Where to stay · Kerala · India
Where to stay in Kerala
8 neighbourhoods compared, with the trade-offs hotel listings don't tell you.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: P.K.Niyogi ( talk ), Public domain
Quick answer
For a first visit, stay in Fort Kochi. Colonial-era streets of homestays, cafés and galleries on Kochi's sea front. Best alternatives — budget: Ernakulam.
Key facts
- First visit
- Fort Kochi
- Families
- Fort Kochi
- Budget
- Ernakulam
Best area for each kind of trip
| Trip type | Area | Why |
|---|---|---|
| First-timers | Fort Kochi | Colonial-era streets of homestays, cafés and galleries on Kochi's sea front |
| Families | Fort Kochi | Colonial-era streets of homestays, cafés and galleries on Kochi's sea front |
| Couples | Alappuzha | Canal town and the main departure point for houseboats |
| Budget | Ernakulam | Kochi's mainland business centre with the railway stations and metro |
| Luxury | Kumarakom | Lakeside resorts and bird sanctuary on the eastern shore of Vembanad Lake |
| Food lovers | Fort Kochi | Colonial-era streets of homestays, cafés and galleries on Kochi's sea front |
| Solo travellers | Ernakulam | Kochi's mainland business centre with the railway stations and metro |
| Shopping | Ernakulam | Kochi's mainland business centre with the railway stations and metro |
| Quiet stays | Kumarakom | Lakeside resorts and bird sanctuary on the eastern shore of Vembanad Lake |
| Beach | Varkala | Cliff-top cafés and guesthouses above a long Arabian Sea beach |
Kerala neighbourhoods in detail
$$ · Best for first-timers, culture, food lovers and families
Fort Kochi
Fort Kochi sits on a peninsula at the mouth of Kochi's harbour, with the Chinese fishing nets on the shore, St Francis Church, Dutch and Portuguese houses on Princess Street and Burgher Street, and heritage hotels in old warehouses. Mattancherry and Jew Town are a short autorickshaw ride south. It is the most atmospheric base in Kerala and the venue of the Kochi-Muziris Biennale.
- Good
- Walkable heritage streets; Excellent homestays and cafés; Kathakali shows in the evening
- Watch out
- Forty-five minutes or more from the airport; Limited beach for swimming
- Nearby
- Chinese fishing nets, St Francis Church, Mattancherry Palace, Paradesi Synagogue
$$ · Best for shopping, budget and solo travellers
Ernakulam
Ernakulam is the modern side of Kochi across the harbour, with the main railway stations, Kochi Metro, malls along MG Road, the Marine Drive waterfront and a wide range of business hotels. It is practical for train connections and shopping, and ferries cross to Fort Kochi and Vypin.
- Good
- Best transport links; Shopping and services; Business-hotel prices
- Watch out
- Traffic and noise; Little heritage character
- Nearby
- Marine Drive, MG Road, Ernakulam Junction station, Kerala Folklore Museum
$$ · Best for first-timers, couples and budget
Alappuzha
Alappuzha (Alleppey) is a town of canals and the hub of the backwater houseboat industry, with hundreds of kettuvallam boats leaving from the Finishing Point and Punnamada jetties onto Vembanad Lake and the canals of Kuttanad. Homestays line the quieter canals, and Alappuzha Beach and Marari Beach are close by.
- Good
- Widest choice of houseboats; Canal-side homestays; Rail link to Kochi and Varkala
- Watch out
- Busy with boats around the main jetties; Touts selling houseboat trips
- Nearby
- Punnamada Lake, Alappuzha Beach, Marari Beach, Kuttanad
$$$ · Best for luxury, couples, quiet stays and families
Kumarakom
Kumarakom, near Kottayam, is a quieter backwater area with lakeside resorts, many with their own Ayurveda centres and private boats, and the Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary. It suits travellers who want the backwaters without staying on a houseboat, though dining is mostly in the resorts.
