Local Kids in the Kerala Backwaters

This week´s post is an interview with my mum Sheila McNeaney. My parents recently returned from a trip to Kerala in February 2010, so I thought it would be useful to share their up to date tips and advice on planning an itinerary for a short six day trip to Kerala. Hopefully this will help you plan your own short (or long) trip to Kerala.

What was your itinerary in Kerala?

After visiting Goa we took the overnight train to Alleppey and spent 5 nights in Kerala: 2 nights at Green Palms Homes homestay near Alleppey, 2 nights in Kumily (near Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary) and 1 night in Cochin.

How did you get around and did it feel too rushed?

Our trip didn´t feel too rushed. We initially wanted to include Munnar as well but that would have been too much. It helped that we travelled by hired car and driver which saved on travel time. We didn´t hire a driver for the whole time: we took a taxi from Alleppey train station to the homestay and then we just arranged a taxi with our accommodation to take us to the next destination when we were ready. This made things really flexible. Taxis are very easy to organise.

How much did it cost to hire a car and driver?

The taxi from Alleppey train station to the Green Palms homestay cost 400 rupees, and then we had to take a short canoe trip across the river to reach the house.

Thomas arranged an an a/c car to take us from the homestay to Kumily. It took 4 hours with one stop and cost 2200 rupees. It was a lovely drive with stunning views and unusually for India the driver was very sensible and safe!

The taxi from Kumily – Ernakulum/Cochin cost 3100 rupees and took 4.5 hours.

What was your favourite place in Kerala?

Green Palms homestay. The house was full but despite the number of guests we really enjoyed the peace and quiet there. The family were so friendly and welcoming, and it had such a relaxed atmosphere. We found the rooms comfortable and the home-cooked food was delicious.

One of our favourite experiences was taking a trip on a small motor boat out into the backwaters. It was so peaceful watching the world go by, and we stopped at the perfect spot to watch the sunset. Another great trip was the 6.30am bird watching walk where we spotted many unusual birds.

We really enjoyed our time in Kumily too though. We did a one hour boat trip on the lake which was lovely, although we didn´t see any big animals and at 450 rupees it was a bit overpriced. We also enjoyed an interesting trip to a tea factory and plantation.

What was your favourite hotel?

For comfort and facilities I would say Chrissie´s Hotel in Kumily. It doesn´t look like much from the front but when you go inside you come to a lovely garden at the back. It´s a tranquil place on a quiet street off the main road although it´s still very central to town.

The rooms were large with a comfy bed and a balcony with fantastic views of the forest. You have to be careful not to leave anything on the balcony though or the monkeys might get it! They have their own rooftop restaurant which is also very good with delicious Italian food. We thought the room was good value at about 2000 rupees a night.

Why didn´t you take a houseboat trip?

The main reason was time but we felt we got to see the backwaters well enough by staying at the homestay and taking a small boat trip around the smaller canals and lake. We saw many houseboats in the backwaters. There are now around 1000 in the Alleppey area and Thomas at the homestay told us that they are causing a lot of pollution problems to the local people.

How was Keralan food?

The food was lovely – it´s not too spicy, uses fresh ingredients and there were lots of options. It can be difficult to buy beer though as only big hotels have a licence to sell it. If you ask around though you can usually find a place to buy it.

What was your worst experience?

We didn´t have any bad experiences in Kerala but the overnight train journey from Goa to Kerala wasn´t any fun. We accidently booked the sleeper class instead of AC2 (which had been recommended to us as the best class to travel in), and it wasn´t very comfortable at all. It was crowded, noisy, the toilets were awful, there were no blankets so it got chilly at night (you must bring your own in sleeper class), and as there was no a/c it got very hot during the day. It was cheap though – only 375 rupees per person.

On the way back to Goa thankfully we took a flight via Bangalore with Indian Airlines and this cost 6400 rupees per person.

Would you recommend Kerala to others? Do you have any tips for people planning a trip there?

