Kerala: backwaters, tea hills and spice coast

Why go

Kerala has traded spices with the world for two thousand years, and its towns show Arab, Chinese, Portuguese, Dutch, British and Jewish influences. Add coconut palms, monsoon green landscapes, elephants in temple festivals, superb seafood and a strong Ayurveda tradition, and you have the most relaxing region in India.

Fort Kochi

Start in **Fort Kochi**, the old harbour town on the tip of the Kochi peninsula. Watch fishermen work the **Chinese fishing nets** at sunset, visit **St Francis Church**, where Vasco da Gama was first buried, and walk the tree lined streets of colonial houses and galleries. In **Mattancherry**, see the murals of the **Dutch Palace** and the **Paradesi Synagogue** in Jew Town, then browse the antique and spice warehouses. A **Kathakali** performance, with its elaborate make up applied in front of the audience, is unmissable. If you visit between December and March in an even numbered year, the **Kochi Muziris Biennale** brings contemporary art to the old warehouses.

The backwaters

A network of lagoons, canals and lakes runs inland from **Alappuzha**, also called Alleppey, and **Kumarakom**. An overnight **houseboat**, a converted rice barge with bedrooms, a crew and a cook, is the classic experience. For something quieter and cheaper, take a small canoe tour through narrow village canals, or ride the public ferry. Choose a licensed operator and check what is included before you book.

Munnar and the hills

A few hours inland, **Munnar** sits among rolling tea estates in the Western Ghats. Visit the **Tata Tea Museum**, walk through the gardens and look for the rare Nilgiri tahr in **Eravikulam National Park**. **Thekkady** and **Periyar Tiger Reserve** offer bamboo rafting, guided forest walks and spice plantation tours. **Wayanad** in the north is wilder and quieter.

Beaches

**Varkala**, with its red cliffs above the sea, has a laid back clifftop strip of cafés and guest houses. **Kovalam** near Thiruvananthapuram is more developed. **Marari** near Alleppey is quiet and beautiful. Currents can be strong, so swim only where lifeguards are present and the flags allow.

Food

Kerala food is built on coconut, curry leaves, black pepper and fish. Try **appam with stew**, **karimeen pollichathu** (pearl spot fish in banana leaf), **Malabar biryani**, puttu and kadala curry, and a **sadya**, the vegetarian feast served on a banana leaf at festivals such as **Onam**. Toddy shops serve palm wine with spicy food.

Ayurveda

Many resorts offer Ayurvedic massages and longer treatments. For anything beyond a massage, choose a centre approved by Kerala Tourism or the state government, and see a qualified doctor first.

When to go

October to March is dry and pleasant. The southwest monsoon arrives in early June and brings heavy rain until September, when the landscape is lush but some activities pause, and landslides can affect the hills. Many Ayurveda centres consider the monsoon the best time for treatments.

Getting around

Fly into Kochi or Thiruvananthapuram. Trains run along the coast, and buses and drivers booked through hotels reach the hills. Our trip planner helps you pace the route, and Goa is a short flight or train journey north.