Kerala is popularly called as ‘God’s own country’ and ‘Spice capital of India’. This southern most state of the country is panorama of greenery and natural beauty. When visiting Kerala you can expect mountains, backwaters, wildlife, temples, tea estates, and a fantastic colorful culture. Kerala is a pretty popular destination to beat the heat with downpours of Monsoon coming earlier in India to Kerala.
This destination sees no creed of visitors, be it solo travellers, honeymooners, backpackers, families, the experience of visiting Kerala remains unchanged. Must we mention that boathouses of this magical land are better than the biggest cruises!
In this blog we have listed some of the best places to visit in Kerala.
Alleppey
Alleppey is your go to place where you can experience the popular house boats of Kerala in their best version. Owing to its landscape, Alleppey is also called as the Venice of the East. The criss cross channels of waters that are adorned with palm trees on its side are sure going to mesmerize you. You will probably cross through vast paddies, with ducks in the water, and quaint villages surrounding the region. Everything coming up together makes Alleppey a perfect holiday spot.
It is believed that Alleppey is home to some of the best networks of back waters, and home to more than thousands of house boats. Most of the house boats that run through Alleppey have modern infrastructure including air conditioners, full stocked kitchens, cozy living rooms and even a balcony for cherishing the views.
Some of the top attractions of Alleppey include Alappuzha Beach, Krishnapuram Palace, Marari Beach, Revi Karunakaran Museum, Punnamada Lake, and Arthunkal Church. This city is perfect if you are traveling as a couple or with family.
Wayanad
The name Wayanad translates into ‘The Land of Paddy Fields’. If you have been curious why Kerala is called as God’s own country, then you should visit this place. When visiting Wayanad you will find tea estates, coffee estates, and coconut plantation in plenty. If a color can define the beauty of Wayanad, then it would be green. The sanctuaries in the city of Wayanad, and plenty of trekking avenues make this place make it ideal holiday destinations for nature and adventure lovers.
For photographers, this place is a paradise, with loads of scenic landscapes, and wildlife spotting avenues. Wayanad is also popular for its bird watching avenues. When visiting Wayanad, we recommend that you stay in a resort. Some of the top attractions of Wayanad include Edakkal caves, Banasura Sagar dam, Wayanad Sanctuary, Thusharagiri Waterfalls, Thirunelli Temple, Lakkidi, and Kuruva Island.
In Monsoon Wayanad becomes even more beautiful, with lush greenery at its heights and tinkling rivers at their best. There is also a good news for history buffs, as Wayanad is also home to some of the prehistoric cave sites.
Cochin
Cochin is also known as Kochi and is fondly addressed as ‘Queen of the Arabian Sea’. This Malabar beauty is blend of all the old world charm and the glitz of modern day metropolis. In Cochin you will find influences of British, Dutch, Portuguese, and Chinese in its local architecture. The fusion of western world in an Indian backdrop makes Cochin a treat to traveler’s soul. The city of Cochin has been serving as a major port since the 19th century and has flourished to its maximum under the rule of British Raj.
For religious people there are British era churches in the city and many historic temples. Some of the top attractions of Cochin include St. Francis Church, Santa Cruz Basilica, Hill Palace, Marine Drive, Indo-Portuguese Museum, Bolgatty Palace, Thrikkara Temple, Hill Palace Museum, Edappally Museum, and Princess Street.
While visiting Cochin you must also experience Kerala’s most popular Ayurveda massages in some of its therapeutic centers. Another must watch is the Kerala’s traditional dance form known as Kathakali in many of its regional performances.
Munnar
Munnar is a hill station which gives you the opportunity to walk over the clouds, immerse in misty winds, and breathe the breezes passing over lush green landscape. Munnar is also known as Honeymoon capital of Kerala. Historically Munnar has been a summer resort for the British Government in Southern India. This place is popular for its endless tea plantations, yes they run farther than your sight could go. If you are visiting Munnar in rainy season then your holiday experience is going to be heavenly.
Munnar is also popular for an exotic specie of flower named as Neelakurinji which blooms in every 12 years. The flora, fauna, and natural beauty of this place are the top reasons why it is such a popular hill station. Some of the top attractions of Munnar include Mattupetty Dam, Pothamedu View Point, Anamudi, Blossom Park, Devikulam, Pallivasal, TATA Tea Museum, and Vattavada.
The hill station of Munnar is also popular for trekking, camping, and Jeep Safaris. You can also choose to buy some hand made chocolates from many of the boutique stores in Munnar. Photography lovers, it also has a photo point for some enthralling clicks.
Kovalam
If you thought only Goa had ideal Indian beaches, you must visit Kovalam. The pleasant atmosphere, calming breeze, golden sand, curvy coconut trees, and tantalizing seafood make Kovalam a perfect holiday spot. This coastal city is not just about beaches, but there are also art galleries, temples, castles, and avenues to enjoy water sports like parasailing or snorkeling. Kovalam is a destination where fun meets traditional travel. Its geographical closeness with Thiruvananthapuram makes it easily accessible.
The most popular and the largest beach of Kovalam is the lighthouse beach. It has got its name, from a 30 meter tall lighthouse which adorns the beach. In Kovalam you can also go on a shopping spree of wooden handicrafts that can adorn your home or be a perfect gift. The city of Kovalam rose to fame during the hippie era of 1970’s when travelers from Europe and Israel flocked here.