Yes we´d definitely recommend Kerala to friends, in fact I already have. My main advice would be to have plenty of time – don´t think that you can see it all in a few days. It´s such a relaxing place that it´s good to take your time and enjoy it. We would have liked to spend more time in Kerala, especially to explore Fort Cochin.

I woud also say that although houseboats are nice they aren´t very good for the environment and are an expensive way to see the backwaters. We´d recommend staying at a homestay and exploring on a small boat or canoe.

Finally, if you are looking for a comfortable place to stay, don´t rule out accommodation listed in the Budget section of the guidebooks – some of them in Kumily looked really nice.

If you´ve recently returned from a trip to Kerala and would like to be interviewed for this site and share your tips then please get in touch.

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India Mike -I am pretty sure you can find the answer to any Indian travel question on this extensive site. It features articles, hotel reviews, journals, and most importantly an active forum where you’ll find experts to answer any questions so have.

Lonely Planet - Another huge travel site. My favourite sections are the Thorn Tree Forum where you can ask questions, the shop where you can download the ‘getting started’ chapters from all their guidebooks for free (or pay a small fee for individual chapters), and the Destination Guides.

The Planet D – A travel blog written by Dave and Deb “Canada’s Adventure Couple”. They have spent the last few months travelling around India including Rajasthan, Mumbai, Hampi, Goa and Kerala. Deb writes very honestly about their experiences including the traveller’s fatigue they faced in Rajasthan.

Breathe Dream Go – Mariellen is a travel writer, yogi and Indiaphile who is passionate about sharing the beauty of India’s culture and wisdom. She has lots of great info for women travelling alone in India.

Matador Network – This isn’t India specific but has a huge range of interesting travel articles including plenty about India.

About.com India Travel Guide – A range of articles to help you plan your trip.

Mahindra Homestays Blog – This homestay booking site writes regularly about attractions to visit in India, including Kerala.

You can also read my recommended resources for finding Kerala accommodation for more useful websites.What websites do you use? Let us know

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A Keralan Feast

Keralan food is delicious and one of the highlights of visiting the region. The spicy but subtle flavours are very different from the heavy, oily curries served in Indian restaurants abroad. We found Keralan food to be the most delicious in all of India, featuring fresh and tasty ingredients.

Rice is the staple of Keralan meals, served with a range of vegetable and fish dishes. Coconut and spices are always present including the locally grown black pepper, cloves, ginger, cardamom and cinnamon.

Vegetarians in Kerala

Keralan food is great for vegetarians with a wide range of vegetable and lentil dishes always available. Indians understand the vegetarianism concept better than anywhere else in the world so you only need to say ‘veg’ to know that your meal will be safe. Most restaurants are signposted ‘veg’ or ‘non-veg’ in English so it’s easy to find a place to eat. If you aren’t vegetarian then fish is widely eaten, and meat is available.

Where to Eat

The best place to sample authentic Keralan food is homestays where you’ll be treated to huge portions of amazing home-cooked food, often included in the room price. You’ll also find tasty and cheap food in local ‘working-men’ diners and canteens. These places have basic décor, but are usually very hygienic, and serve unlimited portions of authentic meals often for less than 50p ($0.80). Even smarter restaurants rarely cost more than a few pounds ($3) for a meal, but I think the food is actually tastier in the more basic places.

Eating with Your Hands

In Kerala, as in the rest of India, it is normal to eat with your hands. This can take some practice, but it’s part of the fun of learning about a new cuisine and culture, and Indians will appreciate your efforts. Make sure you eat with your right hand only, as the left hand is used to clean yourself after using the toilet. Use the fingers to mix the curries into the rice and create a ball. Your thumb is used to push the ball into your mouth. You can also use bread to scoop up the food, which is easier when starting out, although trying to tear the bread with just your right hand can be tricky.

Restaurants will always have a sink available in the main dining area where you can wash your hands before and after the meal.

