Our 14-Day Kerala Trip: A Simple Travel Story and a Practical Itinerary

Our Dream holiday to Kerala turned out to be one of those trips that felt magical from the start. Nothing felt rushed or forced. Each place flowed into the next, and every day added something new to the experience.

Day 1: Exploring Kochi-Kerala

We started our trip in Kochi, a city that felt calm yet full of character. Walking through Fort Kochi, we noticed how the old buildings, quiet streets, and sea breeze came together naturally. It was relaxed without feeling sleepy.

We then visited St. Francis Church, which felt simple and peaceful, followed by Santa Cruz Basilica, where the architecture and interiors immediately stood out.

Later, we explored Mattancherry Palace and Paradesi Synagogue in Jew Town. We finished the day by exploring the colorful streets, small shops, and murals in Jew Town. It certainly added depth to the day and gave us a good sense of Kochi’s layered history. The Chinese Fishing Nets were our last stop by the water, and watching them move slowly with the waves in the moonlight was oddly calming.

Day 2: Kochi to Munnar via Athirappilly Waterfalls

We left Kochi early and took the ferry crossing for our drive toward Munnar. As the city faded behind us, the scenery slowly changed as we entered Eranakulam. The drive through the forest was magical as we saw monkeys, wildlife and also encountered wild elephants.

Once we reached Athirappilly waterfalls It was a fairly steep hike down to the waterfalls. I highly recommend sturdy shoes and sun protection as well as carrying water. The view of the waterfalls was absolutely worth the steep climb down. It was a magnificent view and so exhilarating.

After spending some time at Athirappilly, we left to continue our journey to Munnar, on route we also saw Vazhachal Falls, Cheeyappara and Valara Falls.

When in Kerala visiting a spice garden is a must. We stopped at a spice garden, where we learned about different types of spices their health benefits and uses in everyday cooking. It was really interesting to learn how everyday spices are grown and processed and to touch and smell the spices. We of course bought lots of them to bring home.

The evening we checked into our hotel Amberdale Munnar. What a beautiful location, the hotel is set amongst tea plantations with the most awesome views. We spent some time relaxing and I attended a Keralan cookery demonstration by the hotel chef. The rest of the evening we enjoyed relaxing over a delicious dinner.

Day 3: Spending the Day in Munnar

The next day after breakfast we went to visit to Eravikulam National Park, where the cool air and open views made the early start worthwhile. This national pack is absolutely beautiful. The views are breathtaking as the hills and the clouds meet and the sound of cascading water falls greet you. Eravikulam National Park is one of the homes of the rare Nilgiri Tahr, we were so lucky to spot them and see them in real. This was definitely a very memorable experience.

In the afternoon we just drove through Mattupetty Dam and Echo Point. There was options to go boating on the Kundala Lake to experience the beautiful scenery. Our next stop was a trip to the tea plantations. We walked through the tea plantations and watched workers picking tea leaves. The fresh aroma of tea all around us, made the moment feel very unique.

Later, we visited a tea factory where we learned about the different types and varieties of tea grown in the region. Watching the manufacturing process of the freshly picked tea gave us a new appreciation for how much effort goes into something we drink every day. By the end of the day, Munnar felt calm and unhurried, and we enjoyed simply being there amongst so much lush greenery.

Day 4: Munnar to Thekkady

After breakfast, we drove from Munnar to Thekkady. The road was smooth and surrounded by forests and cardamon spice plantations, making the journey pleasant. On route we stopped briefly at a Ganesha Temple in Idukki, Udumbanchola. The beautiful Ganesha statue is just on the road side, that is the beauty of Kerala you can find shrines and temples where you least expect them.

In the early afternoon we checked into Hills and Hues Hotel Thekkady. What an amazing hotel location. It is set high up in the hills where you get the feeling you can touch the clouds. After checking into our hotel, we kept the rest of the day light. We soaked up the sun, spent time by the infinity pool, took in the breathtaking views of the hills and enjoyed a restful evening around the bonfire which felt good after several busy days.

Day 5: Exploring Thekkady

The next day started with a boat safari on Periyar Lake inside the Periyar Tiger Reserve. The ride was calm, and we were able to spot some wildlife such as deer, monkeys, birds and otters. Sadly we did not see any tigers, despite this disappointment, the overall experience itself was peaceful and enjoyable.

In the evening, we watched a Kathakali performance, which helped us understand Kerala’s traditional art forms better. We also attended a Kalaripayattu martial arts show, which was energetic and impressive.

Day 6: Alleppey Houseboat Experience

From Thekkady, we drove to Alleppey and checked into our Lake Knight Luxury Cruise houseboat. The two story houseboat was luxury through and through. With two bedrooms with ensuite facilities, dining room, two sitting rooms with balconies one at the back of the boat and one at the front and a kitchen this was floating five star luxury.