Some of the top attractions of Kovalam include Lighthouse beach, Hawa beach, Halcyon Castle, Vizhinjam Rock Cut Temple, Vellayani Lake, and Beemapalli Mosque. The city of Kovalam is also known for its Ayurveda massage resorts.
Kozhikode
The city of Kozhikode was formerly called as Calicut. It is also known by names of ‘City of Spices’, ‘City of Truth’, ‘City of Sculptures’, and recently UNESCO has given it a title of ‘City Of Literature’. Kozhikode is more than just a tourist destination. The city is quite popular for its Malabar Cuisines, and the local spices that add a tang to it. It was on the beach of Kozhikode in 1498 when Vasco da Gama set his foot in India and established spice trade routes with the western world.
The remains of Dutch and British era can easily be found in the city’s culture and architecture. Kozhikode is also known for its cultural significance in Kerala. You must visit this place during the festive times of Madapalli and Vadakara which are celebrated twice a year. The climate of Kozhikode is usually hot and humid, so avoid visiting it during summers and monsoons when the downpour is heavy.
Some of the top attractions of Kozhikode include Kappad Beach, Beypore Beach, Kozhippara Falls, Thikkoti Lighthouse, Tali Temple, Lion’s Park, and Conolly Canal. If you have interest in the ship building aspect of the city then do visit Beypore beach.
Thrissur
Thrissur is also called as the ‘Cultural capital of Kerala’. This city is must visit if you are fan of cultural exploration and rich traditions. The best time to visit this place is during the time of renowned Thrissur Pooram Festival celebrations. The city is not just limited to temples and churches, but also has sites of earliest settlements with relics of megaliths, and Neolithic periods. The name Thrissur is derived from a local word which means, ‘A city with three temples of Lord Shiva’.
Some of the top attractions of Thrissur include Athirappaly Waterfalls, Shakthan Thampuran Palace, Temples of Vadakkunnathan, Paramekkavu and Thiruvampadi. For nature lovers, Thrissur has Peechi Vazhani Wildlife Sanctuary which is home to more than 60 species of birds, and offers sonme of the best photography avenues.
If you seek some wildlife spotting moments, then the Peechi Wildlife Sanctuary might be the best site for you to spot tigers, leopards, and fox. The city also has many boutique stores that sell best of the handicrafts items.
Thekkady
Thekkady is also known as the ‘Spice capital of Kerala’. This beautiful city is blessed with plenty of flora and fauna. Thekkady has vast plantations of coffee and spices that will scintillate your senses. For wildlife lovers there is Periyar Wildlife sanctuary that boasts of being home to Great Indian Tigers. When visiting Periyar National Park, you must also experience the popular bamboo rafting of Thekkady, which is hosted in Mullaiperiyar Dam. Thekkady is a perfect place if you are seeking a forest holiday and want to enjoy natural beauty.
If you are planning to tour the Periyar National Park, then you should keep at least 1 day separate dedicated to it. When touring the Periyar National Park you mustalso get yourself an elephant ride which is quite popular amidst the travelers. It also has south India’s most popular trekking track, Moozhiyar to Thekkady Gavi.
Some of the top attractions in Thekkady include Periyar Lake, Gavi, Kumily, Caramom Hills, Ayurvedic Garden and Kumily. The best time to visit Thekkady is from September to May. It is a perfect destination for all kind of trips, friends, family, or solo.
Thiruvananthapuram
Thiruvananthapuram is also known as Evergreen city of India or is addressed by the name of Trivandrum. The city of Trivandrum is best in Kerala for its reputation of having open spaces and green patches. The city is known for its unique characteristic of rural living in urban setting. The city of Trivandrum is blessed with colonial architecture, art galleries, and martial arts. The city of Trivandrum is also known for temples that are architecturally beautiful and attracts devotees from all across India.
In fact Trivandrum is one of the top religious pilgrim site in the world. The name of the city which is Thiruvananthapuram means the city of Lord Ananta. Ananta is the serpent on whom Lord Vishnu reclines on, as per the Hindu Mythology. Of you are visiting Trivandrum, then skip visiting it in summers when it could be really hot and humid, and try visiting it in winters when weather is pleasant.
Some of the top attractions of Trivandrum include Aaranmula Boat Race, Meenmutty Falls, Peppara Wildlife Sanctuary, Kallar, Koyikkal Palace, and Sree Chithra Art Gallery.
Varkala
Varkala is the beach city of Kerala. It has risen to popularity due to cliffs that rise and run along these beaches giving it a picturesque drop back. The Papanasam Beach of Varkala is known to have medicinal and curative qualities, which fuels to already blooming wellness travel in Kerala. Varkala is blessed with pleasures of solitude and adventures of water sports. The shacks of Varkala beaches serve some of the best sea foods in the state of Kerala and you will find global chart busters playing in these shacks.
The coastal city of Varkala is very popular amidst the hippies for its laid back lifestyle. The city is also home to some of the best Ayurveda resorts. If you want to relish some street food, then you must try the porotta and beef curry. Some of the top attractions in Varkala include Varkala Beach, Edava Beach, Kappil Beach, 590 Cliff, Anjengo Fort, and Janardhanaswamy Temple.
You can also go for shopping in North Varkala, where you will find stores selling Raw silk cloth, trinkets, yoga mats, Masala tea, and different flavors of coffee. When visiting Varkala you must also try their Ayurveda wellness resorts.
Travel far enough you meet yourself!
