Kerala

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Kerala

Best: Year Round

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About

Discover Kerala

Kerala, officially Keralam (Malayalam: കേരളം Kēraḷaṁ, keh-ruh-lluhm), is known as a tropical paradise of waving palms and wide, sandy beaches. The South Indian state is also known as God's own Country. It is a strip of coastal territory that slopes down the Western Ghats in a cascade of lush, green vegetation and reaches the Arabian Sea. Kerala borders the states of Tamil Nadu to the east and Karnataka to the north. It is also known for its backwaters, mountains, coconuts, spices and art forms like Kathakali and Mohini Attam. It is one of India's most prosperous states, and a land of diverse religions, boasting Hindu temples, mosques, churches, and even synagogues. With world-class sporting options, Ayurvedic spas and treatments, eco-tourism initiatives, beautiful tall blue mountains, pristine rainforests, golden beaches and an enormous range of accommodation, Kerala has much to offer the visitor.

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What to Experience in Kerala

A wide range of coconut shell products can be found in Alappuzha, most of them hand

Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better. #kerala #india #wallpaper #malayalam kerala #malayalam india

While visiting Aranmula, a small town in Pathanamthitta, the famous Aranmula Mirror is sold

Glowing Mountain

Dosas (crispy fried ricebread), flavoured with butter, ghee, or masala or plain

Houseboats floating over the Alleyppey / AlapphuzhaBackwaters and its not salty water.

Idiyappam (string hoppers, also known as noolputtu and nool

Houseboats floating over the Alleyppey/Alapphuzha Backwaters and its not salty water.

Kadala, a curry of black garbanzo beans chana and bananas

white and brown house on green grass field

perfect sunset...

Pidiyan (dumplings made of rice and jaggery)

Morning shot from Varkala Cliff Beach, Trivandrum, India.

During my last trip across Kerala, India I came across this place amidst the tea gardens of Munnar. The place looked surreal filled with lushness of greenery. The little drizzle added to the beauty of the location. The relaxing feeling at the time was unforgettable. This photo always reminds me of what heaven on earth might look like :)

Hindu Temple Festival in kerala ❤️

Kathakali - Street photography

Beaches

Famous Beaches

2 to explore

Muzhappilangadu

Shangumugham

Cuisine

Taste of Kerala...

Kerala cuisine differs from other Indian cuisines. For example, there are the dominance of rice as a staple food and the popularity of non-vegetarian dishes. Kerala is known for its incredibly long-standing, and liberal consumption of meat, fish and alcohol, unlike the rest of India. In stark contrast to other Indian states, beef is commonly eaten in Kerala by members of all religions. Beef, fish and other types of meat have been regularly consumed in Kerala since at least the Chera Dynasty in 5

Heritage

Culture & Religion

Culture

Unique to Kerala, the Malayali culture is derived from ancient Tamil-Dravidian practices combined with Indo-Aryan culture, with influences from China, Japan, Arab countries, Portugal, Holland and even from the British. There are many Tamil-Sanskrit elements, resulting in many unique practices and customs. Each community in Kerala has its own unique version of Malayali culture which will not be found outside Kerala. Hindu influence brought Ayurveda (traditional medicine) into prominence. Kalaripayattu (Kerala's traditional martial art) adopted many Hindu practices. While religious beliefs and t

Religion

Hinduism is the largest religion in the state. Hinduism in Kerala differs from that elsewhere in India, due to assimilation of traditional Dravidian culture, and later due to the unique practice of Marumakathyam (matrilineal system), which made the society highly matriarchal unlike patriarchal values found elsewhere in India. This also helped the society to be tolerant to cross-caste/religious marriages and co-living systems. Also, Kerala is the last place in the world where ancient Vedic tantric rites are still practiced widely. Kerala's Islam is also unique. Kerala's trading relations with W

History

A Rich Past

Explore the historical roots that shaped Kerala into what it is today.

The ancient period saw the rise and fall of the first and second Chera empires, which were the only two periods when Kerala was united under a monarch. Kerala is mentioned in the writings of many Greek, Roman, Arabic, European and Jewish travelers and merchants from the 1st millennium BCE. It was known for the spices that were grown in the lush hills of the Western Ghats. During the Middle Ages, there were three powerful kingdoms – Kolathiri/Cherakal in the far north, Samuthiri/Zamorin in Calicut (north and central), Travancore in the south. The Portuguese were the first to discover a direct sea route between Lisbon and Calicut in Kerala, and this marked the beginning of European colonisation in the country. Soon the Dutch, French, Venetians and British were all lured by the wealth of spic...

