Best places to visit in Kerala

Since there are so many beautiful Kerala destinations for its visitors, how about having a look at some of them? Yes, just dive into some of the most popular and enjoyed places of this paradise!

Kochi, also known as Cochin, is a  port city in Ernakulam district  of Kerala state. It is one of the popular tourist places in Kerala and also a good place for a Kerala Backwaters trip. The city of Kochi is the right amalgamation of the words ancient and modern. The dockyards with huge ships are a sight to see. One can cruise around the city to take a tour of it .  The main spots are the Mattancherry Palace, Jew town Willingdon Island, Fort Kochi, Marine Drive, Bolgatty Palace, St.Francis Church etc.

If here, you must witness the Chinese fishing nets at work .  Walk the lanes of Jew town and enrich in the Jewish and Portuguese influences this place has. You should also visit the Lulu Shopping mall.

Search for accommodation in Kochi .

The next destination you can cover is the surreal hill station of Munnar. Munnar is one of the  most famous hill stations in Kerala  located in Idukki district. Also known as the Switzerland of South India, Munnar is one of the best summer destinations in India and also one of the top places to visit in Kerala.

The high rise mountains are covered in tea plantations.  Just sit in the balcony of your hotel and watch the painting like scenery unfold in front of your eyes. Rose garden, Kundala Dam lake, Echo point, Kanan Devan Tea museums are a few of the many places you must visit.

At the tea museums, tourists are shown how tea is made and the various processes involved in its production. You can buy a lot of spices, essential oils, teas amongst other souvenirs. It’s also popular to do those as a day trip in Munnar , which then include the visit to a tea museum, and tea and spice plantations.

Look for accommodation in Munnar .

This Kerala destination is included on all Kerala travel guides – and you can’t skip it when visiting the region!

A 5-hour drive from Munnar will bring you to the Venice of East, Alleppey.  The Kerala backwaters are simply beautiful.  Alappuzha or Alleppey is situated on the shores of Arabian Sea close to the banks of Vembanad Lake. Popularly known as the ‘ Venice of the East ’, Alleppey tops the list of best tourist places in Kerala. Along with Kumarakom, Alappuzha is among the most famous destinations of Backwaters of Kerala .

Alleppey enjoys a prominent place in the list of the finest tourist places in Kerala. The  houseboat stays, backwoods tours and peaceful beauty  of this place fascinate a good number of people to its land. In fact, it will not be wrong to say that it is one of the most famous spot to taste Kerala’s backwaters.

The depiction of Lord Curzon about this place Alleppey as Venice of East is not at all an overstatement. A  houseboat holiday  is what tourists look for on visit to this land. Different areas of lovely paddy fields, old-fashioned sanctuaries, lakes full with water lilies and interesting fishing hamlets make Alleppey one of the finest places to visit in Kerala.

Kuttanad, Alappuzha Beach, Mannarasala, Chettikulangara Devi Temple, Mullakkal Temple and Krishnapuram Palace are the some popular tourist places in Alleppey.

Search for accommodation (including houseboats) in Alleppey .

A 5-hour drive from Alleppey will bring you to the clean and pristine beaches of Kovalam. Kovalam, on the shores of the Arabian Sea, is one of the  most famous beaches in Kerala  and also one of the most popular places for sightseeing in Kerala. The beautiful Kovalam Beach is also known as the ‘Paradise of the South’. Kovalam is literally filled with endless coconut trees, breathtaking views while approaching the beach.

For anybody tired from Goa, this is the  perfect destination to unwind . Two beaches namely Havah beach and Lighthouse beach are the highlights of Kovalam. Just chill and enjoy the beach vibe at the any of the best beach resorts in Kerala.

Lighthouse Beach, Vizhinjam Mosque, Samudra Beach, and Eve’s Beach are the top places to visit in Kovalam. Kovalam is also famous for  Ayurvedic massages  and many yoga resorts.

After Kovalam, head to Thiruvananthapuram. Visit the Pothy’s mall and don’t miss to watch the Kathakali performances.

Kumarakom is a  cluster of little islands on the famous Vembanad Lake  in the beautiful state of Kerala. Mapped near Vembanad Lake, Kumarakom is a peaceful little hamlet along with interesting scenaries, ever pleasant weather and arresting flora and fauna. You can experience a mix of everything here:  authentic Kerala cuisines, backwoods, fresh gusty air, warmness of Keralite and delicious fresh coconuts .

Also known as the Queen of Vembanad, Kumarakom is the most famous Kerala Backwaters destination and is among the best places to experience Kerala Tourism. A houseboat cruise along the backwaters of Vembanad Lake is really an amazing experience. The Bird Kumarakom Sanctuary, Vaikom, Pathiramanal Island, Aranmula Temple and Erumeli are the popular Kumarakom tourist places. There are also loads of  accommodation options in Kumarakom .

Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary , one of the best wildlife sanctuaries in India, is located at Thekkady in Kerala. The park was established in 1950 and was declared as a Tiger Reserve in 1978.

The splendid artificial lake formed by the Mullaperiyar Dam adds to the charm of the park. Thekkady is famous for Asian Elephants, Tigers, Gaurs, Sambars, Wild Boars, Spotted Deer, Barking Deer, Malabar Giant Squirrel, Civet, Nilgiri Tahr, etc.Murikkady, Chellar Kovil, Mangala Devi Temple, Suruli Falls and Pullumedu are the popular tourist places in Thekkady.

Wayanad is one of the  marvelous hill stations in Kerala  and also one of the popular tourist places to visit in Kerala. Kalpetta, Sulthan Bathery and Mananthavady are the largest towns and are the base stations to visit different parts of the Wayanad district.

Blessed with several rain forests, Wayanad is also a wonderful monsoon destination in India. Meenmutty Falls, Soochipara Falls, Pookote Lake, Banasura Sagar dam, Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary, Brahmagiri, Chembra Peak, Lakkidi and Edakkal Caves are the best places to visit in Wayanad.

Trivandrum,the capital city of Kerala, is one of the popular tourist places in Kerala. Also known as Thiruvananthapuram, it is considered as one of the cleanest cities in India.

Trivandrum is famous for its alluring tourist spots including beaches, historic monuments, lakes, unexplored mountain ranges etc.

Sri Padmanabha Swamy Temple, Napier Museum, Kanakakkunnu Palace, Science and Technology Museum, Kowdiar Palace, St. Joseph’s Cathedral and Thiruvananthapuram Zoo are some of the top tourist places in Trivandrum.

Thrissur or Trichur is the  cultural capital of Kerala  and also one of the famous pilgrimage sites in Kerala. Thrissur hosts the world famous Thrissur Pooram held in the month of April / May.

This festival is the most colorful and spectacular temple festival of Kerala. UNESCO has awarded Thrissur Pooram as the most spectacular festival in the world.

The Vadakkunathan temple, Thiruvambadi Sri Krishna Temple, Paramekkavu Temple,Guruvayur Temple, Athirapally Falls, Peechi Dam & Sanctuary, Thrissur Zoo, Vilangankunnu and Shakthan Thampuran Palace are the top places to visit in Thrissur.

Athirapally

Athirapally Waterfall is one of the  most popular waterfalls in India  and one of the top tourist places in Kerala. Formed over Chalakudy River, the waterfall drops from a height of 80 feet through several streams offering great scenic beauty.

In rainy season, the water flow is full and all the streams join together and appear like Niagara Falls. This is the biggest waterfalls in Kerala. The Vazhachal Waterfalls, Chapra falls and Sholayar Dam, Valparai are the nearest attractions to Athirapally. 

Kerala Travel Guide: Top beaches in Kerala

While Kerala is renowned for its backwaters and hill stations, there are also some beautiful beaches in Kerala. Alleppey Beach, Varkala Beach, Bekal Beach, Cherai Beach and Kozhikode Beach are the famous beaches in Kerala apart from Kovalam Beach. 

Bekal Beach

Bekal Fort Beach is an attractive and charming beach that lies in the Kasaragod district of Kerala.  The beach is popular for its backwaters, forts and scenic beauty.  The beautiful stretch of the shallow beach has been developed as an exotic beach location by the Bekal Resorts Development Corporation (BRDC). The beach offers an amazing view of the grand Bekal Fort which stands on the shores of the Arabian Sea. Bekal beach became a major holiday destination and one of the most renowned beaches of Kerala.

Varkala Beach

Varkala is a  popular beach town as well as a place for pilgrimage in Kerala . Also known as Papanasam Beach, Varkala Beach is one of the top and beautiful Kerala Beaches and also one of the top tourist places in Kerala. One of the highlights of this beach is the cliffs that are adjacent to the sea and from which mineral water pours out containing important medicinal properties. The beach also offers adventurous sports activities like water skiing and surfing. One can also visit the 2,000 year old Sri Janardhana Swamy Temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu and the nature care center on the beach.

Kozhikode Beach

Kozhikode Beach is one of the most popular beaches and the major tourist places in Kerala. Kozhikode Beach is blessed with wonderful scenery and peaceful, refreshing ambiance. The sound of the gushing waves, the mighty Arabian Sea and the clean azure waters, attracts tourists from all around. The old lighthouse and two crumbling piers that run into the sea, adds the beauty of the beach and retain its old world charm.  The beach offers common activities like sunbathing, windsurfing, para- sailing, beach walking, fishing, etc.

Cherai Beach

Cherai Beach with its stunning beauty has become a hugely popular tourist attraction, located on the north-end of the Vypeen Island in Kochi. It is also called as the  Golden Beach of Kerala  and the  Princess of Arabian Sea.  The far end of Cherai Beach is lined with Chinese fishing nets which offer a pleasing view. The beach offers various water sports activities like water scooters, speed boats, snorkeling and canoe ride. Cherai Beach is famous among the people in Kochi and the must visit place in Kerala.

Alleppey Beach

Alappuzha Beach, also known as Alleppey Beach is one of the top places to visit in and is one of the top attractions of Kerala.  Often referred as  ‘Venice of East’ , Alleppey is one of the popular destinations of Kerala Backwaters. The beach of Alleppey is also perfect for various water sports activities such as a motorboat cruise, surfing, diving, para-sailing and swimming in the blue waters of the Arabian Sea.

This beach is also popular for the grand event of Nehru Trophy Boat Race that takes place every year in the month of August.

That’s our comprehensive Kerala travel guide. Now that you know about the best places to visit in Kerala, you can start planning your Kerala itinerary.

I'm sure you've had similar experiences I had whilst traveling. You're in a certain place and a fellow traveler, or a local, tip you off on a little-known beach, bar or accommodation. Great travel tips from other travelers or locals always add something special to our travels. That was the inspiration for Travel Dudes.

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15 Things That You Must Pack for Your Kerala Trip (2021)

Endowed with mesmerizing topography, Kerala, God’s own country, is the ultimate vacation hub in every vagabond’s itinerary. While traveling to Kerala, you may wonder what it is that you must pack for your trip. To help you avoid any last minute hassles, we have curated a checklist of the essential things that you need to pack for your Kerala trip .

Umbrellas/Rain Coats

Kerala is drenched by the rain-bearing south west monsoon germinating from Arabian Sea and Indian Ocean during May-November. In order to avoid being caught in the rain unprepared, you must make it a point to pack an umbrella/rain coat and enjoy the city. Umbrellas are also useful to beat Kerala’s scorching heat.

Tropical Clothes

Situated near the equatorial region, which is bathed by the vertical rays of the sun, Kerala faces intense heat throughout the year. In order to roam around the state unperturbed, it is suggested that you wear comfortable loose flowing cotton garments.

Be it a trip to places like Varkala Beach or your stay at places like the houseboats in the backwaters of Alappuzha, wearing flip flops is the ideal option as it is durable against both sticky beach sands and waves of water.

Sunglasses 

If you are in Kerala during summers, then you must carry your pair of wayfarers/aviators. Besides being a great fashion accessory, they will also protect your eyes from any harmful damage of the sun rays.

The harsh rays of the sun are known to be very harmful. In fact, they can even be deleterious and cause serious diseases like skin cancer. Sunscreens with SPF 30-70 not only protect you from tanning, but also shield you from injurious sun rays.

Mosquito Repellants

Situated in the lap of nature amidst lush green mountains and plains, Kerala is rich in biodiversity. However, one drawback of this is that it has an army of mosquitoes, which may be vectors disseminating diseases like dengue & malaria. So, keep mosquitoes at bay by carrying a mosquito repelling cream/spray.

The heat of Kerala is synonymous with heat strokes. A good idea in this case is to carry a first aid kit with a few essential medicines and things like band-aids to be equipped with any unforeseen events.

Sometimes when you are travelling, you may not have access to water/soap. In order to keep the doctor away, not only should you have an apple a day, but also keep the germs at bay. Using a good sanitizer is the ideal solution for this case!

Sometimes, long journeys may leave you dizzy and zapped. Having a few candies in hand will help you fight the uneasy feeling. So, don’t forget to pack a few flavoured toffees!

Water Bottles

Carrying water bottles is a must while travelling. It will not only quench your thirst but also help you avert dehydration.

Make sure that you carry a few tit bits like a packet of wafers, chocolates or biscuits along with you. It is advisable to carry items with a long shelf life that you can munch while travelling.

Having a portable charger is a great idea when you are exploring a new city as it will give you a longer duration of time to listen to music or make videos or surf the net hassle-free.

Having a camera is a must as it will give you high-quality pictures and sweet reminiscences to take back home when you relive the memories of this city.

Having a local map of the city will help you explore the major landmarks of the city without getting lost or missing out on anything.

Spacious Bags

Ditch small bags and carry totes so that you can comfortably place the souvenirs that you buy for your family/friends in your bag instead of losing them.

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Kerala Itinerary - 7 Days

• October 29, 2020
• Updated Feb 19, 2024

If you are visiting India and want to explore the country beyond the popular tourist destinations, plan a trip to Kerala. One of the most beautiful states in India , Kerala is often overlooked by travelers as they exhaust their time visiting the all-time favorites – Golden Triangle, Rajasthan , Goa , Kashmir , Uttarakhand, etc. 

Known as “God’s Own Country”, Kerala is situated on the Malabar coast of South India. Lush green vegetation, miles & miles of scenic shoreline, sprawling tea gardens, and serpentine backwaters make Kerala a paradise for nature lovers. The state is known for its aromatic herbs & spices, colorful street art, fragrant cuisine, ayurvedic treatments, vibrant festivals , and traditional dance forms.

If you are looking for tranquility, relaxation, and solitude , then Kerala should definitely be on your list. Seven days are not enough to explore Kerala in depth. But it is sufficient to capture the essence and beauty of this stunning tropical paradise. This 7-day Kerala itinerary will take you to some of the state’s most beautiful and diverse attractions, including backwaters, hill stations, beaches, and cultural sites. 

Best time to visit Kerala

Kerala is a year-round destination but September to March is the ideal time to visit Kerala. December is one of the busiest months due to the holiday season. The weather is pleasant, humidity is negligible and you can visit all the major attractions of Kerala – backwaters, tea plantations, and beaches. April and May can be very hot and humid and are best avoided. During that period, you can explore the higher altitude regions like Munnar and Wayanad which are relatively cooler. From June to August, Kerala is flooded with torrential rains, making it difficult to explore most regions of Kerala. 

How to get around Kerala

All the cities, towns, and villages of Kerala are very well connected by an efficient road transport network. These buses are ideal for budget-conscious travelers. Local trains are also a convenient way to travel between major districts of Kerala, offering you stunning views of the green countryside. However, if you have the budget, the best way to travel in Kerala is by private vehicle/taxi. It gives you flexibility, saves time, and makes life much easier. Ola and Uber are available in big cities. If you want to travel a short distance within the city, an auto-rickshaw is the best option.

Shopping in Kerala

Spices, Ayurvedic medicines, Mural paintings, cashew nuts, oils, tea, coffee, coir products, coconut-shell handicrafts, and Kathakali Masks are a few of the products that are worth buying in Kerala. Some of these products are good, so don’t miss the opportunity to indulge in some shopping .

Language in Kerala

Malayalam is the official language of Kerala, but English is widely spoken and understood here. Kerala has the highest literacy rate in India, but their English proficiency is quite basic. However, if you are comfortable with English, you should have no issues communicating with locals.

Top Foods to Try in Kerala

Kerala is loved for its distinct, authentic, and colorful cuisine, and you must indulge in its gastronomic delights. Some of Kerala’s traditional delicacies are must-haves. The dishes that you must try are Idiyappam topped with curry, Curry with Puttu and Kadala, Erachi Varutharacha curry served with Malabar Parota, Erissery, Appam with Ishtu, Nadan Kozhi Varathathu, Ghee-roasted dosa with Kerala-style sambar, Karimeen Pollichathu, and so on

Must-do experiences in Kerala

• Watch a Kathakali / Theyyem Performance
• Enjoy an Ayurvedic Treatment
• Stay in a houseboat
• Cruise the backwaters
• Visit a tea-plantation
• Eat the traditional Keralan meal served on a banana leaf
• Take a spice tour
• Watch the Snake Boat Race (from July to September)
• Attend a cooking lesson

Suggested 7-day Kerala Itinerary

Kerala is very well connected to all parts of India and there are feasible options to reach major cities by train and plane. Kerala has three international airports – Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram, and Kozhikode. We are starting our journey from Kochi and ending it at Thiruvananthapuram. This itinerary is designed with the assumption that you have a vehicle at your disposal. If you are using other modes of transport, make the required adjustments.

