Rainy day · Kerala · India
5 things to do in Kerala when it rains
Indoor sights that make a wet day feel planned rather than lost.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Rahulrnath001, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Start with Kathakali performance, Mattancherry Palace and Napier Museum. Together the 5 picks below take roughly 7–8 hours across 5 areas; all charge for entry. June is usually the wettest month, with about 24 rainy days.
Key facts
- Places in this guide
- 5
- Free entry
- 0
- Time to see them all
- 7–8 hours
- Areas
- Fort Kochi, Mattancherry and Thiruvananthapuram
Kerala on a rainy day
Experience · Fort Kochi
1.Kathakali performance
Arrive an hour early to watch the performers apply their make-up, which is as fascinating as the show.
- Time needed
- 2 hours including make-up
- Cost
- Low cost
- Iconic
- After dark
- Art
- Kids
- Rainy day
Palace · Mattancherry
2.Mattancherry Palace
Take your time in the bedchamber with the Ramayana murals; photography is not permitted inside.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Art
- Rainy day
- Architecture
Museum · Thiruvananthapuram
3.Napier Museum
Combine it with the Sree Chitra Art Gallery next door for paintings by Raja Ravi Varma.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Rainy day
- Art
- Architecture
- Kids
Museum · Ernakulam
4.Kerala Folklore Museum
It is in Thevara, south of central Ernakulam; combine it with a ferry ride to Fort Kochi.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Art
- History
- Rainy day
- Off the beaten path
Experience · Kovalam
5.Ayurveda treatment
Choose centres with qualified Ayurvedic doctors who consult before treatment, especially for multi-day programmes.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours, or courses of 1–3 weeks
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Couples
- Rainy day
Grouped by area
| Area | Places | Time needed |
|---|---|---|
| Fort Kochi | Kathakali performance | 2 hours including make-up |
| Mattancherry | Mattancherry Palace | 1 hour |
| Thiruvananthapuram | Napier Museum | 1.5 hours |
| Ernakulam | Kerala Folklore Museum | 1.5 hours |
| Kovalam | Ayurveda treatment | 1–2 hours, or courses of 1–3 weeks |
Booking and timing
Of these 5, 4 low cost, 1 mid-priced. None needs booking far in advance. The longest visit is Kathakali performance; group the rest by area to save travel time.
How to fit them into 2 half-days
Grouped by area and kept to about four hours each, so you walk more than you ride.
- Half-day 1 (Fort Kochi, Mattancherry and Thiruvananthapuram): Kathakali performance → Mattancherry Palace → Napier Museum, at least 5 hours.
- Half-day 2 (Ernakulam and Kovalam): Kerala Folklore Museum → Ayurveda treatment, at least 3 hours.
The wettest months
- June: highs of 29°C (84°F), about 24 rainy days, very quiet crowds. The monsoon arrives with torrential rain; seas are rough and unsuitable for swimming, but landscapes are vivid and Ayurveda centres are busy.
- July: highs of 29°C (84°F), about 23 rainy days, very quiet crowds. Heavy monsoon rain continues, with landslide risk on hill roads; the lowest prices of the year.
- August: highs of 29°C (84°F), about 19 rainy days, quiet crowds. Rain eases a little and the snake-boat races begin on the backwaters; Onam sometimes falls late in the month.
The neighbourhoods they are in
- Fort Kochi — Colonial-era streets of homestays, cafés and galleries on Kochi's sea front
- Ernakulam — Kochi's mainland business centre with the railway stations and metro
- Kovalam — Crescent beaches and Ayurveda resorts south of Thiruvananthapuram
More of Kerala
Questions travellers ask
+Where should I start in Kerala?
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.