01Alleppey Backwaters
Board a thatched kettuvallam houseboat and drift past paddy fields, coconut palms and village life, sleeping onboard while the crew cooks fresh Keralan fish curry.
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Slow boats, high tea and warm Arabian Sea
Kerala
Kerala moves at the speed of a punted boat. You wake to mist burning off the Alleppey backwaters, spend an afternoon walking terraced tea rows in Munnar, and end the day watching Fort Kochi's cantilevered Chinese fishing nets dip into the water as the light goes orange. In between: coconut curries, Ayurvedic oil massages and 40-metre waterfalls.
Best timeOctober to March, when the monsoon has passed, the greenery is at its peak and days stay dry and warm for cruising and hill walks.
Ideal duration6-8 days
Great forHoneymooners, families and slow travellers who want nature over nightlife
Trip highlights
Overnight houseboat on the backwatersSunrise walk through tea estatesKathakali performance in KochiSpice plantation and wildlife safariAyurvedic massage by the sea
Top places in Kerala
01
02Munnar Tea Gardens
Hill station at around 1,600 metres, wrapped in emerald tea terraces. Cool mornings, estate walks, a working tea museum and viewpoints over the Western Ghats.
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03Fort Kochi Chinese Fishing Nets
Giant cantilevered nets line the shore, worked by hand at dawn and dusk. Behind them sits a walkable old quarter of colonial churches, cafes and spice warehouses.
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04Varkala Cliff Beach
A red laterite cliff drops straight to the Arabian Sea, with a clifftop path of cafes and shops above a swimming beach. Unbeatable for sunsets.
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05Athirappilly Falls
Kerala's widest waterfall, crashing in a broad curtain through rainforest near Thrissur. Easy to reach on a day trip and thunderous just after the monsoon.
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