Travel guide · India
Kerala travel guide
Backwater houseboats, tea hills, spice-port Kochi and cliff-top beaches
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
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Quick answer
Kerala is a narrow state on India's south-west coast, squeezed between the Arabian Sea and the Western Ghats. A typical route starts in Kochi, an old spice port with Portuguese, Dutch and Jewish heritage in Fort Kochi and Mattancherry, then climbs about four hours inland to the tea estates of Munnar and the Periyar reserve at Thekkady, before dropping to the backwaters around Alappuzha and Kumarakom for a night on a houseboat and ending on the beaches of Varkala or Kovalam near Thiruvananthapuram. Distances are modest, but roads are slow. Plan 10 days for a first visit; the best months are November–February.
Key facts
- Country
- India
- Best time to visit
- November–February
- Ideal stay
- 10 days
- Main airports
- COK, TRV, CCJ
- Mid-range daily budget
- $70–$150 per person (estimate)
- Known for
- Backwaters, Houseboats, Tea plantations and Ayurveda
Why visit Kerala
- An overnight houseboat on the backwaters of Vembanad Lake and the canals around Alappuzha is one of India's most relaxing journeys.
- Munnar's tea estates cover the Kannan Devan hills at around 1,500 metres, with cool air and walks through clipped tea bushes.
- Fort Kochi and Mattancherry hold the Paradesi Synagogue, the Mattancherry Palace murals, St Francis Church and the cantilevered Chinese fishing nets.
- Kathakali dance-drama, Kalaripayattu martial arts and, in the north, Theyyam ritual performances are living traditions you can watch.
- Kerala cooking — appam and stew, fish moilee, karimeen pollichathu and a vegetarian sadya on a banana leaf — is a reason to come in itself.
Top things to do
The six sights most first-time visitors build a trip around. See all 18 things to do.
Experience · Alappuzha
Backwater houseboat cruise
Converted kettuvallam rice barges with bedrooms, a deck and a cook sail from Alappuzha across Vembanad Lake and along the canals of Kuttanad, where paddy fields lie below water level.
- Time needed
- 1 night
- Cost
- Expensive
- Iconic
- Couples
- Kids
- Food
- Views
Landmark · Fort Kochi
Chinese fishing nets
Huge cantilevered nets on wooden frames line the shore at Fort Kochi's Vasco da Gama Square, lowered into the water by teams of fishermen using counterweights of stones.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- Photo spot
- Food
Experience · Fort Kochi
Kathakali performance
Kathakali is Kerala's classical dance-drama, telling stories from the Hindu epics through elaborate green and red make-up, huge costumes, eye movements and hand gestures, accompanied by drums and singing.
- Time needed
- 2 hours including make-up
- Cost
- Low cost
- Iconic
- After dark
- Art
- Kids
- Rainy day
Palace · Mattancherry
Mattancherry Palace
Built by the Portuguese in the 16th century as a gift to the Raja of Kochi and later renovated by the Dutch, hence its nickname the Dutch Palace.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Art
- Rainy day
- Architecture
Religious site · Mattancherry
Paradesi Synagogue and Jew Town
Built in 1568, the Paradesi Synagogue is the oldest active synagogue in the Commonwealth, with hand-painted Chinese floor tiles and Belgian chandeliers.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Shopping
- Architecture
Religious site · Fort Kochi
St Francis Church
Founded by the Portuguese in 1503, this is one of the oldest European-built churches in India.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- History
- Free
- Architecture
Where to stay
Fort Kochi is the easiest base for a first visit. Compare all 8 areas.
$$ · Best for first-timers, culture, food lovers and families
Fort Kochi
Colonial-era streets of homestays, cafés and galleries on Kochi's sea front
$$ · Best for shopping, budget and solo travellers
Ernakulam
Kochi's mainland business centre with the railway stations and metro
$$ · Best for first-timers, couples and budget
Alappuzha
Canal town and the main departure point for houseboats
$$$ · Best for luxury, couples, quiet stays and families
Kumarakom
Lakeside resorts and bird sanctuary on the eastern shore of Vembanad Lake
What to eat
- Appam and stew — Lacy, bowl-shaped fermented rice pancakes with a soft centre, eaten with a mild stew of vegetables, chicken or mutton in coconut milk with black pepper and curry leaves.
- Puttu and kadala curry — Steamed cylinders of ground rice layered with grated coconut, served with a spicy black chickpea curry, banana or papadam.