- Good
- Calm lakeside resorts; Easy day cruises; Birdwatching
- Watch out
- Few independent restaurants; Resort prices
- Nearby
- Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary, Vembanad Lake, Kottayam
$$ · Best for couples, families and quiet stays
Munnar
Munnar, around 1,500 metres up in Idukki district, is the centre of Kerala's tea country, with estates rolling over the hills, waterfalls and viewpoints such as Top Station and Mattupetty. The town is busy and functional; most visitors stay in resorts and homestays on the estates outside it. Nights are cool all year.
- Good
- Cool climate and tea-estate walks; Spectacular hill scenery; Wide range of resorts
- Watch out
- Four hours by winding road from Kochi; Mist and landslides in the monsoon
- Nearby
- Eravikulam National Park, Tea Museum, Mattupetty Dam, Top Station
$$ · Best for families, culture and quiet stays
Thekkady
Thekkady and the neighbouring town of Kumily sit at the edge of the Periyar Tiger Reserve near the Tamil Nadu border, with spice plantations, homestays and resorts in the forest. Visitors come for boat rides on Periyar Lake, guided nature walks, bamboo rafting and evening Kathakali and Kalaripayattu shows.
- Good
- Wildlife and forest activities; Spice-garden tours; Cultural shows nightly
- Watch out
- Wildlife sightings are not certain; Busy with tour groups
- Nearby
- Periyar Tiger Reserve, Kumily spice market, Spice plantations
$$ · Best for beach, solo travellers, budget and couples
Varkala
Varkala's North Cliff is lined with guesthouses, yoga studios, cafés and shops above Papanasam beach, about 50 km north of Thiruvananthapuram. The Janardhana Swamy Temple is a pilgrimage site, and quieter beaches such as Odayam and Kappil lie to the north. It is Kerala's most popular backpacker beach town.
- Good
- Sea views from the cliff; Yoga and Ayurveda; Easy train access
- Watch out
- Strong currents in the monsoon; Many cliff businesses close from about May to August
- Nearby
- Papanasam Beach, Janardhana Swamy Temple, Kappil Beach, Odayam Beach
$$ · Best for beach, families and luxury
Kovalam
Kovalam's three crescent beaches — Lighthouse, Hawah and Samudra — are about 15 km from Thiruvananthapuram's airport, with a promenade of restaurants and shops and Ayurveda resorts on the headlands. It is more developed than Varkala and convenient for the capital's temples and museums.
- Good
- Close to the airport; Range of Ayurveda resorts; Lifeguarded main beaches
- Watch out
- Built-up in places; Hawkers on the promenade
- Nearby
- Lighthouse Beach, Thiruvananthapuram, Poovar
Areas compared
| Area | Price | Nearby |
|---|---|---|
| Fort Kochi | $$ | Chinese fishing nets, St Francis Church, Mattancherry Palace, Paradesi Synagogue |
| Ernakulam | $$ | Marine Drive, MG Road, Ernakulam Junction station, Kerala Folklore Museum |
| Alappuzha | $$ | Punnamada Lake, Alappuzha Beach, Marari Beach, Kuttanad |
| Kumarakom | $$$ | Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary, Vembanad Lake, Kottayam |
| Munnar | $$ | Eravikulam National Park, Tea Museum, Mattupetty Dam, Top Station |
| Thekkady | $$ | Periyar Tiger Reserve, Kumily spice market, Spice plantations |
| Varkala | $$ | Papanasam Beach, Janardhana Swamy Temple, Kappil Beach, Odayam Beach |
| Kovalam | $$ | Lighthouse Beach, Thiruvananthapuram, Poovar |
Getting to your hotel
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.
Questions travellers ask
+What is the best area to stay in Kerala for first-time visitors?
Fort Kochi. Fort Kochi sits on a peninsula at the mouth of Kochi's harbour, with the Chinese fishing nets on the shore, St Francis Church, Dutch and Portuguese houses on Princess Street and Burgher Street, and heritage hotels in old warehouses.
+Where should families stay in Kerala?
Fort Kochi: Walkable heritage streets.
+Which area of Kerala is best for a budget stay?
Ernakulam ($$): Kochi's mainland business centre with the railway stations and metro.