Kerala Itinerary – Day 1: Kochi – Munnar

Reach Kochi (Cochin) and leave straightaway for Munnar. The drive will take about 4 hours and you can enjoy the scenic views en route. The roads are extremely well maintained, so you won’t have to worry about a bumpy ride. There are waterfalls and Spice gardens on the way and you can stop there if you have the time. Munnar is famous for its quaint waterfalls, pristine valleys, blankets of mist, and rolling tea plantations. The charming hill station is just perfect for having a relaxing evening and admiring the spectacular panoramic views.

Kerala Itinerary – Day 2:  Munnar

Today, we’ll explore Munnar, a hill station in the Western Ghats located approximately 5,250 feet (1,600 meters) above sea level. Spend the day visiting the Eravikulam National Park, dropping by a tea plantation, relaxing at one of the waterfalls, or simply walking around the picturesque villages. There is an option to go boating at Mattupetty Dam, Echo Point, and Kundala Lake. You will be engulfed by breathtaking manicured emerald-green tea plantations wherever you go. At every turn, you’ll want to stop and click pictures. In the evening, you must see Kathakali or Kalaripayattu, which is a very energetic Kerala Martial Arts show.

Kerala Itinerary – Day 3:  Munnar – Thekkady

You should start early as it takes 3-4 hours to reach Thekkady from Munnar. Thekkady is the center for visiting Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary & National Park. Spread over 300 square miles, Periyar National Park is home to species like tigers, elephants, bison, deer, and langurs. There is a scenic lake at the heart of the sanctuary. You can explore the sanctuary, enjoy a lake cruise, and admire the elephants frolicking in the lake. Consider a spice plantation tour to learn about Kerala’s spices. If you want to spend the night in the jungle, there are a few lodgings inside the Periyar Reserve.

Kerala Itinerary – Day 4:  Thekkady – Kumarakom/Alleppey

Kerala is famous for its scenic backwaters, which are a network of interconnected brackish lagoons, canals, and lakes that run parallel to the Arabian Sea coast. Backwaters connected by artificial canals form an economical mode of transportation. For centuries, locals in Kerala have used the backwaters for transportation, fishing, and agriculture. Most of the travelers visiting Kerala have one activity on their bucket list – to cruise along the enchanting backwater regions of Kerala. Kumarakom and Alleppey are the two best locations to explore the backwaters. They are two corners of Vembanad Lake but provide different experiences. Alleppey is a town-based destination whereas Kumarakom is a group of small islets. You can choose any one of them.

Drive from Thekkady to Alleppey (Alappuzha) will take nearly 5 hours. Alleppey, also known as the ‘ Venice of the East, is popular for tranquil houseboat cruises. Alleppey has more choices if you are interested in spending the night on a houseboat. It has rows of houses facing the canal which gives you a closer look at life in the tropical villages. You can float on a houseboat amidst stunning views, palm-fringed coasts, abundant greenery, and the maze of winding canals and waterways. Alleppey also has several beaches, temples, spas, and wellness centers, that you can visit during your stay.

If you opt for  Kumarakom,  it would take you three hours to reach your destination from Thekkady. Kumarakom is a cluster of small islands on the Vembanad Lake in the Kuttanad region of Kerala. The 14-acre bird sanctuary here is a popular stopover for migratory birds and an ornithologist’s paradise. It is known for mangrove-colored lagoons, green paddy fields, and coconut groves. Located in the background of Vembanad Lake, Kumarakom is less crowded than Alleppey and has some of the best luxury resorts in Kerala. Few of the resorts offer a package with a night on a houseboat. Taking a sunset cruise on the serene backwaters is highly recommended.

Kerala Itinerary – Day 5:  Kumarakom/Alleppey

You have the entire day to enjoy the various attractions of your chosen location – Kumarakom or Alleppey. You don’t have to rush around ticking attractions off your list. These locations are ideal for indulging in famed ayurvedic treatments, sampling delectable cuisine, rejuvenating yourself, and learning yoga.

Kerala Itinerary – Day 6:  Kumarakom/Alleppey – Kovalam

Drive to Kovalam from Alleppey / Kumarakom will take approximately 4/4.5 hrs. respectively. It is time to explore the beautiful beaches of Kerala and what better place than Kovalam? The beaches of Kovalam are in demand due to low tidal waves and shallow waters which makes them ideal for sea bathing. You can spend a day here visiting the Lighthouse and the spectacular crescent beaches – Kovalam Beach, Lighthouse Beach, and Samudra Beach. Kovalam is also known for its temples. So make time to visit the temples as well. You have the option to stay at some plush beachside resort for the day.

Kerala Itinerary – Day 7:  Thiruvananthapuram

The capital city of Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram, is just 16 km away from Kovalam. If you want, you can explore a few interesting places in Thiruvananthapuram – Padmanabhaswamy Temple, Napier Museum, Observatory, etc. 

This also brings us to the end of the 7-day Kerala Itinerary. You can head back to your next destination from Thiruvananthapuram. The suggested itinerary is just a guide; you can easily change it at your convenience.

Alternative itineraries for Kerala

If you don’t want to rush, you can skip Thekkady and spend more time in Munnar or the tranquil backwaters. It would take you 4-5 hours to travel directly from Munnar to Kumarakom/Alleppey. In that scenario, Kochi-Munnar-Kumarakom/Alleppey-Kovalam-Thiruvanthapuram would be your route.

In case you do not wish to visit Kovalam, go back to Kochi from Alleppey/Kumarakom and take the return flight from Kochi. The journey from the backwaters to Kochi takes about two hours. Without visiting Kovalam, the suggested itinerary is Kochi-Munnar-Thekkady-Kumarakom/Aleppey-Kochi.

Interested in spending more time in Kerala? There are numerous other places in Kerala to visit, including Trivandrum, Varkala, Bekal, Kanyakumari, Malabar, Thrissur, Kannur, Wayanad, and others.

Map of Kerala

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Very good post. Highly informative for travellers who want to visit Kerala. Keep up the good work.

Thank you so much!!

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So Please 7 adult in coming at kerala Please best plan this number

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An Escape to God’s Own Country – The Perfect 5 Days in Kerala

Home » An Escape to God’s Own Country – The Perfect 5 Days in Kerala

Kerala, or the ‘God’s Own Country,’ is a mesmerizing haven in southern India that attracts tourists from all across the country. From the serene backwaters to the panoramic views of Munnar , Kerala has it all! A trip to Kerala has a lot to offer all types of travelers. You can enjoy cruising on houseboats and exploring misty tea plantations in Munnar . It’s a land where wildlife thrives in Periyar National Park, and cultural traditions come alive. The simplicity, warmth of the people, and the richness of its cuisine add to the beauty of this land.

If you’re planning a trip to Kerala, here is a 5-day itinerary you can check out for the best experience. Take a look and plan your vacation accordingly.

Table of Contents

Best time to visit kerala, how to reach kerala, kerala itinerary 5 days, top places to visit on a trip to kerala for 5 days, what to pack for your 5 day kerala trip, tips for planning a kerala trip itinerary for 5 days.

The best time to visit Kerala is during the winter months, from October to February . This period offers pleasant weather with temperatures ranging from 10°C to 30°C. The air is cool, and the humidity is relatively low, making it ideal for exploring the diverse landscapes of Kerala. During these months, you can enjoy all the places of Kerala without the discomfort. Whether you’re exploring the backwaters , trekking in the hill stations, or lounging on the beaches, the weather is great for all types of activities.

While winter is the peak tourist season, it ensures the most enjoyable and comfortable experience. If you prefer a quieter atmosphere with fewer tourists, consider visiting during September and March. However, be mindful of the occasional monsoon showers in September.

The summer months from April to May also see huge crowds visiting Wayanad and Munnar. However, it can be warm and humid, making it uncomfortable for some. People looking for Ayurvedic treatments prefer to visit during the monsoon months from June to August.

The fastest and most convenient way to reach Kerala is by air . Major cities like Kochi, Trivandrum, and Kozhikode have international airports. There are several domestic airports as well. Direct flights from major cities across India and international destinations make air travel a popular choice.

Trains are an effective and relatively inexpensive mode of transportation to Kerala . The state is well-connected by an extensive railway network, and major cities like Kochi, Trivandrum, and Kozhikode have major railway stations. Indian Railways operates numerous trains connecting Kerala to major cities in the country.

Kerala has a well-maintained road network, and buses are a common mode of transportation. National Highways connect Kerala to neighbouring states. If you prefer a more personalised journey, you can also hire a taxi or drive to Kerala. The road journey offers beautiful views of the Western Ghats and the coastal landscapes.

Choose the mode of transportation based on your preferences, time constraints, and budget. Whether you opt for a quick flight, a scenic train journey, or a road trip, reaching Kerala is a journey that will leave you with lasting memories.

For the perfect 5-day Kerala trip , here’s a Kerala trip itinerary that you can check out. This is to give you an idea of how to plan the perfect Kerala trip. You can customise your trip and plan it according to your preference.

Day 1: Arrival in Kochi

Day 2: munnar magic, day 3: wildlife adventure in thekkady, day 4: backwaters bliss in alleppey, day 5: relax in varkala.

Your 5-day Kerala trip will begin with your arrival in Kochi, the gateway to Kerala. Spend the day exploring Fort Kochi, known for its colonial history and vibrant street life. Visit the iconic Chinese Fishing Nets, St. Francis Church, and the Mattancherry Palace. In the evening, you can witness a Kathakali dance performance. It is an ancient form of storytelling through dance and music.

The second day of your 5 days Kerala trip will be an exploration of Munnar. Head to Munnar, a hill station surrounded by tea plantations. Visit the Tea Museum to learn about tea-making and enjoy panoramic views at the Pothamedu Viewpoint. Explore the lush greenery of the Attukal Waterfalls and stroll through the aromatic spice plantations for the best experience.

Drive to Thekkady , home to the Periyar National Park. Take a boat safari on Periyar Lake to spot elephants, tigers, and diverse wildlife. In the evening, experience a traditional Kalaripayattu martial arts performance to get the best of your 5 day tour in Kerala .

Travel to Alleppey , the Venice of the East. Board a traditional houseboat for a cruise along the scenic backwaters. Marvel at the picturesque landscapes and village life, and enjoy a delectable Kerala-style meal onboard.

Enjoy a leisurely morning in Varkala on the last day of your 5 days Kerala trip . Take a final stroll along the cliffs, dip your toes in the Arabian Sea, and savour the tranquil atmosphere. Explore any remaining spots of interest or pick up souvenirs from the local markets. As the day unfolds, bid farewell to this beautiful land. Head to the airport for your departure, carrying the memories of a delightful 5-day journey through Kerala.

This Kerala trip itinerary for 5 days provides a perfect blend of cultural experiences, wildlife adventures, and serene moments in nature. It’s a trip that will ensure you capture the essence of this mesmerising land in the best way possible.

Here is a list of the top 10 places you can visit on a 5 day Kerala trip . Take a look and add them to your itinerary.

• Munnar: Heaven in the Hills
• Alleppey: Sail through the Backwaters
• Kochi: Blend of Cultures
• Periyar National Park: Wildlife Encounter
• Wayanad: Nature’s Abode
• Thekkady: Spice Trails
• Varkala: Cliffs and Beaches

1. Munnar: Heaven in the Hills

Munnar is a breathtaking hill station in the Western Ghats of Kerala. Known for its vast expanses of tea plantations, the rolling hills of Munnar offer a picturesque landscape that captivates every visitor. The aromatic tea gardens create a soothing green carpet. You can explore the Mattupetty Dam for serene boat rides and stunning views of the surrounding hills. Munnar’s Top Station provides a heavenly panoramic vista, making it a must-visit destination on your Kerala trip itinerary for 5 days .

2. Alleppey: Sail through the Backwaters

Your Kerala trip plan for 5 days will be incomplete without a visit to Alleppey. Alleppey, also known as Alappuzha, is the Venice of the East. It is famous for its enchanting backwaters and houseboat cruises. The backwaters, fringed with swaying coconut palms and picturesque villages, offer a serene and unique experience. A houseboat ride along the Alleppey backwaters is a must, providing a floating retreat amidst nature’s beauty.

3. Kochi: Blend of Cultures

Another must-visit place on your 5 days Kerala trip is Kochi. It’s a captivating blend of rich history and vibrant modernity. The historic Fort Kochi area, adorned with colonial architecture, narrow streets, and bustling markets, transports you to a bygone era. The iconic Chinese Fishing Nets along the waterfront create a postcard-worthy scene, reflecting the city’s maritime heritage.

Jew Town, with its ancient synagogue and antique shops, is a cultural delight, showcasing the diverse influences shaping Kochi. A visit to Kochi is incomplete without experiencing a traditional Kathakali performance, a classical dance-drama that brings to life the tales of ancient epics.

4. Periyar National Park: Wildlife Encounter

Periyar is a haven for nature and wildlife enthusiasts. The Periyar National Park , centred around Lake Periyar, offers a unique opportunity to witness elephants, deer, and various bird species in their natural habitat. The lush greenery surrounding the lake enhances the beauty of the wildlife sanctuary. Trekking enthusiasts can explore the Periyar Tiger Reserve, home to diverse flora and fauna. The conservation efforts in Periyar preserve the region’s biodiversity. It is a must-visit destination for those seeking a close encounter with nature.

5. Wayanad: Nature’s Abode

Wayanad is nestled in the Western Ghats and offers the perfect retreat into nature’s embrace. The region is adorned with dense forests, sprawling tea estates, and cascading waterfalls, making it a paradise for nature enthusiasts. Trekking through the Chembra Peak provides breathtaking panoramic views while exploring ancient caves adds a touch of mystery to your adventure. You can also visit the Banasura Sagar Dam, a tranquil reservoir that offers a serene escape. Wayanad is a treasure trove of natural wonders that you must include on your trip to Kerala .

6. Thekkady: Spice Trails

Thekkady is a nature lover’s paradise, famous for its spice plantations and the Periyar National Park. Guided spice tours take visitors through aromatic plantations, offering insights into the cultivation of cardamom, pepper, and cinnamon. The Periyar Tiger Reserve, with its diverse wildlife and scenic lake, invites you for exciting boat safaris, allowing you to spot various species.

7. Varkala: Cliffs and Beaches

Varkala, perched along the cliff-lined coast of the Arabian Sea, is a coastal gem in Kerala. The dramatic cliffs overlooking the turquoise waters create a stunning backdrop for the pristine beaches below. Papanasam Beach, with its natural spring, is believed to have purifying properties, attracting visitors seeking relaxation and spiritual renewal. The cliff-top cafes and shops offer panoramic views, making it ideal for a stroll or a breathtaking sunset experience.

When packing for your 5-day trip to Kerala, it’s important to consider the region’s weather, activities, and cultural norms. Here are some essential items to pack :

• Light and breathable clothes.
• Sunscreen, sunglasses, and a hat.
• Insect repellent.
• Comfortable walking shoes.
• Rain jacket or poncho.
• Basic medications and personal prescriptions.

Remember to check the weather forecast before your trip and adjust your packing list accordingly. It’s always better to pack light and bring only what you truly need to make your trip more comfortable.

When planning a Kerala trip itinerary for 5 days, here are some helpful tips:

• Decide on the Best Time to Visit: Before planning your 5-day Kerala trip , always decide when you would like to visit. Check the weather for Kerala during your planned dates. Winter (October to March) is generally pleasant, but monsoon (June to September) has its own harm if you don’t mind some rain.
• Choose Your Destinations Wisely: Kerala has diverse landscapes. Decide if you want the serene backwaters, hill stations, or vibrant cities. Popular spots include Munnar, Alleppey, and Kochi.
• Plan a Mix of Activities: Balance your itinerary with a mix of activities like exploring nature, cultural experiences, and relaxation. Diversity adds to the fun, whether it’s a houseboat ride, a trek in the hills, or enjoying local performances.
• Book Accommodations in Advance: Kerala attracts tourists, and good accommodations can fill up quickly. Book your hotels or homestays in advance for a hassle-free experience.
• Pack Light but Smart: Kerala is warm, so pack lightweight clothing. Don’t forget essentials like sunscreen, insect repellent, and comfortable shoes for your explorations.
• Be Open to Local Cuisine: Kerala offers delicious local food. Try authentic dishes like appam with stew, seafood delicacies, and traditional Kerala meals. Embrace the local flavours!
• Respect Local Customs: Kerala has rich traditions. Respect local customs, especially when visiting religious sites. Modest clothing is appreciated, and removing shoes in certain places shows respect.
• Stay Hydrated: Kerala’s climate can be humid. Carry a reusable water bottle and stay hydrated, especially when exploring outdoor attractions.
• Plan for Relaxation: It’s your vacation! Allocate some time to relax. Whether it’s a day at the beach or a lazy afternoon in a houseboat, give yourself moments to unwind.
• Stay Flexible: While planning, it is essential to be flexible. Sometimes, the best experiences happen when you embrace the unexpected.

Kerala is a land filled with the beauty of the backwaters, the mesmerising hill stations, and the warmth of its people, so make sure to make the most of your 5 day Kerala trip . Check out SOTC to plan your Kerala trip itinerary for 5 days. Choose from a wide selection of Kerala tour packages online and get the best deals and discounts for a memorable vacation in Kerala. Happy Journey!

