Places of Interest (Kerala)

Kerala is a destination that offers respite from the hustle and bustle of modern life inviting its visitors to immerse themselves in a realm of nature and beauty. Undeniably, Kerala lives up to its moniker as “God’s Own Country”, you will believe it only when you visit it. It captivates your senses and leaves an indelible mark on the hearts of those who experience its magic through places of interest in Kerala.

Following is the map of Kerala with the cities that we covered in our itinerary marked on it. Our trip started from Kochi (Cochin) and ended at Tiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum). We skipped the North part as it would have need more time. Let us leave it to cover some time later. We have mentioned all the places of interest in Kerala segregated by cities. Under each city we have listed all the things to do, places to go, sightseeing places and tourist spots that are worth a visit.

Kochi

Kochi (Cochin) is a city of historic importance in India. It has continuously been a hub of trade and commerce from all over the world since ancient times. The primary reason for Kochi being a commercial centre is its proximity to the sea coast and it became the gateway to India for the Western world. As a result, it allowed the merchant travellers from the middle east and the European countries to access the world of spices. Therefore, their influence is quite enormous on the architecture, religion and the food of Kerala. Let us explore some of the popular places that you can visit in Kochi. Meanwhile, if you are short on time or uninterested in historical facts, you may skip exploring Kochi. List of places to visit in Kochi is mentioned in this post.

Munnar

Munnar is known as the Queen of hills. And, rightly so! It tops the list of places of interest in Kerala. Munnar is a proper tourist hill station in the Western Ghats. It is characterised by rolling hills with sprawling tea plantations, waterfalls, winding roads, hiking trails and awe-inspiring views. Consequently, it is a delight for every tourist. On your road trip from Kochi to Munnar, you will find many scenic views and waterfalls on the way. The places of interest in Munnar are all located mainly on three routes. You would need at least two full days to cover everything in Munnar. We had only one full day, so we chose the third route to get the best of Munnar. Altogether, we were not disappointed. This post has places of interest in Munnar.

Thekkady

The route from Munnar to Thekkady is still hilly as Thekkady also falls in the Idukki district which is in the Western Ghats. The winding roads took the toll on us. Hence, make sure to carry medicines if you are prone to motion sickness as the roads make you sick. Nevertheless, the beauty of the road trip is superb. You will cross several hill views, expanse of tea gardens, spice gardens and beautiful serpentine roads. Moreover, the tree covered roadsides offer excellent scenes. We crossed the cardamom hills where all you could see were cardamom plants on both sides of the road for over 3-4 kilometres. You also cross ripple waterfalls on the way and might as well take a detour to explore it. If the weather is pleasant, it becomes a bonus. Check out this post to know what to do in Thekkady.

Alleppey

Half of the route from Thekkady to Alleppey or Alappuzah is hilly. The remaining half is plain. So, we were able to enjoy this journey. There was a section where our driver detoured through rubber plantations. The scene was amazing. A narrow road coupled with tall rubber trees on both sides made for a spectacular experience. It became dark in a sunny day. We thoroughly enjoyed our journey. The route to Sabarimala temple falls on this route. If you would like to visit, you may ask your driver beforehand and leave very early from Thekkady as it is good 50 km on a different route. Discover the things to do in Alleppey in details in this post.

Varkala/Tiruvananthapuram/ Kovalam

Travelling from Alleppey to Tiruvananthapuram has views with ocean on one side and the backwaters on the other with abundance of coconut trees near the town of Alleppey. Varkal and Jatayu Earth Centre are some notable tourist spots that fall on the way. Tiruvananthapuram is a historical city marked by the princely state of Travancore of which it was a capital. It has a historical and cultural significance evident in its attractions. Some 13-14 km south of Tiruvananthapuram is Kovalam another beach town of Kerala. Due to proximity of the cities, we are listing them together in the places to visit in Kerala. The tourist points in details are mentioned in this post.