- Sadya — A vegetarian feast of rice with 20 or more dishes — sambar, avial, thoran, olan, pickles, papadam and payasam — served on a banana leaf and eaten with the right hand.
- Karimeen pollichathu — Pearl spot, a backwater fish, marinated in a red masala, wrapped in banana leaf and pan-roasted.
- Fish moilee — Fish such as seer or pomfret simmered in a mild coconut-milk gravy with turmeric, ginger and green chilli, often eaten with appam.
- Kerala fish curry — A tangy red fish curry soured with kudampuli (Malabar tamarind) and cooked in a clay pot, traditionally eaten with kappa (boiled tapioca).
When to go
The best time to visit Kerala is November to February, when the weather is dry, temperatures are comfortable on the coast and the hills are clear. March to May is hot and humid but good for Munnar. The south-west monsoon from June to September brings heavy rain and rough seas, though it is traditionally the season for Ayurveda treatments and has the lowest prices.
| Season | Months | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Winter | December–February | Dry, sunny and comfortable, with cool nights in the hills; peak season with the highest houseboat and hotel prices. |
| Summer | March–May | Hot and humid on the coast with pre-monsoon storms from April; the hill stations of Munnar and Wayanad are at their most popular. |
| South-west monsoon | June–September | Heavy rain, rough seas and some landslides on hill roads, but lush scenery, snake-boat races, Onam and low prices. |
| North-east monsoon | October–November | Afternoon thunderstorms that fade through November as the main season begins. |
Getting there and around
Cochin International Airport (COK) at Nedumbassery is about 30 km from Ernakulam and 40 km from Fort Kochi, roughly 1–1.5 hours by taxi; prepaid taxi counters are in arrivals. Thiruvananthapuram's airport (TRV) is about 6 km from the city and 15 km from Kovalam. Kozhikode (CCJ) serves the north and Wayanad.
Trains run along the coast linking Thiruvananthapuram, Varkala, Kollam, Alappuzha, Kottayam, Ernakulam and Thrissur, while the hill stations are reached by road. Most visitors combine trains for the coast with a car and driver for Munnar and Thekkady.
Plan your days
Five days fits Kochi, Munnar and an overnight houseboat from Alappuzha. Ten days adds Thekkady and the Periyar reserve, a slower stay on the backwaters at Kumarakom and three nights on the beach at Varkala or Kovalam. Two weeks allows Wayanad or the north for Theyyam season.
Practical information
- Currency
- INR
- Language
- Malayalam and English
- Plugs
- Type C, D and M sockets, 230 V, 50 Hz
- Tap water
- Tap water is not drinkable; use bottled or filtered water, and many hotels and restaurants provide boiled drinking water.
- Emergency number
- 112 (national emergency number)
- Tipping
- In restaurants, about 5–10% is appreciated if no service charge is included.
Sea currents are strong, especially from May to September, so swim only on lifeguarded beaches and obey red flags. Roads are busy and hill routes winding; avoid night driving in the Ghats, where wild elephants sometimes cross.
Flights to Kerala
Questions travellers ask
+How many days do you need in Kerala?
Five days fits Kochi, Munnar and an overnight houseboat from Alappuzha. Ten days adds Thekkady and the Periyar reserve, a slower stay on the backwaters at Kumarakom and three nights on the beach at Varkala or Kovalam. Two weeks allows Wayanad or the north for Theyyam season. How to split your days.
+When is the best time to visit Kerala?
The best time to visit Kerala is November to February, when the weather is dry, temperatures are comfortable on the coast and the hills are clear. March to May is hot and humid but good for Munnar. The south-west monsoon from June to September brings heavy rain and rough seas, though it is traditionally the season for Ayurveda treatments and has the lowest prices.
+What is Kerala known for?
Backwaters, Houseboats, Tea plantations, Ayurveda, Kathakali, Spices, Fort Kochi and Varkala cliffs. An overnight houseboat on the backwaters of Vembanad Lake and the canals around Alappuzha is one of India's most relaxing journeys.
+Is Kerala expensive?
Kerala is affordable for international visitors: a mid-range trip costs roughly $70–$150 per person per day before flights (AMZBooking estimate). Costs and money-saving tips.
+Do you need a car in Kerala?
A car with driver is the easiest way to see the hill stations and link destinations; self-driving is not recommended given heavy traffic and road conditions. On the coast, trains and autorickshaws are enough.