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Kerala Backpacking Tips & 10 Day Kerala Itinerary

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Kerala, “God’s Own Country”,  brings in SO many tourists each year and I am going to share my Kerala backpacking tips & Kerala itinerary. It’s one of the most popular states in India and is considered less touristy than Goa and more “real India” (although in my opinion, all of India is “real”). I love when I get to take time to backpack India and Kerala is one of my favorite places.

I’ll use the goMowgli map to show you where each place is in the state. The popular spots to stop are Kochi, Alleppey, Thekeddy, Munnar, Kovalam, Trivandrum, Varkala, and Waynad. It’s a lot to see and we covered it on the tour in just under 10 days. I recommend more like 20 days to be honest if you’re going to hit all these places. We didn’t go to Wayanad, Kovalam, or Trivandrum, although I’ve been to 2 of those 3 before so will still discuss them.

If you’re planning a trip to India, make sure to check out my ultimate India Guide ebook. You can read more about it and download it here .

Kerala Backpacking Tips & Kerala Itinerary

UPDATE: As of 2018, goMowgli is currently no longer in service. For tours of India, I recommend G Adventure. Please see my list of the best G Adventures tours here .

Most likely, if you’re flying this will be your port of entry. The other option is Trivandrum but Kochi makes the most sense for most itineraries.

If you’re coming from Goa it might make sense to take the train to Kochi which I’ve done many times. It’s 17 hours from Thivim station. From Chennai as well you can take the train.

Kochi’s hot backpacking zone is called Fort Kochi and that’s where you’ll meet people. Marine Drive is cool but more residential. I used to stay there and have written quite a bit about Kochi which I’ll link below.

• With goMowgli, we did a few more things that I hadn’t tried yet which included a cooking class! The class was with Leelu, who is sited in Lonely Planet. It was great, although more of a demonstration than a class to participate. We had 6 girls, so perhaps if you are alone, it will be even better. The food was great.  Leelu details: you can email to join a class at [email protected]. Located in Fort Kochi.

• Exploring  Jew Town is not to be missed in Kochi. Although in the past there were many Jewish people living here, now there are only 6, and 70 in all of Kerala. Back in the day, the Maharaja (great king) built a synagogue right next to his palace and temple. He even crowned the torah. 5 Rs. entry fee to synagogue and very small museum, tips appreciated.

• You can check out Theyyem performances all over Kerala, just ask around.
• We also checked out a  Kathakali traditional show at the Kerala Kathakali center. I’ve seen this a couple times, but it’s always different so feel free to check out more than one to see more stories. If you go half an hour early, you can watch them put their makeup on.  Kathakali details: Near Santa Cruz Basilica, Fort Kochi. Buy tickets ahead of time which are 300 Rs.

• We went to the  Kerala Folklore Museum , something I’d been wanting to do. It was unique for sure, but if you’re not into museums, it’s okay to skip. It’s 200 Rs. entry fee or extra if you take in a camera.
• They took us to a local fishing village was is the BEST thing to do in Kochi, and one of my favorite things I’ve done in Kerala. Read more here:  Top secret #1 thing to do in Kochi

For more on Kochi, check out these articles I’ve written in the past.

– Backwaters and Backalleys of Kochi

– But seriously, where’s the fort in Fort Kochi?

– Kochi markets, Kerala

2. ALLEPPEY

3. THEKADDY

This is where you can do your Indian Safari at Periyar National Park. You can trek, camp, and get into nature. The road here from Alleppey or Kochi is very windy! It takes about 4 hours from Kochi.

We stayed at Vedanta hostel which are all over Kerala and a decent option. It was 350 Rs. per night. They did forget to do my laundry, then try to pretend like it was clean but in the end I didn’t have to pay and it was fine.

For food, we tried Kuttanadu for local and the beef stew was SO GOOD! For western food, we hit up the pricey Cardomom Country  which had really good pizza and burgers and a swimming pool! The hotel looked amazing here.  Our Place is meant to have the best pizza but they were closed when we stopped by. The lady who owned it was really nice. I think she was English. She offered to make us anything we missed from home, even off the menu, when they opened that evening but we weren’t there to try it.

• You can ride elephants here but I don’t think it’s good as they are there only for tourists, are tortured to be as tame as they are, and unlike places like Dubare in Karnataka, they aren’t there for working in the forrest.
• Seeing the martial arts show was the coolest bit . My Kovalam friends call it “Keralan dance fighting” and it’s very unique – a must see! One second they are doing cartwheels and acting tame, the next a guy is tackled and pretending to have his head cut off, all to the tune of music. There’s also fire. Amazing.  The cost here is 200 Rs. 

• In the National Park you can trek, camp, and take boat safaris. We did a trek for 450 Rs. & bamboo boat safari. On the trek, they give you covers for your legs as pictured. Absolutely wear them to protect from leeches. The bamboo rafting was okay because we saw a wild mama elephant and her baby, but if you were unlucky to see nothing, it’s pricey at 1,500 Rs. There are government prices that cannot be negotiated. The trek lasted about 1.5 hours there and 1.5 back with the boat ride in between. A packed lunch was included and one water per person.

• Abraham’s Spice Plantation is available and was part of the goMowgli tour. The girls loved it, I skipped to catch up on work & because I’ve seen about 10 by now.  The cost is 200 Rs.
• If you’re going to be adventurous in India, do get travel insurance.  I use World Nomads which is what Lonely Planet recommends

The hill stations in the tea fields are really popular in Kerala, like everything else on this list. We actually went to Chinnakanal which is 20 km East of Munnar and escaped all the crowds. Read more about seeing the Kerala tea plantations here.

On the road between Munnar & Varkala we stopped at  Aranmula Parthasarathy which is a temple that probably doesn’t have tourist bus access. It was one of the offbeat things goMowgli offered and was very cool. We were lucky enough to see the procession where each day for a month a different village is represented at the temple and shows up on a Keralan boat putting on a show for the crowd. It’s something not a lot of people will get to see! This temple is one of 108 that Hindu’s are meant to visit and it was neat to walk around the town as well. The tradition is over 1,000 years old.

Kovalam is the top beach hangout and the closest you’ll get to Goa in Kerala. It’s a chilled out place but to be honest if you are spending a lot of time in Goa, my opinion is you can skip here. I’ve stayed a week in the past and wrote about it here: Kovalam beach tips . The best things to do in Kovalam to me is body surf on the huge waves and have half off sunset drinks at the Leela, which has the best view in town.

6. THIRUVANANTHAPURAM  (Trivandum)

I am only mentioning this as a hub that you can fly in and out of and will maybe be your point of destination on the way to Kovalam if you go by train. The big thing to see here is the  Padmanabhaswamy Temple, the richest place of worship in THE HISTORY OF THE WORLD, according to the Wikipedia page. Only Hindus can go inside.

This is somewhere I haven’t been, but it didn’t feel right to not mention. It’s on my “must go” list in India mainly because there are treehouses in the jungle. There are indigenous tribal people living here, it’s high altitude in the Western Ghats, and is the least population region of Kerala. It borders Tamil Nadu & Karnataka and I actually saw a glimpse when I was in Karnataka at the Kabini River Jungle Lodge   .

Prepare for your big Kerala backpacking trip:

I hope you enjoyed these tips and the 10 day Kerala itinerary! If you’re coming to India, make sure to start with planning out your itinerary, getting a visa , and packing the right things.

GETTING TO KERALA VIA FLIGHT: I recommend using Kiwi . They search all the low cost Indian airlines but give you European customer service. I am obsessed with them.

You’ll also want to read up on why you might want a Trabug phone , and these 100 tips for India travel . Don’t forget about these 7 off the beaten track places in Kerala , too. Click here to see my step by step guide to plan your India trip from scratch.

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32 Comments

This is somewhere I haven’t been ! nice blog.

Hi Rachel I love your blog. I am an Indian but haven’t seen India really. I am here for a year before i go back to the west to continue studying, and I am kind of on a budget. Could you please tell me a little more about GoMowgli? How do their passes work? How much do they cost? Did you use gomowgli pass through out or did you have to take a car somewhere? I am thinking of leaving my job and taking up traveling for the next few months. If you don’t mind sharing your information, please email me back, at [email protected]

I’ve sent you an email

I spent a month in Kerala back in January & I loved it! Didn’t see all of these places, but it gives me an excuse to go back :)

I also spent February & early March in Arambol, Goa as well. It was amazing!!! I could live there for sure :)

Awesome, it’s always good to have a reason to go back somewhere!

Your blogs help alot! Thanks. Going to India in August. Do you have a fb account?

Hi Rachel, I read your blog religiously last year when travelling around Northern India solo! I am now wanting to go to Kerela with a group of friends and we were thinking of October/ November – is October still too rainy? And if you had just 10 days with a group of 6-8, which places would you prioritise? Thank you! Clare

Yes it’ll be a great time to go! You can do this whole post in 10 days :) varkala, alleppy, and munnar are don’t misses.

Hi Rachel! I loved your blog, it was an eye-opener for me as I am travelling to Kerala for the first time . It would be lovely if you could give some suggestions for solo-travelling/backpacking. I am keenly interested in visiting the periyar national park and do some adventurous water activities, if you could elaborate about these two.

Oh no. Do know any other agency that provides similar services like gomowgli provides? Gomowgli provides hop on and off transportation only right, no accommodation and no food (for the 7-10 days kerala tour).

For me the transportation is the most important since it will be my first time in India and i have heard a lot about how unsafe it is for solo female traveler.

Thanks Rachel!

Hey – no sadly they were the first in India to try this and I think it didn’t take off as people wanted instead to do full tours. If you are worried about transportation read my posts on bus and train safety and booking tips. After the first one which can be nerve wrecking you’ll see it’s really easy and fun!

Hey Rachel! Are you able to disclose the location or any further details about the mirror shop you visited??

Hope you are great. I find your blog very useful in planning my solo trip to kochi/kerala. I checked out your post on the budget briefly and you mentioned that the cost would be about 1200 rupees a day. But the cost for goMowgli tour alone would be 16,000 for the 7-10 days excluding meal and accommodation. I reckon the total cost of my 9 days of travelling (excluding flight tics) there would be about 30,000 rupees?

Thanks! Aja

The budget of 1200 Rupees a day is if you are an independent traveler staying in cheap guesthouses, eating local, and using local buses as transportation. Using gomowgli is a tour company, so yes it’ll increase your budget a lot. They are actually no longer around as a company (gomowgli) as of a couple months ago.

Hello! I am planning a trip to Kerala at the end of March for 2 weeks – will it be too hot and humid? Thanks :)

No March will be okay :)

Hey there! Thanks for your article (: I have 2 nights to spare between Munnar and Alleppey and I can’t decide between Kovalam and Varkala. Also, could you advise the best mode of transport from Munnar to either towns?

Taking a bus would let you be a little more flexible as you won’t have to book as far ahead as a train

All right, will check. Thanks!

Simply superb….I like the way you put up every minute information and experience with different people and tradition…I am going to start in next few days and you blog is my guide…ha ha thanks again…

hi Rachel, we are flying to Kerala from New Deli and need to return to New Deli for our flights home to Ireland. We will have around 10/12 days to explore Kerala. We were thinking of flying into Kochi and out of Trivandum airport back to New Deli. What do you think? is it a good idea?

I have plan to go for summer vacation and search for where to go and reached on your blog where I see Kerala is best place for holiday destination and I will plan for kerala in next week. Thanks for sharing amazing content and photos.

Kerala is truly God’s own country. Thank you for the great article.

Hi Rachel, I just love your post. Thanks for sharing all the important details about Kerala that will help others to choose the best destination in Kerala. Kerala tourism is purely based on its tradition and culture and you successfully pictured it in your blog.

Excellent write up Rachel. I am planning a 8-9 day trip in August. Will this be a good time to visit?

Hey, Nice blog. I really loved to read your post. Thanks for sharing with us

Details are soo Good and very useful as im planning for a tour to Kerala.

Hi Rachel Thank you for your great blog, it really helps my to plan my backpacking trip in december. May can you give me some tips where I should go for some new year party or something like that? I’m backpacking alone in Kerala area.

Looking forward to hear from you, thank you!

Everything you have mentioned here about the Kerala. If anyone decided their trip toward Kerala so it is wonderful decision and you guidelines help them for making trip success.

Awesome post! In Kerala there have many beautiful places to visit for sightseeing, it’s very interesting and informative. Thanks for your amazing travel guide and your photos are mind-blowing.

Nice blog… I am proud to be a keralite

The blog is very interesting and informative.Through this blog we can get an idea about how to plan a vacation trip to Kerala.There are different tour operators in Kerala provided different tour packages for helping visitors.

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Plan a Kerala Tour – A Step-by-Step Guide to Plan Your Kerala Tour Package

If you are in the planning stages of a Kerala tour, I recommend that you read the information below. This is something I’ve produced based on my personal experience organizing Kerala tour packages for numerous visitors like you. You can make sure that this article will assist you in planning every detail of your trip.

Making Plans for a Trip to Kerala

Decide how many days you can spend in Kerala before beginning any research to arrange your trip there. This is essential because you can only choose your travel destinations based on your leave.

If you have a sufficient amount of vacation time, explore Kerala’s tourist attractions and decide on the number of days with the aid of the tour operator. Freeze your arrival and departure dates in both scenarios.

You can purchase your tickets to Kerala once your Kerala vacation package is complete. Always reserve up to Cochin when making reservations for a subsequent flight. Another alternative is Trivandrum; however, only reserve a trip to Trivandrum if Kovalam or Kanyakumari are your first two stops. The only time Calicut is worthwhile is if Wayanad is your first stop.

How can I get to Cochin?

Cochin is also known as Ernakulam and is also written as Kochi. You can make a bus reservation to Ernakulam at the same time. Since some trains only stop at one station, you can choose to schedule a trip to either Ernakulam North or Ernakulam South. ERN or ERS is the station code for train reservations. Make a reservation for a flight to Cochin or Kochi (location code is COK).

By all means, try to get to Cochin as soon as you can to visit as many places as possible on our Kerala tour packages . When planning a Kerala tour, this should be a preference.

Kerala can be reached by train, flight, or bus from Coimbatore, Bangalore, Mysore, Chennai, Hyderabad, and other nearby cities. The best method from Coimbatore is by bus. You can choose between all three alternatives if you’re leaving from Bangalore. Typically, a bus from Bangalore to Cochin takes 9 to 12 hours. These days, multi-axle Volvo buses arrive in Cochin in 9 to 10 hours. Depending on the state of the roads, this varies. There is a checkpoint at the border between Tamil Nadu and Kerala, and on extremely rare occasions, buses have arrived late as a result of inspection at this checkpoint.

The Bangalore-Cochin route is well-served by buses, making it a viable alternative for travellers from Bangalore who want to travel to Kerala. You might even search for sleeper buses.

From Bangalore, it takes a train for about 12 hours, but finding a ticket is the major problem. This is your best choice if tickets are available. Anyhow, make an effort to reserve a bus or train that arrives in Cochin early in the day. If flying is your preferred method, make sure your flight arrives at least before noon.

If flying is your preferred method, make sure your flight arrives at least before noon.

Travel from Hyderabad to Cochin

The best transport options from Hyderabad are by train or by air. Buses should only be taken as a last resort because they take about 18 – 22 hours.

Buses and trains are available from Mangalore. You can either travel to Cochin directly from Mysore via bus, or you can first travel to Bangalore and then Cochin. You have a choice of travelling by bus, train, or flight if you are leaving from Chennai. The travel time to Cochin by train and bus is nearly 12 hours. If you’re planning a trip to Kerala from Chennai, Mangalore, or Mysore, you should consider this alternative.

You can travel to Kerala by train or flight from Delhi, Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Mumbai, Delhi, or any other destination. If you’re coming from another country, you can choose to fly directly there. You can also get out at one of the airports in major cities and travel to Kerala by train.

To minimize complications, you must make every reservation in advance.

You may purchase a return ticket once your continuing travel has been scheduled. Please be cautious regarding destinations and departure times when purchasing a return ticket. I advise you to reserve this just once the package, or at the very least, the itinerary has been decided.

Choose the Tourist Destinations in Kerala

When planning a trip to Kerala, this is another factor that must be considered. Here, we need to decide on the ultimate destinations to be visited. The number of days you have and your interests need to be balanced at this point. This should be made easier for you by a brief summary of the main tourist attractions in our Kerala holiday packages .

Major Tourist Destinations in Kerala

• Cochin: If you fly into Kerala, here is typically where you land. If you want to explore the sights in Cochin, you may either do it the first day after arriving there or if you have time on the last day, go for it.
• Munnar: The best tourist destination in our Kerala trip packages is Munnar. Munnar is a hill station in Kerala. You would like to see that 100 times. 
• Thekkady : When you go boating in Thekkady, you can visit the Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary. Adventure travel, as well as ecotourism, are both quite popular in Thekkady.
• Alleppey/Kumarakom: This is the location for a houseboat cruise. In addition to a gorgeous beach, Alleppey features a variety of resorts where visitors can unwind.
• Thiruvananthapuram: The capital of Kerala, is a popular tourist destination in India. Nearby beach villages Kovalam and Varkala are well-known. The city is renowned for its distinctive architectural design, which combines elements of Kerala architecture with British and Dravidian influences. 
• Kanyakumari: Although Kanyakumari is in Tamil Nadu, it is nevertheless recommended to visit if you are traveling up to Trivandrum (and if time allowed).
• Athirapally-Vazhachal: Athirappilly-Vazhachal Falls, at over 80 feet high, is Kerala’s most famous and largest waterfall. You can’t help but be amazed at the natural world’s utmost force and splendor when you see the water rushing into the ground. This area is significant to ornithologists, and bird watchers can find many uncommon and colorful species here.
• Cherai: Cherai is another beach in the vicinity of Cochin.
• Guruvayoor: Guruvayoor is a pilgrimage site with the famous Krishna temple. At this location, there is an elephant sanctuary with more than 65 elephants.
• Wayanad: Wayanad is a tourist destination in Kerala’s northern region. Wayanad is about 300 kilometers north of Cochin.

