Shopping · Kerala · India
Shopping in Kerala
Shopping streets, markets and souvenirs worth the suitcase space.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Prasanth Prakash, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Kerala shopping centres on spices, tea, handloom cotton and crafts. Fort Kochi and Mattancherry have antique and spice shops, Munnar sells tea, and Thiruvananthapuram and Ernakulam have the big textile stores. Best souvenirs: Spices, Munnar tea and Kasavu cloth.
Key facts
- Shopping areas
- 4
- Markets
- 2
- Top souvenir
- Spices
Where to shop
Jew Town Road, Mattancherry
Antique dealers, crafts shops and spice warehouses in Kochi's old trading quarter.
MG Road and Broadway, Ernakulam
Large textile showrooms for saris and Kerala kasavu cloth, and the crowded wholesale lanes off Broadway.
Munnar town
Tea shops and estate outlets selling fresh leaf and cardamom.
Chalai Market, Thiruvananthapuram
The capital's historic market street for spices, household goods and textiles.
Markets
Kumily spice market
Shops in Kumily near Thekkady sell cardamom, pepper and other spices straight from the plantations.
Broadway market, Ernakulam
A maze of lanes selling spices, cloth and household goods at local prices.
What to buy
Spices
Black pepper, cardamom, cloves and vanilla from the Western Ghats, best bought whole.
Munnar tea
Black and green teas from the estates, sold fresh in Munnar.
Kasavu cloth
Cream handloom cotton with gold borders, worn as saris and mundu.
Kathakali masks and figures
Painted wooden masks and miniature Kathakali figures from craft shops.
Ayurvedic oils and soaps
Herbal products from established Ayurvedic pharmacies.
Banana chips
Freshly fried coconut-oil banana chips, sealed for travel.
Streets and markets worth a wander
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
Experience · Thekkady
Spice plantation tour
Plantations around Kumily grow cardamom, pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg, clove and vanilla, and guided walks show how each is grown and processed.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Food
- Kids
- Nature
- Shopping
Food and drink to take home
Edible souvenirs travel best when they are dry or sealed: consider Payasam, Banana chips and Toddy. Vegetarian restaurants and sweet shops, and on every festival menu. Check your home country's rules on bringing food and drink back.
Shopping by neighbourhood
| Area | Price level | Character |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| Alappuzha | $$ | Canal town and the main departure point for houseboats |
| Kumarakom | $$$ | Lakeside resorts and bird sanctuary on the eastern shore of Vembanad Lake |
| Varkala | $$ | Cliff-top cafés and guesthouses above a long Arabian Sea beach |
| Kovalam | $$ | Crescent beaches and Ayurveda resorts south of Thiruvananthapuram |
Paying and bargaining
Prices are in INR. In restaurants, about 5–10% is appreciated if no service charge is included. Houseboat crews, drivers and guides are usually tipped a few hundred rupees per day at the end of the trip.
When to shop
Shops and markets are quietest in June–July; the busiest months are December–January.
- April: Thrissur Pooram — temple festival with caparisoned elephants and fireworks (April or May)
- August: Onam — Kerala's harvest festival with sadya feasts and flower carpets (August or September)
- December: Christmas — celebrated widely, especially in Kochi (25 December)
Staying near the shops
$$ · Best for shopping, budget and solo travellers
Ernakulam
Kochi's mainland business centre with the railway stations and metro
Questions travellers ask
+What should I buy in Kerala?
Spices, Munnar tea, Kasavu cloth and Kathakali masks and figures.
+Where is the best shopping in Kerala?
Jew Town Road, Mattancherry: Antique dealers, crafts shops and spice warehouses in Kochi's old trading quarter.
+What are the best markets in Kerala?
Kumily spice market and Broadway market, Ernakulam.