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Travel guide
Kerala
3 days · 5 things to do
Best time to go: November to March
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Welcome
Kerala, in a few days
South India at its greenest and calmest: houseboats on the backwaters, the tea hills of Munnar, the cliff-backed beaches of Varkala, the spice gardens around Periyar, and a long tradition of Ayurveda.
- Day by day
- D1 Day 1 2 things
- D2 Day 2 2 things
- D3 Day 3 1 thing
- Worth sorting before you go
- Words that help
- The practical page
- Packing checklist
The trip
Day by day
Map of the sights (numbers follow the suggested order). It prints with the base map.
D1
Day 1
2 things to do · at your own pace
- Morning · A houseboat on the backwaters · half a dayA slow cruise on a converted rice barge through the canals and lagoons around Alappuzha and Lake Vembanad, past villages and paddy fields.
- Afternoon · The tea estates of Munnar free · half a dayHills covered in tea bushes in the Western Ghats, with a tea museum and nearby Eravikulam National Park, home of the Nilgiri tahr.
🛏️ Where to sleep · Cardamom County€85 a night
D2
Day 2
2 things to do · at your own pace
- Morning · The beaches of Varkala free · 2 to 3 hBeaches at the foot of red laterite cliffs, with a clifftop path of cafés and guesthouses and the old Janardana Swamy temple nearby.
- Afternoon · Periyar Tiger Reserve · 2 to 3 hForest around a lake near Thekkady, explored by boat or on guided walks, where elephants are often seen amid cardamom and pepper country.
🛏️ Where to sleep · Elephant Court€90 a night
D3
Day 3
1 thing to do · at your own pace
- Morning · Ayurvedic treatments · about 1 h 30Kerala's traditional medicine, from single massages to courses lasting several weeks; choose a centre approved by the state tourism board.
🛏️ Where to sleep · Abad Copper Castle€75 a night
Before you go
Worth sorting before you go
📶 eSIM data
Online the moment you land, no roaming bill.
Get one · Holafly
Online the moment you land, no roaming bill.
Get one · Holafly
🛡️ Travel insurance
Health, luggage, cancellation.
Cover it · Ekta
Health, luggage, cancellation.
Cover it · Ekta
💳 Fee-free card
Pay at the real rate, with no exchange markup.
Open one · Revolut
Pay at the real rate, with no exchange markup.
Open one · Revolut
🚐 Airport transfer
A private car at a fixed price from the moment you land.
Book it · GetTransfer
A private car at a fixed price from the moment you land.
Book it · GetTransfer
Some links are partner links: we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you.
Good to know
Flavours & local habits
🍽️ Worth tasting
- Dosa: a thin, crisp pancake of fermented rice and lentils, served with sambar and chutney.
- Idli: soft steamed rice cakes, the standard southern breakfast.
- Kerala curry: fish, prawns or vegetables cooked in coconut milk with curry leaves.
- Sadya: a vegetarian feast served on a banana leaf, eaten with the right hand.
- Filter coffee: strong South Indian coffee with hot milk, poured from a height to froth it.
⚠️ Best avoided
- Drink sealed bottled water only, and eat food that is hot and freshly cooked.
- Cover shoulders and knees at temples, and take your shoes off at the door. Some temples admit Hindus only.
- Agree the auto-rickshaw fare before you get in, or use Uber or Ola.
- Plan around the monsoon: heavy rain from June to September, and again in October and November.
Getting by
Words that help
English ↔ Tamil
| English | Tamil |
|---|---|
| Hello | வணக்கம் (vanakkam) |
| Thank you | நன்றி (nandri) |
| Please | தயவுசெய்து (thayavu seydhu) |
| Yes | ஆம் (aam) |
| No | இல்லை (illai) |
| Excuse me | மன்னிக்கவும் (mannikkavum) |
| Goodbye | போய் வருகிறேன் (poi varugiren) |
| Do you speak English? | ஆங்கிலம் பேசுவீர்களா? (aangilam pesuvirgala?) |
| I don't understand | எனக்கு புரியவில்லை (puriyavillai) |
| How much is it? | இது எவ்வளவு? (idhu evvalavu?) |
| Where are the toilets? | கழிவறை எங்கே? (kazhivarai enge?) |
| The bill, please | பில் கொடுங்கள் (bill kodungal) |
| Help! | உதவி! (udhavi!) |
| Cheers! | சியர்ஸ்! (cheers!) |
The essentials
The practical page
CurrencyIndian rupee (INR, ₹)
BudgetAbout €63 a day, mid-range
Best seasonNovember to March
PlugC/D/M · 230V
Tap waterBottled only
TippingAppreciated, around 10%
Emergency112
EntryAn e-visa is required and must be applied for online at least four days before arrival, with a passport valid six months, for EU, UK, US, Canadian and Australian citizens. An online e-arrival card is also required.
HealthHepatitis A and typhoid are recommended. Malaria is present in some rural areas, so ask about prophylaxis for your route. Dengue is common: use repellent.
Scan to open this guide online, always up to date.
https://offwegooo.com/en/guides/kerala-india
Don't forget
Packing checklist
Have a good trip.
Guide made on offwegooo.com · Photos via Pexels · Details are indicative, check before you leave.