Geography

Location & Landscape

Kerala is wedged between the Western Ghats on the eastern side and the Arabian Sea on the west, thus having a wide range of topography from high altitude mountains to golden beaches, and is criss-crossed by 44 rivers. The tributaries, unique backwaters, lagoons and numerous small islands provide scenic attractions. Kerala, being close to the equator, has a tropical climate. Kerala experiences heavy rains almost throughout the year, and is one of the wettest areas on Earth. When in Kerala, carry

Celebrations

Festivals & Events

Experience the vibrant festivals and cultural celebrations of Kerala.

Kerala is considered a land of festivals, with numerous festivals falling throughout the year. The national festival of Kerala is Onam, marking ten-day-long festivities across the state, between August and September. The second biggest festival is Christmas due to the many Christians in the state, celebrated in grand zest in many cities, particularly in Kochi and Kottayam. All Muslim festivals are celebrated among the community in grand way, throughout the state. Apart from major religious festivals, most temples host annual festivals as part of anniversary celebrations, famous for parades of

Weather

Climate

Best: Year Round

Kerala, being close to the equator, has a tropical climate. Kerala experiences heavy rains almost throughout the year, and is one of the wettest areas on Earth. When in Kerala, carry an umbrella no matter what time of the year it is. A sudden shower in summer will leave you drenched if you are unprepared. The Kerala sun coupled with the high rate of humidity can be unforgiving in the summer months. Temperatures may drop to 10 °C (50 °F) or lower during November and December in hilly areas of the Western Ghats, especially at popular hill stations like Munnar and Wynad. This results in misty day

Plan Your Trip

Essential Information

Best Time to Visit

Year Round

best time to shop is during the Onam or Christmas seasons, when there are deep discounts....

Getting There

Multiple Options

There are four airports in Kerala, with flights to domestic and international destinations: Kannur Kochi (Cochin), Kozhikode (Calicut), and Thiruvananthapuram. The airports have several carriers operating international flights. 20 to 25 international carriers offer flights to Kerala. Apart from international carriers, Air India offers international connections from the three airports. Domestic destinations accessible by direct flights from these airports include Chennai, Bangalore, Mumbai, Agatt...

Regions

Explore Areas

Kerala is blessed with natural beauty – so much so that it is (rightly) called God's Own Country by the tourism department. The state is also considered one of the safest regions in India. Incidents o…...

Travel Tips

Getting Around & Staying

Getting Around

Kerala is connected by many modes of transport. The flat southern side is better connected than mountainous north. Trains are good for long-distance travel within the state. Most trains are long-distance trains with stops at many of Kerala's stations. Short-distance trains are mainly intercity passenger trains, connecting only major cities like Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi, Palakkad, Alappuzha, Kollam, Kottayam, Kozhikode, Kannur and Thrissur. There are two Vande Bharat Express trains that run the

Where to Stay

With tourism being an important source for the state's coffers, a variety of accommodation is available for various tastes and budgets. Almost all major cities have hotels ranging from tourist lodges to 5-star hotels and theme resorts. There are also youth hostels, home-stays, travel dormitories and small lodges catering to smaller budgets. For a smoother, more peaceful visit, stay in beach properties as the rest of Kerala suffers from traffic issues. Traffic jams are a daily phenomenon in most

Money & Budget

In Kerala, credit and debit cards are accepted in some places. Banks, money exchange facilities and ATMs are widespread. Traveller's cheques are accepted in almost all banks. Rural areas traditionally have a cash-based society. The cash limit that can be drawn per day is ₹10,000 when drawn from ATMs. A surcharge of ₹50 is charged for transactions beyond the first ten transactions in a month. Forei

Communication

Language & Talk

Malayalam is the official language of the state and is understood by virtually all of the state's residents. Given its unique script, complex grammar, difficult pronunciation, and agglutinative morphology, Malayalam is regarded by many, also in India, as the most difficult language to learn in India, a fact which almost all Keralites take great pride in. In urban areas, Tamil, Hindi and English ar

Stay Safe

Safety Information

Safety Overview

Kerala is considered a safe region of India, with functional police and state institutions. However, one must not do without caution. The most likely problems are strikes, protest processions and hartals (which are called "voluntary closure of activities" as protests, but are enforced on everyone by the organisers) which are common in Kerala, considering its highly politicised and socialist leanings. Hartals or road blockades due to protests may strand tourists in airports or railway stations. They can be avoided because all political parties announce the date and details of major protests far

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