Breakfast Dishes

Kerala has some delicious traditional breakfast dishes that are far more interesting than toast and cereal. You’ll have to get used to eating curry in the morning, but it’s definitely worth it. Some of these dishes can be served as snacks or dinner as well. Here are some tasty dishes to try:

Appam - Also known as hoppers these thick pancakes are made from rice flour and served with a masala sauce.

Neyyappam – Sweet rice pancakes filled with coconut and jaggery (unrefined sugar)  and cooked in a banana leaf. This rustic snack is best found in a Keralan home, so ask your homestay about them.

Puttu - Rice powder and grated coconut are combined and steamed in a cylindrical bamboo or metal holder.

Idli – Circular steamed rice cakes that are popular throughout South India. They are usually served with chutney and sambar (a spicy vegetable broth), and sometimes accompanied by vada.

Vada – A common snack throughout South India, this is a savoury doughnut or disk-shaped snack made from lentils and deep-fried. You’ll often find them on street food stands or in train stations.

Masala Dosa – Dosas aren’t native to Kerala, but are common in South India and are delicious for breakfast or dinner. These large crunchy crepes are made from rice and lentils and filled with a spicy potato mixture. They are usually served with sambar and coconut chutney.

Chai – Breakfast is usually accompanied by India’s delicious, spicy, milky tea .

Keralan Meals

Lunch is the main meal of the day and usually features a mound of rice with lots of different spiced dishes (vegetable, lentil or fish). In a local diner the main (sometimes only) meal on offer with be the thali.  Rice and 4-8 different dishes will be served on a banana leaf or metal tray alongside pickles, curd and pappadoms. The cheap price includes unlimited food, and a server will keep coming around to top up your plate.

Moillee is the famous Keralan fish curry made with coconut, green chilli, ginger and curry leaves.

Dinner is similar but usually lighter and one of the breakfast snacks may be eaten.

Sadya

Sadya is a vegetarian banquet (basically a large thali) served on spacial occasions and during the Onam Festival in August. Rice and up to 24 different dishes are served on a banana leaf. Dishes include Aviyal, a thick mix of vegetables, curd and coconut.

Cooking Lessons

If you really enjoy Keralan food then you can learn how to cook it yourself. Homestays often offer cooking lessons and can be a lot of fun.

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Mahindra Homestays

Mahindra Homestays is a booking service for homestays throughout India. It isn’t independent, but it is a useful way to find homestays, with plenty listed in Kerala. The photos and descriptions for each homestay are quite detailed and some have reviews by guests.

Each homestay is inspected to ensure that it complies with the high standards of Mahindra Homestays, including comfort, cleanliness, safety and originality. You can book your stay on the website or by phone.

Recommended for those looking for a homestay who would like the security of an advance booking.

Couchsurfing

This is an interesting and cheap option for adventurous travellers. Couchsurfing is a huge hospitality network where hosts from around the world allow travellers to stay on their couches or in their spare rooms for free.

There are  hundreds of hosts registered in Kerala, and this is an amazing way to get to know local people and see the ‘real’ Kerala.  Even if you don’t want to stay with the hosts you can arrange to meet them while you are in Kerala for a chance to meet locals and make new friends.

Many people are worried about the security of couchsurfing, but over 4 million positive experiences have been registered, which is an incredible 99.794% success rate. If you are still worried you can choose to only stay with hosts that have been verified and have positive references from other couchsurfers.

There are some amazing couchsurfing hosts in Kerala, including the chance to stay in an eco-friendly hut on a coffee plantation  in Wayanad, or with an Ayurvedic doctor on the beach in Kannur.

Recommended for adventurous travellers and those on a budget looking for a unique Keralan experience.

Twitter

Twitter is a social networking site where members post short (140 character) messages. There is a great travel community on Twitter who you can ask for hotel recommendations, or you can  search to find out what people are saying about a particular hotel.

