Kerala is a dream destination for many and has been one of the most beautiful locations in India with its natural resources like rivers, waterfalls, backwaters, the Western Ghats, wildlife, and forest. Having multiple destinations within the reach of fewer than hundred kilometers, a Kerala tour is mostly like hopping from one destination to the other and covering a minimum of two destinations within the holiday period. Cochin is the most popular Airport in Kerala and is the nearest to the most popular destinations like Munnar, Thekkady, Alleppey, Kumarakom, Cherai Marari. This blog post is about how to plan your Kerala holiday and where should you be going depending on your interest.
How to reach Kerala?
You can reach Kerala by Rail, Road, and Air. The state has an excellent network of roads to neighbouring states and also is connected by rail. The Air connectivity is good to the Middle East and the far East hubs like Dubai and Singapore.
The connectivity is very well with the metro cities in India by Air, and most major operator has at least one flight operating, morning and evening to the metro cities of Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Bangalore, and Hyderabad. In case you are travelling by train and the station you need to get down is Ernakulam, there are two stations, once is Ernakulam Town (ERN), and the other is Ernakulam Junction (ERS). The Junction is a larger station with more trains stopping by. The bus terminal at Cochin is at Vytilla which is within the city, on the National Highway 47. Trivandrum, the southernmost city and the state capital of Kerala, has got good connectivity with the above-mentioned cities by air, road, and rail.
Where should you be visiting while on your Kerala Holiday?
The beautiful state of Kerala is rich in its natural resources. The multifaceted natural resources and geographical location contributes to its flawless beauty. It has the Western Ghats at its peaks in Munnar and Thekkady, A long coastline of around 550 from North to South, the backwaters, and the estuaries throughout the Arabian Sea coast. These three facets give out a wonderful holiday experience in term of location, geography, and climate. The below are the most popular destinations in Kerala for the discerning traveller.
Cochin – The Hub where most of you would reach – The old Colonial town with heritage, beach, backwaters and shopping markets.
Munnar – The Tea country of Kerala, vast tea plantations, scenic location with rivers, dams, forests, wildlife, adventure, and camping.
Thekkady – Known for wildlife and spices, the Periyar National Park and large cardamom and other spice plantations.
Alleppey – The backwater world, the houseboat departure points, backwater culture, local cuisines and much more like coir, pearl spot, and local village life.
Cherai – A local beach, mostly an evening spot for the local crowd, close to Muziris – the old heritage port town, not far from Cochin Airport, religious centers like first church and mosque in India, water life, cycles, etc.
Kovalam – The most famous beach, close to Trivandrum (state capital), beach hotels, extended stay with Ayurveda and Yoga.
Thrissur – North of Cochin, the cultural capital of Kerala, land of festivals.
Calicut – A prominent town in North Kerala, Beypore ship building yard, Kalaripayattu center – Martial art form from Kerala.
Wayanad – The adventure hills of Kerala, dams, rivers, rafting, national parks, caves, and a lot more. More of a weekend destination.
Cheruthuruthy - Where there are possibilities for local experiences and the Kerala Kalamandalam art school is located here, a visit to the school is possible.
Kozhikode - A coastal city, history, culture and great food are highlights of Kozhikode. The beypore boat building center is a highlight here.
Kannur - Kannur is known for history, local life, great food, temple rituals, folklore, great people and a lot more- One less popular gem of Kerala.
Lakshadweep Islands - Even though the Lakshadweep Islands stay apart as a Union Territory that comes under the Govt. of India. The gateway to the Islands is via Kochi / Kerala. Here is a complete guide to the Lakshadweep Islands.
The above figures are in kilometers, do not judge the travel time as per the distance as certain routes take more time due to the Ghat roads or single lane traffic.
What is your interest?
Honeymoon - short or an extended visit, Munnar is a must, probably Thekkady, the backwaters at Alleppey in a Houseboat and the beaches at Mararikulam (more private and exclusive). Check out the Popular Kerala Itinerary on this website. It acts more of a guide than a tour package
Popular Kerala round trip - A visit to the hills of Munnar and Thekkady, the backwaters of Kerala at Alleppey and the beaches either at Mararikulam (Alleppey) Kovalam or Cherai. These destinations help you to cover up the scenic beauty of Kerala.
A Cultural visit would be to Thrissur, Alleppey, Thekkady, and Cochin
A Heritage Visit would be to Kannur, Calicut, Cochin, Munnar.
For Adventure Holidays in Kerala – Munnar, Thekkady, and Alleppey would be the apt destinations you should be going.
Other interesting places for a relaxed holiday – Athirapally waterfalls, Kumarakom backwaters, and Varkala beach.
No holiday planning is complete without customizing it to your requirement, your budget, your taste and ensuring the activities you wish to do and the places you want to see. The best tour program would come out from an experienced, reliable Kerala tour operator, with so much of classified information available on the internet, you just see the tip of the iceberg. Experienced guidance is an essential factor that ensures the quality, hassle free, tour of Kerala.
Hope this blog post becomes more helpful to plan the best of the best Kerala Holiday you could have in your lifetime. Happy Holidays in Kerala!