Plan Kerala Tour Itinerary

When you plan a Kerala tour, the itinerary plays an important role. This should be well balanced with sightseeing and free time with family. From the above-listed major tourist destinations, make a list of places you wish to cover in our Kerala tour packages .

I shall be writing about all these places in detail below with the travel time required for each. After reading this post, you would be in a position to finalize the places to visit depending on your leave from the office. Once the places of visit and the number of nights in each destination are finalized, the itinerary can be prepared with ease.

Most of the time, this is the place where you land in Kerala. If you have enough days in Kerala, a full-day visit to Cochin is worth doing. Cochin has a lot of sightseeing places including Marine drive, Chinese fishing nets, and Fort Cochin where you can visit the Dutch palace, the Jew Synagogue, etc.

For more info read our blog post: 9 Must-See Places in Cochin.

If you are short of time, I suggest you move directly to your first destination from Cochin. This can be Munnar which is a 4 to 5 hours drive from Cochin, Thekkady which is 5hrs drive, Alleppey 2hrs, Guruvayoor 2hrs and Athirapilly-Vazhachal, a short 2 hours drive. If you want Kovalam as your first destination, it is better to arrive at Trivandrum instead of having a hectic journey of 6 to 7 hours on the same day of arrival. This will be a good take when you plan a Kerala tour and need to be finalized properly.

For every travel, you need to consider halting time in between for sightseeing, food, etc. When your first destination is Alleppey Houseboat, make sure you reach Cochin at least by 9 AM so that you can check in to Houseboat at Noon. If your arrival is after 10 AM at Cochin, then don’t plan the Alleppey Houseboat cruise on the same day, as a check-in to the houseboat is at Noon and check-out is at 9 AM the next day. If you are reaching Cochin after 3 PM, then don’t plan any travel on that day. In this case, the best option is to stay in a hotel near to airport or railway station depending on how you come to Cochin.

Stay near Airport

Most hotels near the airport offer free pick-up from the airport, thus helping you save money on a vehicle for that day. Do inform your travel agent about your mode of arrival, so they can book the hotel accordingly. Cochin airport is almost 20km from Cochin city/railway station.

If you are planning to stay at Cochin on arrival day, normally check-in time of all hotels is 12 Noon and if you are reaching early morning, do inform this in advance to your travel agent. In this case, you can request for early check-in. Most of the hotels allow this subject to room availability and do note that breakfast will not be complimentary for this day.

If you are planning to travel to other destinations on the same day, I suggest you start directly to that destination, instead of having a half day sightseeing of Cochin and then traveling to the next destination. If you are arriving at Cochin by train or bus or after a long flight journey, try to refresh yourself before driving from Cochin to your next destination. This helps you to enjoy the trip right from the beginning and you can do all your sightseeing on the way. Coordinating your first destination in accordance with your arrival time is very important. This should also be taken care of when you plan a Kerala tour as you can save a lot of time here.

Munnar, a hill station, is one of the most beautiful places in our Kerala tour packages. There are lots of Tea plantations and more than a dozen places to see near Munnar. This is a must-see place if you are visiting Kerala. The climate will be mostly cold throughout the year. Munnar is 140km from Cochin.

When you plan a Kerala tour, if you wish to have a better understanding of Munnar, read our blog post: 13 must visit places in Munnar!

If you are traveling to Munnar, you should try to stay there at least for 2 nights. For your onward journey, the travel time listed from Cochin is 4 to 5hrs, but, you will reach Munnar in about 7 to 8 hrs only. There are lots of sightseeing spots in between. You can enjoy waterfalls and rolling hillsides with tea gardens on the way. During this travel enjoy as much as you can on the day and don’t be in a rush to reach Munnar. You can even visit spice plantations on the way. After enjoying the scenery, you will be reaching Munnar by evening only.

If you feel, you can spend some time in the market. If your hotel is away from Munnar town, try to have food and finish all activities in town and move to a hotel. Coming back from the hotel to town at night is not a good idea as there can be fog on the road and driving is not safe.

Second day at Munnar

The second day should be dedicated to sightseeing in and around Munnar. If you want to cover almost all the places, try to start sightseeing by 8.30. Or you can choose places to visit according to your interest and mood. Purchase spices, tea, etc. while you go shopping. Do visit Eravikulam National Park to see the endangered mountain goat of South India, the Nilgiri Tahr.

Selecting the resort/hotel is most important while you are in Munnar. Every hotel in Munnar is not in town, you will find hotels within a radius of approximately 30km from Munnar. See Hotels in Munnar . Most of the good resorts are away from the city. If you are a person who wishes to stay in the city, do make sure the hotel you select is in the city itself. If you want to be away from all traffic and love to have a relaxed mood select a resort/hotel accordingly. While approaching any tour operator, if you have a specific choice, make sure you communicate this clearly.

Hotel Selection at Munnar

It is always better to do a Google search on the hotel selected. Nobody can tell you whether you will like a hotel or not. As this is very subjective and depends upon your interests and background. Personally, I like to stay away from the city when I am on holiday and used to prefer hotels outside the city. But for business trips, I prefer city hotels. This needs to be considered when you plan the Kerala tour itself. Else you land up staying in a hotel which you may won’t feel good with.

A normal package can be prepared with a 2-night stay at Munnar. If you wish to stay at Munnar for 3 nights, you will get a lot of time to relax. A package with one night in Munnar is not that advisable. I have seen many times people taking packages with one night at Munnar and one night at Alleppey when they have only 3 days to spend. This is not a good idea as they will not be able to cover neither Munnar nor Alleppey.

From Munnar, you can travel to the next destinations like Thekkady, Alleppey, or Cochin. Moving to Kovalam directly from Munnar is not a good idea as traveling time would be minimum 10hrs. If you are moving to Cochin to catch a return flight/train do make sure you have minimum 6hrs in between, as you may even stop for food during this travel. So do your time planning accordingly.

Here is an easy-to-follow map with the major tourist spots in Munnar. This map will help you in planning your itinerary during your visit to Munnar.

Click here to read the Munnar travel guide which gives more ideas on Munnar

Munnar Tourist Destinations Map to plan Kerala tour

Distance to various places from munnar.

• Distance from Munnar to Madurai – 130KM
• Distance from Munnar to Cochin    – 135KM
• Distance from Munnar to Aluva     – 130KM
• Distance from Munnar to Theni      – 165KM
• Distance from Munnar to Thekkady – 110KM
• Distance from Munnar to Trivandrum     – 280KM
• Distance from Munnar to Alleppey – 190km
• Distance from Munnar to Kodaikkanal – 180km

The famous Periyar wildlife sanctuary is in Thekkady. Thekkady is sometimes referred to as Kumily or Periyar. Thekkady is the best place to visit if you are interested in adventure and eco-tourism activities. If you are not interested in such activities, you have only Periyar wildlife sanctuary to see.

For more info read our blog post: More info about Thekkady   To watch wildlife closely, you need to go boating through the Periyar River. Wild animals, forest areas of Periyar sanctuary, and Mullapperiyar dam from long view can only be seen during this boating. Vehicles are not allowed inside the sanctuary for sightseeing. Boating in Thekkady has fixed timings and the guest needs to be personally in the queue to get tickets. You need to give your personal details as well as show your ID card while taking this ticket. Depending on the season, the rush for boating varies. In peak seasons, there might be a heavy rush, so try to be in the queue at least 3 to 4 hrs before the departure time. This time needs to be considered when you plan the Kerala tour itself.

Thekkady has a lot of activities/shows running in the evening. If interested, you can watch Kalarippayattu (martial arts of Kerala), Kathakali, Magic shows, musical fountain, tribal dance, etc. You can also go for an Ayurveda massage, Elephant ride, Elephant bath, Elephant shower, Spice plantation tour, etc. You can plan for boating through the Periyar River as well above activities if you have one night stay at Thekkady. Unless you are interested in adventurous activities, don’t stay for more than 2 nights there. If you are opting for two-night stay, you can relax on the second day enjoying the wilderness of Thekkady.

Second Day at Thekkady

If you are an adventurous person, this is the place for you. Plan for 2 or 3 nights at Thekkady and you get to do all sorts of adventure activities here. You can go for the Gavi tour which includes a full-day Jeep safari, trekking, etc., bamboo rafting, eco-tourism, nature walking, night patrolling, etc. Go through the details for these activities and fix the number of days you want to stay at Thekkady. Whether to stay for 2 nights or 3 nights should depend on your interest and need to be taken care of when you plan the Kerala tour itself.

From Thekkady you can move to Alleppey, Munnar, Cochin, Madurai (Tamil Nadu), Kodaikkanal (Tamil Nadu). Again Kovalam is not a good idea as there will be a lot of traveling.

Very recently we have found a website where you can do online bookings for boating at Periyar. Though we have not tried this, one of our guests did it themselves. Thought of sharing that website here.

Online booking for Periyar boating can be made at www.periyarfoundation.org .

Click here to read my travel experience to Thekkady

Distance to various places from Thekkady

• Distance from Thekkady to Kumily – 4km
• Distance from Thekkady to Munnar – 110km
• Distance from Thekkady to Alleppey – 150km
• Distance from Thekkady to Cochin – 170km
• Distance from Thekkady to Kodaikkanal – 120km

Houseboat Cruise in Alleppey

Alleppey is another destination that you need to consider when you plan a Kerala tour. The destination is famous for Kerala-style houseboats. Alleppey has a good beach also. A houseboat cruise is a different experience and should not miss this if you have enough holidays with you. Houseboats give a different feel than staying in a hotel. These floating villas have a dining hall, rooms with bathrooms, and kitchens. The number of rooms varies from one to nine as of now.

Houseboat cruises can be of two types; you can either opt for a 21 hrs overnight cruise or can take a morning cruise for 5 to 6 hrs.

If you are opting for a morning cruise, you have to check in at 10 AM and check-out will be at 4 or 5 PM depending on the cruise provider you opt for. In this case, you will be greeted with a welcome drink (lime juice or tender coconut) and will serve lunch prepared on the boat and evening snacks. The boat will cruise through the inland canals, backwaters, and lakes. And you can also watch the long stretch of paddy fields at Alleppey (Kuttanad). This cruise, I am sure, will be one of the most memorable experiences of your lifetime.

The boat will halt during lunch timings and food is prepared in the boat itself. The boat will have a Captain (driver), Cook, and sometimes a helper too depending on the size of the boat. These boats are engine driven.

Timing of Houseboat

For an overnight stay houseboat cruise (21hrs), you need to check in to the houseboat at 12 Noon and check-out will be at 9 AM the next day. The boat will take you for a cruise at 12 Noon and will be going around till lunchtime. The boat will halt for lunch and after lunch, it cruises till 5.30 to 6 PM and then anchors till the next day morning. You will be cruising again the next day for at least an hour before checkout.

For this kind of cruise, you will be getting a welcome drink, lunch, evening snacks, tea, dinner and breakfast for the next day morning. Food is prepared in the boat itself and all boats will have their fixed menu. They take your food preference before you reach Alleppey and raw materials will be stored in boat before it leaves the shore.

If you are a non-vegetarian, you will be getting rice, vegetables (2 types), fish fry, curd, pickles, pappad, and Sambar for lunch and chicken, chappati, rice, vegetable curry, and dal for dinner. If you are a vegetarian, the menu is similar with some changes. It will be Payasam instead of fish fry for lunch and one more variety of veg curry instead of chicken for dinner. For breakfast, it will be idly sambar, omelet, and bread butter jam.

Strong Suggestion for Houseboat

It’s always advisable to inform them in advance if you have any specific preference as once you start the journey getting raw materials is not easy. If you have children with you and want more milk or such food, don’t forget to inform that in advance. During the cruise, you can purchase prawns, and extra fish on your own (if you feel like it). The crew will cook and serve that for you. Whether a day cruise or full-time houseboat needs to be finalized considering all the above aspects when you plan a Kerala tour.

AC in Houseboat

If you are opting for A/C Houseboat unless specifically mentioned A/C operates from 9 PM to 6 AM only. If you require full-time A/C or need extra hours, then inform the houseboat operator in advance. You will be charged extra unless your package is with a full-time A/C houseboat. If you want extra A/C time, they need to carry extra fuel with them and unless you tell them in advance, this will be difficult.

While on board, do close the windows and doors of your room in the evening. As it is in water and flies may enter in the evening. Houseboats are usually parked in a safe place where the owner of the houseboat has easy access or is near his house. Houseboats are of different categories and rooms may not be as big as your hotel room.

The biggest disadvantage of the houseboat is that if there is some issue with A/C or TV at night, it may not be able to get repaired till the next day.  Getting an electrician late at night to that halting place may not be possible.  But such things happen very rarely.

Depending on your interest, either go for a 21hrs cruise or take a morning cruise and then stay in a resort at Alleppey or Kumarakom.

Click here to read my experience in houseboat will help you to understand more about cruise.

Kumarakom and Alleppey Resorts

Alleppey is famous for Houseboats, backwater resorts, and beaches whereas Kumarakom is for Houseboats and backwater resorts. Both are just 30km apart. Both places have decent resorts as well as houseboats. Depending on the option selected, you may move to that place. You can plan for a resort stay either after a Houseboat morning cruise or for the next night after an overnight cruise.

If you have enough days, I always suggest taking one night stay in a resort after your Houseboat cruise.  In most cases, you will be reaching Alleppey or Kumarakom after a 3-night stay at Munnar, Thekkady, or any other place and a resort stay here will definitely relax you.

You can either move back to Cochin to catch your flight back or can travel ahead to Kovalam after this relaxing stay. While selecting a resort at Kumarakom or Alleppey, make sure you do enough research. Make sure the resort is as per your liking because there are few things to do when you are in a Kumarakom/Alleppey resort. You can visit Alleppey beach in the evening and can relax. Some backwater resorts do provide additional facilities like pedal boating, a swimming pool, and an Ayurvedic spa. There are resorts providing countryside boating, fishing, and cooking class. This resort can be either at Alleppey or Kumarakom and I know some good backwater resorts on the way to Cochin also. Alleppey or Kumarakom for a stay should be finalized according to your interests considering the above facts. You may do this when you plan the Kerala tour itself.

What after Alleppey

Once you are done with Alleppey and Kumarakom, you have several options. It depends upon your travel plan. You can either move towards Cochin and return home on the same evening or stay at Cochin and travel to Guruvayoor or Athirapilly-Vazhachal the next day. Or you can move south from Alleppey to visit Kovalam, Trivandrum, Varkala, and Kanyakumari. You also have the option of going to Thekkady or Munnar from here if you started the tour from Trivandrum. Alleppey lies almost midway between Trivandrum from Cochin.

Distance to various places from Alleppey

• Distance from Alleppey to Cochin – 80km
• Distance from Alleppey to Munnar – 190km
• Distance from Alleppey to Thekkady – 140km
• Distance from Alleppey to Trivandrum – 170km
• Distance from Alleppey to Kovalam – 180km
• Distance from Alleppey to Kanyakumari – 250km

Varkala lies between Alleppey and Trivandrum and has a good beach. There are several beach resorts if you want to stay here. Opt for this place, only if you have extra days, or skip this place. This is a great place to be considered when you plan a Kerala tour.

Trivandrum and Kovalam

Trivandrum is the capital city of Kerala. At Trivandrum, you can visit the famous Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple, Museums, art gallery, Zoo, etc. If you have plans to visit the temple, make sure you have the required dress to get inside. Pants or jeans are not allowed for both ladies and gents. The temple can be visited between 5 to 11 in the morning or 3 to 6 in the evening. Visit other places as per your interest and time availability.

While at Trivandrum, it’s advisable to stay at Kovalam which is famous for its beach. If you are really on a tight schedule, one night stay is sufficient but we recommend a two-night stay to fully enjoy this place. When you have two nights at Kovalam, you can visit Trivandrum one day and next day you can visit Kovalam beaches. Select a resort as per your interest at Kovalam.

There are some luxury resorts at Poovar also. Poovar is a place just 14km from Kovalam and is famous for its estuary, where backwater and sea meet!  To fully unwind you can extend your stay for one more night, either at Kovalam or at Poovar.

Return from Kovalam

If Kovalam is your last destination, try to book a return ticket from Trivandrum which helps you to spend enough time at this place and to avoid the long journey of 6 to 7 hrs to Cochin. If your return ticket is from Cochin, try to leave Kovalam at least 8 hrs in advance to be on the safer side. And if the return ticket is for a morning flight/train from Cochin, make sure you stay at Cochin instead of rushing from Kovalam on the last day. Stay between Kovalam and Poovar also is an important factor that needs to be consisted and should fix when you plan a Kerala tour.