Almost Fearless has published a useful ebook called Twitter for Travellers which features great advice on using Twitter to find travel tips. There’s even a cheat sheet on how to set up a Twitter account for those just starting out.

I posted a question on Twitter asking how people found great accommodation. @Monica530 pointed me to her Travel Secrets article where she recommends not booking hotels in advance so that you can negotiate cheaper prices.

Recommended for travellers who already use Twitter, or those who’d like to learn.

Guidebook

The most traditional way to find accommodation is with a guidebook. You’ll have plenty of reliable listings in one portable package. The downside is that thousands of other travellers will be using the same guide, so these options can get crowded.

For pros and cons of each of the major Kerala and India guidebooks you can read my reviews of The Rough Guide to Kerala , Lonely Planet India and Lonely Planet South India.

Recommended for everyone (it’s always useful to have a guidebook on hand), especially travellers who won’t be booking in advance.

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I-escape

I-escape is a wonderful website that focuses on hip hideaways and boutique places to stay. If you are looking for somewhere stylish and special to stay in Kerala then this is the website for you. The Kerala section has lots of practical travel information (when to go, activities, places to visit, travel tips) and lists over 30 places to stay sorted by area and budget. Everywhere from homestays to palaces are covered, and there’s even an eco-friendly houseboat run by electric motor.

The best feature of i-escape is the detailed reviews of every place to stay. These are the most comprehensive accommodation reviews I have seen on the web, and give you a complete picture of the hotel. They include an unbiased breakdown of the pros and cons of each hotel; photos and detailed descriptions of the rooms, food and activities; links to other reviews and of course prices. You can even book your stay through i-escape.

There are some amazing places to stay in Kerala reviewed on i-escape. The only downside is that prices are high for India.

Recommended for honeymooners, and travellers with a larger budget looking for a unique and stylish place to stay.

TripAdvisor

TripAdvisor is the most popular accommodation review site on the web. It currently lists over 1000 accommodation options in Kerala from family-run homestays to huge resorts and international chains. The reviews are submitted by readers so are unbiased, although it can get confusing when people have vastly different views on the same place. Each listing is rated out of five, so you can sort by the top rated hotels.

I prefer looking in the B&Bs/Inns and Specialty Lodging sections to find smaller and cheaper places to stay in Kerala. The Hotels section is where you’ll find the bigger and more expensive resorts and hotels.

TripAdvisor also features a forum where you can ask questions.

Recommended for everyone. It covers all accommodation options.

India Mike

India Mike is a very helpful India travel forum where you can read or post questions on all aspects of travel in India. To find accommodation in Kerala you can search the forum, post a question on the Kerala branch of the forum, or read reviews of over 300 hotels listed in the Kerala Hotels section.

Recommended for everyone, especially travellers looking for budget accommodation.

Lonely Planet

The Lonely Planet website features the useful Thorn Tree forum where you can search and read old posts, and ask questions on the India branch.

You can also search for accommodation in the Hotels section on the website. Not all of the listings have been reviewed by Lonely Planet writers, and you need to search by city,  so you can’t browse all Kerala listings.

Recommended for budget travellers.

If you use one or more of these websites you’ll be able to find some great places to stay in Kerala. In Part 2 of How to Find Great Kerala Accommodation I’ll be recommending more useful resources for finding Kerala homestays and hotels, including an interesting option for free accommodation.

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Here’s a round up of this year’s most popular posts on Kerala India Travel. If you are planning your first trip to Kerala these articles are a good place to start.

1) Kerala Houseboats -The Essential Guide
This guide to Kerala Houseboats was the most popular post of the year. The five part series takes you through everything you need to know to plan your houseboat trip including what to expect, how much it costs and how to book. I’ll be building upon this series and writing a Guide to Kerala Houseboats Ebook early in 2010.

2) The Best Ways to Experience the Kerala Backwaters
The backwaters are one of the most beautiful and unique areas of Kerala. This article explores the best ways to experience them including houseboat, canoe, homestay and local ferry.