The stay included all meals prepared freshly by the resident chef Anil. Each dish tasted better than the next and the variety of dishes was phenomenal. Our skippers Vishnu and Ritesh were also very friendly and their service was impeccable. Cruising through the backwaters was one of the most relaxing parts of the trip. The back waters views were absolutely spectacular as we watched the local village life passed by slowly, with palm trees, small boats, and people going about their day.

We spent the night on the houseboat, enjoying the quiet and the gentle movement of the water, which made it easy to unwind.

Day 7: Varkala the Kerala beach resort

After leaving the houseboat, we drove toward Varkala, stopping briefly at Chadayamangalam to visit the the Jatayu Earth Centre along the way. This 65-acre tourist attraction features a giant concrete statue of Jatayu, a demigod in the Hindu epic Ramayana. The statue is reached via cable cars. There is a museum, a meditating room and a restaurant om site with some beautiful views.

We continued our journey to the Kerala’s beach resort Varkala. After checking into out hotel we ventured to the beach. We spent time walking along the Varkala Cliff, browsing small shops and cafés while enjoying the view of the sea below. The day moved at an easy pace, and we ended it by watching the sunset at Varkala Beach, which turned out to be one of the highlights of the trip.

Day 8: Kanyakumari southernmost tip of Kerala

We headed toward Kanyakumari and visited the Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple on the way. It was a peaceful and spiritual start to the day. The inside of the temple is beautiful with intricate mythical carvings and statues made of gold. It is known to be the worlds richest temple. We discovered that the temple has a dress code, which we embraced to respect the culture.

After the temple visit we continued on to Kanyakumari, It felt special, knowing it was the southernmost tip of the country. You will need to get a permit to cross the border into Kanyakumari as its actually in Tamil Naidu.

After checking into our hotel, we took a ferry to the Vivekananda Rock Memorial and passed by the Thiruvalluvar Statue. We spent time exploring the area and taking in the sea views before heading to the sunset point, where the evening light made the moment memorable as we experienced the most stunning sunset.

Day 9: Poovar

The next day we set off to Poovar for a relaxing backwater boat ride along the estuary. Poovar captivates with a lovely beach on one side and serene backwaters on the other. It’s where the river meets the sea, and you can see backwaters, the ocean, and a golden beach all together.

The boat ride takes you through the mangroves where you can see wildlife, birds. You can see the floating cottages and the elephant rock and then spend some time on the golden beach, enjoy a camel ride and some refreshments on the floating restaurant.

Kovalam

After Poovar we continued our drive to Kovalam our final destination. We checked into our hotel and spent the next 6 days relaxing on the beach, letting the waves and soft sand bring the journey to a calm close.

We visited the beautiful Azhimala shiva temple, which is set high upon the cliff a short car ride from Kovalum.The temple is stunning with an underground cave with statues of the story of Shiva. The experience was surreal and I would definitely recommend a visit.

Kovalam Beach stretches along the Malabar Coast with soft white sand. It has three main sections—Hawah Beach, Samudra Beach, and Lighthouse Beach. Lighthouse Beach is the biggest and also the most popular, so most people make sure to visit it.

We walked to the Lighthouse Beach which was close to our hotel and also visited the lighthouse which sits at the southern end on a small cape. You can climb 142 steps to reach the viewing platform at the top. From there, you get amazing views—Poovar on one side and the Beemapalli Mosque on the other.

The remaining of our stay we enjoyed the facilities at our hotel Leela Palace Kovalum, relaxed on the beach and poolside before returning from.

I would highly recommend a trip to Kerala, it was a wonderful experience. We had planned our own itinerary and booked a taxi for the duration of our trip from Kerala Taxis. They do offer bespoke packages for Kerala if you prefer that. The communication and booking process was easy and convenient. The company was very reliable and trustworthy. Our driver Shinu was extremely knowledgeable, very polite and accommodating. We felt very comfortable and safe with him.

Some additional tips:

• You will need Visas to travel to India unless you are an OCI card holder
• Check for vaccinations as although not compulsory but they are advised
• Carry Malaria tablets and Malaria sprays and lots of sun cream
• You cannot take rupees into the country, however you can load rupees on revolut or starling cards
• Exchange rates at airport are very poor. Only exchange the min amount at the airport.
• You can change money at many hotels, shops and there are plenty of cashpoints. You can only draw money out at standard Bank of India and ICICI. The local banks did not accept over seas cards.
• Drink bottled water only, most hotels have filtered water which is safe to drink.
• Taxis, tuk tuks and travel is relatively cheap but make sure you agree a rate before the journey.
• Dress moderately and respect the culture. Cover up in temples and places of worship. You will need to remove your shoes so carry a spare pair of socks with you.
• Carry your pass port with you at all times, you will need this to book excursion tickets and to draw money out at banks.
• Ask before taking any photographs of the locals and respect the culture.

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