Kerala Holidays — Backwaters, Beaches & Ayurveda
Kerala
Holidays
God's Own Country — backwaters, beaches, spice plantations and the most serene corner of India
Search Kerala Holidays
Flight Time
9–10h to Kochi or Trivandrum (direct from some UK airports)
Best Time
October to March — dry season; June–September is monsoon (lush but wet)
Country
India
Suppliers
our travel partners ·
Kerala Holiday Guide
Kerala in southwest India is a world apart from the rest of the country — a lush, green state of palm-fringed backwaters, spice and tea plantations, pristine beaches, ancient Ayurvedic traditions and some of the finest cuisine in India.
The classic Kerala circuit runs Kochi–Munnar–Thekkady–Alleppey–Varkala over 10–14 days. Kochi (Fort Kochi) is the ideal starting point — a cosmopolitan port city shaped by centuries of Arab, Chinese, Portuguese, Dutch and British trade. Munnar in the Western Ghats offers cool mountain air and extraordinary tea estate landscapes. The Alleppey backwaters are best experienced on an overnight houseboat. Varkala's red cliffs and beach are the perfect finale.
Kerala is also India's wellness capital — Ayurvedic treatments here are considered the most authentic in the country, and the monsoon season (June–August) is actually the best time for Panchakarma detox programmes.
Average Temperatures
Jan
28°C
Feb
30°C
Mar
32°C
Apr
33°C
May
31°C
Jun
28°C
Jul
27°C
Aug
27°C
Sep
28°C
Oct
29°C
Nov
29°C
Dec
28°C
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Call 01282 960 460Top 8 Things To Do in Kerala
The backwater cruises, spice-scented hill stations, ancient wellness traditions and pristine beaches that make Kerala the most serene destination in India.
Alleppey Backwaters — Houseboat Kerala
The Alleppey (Alappuzha) backwaters are Kerala's most iconic experience — a vast network of canals, rivers, lakes and lagoons stretching along the coast, navigated by traditional kettuvallam rice barges converted into comfortable houseboats. An overnight cruise through the backwaters — past coconut groves, paddy fields, village life and Chinese fishing nets — is one of the most peaceful and memorable experiences in India. Book a private houseboat for the best experience.
Munnar — Tea Estates & Hill Stations
Munnar in the Western Ghats is Kerala's most beautiful hill station — a landscape of rolling hills carpeted in tea, cardamom and coffee plantations at 1,600 metres above sea level. The Eravikulam National Park above Munnar is home to the endangered Nilgiri tahr (mountain goat) and offers spectacular views. The tea estates are open for tours and tastings, and the cool mountain air is a welcome relief from the coastal heat.
Varkala — Cliff Beach & Sunset Views
Varkala is Kerala's most dramatic beach destination — a long stretch of golden sand at the base of red laterite cliffs, with a clifftop promenade of restaurants, yoga studios and Ayurvedic centres overlooking the Arabian Sea. The Papanasam Beach below the cliffs is considered sacred by Hindus, and the Janardhana Swami Temple at the cliff's edge is one of Kerala's most important pilgrimage sites. Sunsets here are spectacular.
Ayurveda — Kerala's Ancient Wellness Tradition
Kerala is the home of Ayurveda — the ancient Indian system of medicine and wellness that uses herbal oils, massage, diet and yoga to restore balance to the body and mind. Kerala's Ayurvedic treatments are considered the most authentic in India — the monsoon season (June–August) is actually the best time for Ayurvedic treatments, when the body is most receptive. Treatments range from a single massage to a full 21-day Panchakarma detox programme.
Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary — Elephants & Tigers
Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary in the Cardamom Hills is Kerala's finest wildlife reserve — a 925 sq km protected area centred on an artificial lake created by the Mullaperiyar Dam. Boat cruises on the lake offer sightings of elephants, gaur (Indian bison), sambar deer and otters coming to drink at the water's edge. The park also has tigers, leopards and sloth bears, though these are rarely seen. Guided jungle treks and bamboo rafting are also available.
Kochi — Fort Kochi & the Spice Coast
Kochi (Cochin) is Kerala's most cosmopolitan city — a port city shaped by centuries of Arab, Chinese, Portuguese, Dutch and British trade. Fort Kochi, the old colonial quarter, has Chinese fishing nets, a Portuguese church (the oldest European church in India), a Dutch palace and a Jewish synagogue all within walking distance. The Mattancherry spice market is one of the most atmospheric in India, and Kochi's restaurant scene is the best in Kerala.
Kathakali & Kalaripayattu — Kerala's Performing Arts
Kerala has two extraordinary performing art traditions. Kathakali is a classical dance-drama with elaborate costumes and make-up that takes hours to apply — performers tell stories from the Hindu epics through stylised gestures, eye movements and facial expressions. Kalaripayattu is one of the world's oldest martial arts, originating in Kerala over 3,000 years ago — a dynamic, acrobatic form that influenced many Asian martial arts. Both can be seen at cultural centres in Kochi, Thrissur and Thiruvananthapuram.
Kerala Cuisine — The Finest Food in India
Kerala's cuisine is arguably the finest in India — a coconut-rich, spice-forward cooking tradition that reflects the state's history as the centre of the global spice trade. Fish molee (fish in coconut milk), prawn curry, appam (lacy rice pancakes) with stew, puttu (steamed rice cylinders) with kadala curry, and the extraordinary Kerala sadya (a vegetarian feast served on a banana leaf) are all unmissable. The seafood, particularly on the coast, is exceptional.
Explore Kerala on the Map
Key areas, beaches and attractions across the island.
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