3) Top 10 Places to Visit in Kerala
A concise run down of the most popular and interesting places to visit in Kerala.

4) Kerala Suggested Itineraries – 1 week
It can be difficult deciding where to visit if you have limited time in Kerala. This helpful post suggests four possible routes for one week trips.

5) The Best Homestay in Kerala – Community Greenpalm Homes Review
It took me three posts to review my favourite homestay in the backwaters of Kerala. Here you’ll find out why I love Community Greenpalm Homes so much, what activities are on offer, and the practical details of how to book and how to get there.

6) Top 10 Reasons to Visit Kerala
This is a great place to start if you are considering a trip to Kerala. Hopefully I’ll convince you as I talk about the range of attractions, the beautiful backwaters, fantastic homestays, delicious food and more.

7) Which Kerala Beach is Right for You?
This three part guide details the pros and cons of beaches in South, Central and North Kerala. You can decide whether you’d prefer the more popular beaches such as Kovalam or Varkala, or want to retreat to quiet and unspoilt Cherai or Kannur.

8) Travel the Backwaters by Canoe
A canoe trip is one of my favourite ways to experience the Kerala backwaters up close. Read about my experiences on the DTPC canoe trip to Munroe Island.

9) Kerala Suggested Itineraries – 2 weeks
Three possible itineraries for a longer trip to Kerala. With two weeks you’ll have time to see many of the most popular destinations or get off the beaten track.

10) Kerala India Travel – Tips to Plan your Trip
Answers to commonly asked questions such as when to visit Kerala, what to take and what to wear. Part 2 of this guide covers visas and whether to book in advance, while Part 3 looks at transport, money and malaria.

Thanks to everyone for reading the Kerala India Travel blog this year. Let me know if you have any suggestions for improvements in 2010.

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Contents

The Lonely Planet India is a brick of a book. Its 1244 pages weigh in at 1kg/2 pounds, but are packed full of practical information covering every region in the country.

The structure and layout is the same as the Lonely Planet South India, so see my review of this for more details. As in the other guide the Highlights, Getting Started and Itineraries sections provide a great overview of India and help to plan a trip to this huge country. The main differences are the lack of colour food section (although the food section is quite detailed), and language phrases are only listed in Hindi and Tamil.

Each state is covered in its own chapter. The Lonely Planet South India guide has slightly more info on the Southern states, but not a great deal more. As usual the Lonely Planet guides are very strong on budget accommodation listings, transport information and maps.

Pros

• The guide covers the whole of India
• It was recently released in September 2009 so is the most up to date India guidebook on the market
• Lots of accurate and easy to use maps
• The suggested itineraries section is very useful for planning a trip
• Helpful transport information. I believe Lonely Planet provide the best advice on how to get from A to B.
• Activities section is great for planning a trip around an interest such as bird-watching, kayaking or yoga.

Cons

• This is a huge and heavy book. I recommend doing what we did and cut out the chapters of the states you won’t be visiting. We also cut out the state we were in so that we didn’t have to carry around the whole book for daytrips.
• Only Hindi and Tamil are included in the languages section
• Lonely Planet is the most popular guide with travellers in India, so you could end up following the crowds, especially with the accommodation recommendations.

So which guidebook is right for your trip to Kerala and India? If you are just visiting Kerala go for the Rough Guide to Kerala for the most specific cultural and practical information in a very compact book. The Lonely Planet South India is a great choice if you are travelling further afield, and if you are venturing all over the country then you won’t go wrong with the Lonely Planet India. Just do your back a favour and cut out the pages you don’t need!

Buy the Lonely Planet India Now

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Contents

The Lonely Planet South India is a 576 page guide that is surprisingly compact and lightweight, considering it covers such a large region. It features information on Mumbai, Goa, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and the Andaman & Nicobar Islands. It includes:

South India Highlights – a run down of the top ten highlights in the region with large colour photos. Three of the highlights are in Kerala (Kerala Backwaters at Number 1, Fort Cochin and Kannur). This is a nice visual introduction to the region.