From Kovalam, you can do a day visit to Kanyakumari. You can spend one night at Kanyakumari if you have time.  Kanyakumari is 90km from Trivandrum and is almost 2hrs drive. There is a Kerala-Tamil Nadu check post in between.

If your tour is starting from Trivandrum, you have the choice of moving to Kanyakumari, Varkala, Alleppey, and Cochin from here.

Distance to various places from Trivandrum

• Distance from Trivandrum to Cochin – 250km
• Distance from Trivandrum to Munnar – 310km
• Distance from Trivandrum to Thekkady – 270km
• Distance from Trivandrum to Kovalam – 13km
• Distance from Trivandrum to Kanyakumari – 90km

Kanyakumari

Though Kanyakumari is not in Kerala, if you are traveling up to Trivandrum, I suggest visiting Kanyakumari too, if you have time. Try to have one night stay at Kanyakumari so that you can see the sunset as well as the sunrise. Make sure you reach Kanyakumari before 4 PM to see the evening. If you are on a tight schedule, you can also do a day visit to Kanyakumari.

Guruvayoor Temple

The famous Sree Krishna temple is at Guruvayoor. Guruvayoor is 90 kilometers, a 2-hour drive from Cochin towards North West. Though it is only a 2hrs drive from Cochin, you can expect a long queue and will have to wait for about 2 to 4 hrs to enter the temple.

If you stay overnight, you can visit the temple in the evening when the crowd is less. At around 7 PM, there are lots of rituals happening there. When I go, I visit the temple at 6 PM, have a darshan, stay inside the temple till 8 PM, and return to the hotel. Then I wake up at 2.30 AM and revisit the temple early morning at 3.30 AM and return to the hotel. During this time, the rush will be less, and one can go inside quickly.

There is an elephant Sanctuary near to temple where you can see more than 60 elephants, and it is a must-see place if you are visiting Guruvayoor temple. If you are interested in visiting temples in Kerala when you plan a Kerala tour, this is an ideal destination.

Athirapilly-Vazhachal Waterfalls

There are few good resorts in Athirappily –Vazhachal region. Athirapilly Vazhachal is the biggest waterfall in Kerala and is approximately 70km from Cochin. If you have enough holidays, you may consider visiting this place. During the Athirapilly visit, either you can stay in Athirapilly or come back and stay at Cochin.

Cherai Beach

Cherai is ideal for a beach visit and is only 30km from Cochin. Either you can have an overnight stay here or visit if you have enough time.

Wayanad is approximately 300km from Cochin towards the north. If this is your first destination, try to book a ticket to Calicut.   If your next destination is towards the south, suggest taking a night’s stay at Cochin. The drive from Wayanad to Cochin takes 7 to 8 hrs. A 3-night visit is advisable as all sightseeing places in Wayanad are not close to each other. When Wayanad is your last destination, you can book a return ticket from Calicut instead of driving back to Cochin.

Hope with the above details; you will be now able to chart your travel itinerary with the destinations chosen and the number of nights to be spent at each location decided.

Itinerary to plan Kerala tour

I am mentioning Some suggested route plans here.  I would recommend deciding on the number of days to at each location. This itinerary will help you to get the routing done quickly for your holidays.

If arrival is at Cochin

• Cochin – (135 km) – Munnar – (110 km) – Thekkady– (160 km) – Alleppey resort – Alleppey Houseboat – (80 km) – Cochin
• Cochin – (135 km) – Munnar – (110 km) – Thekkady– (160 km) – Alleppey resort –Alleppey Houseboat – (80 km) – Varkala – (150 km) – Kanyakumari– (90 km) – Trivandrum/Kovalam – (230 km) – Cochin
• Cochin – (80 km) – Alleppey resort –Alleppey Houseboat – (210 km) – Kanyakumari– (90 km) – Trivandrum/Kovalam – (230 km) – Cochin
• Cochin – (135 km) – Munnar – (110 km) – Thekkady– (160 km) – Alleppey resort –Alleppey Houseboat – (80 km) – Cochin – (90 km) – Guruvayoor– (140 km) – Athirapillyvazhachal– (70 km) – Cochin
• Cochin – (300 km) – Wayanad– (300 km) – Cochin – (135 km) – Munnar – (110 km) – Thekkady– (160 km) – Alleppey resort –Alleppey Houseboat – (80 km) – Varkala – (150 km) – Kanyakumari – (90 km) – Trivandrum/Kovalam Cochin

If arrival is at Trivandrum

• Trivandrum/Kovalam – (90 km) – Kanyakumari – (150 km) – Varkala – (80 km) – Alleppey Houseboat –Alleppey resort – (160 km) – Thekkady – (110 km) – Munnar – (135 km) – Cochin

Check the Weather Conditions

Kerala has a typical tropical climate around the year. December and January are relatively colder months, and the weather starts warming up in February. April – June is the summer months when it can be pretty hot and humid. The South-West monsoon season from June – September sees a lot of torrential rainfall. Following that, there is the North-East Monsoon that runs from October to December.

It’s best to plan your trip based on the weather conditions as well. Hill stations remain cool year-round, and you can expect a higher tourist population during the summer months. Kerala is quite enchanting during the monsoon season, and you can enjoy the weather if you come prepared with appropriate rain gear.

Selecting a Vehicle for the Kerala tour

Dzire/ethios – sedan vehicle.

Do select a vehicle as per the number of people traveling and the luggage you carry. When the number of people traveling is three or fewer, suggest Sedan. When four people are traveling, there will be enough luggage, and a Sedan is a vehicle that does not have a luggage career. In Kerala, finding a sedan with a carrier is difficult.

Ertiga/Enjoy

If there are 4 to 5 people, choose Ertiga, Tavera, and Inova for better luxury. If there are seven or more people in your group, then travel in a Tempo traveler.

Toyota Inova

You will be traveling approximately 150km every day that too through hilly areas. If you try to save money by congesting yourself in a vehicle, travel will not be relaxing, not only that your car will find it difficult in pulling through hills. There should be space to keep your luggage also while selecting the vehicle.

Luggage/Cash/ID card while planning a Kerala Tour

While traveling, try to carry minimum luggage. Also, try to take a minimum of cash with you and fewer ornaments. You will find a lot of ATMs in Kerala.

Do carry the ID card of every person who travels with you. For hotel Check-in ID card is required.

I hope this article helps you in planning your Kerala trip smoothly and to decide the itinerary. You may contact me at  [email protected]  for any clarifications required. I would be the happiest person in this world to clarify for you. I am reachable on 9947876214 at any time.

If you find me wrong anywhere in the article, I am open to discussion and will update the same.

Thank you very much, and I wish you a great Kerala experience.

414 Comments

This is really very good information for someone who is not aware of Kerala or someone who cannot decide on what/how to plan to visit in Kerala. It is really useful. Lot of practical information about various places in Kerala.

After reading this blog, I am able to firm up my vacation plan in Kerala.

Thank you Sreedhar for dropping by. We are glad to be of help..!

I want to know the places which are near to Munnar as I’m specific in spending four days in Munnar only I want to explore more munnar

Thank you, shall contact you back in your email and help

It’s a wonderful article and has helped many people to plan Kerala trip. I plan to visit Kerela with my wife and 1 year kid in 3rd and 4th week of October 2017. My plan includes Cochin – Munnar – Thekkady- Alleppey – Kovalam/Trivandrum 9 days trip. I want to know whether self drive would be a good option or should I hire a local vehicle with a driver? I am a confident driver and believe I can manage it. Who provides such services of self drives where in I can.pick up the vehicle from Kochi airport and drop back at Trivandrum airport on last day of the trip? Thanks in advance.

Hi Anurag, Thank you for reaching out. Please feel free to contact us at [email protected] to get the details.

The link 9 places to see in Cochin is mis-directed and leads to the same page as 13 places to see in Munnar

Thank you Louis for the heads up. Corrected the link. Hope you enjoyed this Kerala tour planning guide.

Links is really help full with all the details mentioned. No need of go ogle for Kerala destination. route map is clear can help our friends too if they plan.

Your service are excellent, i have availed your service 3 times in the past.

Thank you Rajeev for your kind words.

Hi …the info provided is excellent and will surely help for an memorable journey ahead….we look forward to get associate with you and your team shortly

We are happy to be of help. We look forward to hearing from you…

We enjoyed kerala trip very well with the help of Paradise Holidays.. Their support is awsome…and Its a memorable trip..

Thanks to Riteesh and Pardise Holidays….

Thank you Satish for your kind words. Well, that is our mission….to make your Kerala trip most memorable!

This is very informative work. It looks very much Practical oriented facts which will be very useful to anybody who like to make a trip to Kerala.

Thank you. Glad to be of help.

Nice info. Hope you missed few other beautiful places in kerala. Checkout this blog in malayalam… http://entekazha.blogspot.com/

Thank you Nicky for dropping by. We will sure check out your blog.. Keep in touch.

Very informative and thank you very much Rateesh. providing the information.

You are welcome sir..

Thanks for your grateful informations, am working in Tourism Portal , so it will be helpful info for my works.

thank you sir

We with another couple been on holidays organised by Paradise from 12 to 18 March 2013.Thanks to Jai-Shree & Rathneesh for maling our holidays enjoyble. Rathneesh – your write up is excellent .

With all the best,

Thank you for your kind words. Your feedback is our motivation.

Our Kerala trip was really well planned by Paradise Holidays and we have enjoyed more then expected in our trip.Their support is very good and Its a memorable trip. All the best to Paradise Holidays Team & Thanks to Sridevi Riteesh and Pardise Holidays Team

Mr Nath, thanks for putting this information together. I am travelling to Kerala in 6 weeks time from today & thru your company, excited on what to expect there & waiting to be there. Thanks!!

thank you and with to meet you at cochin

sir, It’s excellent information provided by you. Hope it will surely help for an memorable journey at Kerala tour. All information are very useful to the visitors. Lot of practical information about various places in Kerala given by you. Hope my kerla tour will be memorable.

Thanks for sharing the useful information.Alleppey is an awesome place..I used to go there with my friends.We enjoyed a lot.This month also we are planning,and we booked our tickets to kerala

Excellent article! After reading this article we are leaving whole of our trip planning on u. We are worried about mansoon and weather condition. Details/ Probablity of weather condition in kerla during each month of a year could be of great help. U can add it to ur beautiful article.

Thank you Mr.Nadim. Glad you found this article useful. We will definitely work on adding details regarding weather conditions in Kerala very soon.

very useful information. This will help to plan my trip.

valuable information to plan my honeymoon trip…

Good post . Thank you for sharing this Valuable information with us .

THE ARTICLE IS VERY INFORMATIVE. LOOKING FORWARD FOR A MEMORABLE TRIP. WHAT IS THE WEATHER LIKE IN MAY -JUN ?

U done a great job sirji hats of to u it is very use full to all the people like me to enjoye the kerala

Thank you very much for your blog with lot of information on Kerala Tour and how to plan …..Excellent..

….Vidyasagar

Thank you so much. Really appreciate your encouraging words.

its really helpful blog plz try to include which season is best to visit kerala thank u

thank you sir you can visit any time in Kerala, if you love rain June July is best

This is really awesome. I can see what is going to happen. Looking forward to meet you.

sure sir and thank you

Excellent places awesome location every year i used to come to india and visit different location. Previous year i stayed in kerala its awesome place and its really gods own country. next year i planned for Tamil Nadu let see how it would be. I will stay in coimbatore Hotel Vijay Park from their i will start my jouncy hope it wound be really ineterseting

planning to Munnar Thekkady Kumarakom & Alleppy we are couple i want to know july is the best season or not.

july is good and can enjoy rain too

really useful information and tips.. thanx a lot for the info..

i was planning to visit both munnar and allepy in a 3 days time, but after reading ur blog i decided to go and enjoy 1 by 1 rather than trying to cover all in a rush..

hope can enjoy my Munnar honeymoon trip in sep-13..

Thank you and wishing you happy holidays in Kerala.

Extremely helpful bolg….thanks for sharing your insight..Please advice me a budget resort in Alleppey for night….next day we’ll go for day river cruise….we will come from kolkata to cochin by flight…..will spend 2 nights at cochin will come to Alleppey and stay in a resort… Thanks once again

Oh…Thank you Ms.Manika. We hope you will have a wonderful time in Kerala. You can contact our travel planning team to get up-to-date information. Please call this number – +91 963378 8866.

This is really awesome content & very useful for kerala tours

Thanks a lot for giving valuable information. I and my friends are really grateful to you for giving such detailed information on everything about Kerala visits.

Hi sir, Simply MIND BLOWING post on Kerala,cant expect more while planning a trip, Awsome job done, very informative !!!!! Cheers!!

Planing kerala trip in mid Nov. Hope the trip would be simple n enjoyable after going through all the info. provided by u….. Excellent Post !!!

Dr.Deepanjali singh Beniwal.

Dear Dr.Deepanjali singh Beniwal. If you are planning a Kerala trip then you are at the right place and in right contact. Myself and my wife had planned our trip during Oct.2012 through Paradise Holidays. Believe ma it was one of the best organized tour I ever had. The vehical and the driver provided by the agency were excelent. The stay, food and sight seeing arrangements were also very good. Had a real nice and memorable trip.

thank yo sir

can you provide your contact no

Hi Ajay, Contact us at [email protected] or Phone: +919567887088 to get the details of visiting places and packages.

Superb and excellent information for the people who want to travel Kerala. Thanks so much for the information. we are hoping that we will have good time during our trip. Sundar

hi thanks for useful information. we are planning our Diwali vacation in Kerala this year… how much days we required for it?

to cover entire south Kerala, 8 to 9 days

we are three couples with child (adult-6, child-5) and have 10-12 days, pl. send detail planning.. thanks

Hi I am Amita,Awesome! Its in fact amazing Blog for A visit to the incredible kerala is a memorable lifetime experience.kerala are definitely the most beautiful culture in India and its Onam festival are Most Famous.That such a small terrain can hold diverse geographical features and cultures is a wonder in itself there are still some conflicts on kerala best time to visit, read more on kerala packages for detailed information.

thank you madam

Hello Ratheesh, you have done a good job; I have gone through your entire blog. It has excellent info about Kerala places. It is inspiring to visit Kerala. And also we got nice feedback about your company Paradise Holidays. We are travelling to Kerala in this month thru your company; we are looking forward to seeing Kerala!! Thank you so much for your nice blog post!!! 🙂

Thank you Mr Brahmam. We are very happy to be of help. We look forward to meeting you soon!

Hello Team, Am plan to make my trip by Sep 15th for honeymoon trip and I plan to cover both Munnar & Alleppey for 3 days plan is this possible to do? please assist. Thanks

It is indeed our pleasure and privilege to help you have an awesome vacation in Kerala. I will forward your email ID to our travel expert team and they will get back to you. Or you can call us directly to +91 963378 8866.

Great article Ratheesh. Very informative and attention to details given to the things that may come handy and not thought when traveling unless required. Thanks for putting this.

Thank you Mr Pranav for your encouraging words.

Your article was really nice. Our is a group of around 10/12 people who want to come to Kerala in Dec. vacations. Can you please plan our tour with hotels and a transport vehicle. We will book our own rail tickets from Pune.Our plan is as follows.If you can suggest some good changes it is welcome. Our budget per head will be 10/11 thousand per head.

Day 1-Cochin-2 Nights stay-Visit Cherai beach Day2-,Athirapilly waterfalls Day 3-Move to Munnar- 2 nights stay. Day4- Munnar sight seeing Day5- Thekkady-sight seeing- 1 night stay. Day6-Backwaters 6 hours cruise at Alleppey and stay at Kumarkom resorts-1 night Day7-Move to Trivandrum, see Padmanabhaswamy temple stay at Kovalum-1 night Day8- Morning move to Trivendrum.Sight seeing

Next day morning leave for Pune Please reply on my email id

Thank you My Hemant. I will forward your enquiry to our travel team who would be very happy to help you plan your Kerala trip.

This is a great article. I have planned a Kerala trip this week starting from 15th Aug. Is it safe (and enjoyable) to visit places like Cochin, Munnar, Thakkedy, Alleppey given that this year it’s raining in abundant?

Very Good Information. Realy helpful…Thanks a lot

This is excellent information; very helpful. I have already booked a tour from your company in September; hoping to have a good time.

excellent sir ,thank u for lot of information

you are welcome sir

The article is very useful. I am planning to visit Kerla in November 13. tried to search for the information about the tourist destination. My search ends here. No need to go elsewhere. I am happy that all the important information, tips for tourists are available here. Now I am in a position to plan each minute detail and expecting that my tour will be memorable.

Mr Rateesh, Great article. Initial fears to plan are over. Am determined to visit Kerala in Dec for sure. Thanks once again Zia.

Thank you Zia. Glad you found this article inspiring!

Can u help me plan my trip for 14 days at Kerala . We are 2 + 2 kids ( 9 and 16). Shall appreciate if you could send me the details on my email id . Choice of Hotel : Outside Town ( 3 star ) Choice of vehicle : AC – Indigo

Also would be interested to know the approx. overall expense ( +/- 10- 15 % )

Oh..we love to help you Zia. I will forward this info to our travel team . They will take good care of you.

hi, we are 3 couples and have only 7 days with us for touring. Actually i want to known that 7 days are enough for traveling in Kerala. please provide me the budget for 7 days in 3 star hotel include vehicle (in nova) please revert me asap in my email id. Email id: [email protected] Phone no: 9924101514

Thank you for visiting our blog. We will revert back asap with the details.

