Overview
Note: It is a suggested itinerary that indicates what could be possible during this 9 days itinerary. You can bring any changes as per your liking and interest.
Highlights
- Explore tourist attractions in Ooty
- A day's excursion to Coonoor
- Sightseeing in Kodaikanal
- Wildlife spotting at Eravikulam National Park in Munnar
- Bird watching in Kumarakom Bird sanctuary
- Boat safari ride on the Periyar Lake
- Half-day city tour of Cochin
Itinerary
Arrival at the Coimbatore Airport / Railway Station. Start the road journey for Ooty. On reaching, check-in at the hotel. Rest for some time and enjoy lunch. Later, you will embark on a sightseeing tour of Ooty. Today you visit Botanical Garden, Ooty Lake, and Doddabetta Peak. Next, enjoy a visit to the local market of Ooty and enjoy shopping. After that, you will return to your hotel room for an overnight stay.
The day, after breakfast, is for an excursion to Coonoor. This wonderful hill town has aromatic tea plantations, lofty verdant Nilgiri Hills, and colorful wildflowers. Bird watching is a popular activity here due to avifaunal wealth. Do not miss a visit to the Dolphin's Nose- a massive rock formation in the shape of the nose of a dolphin. The views from the top are breathtaking. Next, enjoy a visit to the Lamb's rock- an excellent picnic spot, equally popular among locals and tourists. Finally, return to Ooty, one of the most popular hill stations in Tamil Nadu.
Stay overnight in Ooty.
Day 3 begins early. Start your road journey to Kodaikanal. On the way, halt to visit the Palani temples. The temples here are an excellent example of the South Indian style of temple architecture. Later, continue your journey. As you reach, complete the check-in. Enjoy some refreshments and then leave for sightseeing in Kodaikanal. Known for its green hills, tranquil lakes, granite cliffs, lush valleys, and cascading waterfalls, this hill station of Tamil Nadu has several attractions. Enjoy the peace spread all around.
Overnight stay.
Continue with the sightseeing today. You can visit popular places of tourist interest, including Kodai Lake, Kodaikanal Solar Physical Observatory, Bryant Park, Coaker's Walk, Kurunji Andavar Temple, and Green Valley View with its stunning vistas, Pillar Rocks, and Shembaganur Natural History Museum.
Stay overnight.
On day 5, have breakfast and start your road journey to Munnar, one of the best destinations in Kerala. On the way, there are many waterfalls. You can stop clicking photographs and enjoy the scenery if you want. Continue your road journey. Complete the check-in formalities on arrival. The rest of the day is at leisure, and you can explore the place at your own pace.
Overnight stay in Munnar.
Post breakfast in the morning, embark on a sightseeing tour of famous tourist spots in Munnar. Visit the Christ Church, Eravikulam National Park, Mattupetty Dam, and Anamudi Peak. It is pretty popular among trekking enthusiasts.
Stay overnight in Munnar.
After breakfast on day 7, start your road journey towards Thekkady. The journey is filled with beautiful views—afternoon arrival in Thekkady. Check into the wildlife resort, and you can either relax while enjoying the hotel facilities or go for a boat safari ride inside the park. It is one of those national parks which is open throughout the year. Other animals are Indian bison, langur, wild boar, and sambar. Another feature here is Periyar Lake.
Overnight stay.
After breakfast, leave for the pristine and peaceful hamlet of Kumarakom. On arrival, check into the backwater resort. Known for colorful chirpy birds and backwater tourism, Kumarakom is placed on the banks of Lake Vembanad. After resting for a while, head towards Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary, also known as the Vembanad bird sanctuary. Bird-watching enthusiasts and ornithologists visit this sanctuary in good numbers. Finally, you will return to your resort after exploring the national park and enjoying bird watching.
Overnight stay.
In the morning, start driving to Cochin. As you reach, enjoy half-day sightseeing of Cochin, including the St. Francis Church, the Chinese Fishing Nets, the Jewish Synagogue, and lastly, the Dutch Palace or the Mattancherry Palace. Later, transfer to Cochin airport to board the flight to your onward destination.
FAQs
God’s Own Country, Kerala is famous for its scenic beauty, mesmerizing backwaters, eco-tourism, quaint hill stations, beautiful houseboats, Kathakali dance performances, serene beaches, and mouth-watering cuisine.
The best time to visit Kerala is from September to March. The weather remains pleasant with less humidity and is comfortable enough for outdoor activities and sightseeing.
Yes, Kerala is worth visiting. Be it the eco-tourism initiatives or the natural beauty of hill stations, beaches, and backwaters, Kerala is simply too tempting.
A typical 4 nights trip to Kerala will cost you around INR 15,000 per person. This package will include meals, accommodations, sightseeing tours, and transfers.
Depending on the duration and budget of travelers and the places they want to visit, a package that fulfills their requirements turns out to be the best tour package. The choice of package to be called ‘the best’ varies from tourists to tourists. However, every tour package comprises accommodation, transfers, meals, and sightseeing.
Some of the top Kerala tour packages allow tourists to –
- Explore the charming beauty of hill stations and beaches.
- Soak up in the sun at Kovalam.
- Spend a night in a houseboat.