Getting Started – I like this useful section that focuses on the key practicalities you need to plan your trip. It introduces you to South India and deals with when to go, costs, key items to pack and includes Top Picks for books, festivals and trips.

Events Calendar - featuring major national festivals by month. State specific festivals aren’t included here, but there are festival lists in each state chapter.

Itineraries – I find the suggested itineraries section in Lonely Planet guides one of the most useful features when first planning a trip. Especially with a region as large as South India it can be overwhelming deciding where to go and working out what is possible in a certain period of time. This section shows suggested routes on a map with a description and recommended time frame.

You get an idea of what the most popular attractions are, as well as suggestions on how to avoid the crowds in the Road Less Travelled itineraries. The Tailored Trips routes are great for focusing on an area of interest – in this case temples, ashrams, festivals and beaches. I’m not suggesting you slavishly follow these routes but they are a great starting point for planning a trip around your own interests.

History & Culture – These sections are essential for improving your understanding of South India. The detailed culture section covers lifestyle, religion, women in India, arts and sport.

Food & Drink – Another vital chapter focusing on South Indian food that features a lovely full colour section with photos and a helpful glossary.

Environment & Activities -The useful activities chapter highlights the best places for certain activities such as elephant rides or birdwatching. This is helpful for choosing an itinerary based on an interest. It includes a holistic and spiritual activities section telling you where to go for ashrams, yoga and Ayurveda etc.

Main Guide – The main guide is divided up by state. Each state chapter starts with an introduction, map, key facts (such as when to go, language etc) and a list of festivals. It lists 9 festivals for Kerala. Information on destinations covers practical information, sights & activities, sleeping, eating, drinking, entertainment, getting there & away, and getting around.

Directory, Transport & Health – The detailed practical information that applies to the whole region is listed at the back of the guide. Here you’ll discover what to expect from Indian toilets, scams to look out for, how to send a parcel or book a train and a huge amount of other invaluable information.

Language – The language section includes key phrases in all major South Indian language- Tamil, Kannada, Konkani, Malayalam (for Kerala), Marathi and Telugu.

Green Index List – A list of organisations featured in the guide that are committed to sustainability.

Pros

• The latest version of Lonely Planet South India has just been released, so the information is very up to date.
• Lots of accurate and easy to use maps.
• The suggested itineraries section is very helpful for planning a trip.
• Accurate and detailed transport information. I believe Lonely Planet provide the best advice on how to get from A to B.
• Compact and not too heavy (especially compared with the huge Lonely Planet India).
• Useful colour food and drink section for making sense of the range of delicious food on offer.
• Activities section for planning a trip around an interest.
• Green Index List helps you find sustainable organisations.
• Language section features all six major South Indian languages (including Malayalam for Kerala which is not included in Lonely Planet India).

Cons

• It doesn’t cover Keralan specific culture and destinations in as much detail as The Rough Guide to Kerala.
• Lonely Planet is the most popular guide with travellers in India, so you could end up following the crowds, especially with the accommodation recommendations.

Summary

Lonely Planet South India is a comprehensive, detailed guide to the region packed with useful information.

I personally like the Lonely Planet format, but if you are a Rough Guide fan you might also want to consider the Rough Guide to South India. However the latest version was published in October 2007 so is two years older than the Lonely Planet South India.

There are only six more pages of Kerala information in Lonely Planet South India than there is in the Lonely Planet India, so if you are travelling all over the country it’s worth getting this complete guide to the country. Read my review of the Lonely Planet India guidebook here.

Buy the Lonely Planet South India Now.

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The Rough Guide to Kerala is the only major guidebook that covers Kerala only and is ideal for travellers who are just visiting Kerala, and not the rest of India. This comprehensive guide is suitable for all independent travellers, whether on a shoestring budget or in search of comfortable resorts.  It covers all the major attractions as well as more off the beaten track destinations.