An excellent overview on Kerala travel. Congrats!

Thank you Dr Prasanth.

hello Firstly thanks for this useful blog.I am from kolkata. i will be there next year in January. i want to cover Trivandrum/Kovalam – – Kanyakumari – – Varkala – – Alleppey -Thekkady – – Munnar – – Cochin.

i will arrive by flight to Trivandrum first. i have 2 questions. 1) how many days does it take to cover all places? becoz i have 8 days in hand to cover all cities. and i will be returned from Ernakulam by train to kolkata. 2 ) where to hire a cab in reasonable price? i will be coming with my husband only.

please reply me

This is an awesome information and brilliantly explained. Thanks a lot for it.

Glad you found this info useful. Do check often, we are planning more awesome stuff here..:)

Hi, I am planning to travel to Kerala towards the last week of December. I plan to travel one way by train so that my family can enjoy Konkan journey as well. Can you please help us which train and on which sector (Mumbai – Cochin or Cochin – Mumbai) should I take so that i get the maximum scenic view during the day time? Only constraints that I have is the train should be starting or leaving during the weekends only else Duronto from Cochin to Mumbai is good?

dear sir i wanted to know that weather of Kerala (Munnar) will be good for 7 months baby in the month of December. Awaiting for your reply. thanking you.

Thank you Raj. It will be little cold during December in Munnar and might come down to 10°C. If your baby is used to cold climate, it will be fine.

Very useful information. I put a query on your portal and was suppose to be called by your executive but it hasn’t happened.

I am so sorry for the delay Alpesh. Somehow it might have got missed. Extremely sorry for the inconvenience We will make sure that you will be contacted very soon by our travel team. Thank you for taking time to contact us again!

What is ideal time of season to have a Kerala trip ? Can you offer personal (not in group) package tour from Mumbai ? If so, send me detail of package with Air fare and rail fare .

Dear Mr Alpesh, I have sent your request to our travel team. They will get back to you very soon. Thank you.

Hello Sir, Good evening !!!!!!!!

Today Morning we reached at our native place with lot of memories with paradise holidays.Last five days,We really enjoying Kerala trip with Paradise holidays.its very fantastic experiance for us.You are having very co-operative team.Our driver uncle Mr.Mohan taking lot of care of us.every stay at kerala was very fantastic experiance.every person was taking care of our needs and help us to being our trip special.Thanks for being our holiday special.

Thanks & Regards

Saidas Shinde Pune 08149134916

Thank you so much. We are indeed happy to be able to give you our best!

Dear Ratheesh & Swethi,

Visiting and spending days in Kerala is a very amazing and interesting experience. We had been planning for spending some time at Kerala since last few years. Finally, we had reached, enjoyed and got much information about Kerala tradition, places and more amazing scenic view.

All this has happened wonderfully with kind of service and help from Paradise Holidays tourism.

We are very thankful to the Tourism Organization for being such a professional in providing amazing service in the beautiful place like Kerala.

We are also thankful to the Car Driver Mr. Manikuttan, who have shared all the informations and safely and timely made us to visit all the places during our trip.

We will be eagerly waiting for more tours in Kerala with help & service from you people.

Thanks a Lot Sandeep Chakrawarthi & Padmini Sandeep

Thank you Mr.Sandeep for your awesome testimonial. We are privileged to serve you here.

I am looking for honeymoon package in Feb 2014, could you please help me for the same for 6 N & 7 Days.

I will be in cochin on 16th Feb.

Thank you Mr.Deepesh for your interest. I will pass on your info to our travel team and they will get back to you asap!

Dear Ratheesh,

The blog look very interesting and informative to a lay man to plan his trip. Hope I should be able to finalize a trip for Feb’14.

Thank you Mr. Krishnan. Glad to be of help!

Hi, My parents had travelled with Paradise Holidays in Nov-11 and it was a memorable trip for them. I have booked the trip in Jan with paradise holidays….Hope this will be the memorable trip for me too…..and the information and response so far from your end is very good…..

Looking forward to meet you here Mr.Nirav. We do try our best to make it as memorable as possible for our esteemed guests!

Hi,Firstly thanks for this very useful blog. Im planning to make my trip by Mar 15th for honeymoon trip and I plan to cover both Munnar & Alleppey. could you please help me for the same for 3 N & 4 Days. Please assist. Thanks.

Extremely helpful bolg….thanks for sharing your insight..Please advice me a budget resort in munnea and Alleppey for nigh.

I am looking for honeymoon package on 16th Jan 2014, could you please help me for the same for 4 N & 5 Days.

Thanks once again

Excellent blog and very practical tips. Helps me plan my Kerala trip very well.

Hi!!! Ratheesh I wanted to visit Kochi, but I have a very tight schedule, I think its only one full day. Could you please tell me how to manage time there. I will be coming on 11 jan 2014 2:00 AM and return ticket is of 12 jan 2014 8: 00 PM. Please help me out.. Thanx

Hi.. How better is Munnar from Ooty (during Feb)….. Have booked for Cochin-Athirapilly-Allepey(through Paradise holiday) , and Ooty thru friends.. Would want to know abt Munnar preference with Ooty… So that i might change options from Oooty to Munnar….

Thanks in advance!!!

Extremely very helpful blog if i received the same before 7days ago then I will planning for minimum 10 days for Kerala Tour ” God’s Own Country”

I am Planning Honneymoon tour from 5th MAY 2014 for 8 to 10 days in kerala. is it a good time to come in Kerala for Honneymoon in the month of May. Kindly give me your Pune office contact details.

Thank you for your Interest. I will pass the information to our team today!

can u send me package for tour on 5th march to 11 march

Thank you Mr.Sudesh for your interest. Our travel team will get back to you with the details!

Thank u sir for ur valuable feedback.We are going to plan our holiday during our puja vacation this year.This article will help us immensly,i think….

May I know the rate for this package

sure sir, shall contact you on the email id provided

After googling lot about kerala tourism, I find this blog as “The Best” as it gives very clear and insightful information. In addition, Along with the concluding “Get the Route Plan Done” column, if the approximate price for the packages given, it would have been an Pucka Planning material. Anyways, Great work, hope this ll help me for our tour ahead.

Thank you Mr. Sathish. Glad to be of help

Impressive guidance.. thx. for the same.. i am dreaming to drive down directly from Bangalore to visit all these places ? please guide me how safe will it be ?

Thank you Mr. Alok. Driving down is ok but it can become little tiring. And it depends on the number of days you will be spending in Kerala.

This blog is too good and informative to me and my family are planning to travel on 23 March 2014. It is useful and shall plan my itinarary accordingly.

Ojal Pardesi

Thank you Mr.Ojal.

I just want to say I’m all new to blogging and site-building and certainly liked your page. Probably I’m planning to bookmark your site . You certainly come with very good well written articles. Thanks a lot.

Hi Ratheesh, really fantastic information given by you. I think this may the best information for the people who plans to visit Kerala. Excellent. Thank you

This is very useful info for me as I am planning holidays in Kerala. Thanks.

Thank you Mr.Omkar!

I would like to travel kerala for honeymoon (4days), like to cover cochin, munnar, alleppy (house boat), kovalam, kumarakom.

Tour starts at trivandrum and drop me at Cochin.

Please let me know about the budget package price & itenary.

Thanking you.

Thank you Subba for contacting us. We look forward to help you plan a very relaxing honeymoon trip in Kerala. Our travel team will get back to you!

Dear sir…me along with my friend is planning trip to Kerala in second weak of June. Need advise on stay ..with budgeted hotels .. and on tour guide too. Can I have ur contact no to get in touch with yourself. Thank u.

Thank you for your interest Ms.Khushbu. I have forwarded your query to our travel team. They will get back to you.!

This information about kerala is very helpful. I would like to travel kerala for 7days, like to cover cochin, munnar, Thekady, alleppy (house boat), kovalam, kumarakom.

Tour starts at cochin. .

Please plan for me a more enjoyable vacation with budget price.

Thank you Mr.Nilesh. We will get in touch with you asap!

An excellent information compiled and dished out for people like me who want to know more and explore Kerala. I intend visiting the place with my family in the month of June specially for Munnar & Kovalam beaches. Kindly let me know whether, its the right time, in the light of Monsoon. Heard monsoons are quite harsh and one is stayed put in the Hotels during the season.

Thank you Mr.Kanwaljit Singh for your kind words. Happy to be of help. June and July are our Monsoon months. They are exotic in their own way…but can be little harsh on some days. I love monsoon and it is the best time to get your body and mind refreshed. And traditionally, these are the months suggested by Ayurvedic Vaidyas (doctors) for best results in their treatments!!

It is very useful & adviseable informations for kerla tour.I sent a message to make 7-10 days tour plan kerla.we both r 75-76 years Sr.citizens,will come retun by train.which station will be better for reservation & month for visiting &required budget

mobile:91+9779389389

Thank you Mr. Bhandari. Our travel team will get back to you!

mire cal.. written by experience – hand

Nice information. In fact I contacted you this March regarding my tour plan but that did not materialize. I will surely visit Kerala in March 2015 and would approach Paradise Holidays for my arrangements

Rajesh, We would love having you plan your Kerala trip with us. we will try our best to make it as memorable as possible. Do get it touch with us!

Thanks for sharing your thoughts on how to plan Kerala tour. Regards

Thank you Chris!

Hi Ratheesh,

This is the most informative and to-the-point information regarding Kerala Travel I have seen on internet after going through all the tripadvisor.com’s of the world.

It had been a great experience with Paradise Holidays since my first trip in 2009 and since then I have done 2 trips myself and 1 for a friend. Happy to see Paradise Holidays growing like a successful start-up… Initiating operations within family, taking it to different cities, launching new Logo (like it a lot!), engagement in CSR and most important – creating confidence!

All the very best for future!!!

Regards, Suresh

Thank you very much sir, Guests like you made us.

Excellent and detailed information. A rarity Thanks Amar

We are couple + 2 kids and want to plan 8 days tour. Requirements – Sightseeing, Pure veg jain food, Comfortable hotel stays

pls revert on my cell – 9422620771

Very useful and informative blog. It is of great help to people like me who are planning to visit kerala first time. Thanks for the help.

It’s indeed great information ,who should know before visiting a place like Kerala , I see Mr. Ratheesh has covered most important aspects of Kerala trip ,which makes our trip smooth. Thanks

Hello, Very nice information. I would like to know whether is it possible to cover Kerala plus Karnataka for honeymoon. We are planning for 10 days trip. Please help me with your valuable feedback.

Such a wonderful post. Rarely, we could see such detailed information like Route Planning, A/C in House Boat etc..

Such detailed information will help people to even plan the trip by themselves. Hats off !!!

WoWwwwwwwwwwwwwwww….

Really great, after I read above guidance I am very happy to go Kerala without any hesitation.

Amit Bhansali

This is very good information. Such a useful details. After read this I will planning for 7-8 days in Kerala.

I am planning for my Honeymoon in the month of Dec 2014. so i need some help to plan it with excellent way. please kindly revert to me on my cell 9881715727

Thank u Mr nath, it is really a very useful information.

Dear Mr Nath, Infact I am already under finalizing stage my trip to Cochin,Munnar (2N), Alleppey (2), Cochin (2N) thru your organization wef 16/17 Dec14. Fortunately I gone thru your this blog “Kerala tour planning” & find very intensive helpful information. Now it has put us in a dilemma if we a couple being senior Citizen can bear the cold/winter of a hill station i.e. Munnar. We are resident of Chhattisgarh & normally minus temp never occurs even in winter season. Please give a genuine advise. Thanks

Well, Mr Pramod, I have forwarded your concern to our travel team. They will get back to you! Thank you for visiting our blog!

Dear Shri Nath, I have gone through your article Plan your Kerala Trip, which is very informative for the tourists. We 4 adults from Gujarat would like to visit Kerala in last week of January 15 for approx.7 days and pick up and drop in will be from Ernakulam. We would like to visit Cochin, Munnar, Tekerry and Alleppy. I request you to send me good ittenarary for the same including cost of transporation, meals and budget hotels. Thanks K.N. MOTWANI

My requirement is same as Mr KN Motwami above. Only different is that iwant to start from delhi and my time is first week of February 15. Kindly quote the prices.

Dear Mr Ratheesh nath Indeed a nice informative blog. This shows ..what & how much difference there …in a tour operator ..when managed by simply educated & science student !!!!! Science student always do thing in systematic way. The writeup shows your deep involvement. It is informative for Kerala per se but it is educative also in a way that people will start thinking this way before planning their next holidays!!! Thumbs up

Thank you Dr. Rajesh for your encouraging words!!

me n my fiance are planing a january tour to kerala, this blog helped us and v almst planend evrythn… thanks a lot.. looking forward to approach paradise holidays for our arrangements..

Dear Sir/Madam… I am really impressed by the information you have provided on your Web page and by the comments of the visitors who have enjoyed with your group. I along with my family are visiting kerala on 5th Jan and have planned to see nearby areas also as we are staying for twenty days. I request you to kindly arrange our tour package in such a manner which will be always remembered and without fatigue. We will be 4 persons including me my wife n two kids of age 2 and 5.

Really, its great that you have provided all the information. We are planning for a holiday trip to Munnar, Thekkady, Alleppy on 22nd Feb 2015 (4 Adults). Please let me know the itinerary and quote. Pick up and drop point : Eranakulam.

Thank you Shyamala for your interest. Sorry for the delay in replying. Our travel team will get back to you ..asap!

Thanks for a helpful information.I want to plan a trip to kerala.I am from PUNE.we want to celebrate our anniversary in Jan 2015.dates will be between 14-20 Jan.so plz guide me in making this tour as memorable one.no will be 09970557111.

Thank you Tejas for your interest. Our travel team will get back to you!

Extremely informative, after reading the blog can say confidently.

THERE IS NOTHING THAT I DO NOT KNOW OF KERALA TOURISM. WHATEVER I DO NOT KNOW IS NOT WORTH KNOWING. (Hope this is true)

Thanking you so much for the power packed information. If approximation of the rates were given it would have been more helpful to better plan our trip.

Once again thanking you

Hemant Gagwani

Dear Paradisians,

Shall be visiting Kerala in the first week of April. (04 Persons including 02 senior citizens) do not intend to run around and no adventure treks. Intend to enjoy peace and calm and some worthwhile places including guruvayoor temple. Think Munnar is best. Do send us the itinerary including rates for 3 star hotels or resorts. Thanks Hemant Gagwani

We are planning a trip to Kerala in march 2015 for 8\10 days,honeymoon? 50 year late!!!! Two seniors 75\67 yes, still can walk. Will appreciate a suitable plan/iteniery. Budget GBP 800 for two of us. Look forward to your advice. Thanks. Pranab mitra. Hornchurch,UK. Phon . 0044 1708 459189,

Extremely helpful trip advise for me as I am planning a 9 day break in Kerala.

oh Zara…so glad this blog helped you in your Kerala tour planning! Keep in touch!

Very nice blog.. Very useful.. thank you..

Thank you Vyankatesh!

Hello Mr. Ratheesh,

Read your blog with great interest. It is very informative. Thanks.

We have already booked Hotels in Munnar, Thakkedy etc. through your Paradise Holidays.

Feedback: May be you would like to provide the map of entire Kerala by marking these tourism related places?

Regards, Madhurananda

Thank you so much…Madhurananda!

And yes…we will definitely think about a resource like that!

Dear Mr. Ratheesh,

As expected we had wonderful time at Munnar, Thekkady, Kumarkoah and backwater. Thanks again to your blog. Needless to say, when we have to visit Kerala again, we will only book it through Paradise Holidays.

All the Hotels that your people had booked was realy great. Also driver Mr. Kumar, such a special person. He is both kind and knowledgeable.

Thanks to Ms. Sylvia, who was so patient since the beginning of our interaction until we finalised the programme. Thanks also to your entire team, who have directly or indirectly participated in making our trip a great success.

My few feedback:

1. As mentioned earlier, you may think of providing entire kerala map along with the one already mentioned above.

2. You may like to include Fun Adventerous Park along with the site seeing places. It was most exciting experience to be there. I am sure, no young people would like to miss it.

3. We had to wait for more than 45 minutes to make our payment in your office, on the day we arrived at Cochi on 28th February. For most of us time is so important. It would be great if u find some ways to shorten that time.

Thanking You again.

Wishing all the Best for Paradise Holidays,

A debt of gratitude is in order for a supportive information.I need to plan a trek to kerala.I am from PUNE.we need to praise our commemoration in June. Please guide me my tour plan.

Your tips are awesome thanks for sharing your thoughts on how to plan Kerala tour.

Thank you Ligia!

I also plan for a Kerala travel trip with my friends. so this blog is very informative and important for me.

Have a plan to visit Kerela. DATE OF ARRIVAL -25-10-2015 and will visit Munnar, Thekkady, Kumarkoah and backwater. Need to book with Paradise Holidays as I have heard that it provides the best package. I shall be accompanied with my mother aged 70, my wife aged 38 (both are patients of CMC Vellore) and my daughter aged 11 years. I shall go directly from Vellore (Katpadi Jn) to Ernakulam. Reach on 25th morning at around 6.50A.M. Return journey date will be 29-10-2015 to Howrah(West Bengal). I would request you to give the best option as I shall be taking the people for a change. So keeping that in mind revert at the earliest so that I may plan at my end likewise.

best information Mr. Nath

This is very informative and explained in easy words.