- Get an insight into the history and culture of Trivandrum.
- Cruise on the serene backwaters of Alleppey.
- Go for wildlife sightseeing at Thekkady.
You can efficiently plan a budget trip to Kerala with some useful tips.
- Book flights/train tickets in advance.
- Avoid luxury hotels and instead, choose comfortable stays.
- Travel in the off-season to get accommodation at cheap rates.
- Use public transport. They are usually cheaper than private taxis or cars.
- Plan a detailed itinerary and follow it.
To explore the best of Kerala, you need at least 6-7 days. This will allow you to relish the time at this enchanting state and have the best time of your life.
Kerala vs Goa: Which place should you visit?
Trip to Kerala or Goa depends upon your budget of flight/train tickets, places of stay, transfers, restaurant choices, activities, and sightseeing tours. You can spend more or less according to your needs in Kerala or Goa.
Yes, Kerala is good for a honeymoon. There are a lot of quaint places in Munnar and Alleppey to spend time in peace and privacy with your partner.
Both Goa and Kerala are extremely popular among honeymoon couples. They provide a great romantic atmosphere to have quality time with your loved one. Goa and Kerala offer amazing natural beauty, beaches with countless memories.
However, beaches in Kerala are much cleaner and less crowded than those in Goa. If vibrant nightlife, pubs, and crazy parties are more your thing, visit Goa. And if you love peaceful, and less crowded places, then pick Kerala.
Here are some of the romantic things honeymoon couples and people rekindling their love can do –
- Cruise through backwaters in a houseboat
- Enjoy the sweet aroma of tea plantations in Munnar
- Stay in a Kerala Treehouse
- Get an Ayurveda couple massage
- Watch the sunrise together
- Visiting the heart-shaped lake in Chembra
- Visi the spice plantations in Wayanad
- Stay in a beach resort
- Go for amusement park rides
No, alcohol is not banned in Kerala. You can get alcohol in five-star hotel bars and in beer and wine parlors.
Yes, you can visit Kerala in December. The temperature ranges between 23°C to 31°C. Also, Kerala’s weather is warm and cozy, which is perfect to plan a holiday and go out for sightseeing.
While visiting Kerala, you may wonder what to pack for your trip. You can wear whatever you want, as long as you are respecting their culture. Tank tops, shorts, long skirts, jeans, leggings, etc. are all fine. Just avoid wearing short clothes and cover your shoulders while visiting a religious place.
Kerala is well-connected by railway from all parts of India. The five major railway stations in Kerala are Calicut, Ernakulam Junction, Trichur, Trivandrum Kochuveli, and Trivandrum Central.
Kerala Express 12625/12626 is a daily superfast express train of Indian Railways that runs from New Delhi to Trivandrum. Other trains like Rajdhani, Duronto, and Superfast Express also operate from different parts of India.
The state of Kerala has three main airports located at Trivandrum, Kozhikode, and Kochi. Moreover, Trivandrum and Kochi are international airports that serve both international and domestic flights. Apart from these, several domestic airports connect almost all the major states in the country with Kerala.
Kerala is one of the most beautiful honeymoon places in India where you can weave everlasting memories with your beloved. Here are the best places to visit for a honeymoon in Kerala –
- Munnar – Attukal Waterfalls, shikara boat ride at Kundala Lake
- Alleppey – houseboat cruise and sunset at Kuttanad, soak in the sun at the Alappuzha beach
- Wayanad – picturesque settings of Chembra Peak, cozy time at Pookode Lake
- Thekkady – boat ride in the Periyar Lake
- Bekal – spend time at the Bekal fort
- Kumarakom – seek blessings at the Adithyapuram Surya Temple, watch birds at the Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary
Summers are really pleasant in Kerala and you can plan an amazing holiday with family and friends. The best tourist places to visit in Kerala during summer are Munnar, Thekkady, Vagamon, Ponmudi, Lakkidi, Idukki, Malampuzha, Kovalam Beach, and Alleppey Beach.
Winter is a great time to head to God’s Own Country with your loved ones for everlasting memories. The best tourist places to visit in Kerala during winter are Munnar, Wayanad, Silent Valley, Kuttikkanam, Periyar, Alleppey, and Vagamon.
Spend a fun time with your family in this beautiful state of Kerala. Here are some of the best places in Kerala for a family holiday –
- Alleppey
- Munnar
- Fort Kochi
- Thekkady
- Kovalam
- Kumarakom
- Thrissur
- Kasargod
- Trivandrum
- Munroe Island
If you love to laze around in golden sands with a view of clean waters, then plan a secluded getaway to these less crowded beaches in Kerala –
- Kappad Beach, Kozhikode
- Muzhappilangad Beach, Muzhappilangad
- Kappil Beach, Trivandrum
- Kizhunna Ezhara Beach, Kannur
- Chowara Beach, Trivandrum
- Meenkunnu Beach, Azhikode
- Chavakkad Beach, Thrissur
Kovalam Beach is perfect for a family holiday. Due to its convenient location near Trivandrum city, this beach receives a lot of tourists all around the year. You can spend time with your family while relishing Kerala’s cuisine at open-air restaurants. Also, indulge in water sports like surfing, windsurfing, parasailing, and snorkeling.