Contents

The Rough Guide to Kerala is a compact size with 351 pages. It includes:

• A Colour Introductory Section - This includes a good introduction to Kerala, a colour map, an overview of ‘where to go’, and a useful ‘when to go’ section featuring average temperature and rainfall charts.  The ‘19 Things Not to Miss’ feature includes colour photos and alongside the most obvious sights, lists interesting aspects of Keralan culture such as Kalarippayattu, an acrobatic martial art, and Sadya, a banana leaf feast. This section is a really useful overview and gives a good sense of what there is to see and do in Kerala.
• Basics Section – Here you’ll find all the important practical information you’ll need to plan your trip. It includes information on transport (getting there and around), types of accommodation on offer, health, sports and outdoor activities, culture and etiquette (very important for India), shopping (what are the best souvenirs to buy), travelling with kids, and travel essentials such as costs and changing money.I particularly like the comprehensive festivals list which details 48 Keralan festivals that take place throughout the year, and the detailed guide to delicious Keralan food and drink. This features a section on Keralan spices, and a list of ‘10 Great Places to Eat Authentic Keralan Food’.
• The Main Guide – This is divided up into Southern, Central and Northern Kerala. Each section includes an introduction, a map, a list of highlights and some history for that area. The guides are detailed and for each place cover transport, accommodation, sights, eating and practical listings for hospitals, internet cafes etc.

Both popular and smaller off the beaten track destinations are covered. The accommodation reviews cover the full range of options from rock bottom budget to luxury resorts. There is a colour section on the backwaters, but mostly the guide section is text with the occasional black and white photo.

• Contexts – At the back of The Rough Guide to Kerala there is detailed information on the history, religion, sacred arts and wildlife of Kerala, which is very helpful for learning more about the state. There is also a comprehensive book list for further reading.

• Language – The final section features basic Malayalam phrases and a helpful food glossary.

Pros

What is your favourite guidebook to Kerala? Leave a comment and let us know.

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View from Munnar, Kerala. Photo by KCBimal

Kerala Highlights

Cochin-Munnar-Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary-Alleppey-Kollam-Varkala-Trivandrum
This is the classic Kerala route that takes in the most popular destinations. After exploring Fort Kochi for a day head up to the hills and wander the tea plantations in the cool mountain air of Munnar. Next spot wild elephants and monkeys (and tigers if you’re really lucky) in Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary, before taking a taxi or bus down the winding roads to Alleppey.

Alleppey will be your base to explore the backwaters, stay in a homestay and take a houseboat ride. You could easily spend a week relaxing here, but if you are keen for some beach time press on to Kollam where it’s only a short ride to the dramatic beaches of Varkala. Finishing your trip in Trivandrum you’ll be able to pick up onward transport after some temple sightseeing.

Backwaters & Beaches

Cochin-Kottayam-Alleppey-Kollam-Varkala-Kovalam-Trivandrum
If you want to avoid the cooler climes of the hills then stick to the backwaters and beaches of Kerala. You’ll see many of the sights of the Kerala Highlights route, but you’ll have more time to soak up the slow Keralan pace and chill out by rivers and sea.

Keralan Coast

Trivandrum-Varkala-Alleppey-Cochin-Kozhikode-Kannur-Bekal
This Keralan Coast route takes you along the 580km long Arabian Sea fringed coast, from the bustling beaches of Varkala to the isolated sandy stretches and fishing villages of the far north. Of course the backwaters are not to be missed, and Fort Kochi is always worth a day wandering the colonial streets and spice markets.

North of here you can escape the crowds in the area known as the Malabar Coast. Kozhikode is much more Muslim influenced than other parts of Kerala with some interesting mosques and unique cuisine. Kannur is the place for quiet beaches and visits to traditional Theyyyam dance performances.

In the far North of the state you’ll find empty beaches and historic battlements at Bekal Fort, not far from the border with neighbouring Karnataka state.

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