Great effort and your advisers are helpful to assist. Thanks.

Thank you Shweta!

Excellent information table in just a click.

Very informative and help full. Though I’m reading it after I booked my trip it is very helpful to make my trip most memorable. Thanks Ratheesh for your efforts for putting many things together here at one palace.

This is really great. It will help lot of first time visitors plan their itinerary.

Dear Sir, A very nice blog indeed. I stumbled upon ur website while googling for Kerala vacation. I’m yet to visit Kerala and have submitted my query for quote through your website. Then I received a response email wherein I also received the link of your blog. I can see a sincere passion in your blog to assist the novice person to plan the tour in your beautiful state. I’m not sure how my Kerala tour will materialize but having gone through your blog Kudos to you for your endeavors to help people in traveling. God bless! Regards-Nilesh Joshi

That is a very very very good blog. Helped me a lot. Really. Thanks. 🙂

Quite Informative Sir, Please can u recommend value added activities at Munnar, Thekkady etc…. Thanks..

I have been to Kerala for honeymoon from 03.12.2015 till 10.12.2015, and its been a soothing and refreshing experience visiting there. thanks to Kishor Jacob for advising us the most worth places of visit. And also our driver Nisar. he was a good accompany talking to. thanks for making our trip memorable.

Thank you so much for your kind words. We are so happy to hear that your Kerala trip with us was truly memorable!!

i am planning to make a tour with my mother ,she is a nature lover so please tell me the place i can take her ,make a route and how much it will cost me and 15 days trip

As per our expectation we had wonderful time at Munnar, Thekkady, Allepey & Cochin. Needless to say, when we have to visit Kerala again, we will only book it through Paradise Holidays.

All the Hotels which were booked were really great . Also driver Mr. ShreeKumar, was both easy person to deal with.

Thanks to Ms. Nupur, who was so patient since the beginning of our interaction until we finalised the programme. Thanks also to your entire team, who have directly or indirectly participated in making our trip a great success.

1. Also there was a communication gap in Allepey between Houseboat & driver which was sorted out though we have to wait around 30 min roadside.

2. We had to wait for more than 30 minutes while leaving for Cherai in morning, on 23rd February same day our flight was scheduled later in afternoon so time was of essence for us. It would be great if you find some ways to shorten that time.

Regards, Deepak Shah

wonderful ,really good one ,

Thank you Biswajeet!

It’s better if have Complete Package. Though, it’s very informative and helpful to plan the kerala tour. Thanks for it.

Thank you Kalpesh!

Excellent article, a big thanks to the author. It was very informative Thanks

Thanks Daniel 🙂

for one couple for month may 2016 all including cost for 5 night 6 days not any hide cost please tell me emi give me three option

Our Travel Team will contact you soon.

We hope to spend a week after a tour of north India. We would like to relax as well as see some sights, including an overnight stay on a house boat. There will be 4 of us ( middle aged), what would you recommend? Your site is brilliant by the way 🙂

Hi Team, I would like to travel to munnar and allapey for four days in the May month after 20th. Could you please assist, Thanks

Sure Siva. We are forwarding your enquiry to our travel team and the team will contact you soon.

I M FROM KOLHAPUR,MAHARASHTRAP.PLS HELP ME TO PLAN KERALA TOUR WITH MY WIFE & 2 CHILDREN.I DON’T KNOW ABOUT KERALA.I WANT TO VISIT MUNANR ,THEKKADY ETC

Don’t Worry,our travel team will contact and guide you.

CAN I COME BY CAR & I HAVE 5 DAYS TO SPEND IN SUCH PLACES.

Hi I want to spend 4 day tour in kerala and arriving on Trivendrum. Please let me know package and what will be cover in Kerala.

Thanks, pawan

Our travel team will contact you soon.

Nice article. Nicely prepared with full devotion. It will help everybody. Thanks a lot.

Thanks a lot Nandimath!

Continue reading our blog posts and get more information about Kerala.

Great Article post. Thanks for sharing important information.

Thank you, Monika!

Thanks for such amazing information, This will definitely help us planning our first Kerala trip in October.

Hi Prathmesh,

Glad that you liked our article. If you need any more help for planning your trip to Kerala, do reach out to our team. Submit your query at http://paradise-kerala.com/enquiry.html .

This information is more than enough for any individual who is planning tour for first time and i dont think i need any guide or travel agent for hotel bookings or for seeking which place to visit in kerala and i am really more than happy to get soo much information here only. Thank you soo much and will add up if i get some more information related to kerala. 🙂

Hi Jinal, Thank you very much for your interest in Kerala and I’m glad to hear that you liked our article. Keep reading our blog articles.

Wooooowwww.. very knowledgeable post 🙂 thanks alotttt for such a nice description 🙂 Got a lot of info to plan properly 🙂

Thanks, Padmini!!!

Detailed Information.. Very nice.! Impressed!

I would like to visit kerela if you can provide package details. Thanks.

Hi Rahil, Thank you, our team will get back to you.

Hey Hello everbody how is it going. Is anyone planning to visit Kerala in India

Hi, Ratheesh Your blog is so good you have provided step by step guidance for planning a trip to Kerala it helped me a lot. Thank you very much Goodbye

Glad to hear that our blog post helped you efficiently plan your trip to Kerala.

Hello, Thanks. This is of great help and a step by step guideline. Felt like, i am been walked through all the destinations 🙂

We have a 18 month old daughter and wish if you could highlight some Dos and Donts when Kid are on board.

Wish to also understand if North Indian Veg foods are easily accessible ?

Thank you in anticipation.

Hi Abhishek, I’m glad to hear that you liked our post. We will soon update the post by considering your point of view.

Hello, Nice information sharing in Article it is very useful topic present in the websites.

Thanks, Monika.

A very beautiful article.Thank you so much.It helped me a lot.

Hi Piyusha, Glad to hear that our blog post helped you.

very informative and useful post. thanks.

Hi Prasad, Glad to hear that you found the article useful. Continue to read our blog to know more about Kerala.Thank you!

Hi I want to take 9 to 5 houseboat at Allepy. However I am unable to find the online fares . Kindly advise where to book that houseboat. I want it on 30.12.16

Hi Jaspal, We hearty welcome you to experience the mind blowing beauty of Kerala. Please feel free to contact us at [email protected] to get the details of visiting places and packages.

Thanks for sharing this wonderful information. I was looking for finest place to visit in Kerala, and no doubt I found it, just because of you. Detail itinerary will help to plan a best trip to Kerala. Thanks again…….

Hi Julia, I’m glad it helped. Thank you

first of all, i would thank you for this useful post. Sir, I am planning to visit Kerala in mid-november. Is it advisable? and i m planning to reach cochin (2 nights), munnar (3 nights) and alleppey (2 nights). kindly advise.. thanks

Hi Manish, Thank you for reaching out. Our travel team will get in touch with you soon or feel free to contact us at [email protected] to get the details of the places to visit and other services.

We are reaching Cochin on 6thof March and leaving on11th of March,could you tell the plan for five nights and six days.How much is the cost of two people

Hi Poonam, Thank you for reaching out. Our travel team will get in touch with you soon or feel free to contact us at [email protected] to get the details of the tour packages and other services.

HI Nice information sharing in Article I am planning to visit Kerala in mid-may. How many days r required for above tour. plz give some planning for that.

Thank you for reaching out. Our travel team will get in touch with you soon or feel free to contact us at [email protected] to get the details of the tour packages.

Thanks for the valuable guide.

Hi Poetree Sarovar Portico, Thank you for reaching out, we are really glad to hear that you find the article Valuable.

Ratheesh R. Nath, Hi Dear.!! Kerala is the beautiful place in India. And Thank you such much to give best places of Kerala in your article.!! After reading this article, I will plan to go Kerala’s trip.

Thank you, Namrata. If you need any assistance please feel free to contact us at [email protected]

Very useful information, while planning for Kerala. but it would be better if we go through this blog before we make our plan to know the best spots to visit in Kerala.

Thank you, Vijay.

Impressed by the given travel information on tourism and is very useful for a naive too !

Actually i want to know the minimum budget for 3 days including fooding and lodging If I reach from cochin

Regards Anurag

Thank you for reaching out. Our travel team will contact you or Please feel free to contact us at [email protected] to get the details.

Thanks very much for sharing this information. Very helpful indeed!

Hi Sunita, We are really glad to hear that you find the article informative. Continue to read our blog to find more interesting articles.

Hi maam! This is amazing information! However I leave tomorrow with my mum to Kerela for a trip of 10 days starting from Ernakulam. I’m really worried we’ve picked a wrong time to travel. Also I’m confused where to start and where to end! Your assistance would really help me out. Thank you

Hi Ajay, Thank you for reaching out. Please feel free to contact us at [email protected] Phone: +919567887088 to get the details.

Nice article Planning to have a seven days trip to Kerala in October last with my wife & daughter.Your information will help us to plan properly.

Hi Deepak, We hearty welcome you to experience the mind blowing beauty of Kerala. Please feel free to contact us at [email protected] to get the details of visiting places and packages.

Hi, Very good information, keep up the good work. Thanks for sharing.

Thank you, Jeremiah!

Nice post mate.

Thank you, Martin!

Hey your blog is very nice, such useful information you are sharing. I really like your blog the information is very accurate.

Thank you, Adya!

This is a good and informative blog. Well-written and represented with beautiful pictures and have shared so many information about the place.

Thank you, Omkar!

Thanks for the information… I really love your blog posts… especially this guide for those planning a trip to Kerala

Thank you, Sanjay!

Just wow. This is great. God bless.

Thank you, Waseem!

It’s a wonderful article and has helped many people to plan Kerala trip. I plan to visit Kerela with my wife and 2 daughters in 4th week of October 2017. My plan includes Cochin – Munnar – Thekkady- Alleppey – Kovalam/Trivandrum 5 days trip. I want to know whether I can travel from pune to cochin by flight? Are you manage travel by flight? Want estimate for 4 persons. contact : 9881602100 Thanks in advance.

Hi Sachin, Thank you for reaching out and we hearty welcome you to experience the mind blowing beauty of Kerala. Please feel free to contact us at [email protected] to get the details of visiting places and packages.

How is it to plan travel between various points on our own Vs taking a package? Is it easy enough to book cabs/taxis after reaching kerala or booking a package in advance is better?

Hi Tarun, I think booking a package in advance is safest and better thing to do. Cabs and taxis are available with the packages if you go for that.

Useful Information, your blog is sharing unique information…. Thanks for sharing!!!

Hi Neha, Really glad to hear tha you find the article useful.

Awesome .. Simply Awesome…

Its an awesome, appropriate, customized information one seeks for. You have mentioned everything in a proper way. Whatever question I had got cleared by just reading your blog. Thank you for giving your time in writing this unique and important INFO …

Thank you,Purushottam!

Hi! Very useful tips! We’re considering 3 days by the beach. Which place is better: Varkala or Kovalam? We’re looking for a cosy guesthouse or cottage rather than resort. Where are the charming and calm pubs by the beach or ayurvedic spots? Thanks a lot ! 🙂

Hi Aga, Thank you for reaching out and we hearty welcome you to experience the mind blowing beauty of Kerala. Please feel free to contact us at [email protected] to get the details.

I am planning to visit Kerala in last week of February. Please tell me whether this would be the good time or travel or we should postpone it further. I just don’t want to miss any fun while being in Kerala

Hi Tanisha, Thank you for reaching out and we hearty welcome you to experience the mind blowing beauty of Kerala. Please feel free to contact us at [email protected] to get the details of visiting places and packages.

Could you plan for our 3 days tour in Kerala ? If we will arrive in Cochin…

Hi PK, Thank you for reaching out and we hearty welcome you to experience the mind-blowing beauty of Kerala. Please feel free to contact us at [email protected] to get the details of visiting places and packages.

Thanks a lot for great information. This blog has cleared many of my doubts.. Thanks ..

Really glad to hear that our article helped you clear your doubts. Thank you and keep on reading our blog!

I am planning to visit Wayanad on my next vacation with my family. So I was in search of best resort to stay. This blog will really help me on my trip.

Glad to hear that you found our article useful. Thank you! If you need any assistance please feel free to contact us at [email protected] .

I am planning to do Kerala trip on coming month, Is this right time to visit Kerala on May?

Yes, it is. Please feel free to contact us at [email protected] for any enquiries.

good informative blogs thank for sharing

Thank you, Faseeh!

Very interesting post, we enjoyed each and everything as per written in your post. Thank you for this article because it’s really informative.

Thank you, Nitesh!

This is very interesting and helpful blog!

Must say, good work guys.

Wanted to know, typically how many days are enough for kerala trip?

Hi Vishakha,

If you want to cover only the major tourist hubs in Kerala, then 5-7 days are mostly suggested. Please feel free to contact us at [email protected] to get more details of the travel packages.

I am planing to visit Kerala with my family for 5-6 days in mid of August. Is it worth to visit Kerala in mid-August

Yes, Mid-August is a great time to visit Kerala. Please feel free to contact us at [email protected] to get more details of the travel packages.

Very good info. thanks for this. Planning my tour in the month of October in Dushera Holidays. I will connect once again in the month of September after finalizing the dates.

Thankyou once again.

Thank you for reaching out. Please feel free to contact us at [email protected] to get more details of the travel packages.

First of all thanks for the beautiful article. all the valuable information explained very well. Definitely, this article will use when I planning for a trip to Kerala.

Thank you, Arun!

Thanks a lot for great information. This is amazing and awesome information! It is really useful information.

Thank you, Ankita!

This is definitely one of the best articles I have read in this website! Thanks

Thank you, Ekballoke!

I really loved reading your blog.Superb and Interesting post .Thanks for sharing this information, because it is very valuable and useful blog for everyone. Really awesome article.

Thanks for sharing a part of your expertise through this blog. Reading this blog was a delight. It made me feel as if I was actually seeing it through my own eyes.

Very nice blog thnaks for sharing.

Nice Blog. Keep sharing.

This is such a elaborate narrative on Kerala. I really loved reading it. Superb and Interesting post .Thanks for sharing this info, because it was very valuable and useful in panning my trip to Kerala. I’m planning to Visit Kerala between 30th Oct 2018 and 5th Nov 2018.

Kudos to the team!

Thank you and shall contact you back for the trip

Nice piece of information for the people who would like to visit Kerala tourist locations. Keep Going..

Hey, This is very useful and interesting article. Thanks for sharing this information and your experiences.

well said Customer should always decide the dates and travel duration so that they can plan their holiday as per requirement. The destination also explained very well.

keep posting

Nice blog post.Thank you.

Thank you, Saptarshi!

This is incredible posting! I quite enjoyed reading it, I will remember to bookmark your blog and will eventually come back very soon …

Thank you Gruhkhoj

searching for kerala tour plan ….plz help……….

Hi Jay Prakash,

Sorry for the late reply. We are forwarding your inquiry to our team and they will call you very soon.

Very nice information. any one can plan kerala trip easily after reading this blog. thanks. write one blog on veg food in Kerala,it will be more helpful to all vegetarians.

Sure Rakesh, we will add one article regarding the Vegetarian Dishes. Thank you for your support.

sach a very helpful information really love reading it

Thank you, Praveen.

Good information to read. This post is very effective and images also helping us to understand your point. Hey, I am so glad to read your thoughts because I really enjoyed reading this. The way you explain your travel experience is truly awesome. Thank you for this article because it’s really informative, I love reading your blog

Thank you, Priya.

hi nice article i have read it.

Thank you for reading the article, Danish.

This is one of the best planning blogs I’ve come across! Will share it with my network!

Thank you, Sneha.

Nice article about kerala Tour. thanks and keep sharing.

Thank you very much Ellen Willfred. Keep reading our other articles.

Nice and helpful information. Thank a lot

Thank you, Dr Gyanendra Fulzalke.

hello Aapka post bhut hi accha lga bt aap bta sakte h Kerala k tour k liy minimum kitne din lagege jisme jyada s jyada destination cover ho sake. Hum August m 7days ka tour banana chahte h! Plz reply

Hi Reshu, We are forwarding your request to our planning team. They will help you to plan your tour properly.

Thanks a lot for the post! I am planning for a Kerala trip with my wife and parents and have the following requirements – 1) Will reach Cochin by Train, so will need an Innova on the same or next day to travel in and around Kochi and go to Munnar

2) Is there any bus option to travel from Cochin to Munnar?

Kindly provide me details if possible and relevant contact person please

Hi Srijan, We have forwarded you inquiry/ requirement to our planner team.

Very detailed blog. Thanks for sharing. This will be very useful for me.

Thank you, Ajeesh.

Thank you Mr Ratheesh, for sharing such detailed information.

We hope to visit soon.

Regards Alok Singh

wow!! so many great things and amazing pictures. Thanks for sharing this.

Thank you, Roslia

Hello, I am planning my trip from Cochin, Can I use Indica for 8 days? or I can plan my trip with local bus services? If I need to plan with Indica, can I get it from 1st day? Need contacts for the same. Please advice.

Hi Mahesh, Our trip planner will contact you soon.

good expplanation. hi, can you give us honeymoon package detail for flight land at cochi munnar-thekedy-allepy\kumarkom-kovalam depart to trivendrum for 6 night 7 days or 7 night 8 days

Thank you, Jignesh. We are forwarding your request to our trip planner team.

This post is so useful and relevant. Too easy to understand. Thanks for your post. Keep blogging, Chennai Car Rental Car Rentals in Chennai Chennai to Tirupati Car Rentals Chennai to Tirupati Car Rental

AS am new to Kerala, its really helpful for me. Thank you

Good article. So much useful for others.

first of all thanks a lot for your information, secondly kindly let me know traveling cost by car for below. may i know how many days i have to book hotels in each city for normal visit, as i will come from Delhi to Kochi. Cochin – (135 km) – Munnar – (110 km) – Thekkady– (160 km) – Alleppey resort – Alleppey Houseboat – (80 km) – Cochin thanks deepak

thank you and shall contact you on the email provided

Nice blog..!! really happy to read this blog

Hi Thanks for sharing the information about back waters of kuttanad in kerala also I Have also visit Houseboat Alleppey in kerala it’s one of the beautiful experience in my life

Great i also like to go with this tours and travel with your organization. such a beautiful information you updated. Thanks for sharing this beautiful info about Kerala tour. if you like to travel in mumbai tours or any another person want to travel in mumbai sightseeing tour or dharavi tour or bike tour. please visit our website to know more for booking.

Kerela is a really beautiful place to visit, has amazing food and sightseeing options, beaches, etc, found this blog really helpful for complete planning of the trip. It has all the places to visit along with the traveling time and prices. Thank you.

Valuable information. Thanks for sharing!!

planning for Kerala trip please mention packages

Valuable informations about Kerala tour packages. Thanks team. For more details: https://paradise-kerala.com/kerala-tour-packages.html

Very interesting blog about kerala tour packages. Kerala is such an amazing country. Follow https://paradise-kerala.com/kerala-tour-packages.html

Thank you so much for this post. This blog is very nice.

Thanks for sharing. Good information

Good one keep update more things

kerala is a beautiful place to visit. great content.

I am regular reader of your blog and again this is the great and best steps for Kerala Tour. So thanks for sharing this blog

Thank you and happy to understand the blog helped you.

Nice blog and this is a great guide for a plan to Kerala tour

Thank you for great information, keep posting.

Amazing article,while reading the article i just feel i am in kerala..Very clear discription is given about kerala.i love this article,and i am sure my visit to kerala will be wonderfull…

Hello, Good afternoon Author, Thank you for sharing such important and valuable information with us. I really enjoy reading your blog. All formate and images are very effective.

Hello, Good afternoon Author, Thank you for sharing such important and valuable information with us. I really enjoy reading your blog. There is a lot of effectiveness in all of the formats and images.

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Kerala Travel Tips | Kerala Tourism

The breathtaking beauty of Kerala attracts thousands of people to this place. Though it's one of the most popular tourist destination in the world you have to take care of certain things before going to Kerala. The following tips will be useful for you.

Kerala Travel and Safety Measures

Although the people in Kerala are genuinely simple, polite and good natured there are some anti social elements like every other place. So it's better to take some precautions while travelling. Do not wear revealing clothes and keep your valuables safe. It's better to avoid public display of affection like hugging and kissing as it is not accepted in Kerala society.

Currency used in Kerala is Indian Rupee. Foreigners can bring unlimited foreign currency, money exchange in Kerala is easy as there are so many exchange centres, but it will take some time.

Credit cards and debit cards are accepted in main hotels, restaurants and shopping centres.

Best Time for Visit Kerala:

The weather in Kerala is pleasant throughout the year. Yet the best time to visit Kerala is September - March. Monsoon is also an ideal time to go for warm massages. Read more..

Communication:

Communication will not be a problem in Kerala. Kerala may look untouched by time, but all modes of communication are available here. Read more..

Foods Available in Kerala:

Various types of foods are available in Kerala. All standard restaurants in Kerala offers Mughlai, Chinese,Continental, Indian, Fast Food and traditional Kerala foods. Read more..

There is no strict restriction or rules for clothes to wear in Kerala, but nudity is strictly not allowed in Kerala. Cottons are an ideal option in Kerala’s climate. Sunglasses, sunscreen lotion and hats will be handy while travelling. Read more..

Languages Spoken in Kerala:

The official language of Kerala is Malayalam. But almost everyone in Kerala can converse in English. So you don’t have to worry about communication.

Health and Safety:

Keep your medical certificates and medicines with you. Avoid purchasing any illegal stuff. Heavy penalty with imprisonment is there for possession of narcotic drugs. Avoid eating cut fruits and raw salads, and avoid drinking roadside water. Better to avoid street food.

Emergency Numbers :

• Police Control Room - 100
• Fire Station - 101
• Ambulance - 101
• Police Helpline (While traveling on Highways): 9846 100 100
• Police Helpline (While traveling in Trains): 9846 200 100

Temple Codes

Few temples in Kerala do not permit entry to non-Hindus. Strict dress codes are followed in most of the temples. Footwear is banned inside the temple premises.

Nudity is not allowed in any Kerala beach.

Smoking is banned in public places.

Footwear in Houses

Visitors to most Kerala houses leave their footwear outside before entering the house.

Demonstrativeness in Public

Behaviour, demonstrating affection in public like hugging or kissing is not an accepted practice in Kerala.

Excited About Kerala?

Request A Call Back!

Things To Do in Kerala

• Martial Arts
• Handicrafts
• Village Life Experience

Kerala at Glance

• Climate & Seasons
• Pilgrim Centres
• Quality of Life
• Shooting Locations
• Responsible Tourism
• Travel Tips

Top Destinations

Show All Places to Visit in Kerala

The sad, stale state of in-flight vegetarian meals

Who ordered the limp cucumber sandwich.

Last month, a traveler posted a photo to Reddit of his girlfriend’s vegetarian meal for a 12-hour flight. It wasn’t pretty.

The sandwich featured two grim cucumber slices and wan tomatoes. On the top half of the dry roll, faint oval imprints of the filling resembled cupping therapy marks. If the flight attendants had tried to revive the meal, they failed.

As a vegan, I could relate. For travelers who don’t eat animal products, the special meal delivered to our seat is often a mystery: What will the ingredients be? How was it prepared? Will it be halfway palatable?

We know the usual suspects all too well, tomato-soupy ratatouille, salty rice the color of pale sunshine or an anemic salad. We squirrel away extra packets of Biscoff not because we are members of the cookie’s fan club; we’re just trying to survive the flight.

The pitiful cuke is the latest publicly shared slight to vegetarian and vegan travelers seeking sustenance on airplanes. In 2023, a Japan Airlines passenger received a solitary banana with chopsticks for his vegan business-class breakfast. In March, Donna Zeigfinger, founder of Green Earth Travel , ordered a quinoa plate on a United flight. The travel adviser’s plant-based meal came with a side of chicken strips.

“They’re not quite getting it,” said Zeigfinger, a longtime vegan. “They’re still not understanding.”

On a 12 hour flight and this was my gf’s veggie sandwich around 8hrs in. by u/pestopopcorn in mildlyinfuriating

Airlines are constantly investing in meal service , especially in the higher ticket categories. American Airlines recently unveiled its reimagined menu, which included such meat-free dishes as truffle ricotta ravioli and vegetable and garbanzo bean tagine with couscous. Yet, veg travelers are discovering a disconnect between what’s on the menu and what lands with a thud — or whimper — on their tray table.

“One word — disgusting,” said Nikki Dewan, a Vegetarian Society member who participated in a recent Facebook survey about airplane food . “Airlines don’t make an effort to bring good, delicious and wholesome food for the airline customers.”

In a Gallup poll conducted in July, 4 percent of Americans said they were vegetarians. So, why aren’t airlines doing better? And can they please cheer up that sad cucumber with a little dressing?

Missing meals force airlines to improvise

In general, a catering company or in-house culinary team plans the in-flight menus and prepares thousands of meals and snacks in an industrial kitchen on the airport grounds. The airlines assume that all of the passengers will eat the standard meals unless they are otherwise informed.

No different from a restaurant or wedding reception, it is the diner’s responsibility to inform the host (in this case, the airline) of dietary restrictions or meal preferences. Most carriers require passengers to submit their meal choices at least 24 to 48 hours before departure, so the chefs can fill the special orders. If you wait until you’re on the plane to share your requirements, you could end up with an improvised meal conjured in the galley.

“I was always amazed by the time it takes to put together a special meal, which is actually not that easy,” said Daniel Klein, executive chef for research and development at LSG Group, one of the world’s largest airline catering firms. “That’s why I can sometimes see why you might just get a banana, because it’s a last-minute request.”

However, reserving a meal is no guarantee that you will receive it. The flight attendant might not deliver the dish to its rightful owner because of a technical glitch, human error or passenger interference.

“It’s not just the quality of the food or the availability. It’s actually the service,” said Deirdra Barr, director of communications for the U.K.-based Vegetarian Society. “So many people’s vegetarian or vegan meals go missing or someone else gets them, and that means they’re left with nothing.”

Grace Philips, a Vegetarian Society member, knew exactly what happened to her veg meal on a recent flight: Another passenger didn’t “fancy the meat option” and asked for the vegetarian option instead. When the flight attendant reached her seat, all of the veg meals were gone. “I was hungry,” she shared on the group’s Facebook page.

In these instances, the flight attendants will often assemble an improvised plate of food for the neglected passenger. They will forage in the galley or pinch items from their own mini-coolers.

On a flight from New York to Scotland, Elyse Mercedes King said a flight attendant donated her two apples. Vanessa Winsor once survived a long-haul trip with three segments of a satsuma mandarin, six grapes and a bread roll.

When Zeigfinger flew United from Washington Dulles to Berlin, her preordered vegan meal never materialized. The flight attendant tried to correct the injustice with a slapdash meal, plus 700 frequent-flier points.

“The flight attendant was really angry,” Zeigfinger said. “She acknowledged that this was a serious thing.”

The best and worst airlines for vegetarians and vegans

In the 1990s, many travelers who identified as carnivores on the ground became temporary vegetarians when flying. The meatless meal seemed like the tastier and less enigmatic option.

“People who weren’t vegetarian were ordering the vegetarian meal because it was so much better than the chicken or beef they would serve on the plane,” said James Doran, director of business development, tourism and hospitality practice at SIS International Research.

As airlines chase after loyalty members and elite travelers, they are paying more attention to overall meal service, including the previously maligned proteins. Some carriers have teamed up with celebrity chefs, such as Delta’s partnerships with Michelle Bernstein, Michael Chiarello and Linton Hopkins. Air France works with Michelin-starred French chefs and award-winning pastry chefs.

Charles Platkin, founder and executive director of the Center for Food as Medicine , described vegan and vegetarian meals as an “afterthought” in this profit-driven market. Even so, the major airlines are still providing special meals, including several that go beyond the traditional veg diet. The subcategories include Asian vegetarian, vegetarian lacto-ovo, fruit platter and Jain , a vegetarian diet that eschews root vegetables.

Travelers note that airlines that cater to populations inclined toward vegetarianism, for cultural or religious reasons, often excel in this department. Doran fondly recalled a vegetarian Malay meal on Malaysian Airlines and an Indian-style vegetarian dish on Emirates. However, this rule doesn’t always apply.

“Very surprisingly Air India is terrible on the occasions I’ve flown with them,” Teresa Dawkes shared on the Vegetarian Society’s Facebook page. “Pretty inedible and they didn’t have any gin.”

Ashley Isaacs Ganz, the vegetarian founder of the luxury tour operator Artisans of Leisure , said she wishes carriers based in countries with strong vegetarian traditions would better showcase their culinary heritage. For example, she suggested Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways incorporate Japanese temple cuisine into their menus.

“I always want to have the Japanese meal, but the different components of the meal are, for the most part, not vegetarian,” she said. “I would love for them to take it to the next level.”

In a Vegetarian Society Facebook post about airplane food, more airlines were panned than praised. Patricia Thompson called Irish carrier Aer Lingus “woeful” for serving dry veggie pasta for dinner and canapés with chicken bits that the flight attendants offered to pick off.

Not just pasta and salad anymore

To be fair, some airlines have been refining their palates.

Since 2009, Swiss has partnered with Hiltl , which claims to be the world’s oldest vegetarian restaurant (it was founded in Zurich in 1898). The airline celebrated its 10-year anniversary with a three-course meal that included spicy beetroot tabbouleh, penne with vegetarian bolognaise or massaman curry for the main course, and a vegan mango mousse for dessert.

In November, Australian carrier Qantas launched new vegan menu items in all of its classes. Economy passengers can dine on lemon herb pearl couscous with roasted carrots, baby beans and toasted almonds. Higher classes can sample such dishes as pumpkin and ginger soup with sourdough croutons; stir-fried shiitake mushrooms with tofu, chrysanthemum greens and jasmine rice; or plant-based orecchiette with sautéed mushrooms, spinach, cauliflower cream and pangrattato.

For its latest vegan and vegetarian menus, Air New Zealand introduced such dishes as cannellini bean smash with pan-fried tofu spinach and jackfruit with coconut red curry and black mustard seed steamed rice.

Klein recently developed a Western-themed vegan menu for Korean Air. For first class, he created a trio of amuse-bouches, including an onion puree flavored with passion fruit; smashed Yukon potatoes with fresh truffles and a chestnut puree; and a risotto with roasted vegetables.

He said the biggest challenge in crafting innovative in-flight meals is not the altitude, which dulls the taste buds, but the cost of some products. He said alternative meats are too expensive to include on menus.

“They are still very pricey,” he said. “We’re not there yet, so we go with regular items, but we try to be creative.”

Platkin is not clamoring for fake proteins on flights. He advocates for clean, healthy ingredients, and said the airlines already rely too heavily on processed foods and easy carbs.

When asked to review new menu options on American Airlines, he said the dishes look tasty, but he was concerned about the heavy use of cheese and the fake meat.

As for the meal plan for international economy passengers, his critique was short and to the point: “It is all pasta.”

More on air travel

Leave flying to the pros: Think you could land a plane in an emergency? Experts say you’re wrong . Here’s what you should actually do if something goes awry during a flight .

Pet peeves: Why do “gate lice” line up early for a flight ? Psychologists explained for us. Another move that annoys airline workers: abusing the flight attendant call button . For more on how to behave on a flight, check out our 52 definitive rules of flying .

Plane mess: Stories about extremely disgusting airplanes have been grossing out travelers. The question of plane cleanups became the subject of a recent debate after a flight attendant allegedly told a pregnant passenger to pick up the popcorn spilled by her toddler.

Frequent flying: Airline status isn’t what it used to be, but at least there are some good movies and TV shows to watch in the air. And somewhere out there, experts are trying to make airline food taste good.

Sleeper Picks: Zurich Classic of New Orleans

Sleeper Picks

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Dylan Wu and Justin Lower (+6600) … Until last year, a pair of non-winners on the PGA TOUR hadn’t partnered to win the Zurich Classic of New Orleans, but Nick Hardy and Davis Riley broke that seal and with a tournament-record 30-under 258 to boot. Wu and Lower are a combined 0-for-147 on TOUR and that includes a pair of starts in the current format at TPC Louisiana, but they still are getting respectful odds at BetMGM. In their debut in 2022, they placed T10, so there’s been some success, but both have escalated in the macro since. In 2024 alone, Wu has two top 25s, including a season-best T19 at THE PLAYERS Championship, while Lower has a T3 at the Mexico Open at Vidanta and a T4 at last week’s Corales Puntacana Championship. Lower’s exceptional game on approach grades out as 38th on TOUR in greens hit, 14th in proximity and 34th in adjusted scoring. Wu’s balanced attack fortifies the foundation.

Nate Lashley and Rafael Campos (+550) … This isn’t the first rodeo for either of these guys, but it is the first time they’ve collaborated for the tournament – and it’s a smart one. Both are faring nicely in 2024 with three top 25s apiece. Lashley is ninth on the PGA TOUR in fairways hit, T63 in greens in regulation and 30th in Stroke Gained: Tee-to-Green, while Campos is inside the top 60 in distance of all drives, fairways hit and GIR. While their skill sets are similar in terms of ball-striking, the combined moxie they present is a favorable intangible in the team format.

Charley Hoffman and Nick Watney (+550) … If you’re a loyal reader – first, thank you – you also know that I learned my lesson in dismissing Hoffman’s chances in a team competition a while ago, so it is with that amusing experience lingering that it’s time again to lean into the possibilities. He’s regained an edge as he burns a career earnings exemption this year what with a playoff loss at the WM Phoenix Open and a T4 this past Sunday at the Corales Puntacana Championship. This is the seventh time in as many chances that Hoffman and Watney have partnered for the Zurich Classic of New Orleans. Overall, they have two top 10s among four top 20s. Despite both scuffling upon arrival last year, they rose for a T19, thus proving (again, like Hoffman did with Ryan Palmer at the QBE Shootout the previous December) that experience plays way up in this format.

Odds were sourced at BetMGM.

For resources to overcome a gambling problem, call or text 1-800-GAMBLER today.

Rob Bolton is a Golfbet columnist for the PGA TOUR. The Chicagoland native has been playing fantasy golf since 1994, so he was just waiting for the Internet to catch up with him. Follow Rob Bolton on Twitter .