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Kerala
For many travelers, Kerala is South India's most serenely beautiful state. This slender coastal strip is defined by its layered landscape: almost 373 miles (600km) of glorious Arabian Sea coast and beaches; a languid network of glistening backwaters; and the spice- and tea-covered hills of the Western Ghats, dotted with fiercely protected wildlife reserves and cool hill stations such as Munnar. Just setting foot on this swathe of soul-soothing, palm-shaded green will slow your subcontinental stride to a blissed-out amble. Kerala is a world away from the hectic action of the rest of India, its long, fascinating backstory illuminated by historically evocative cities like Kochi (Cochin) and Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum).
Besides the famous backwaters, elegant houseboats, ayurvedic treatments and delicately spiced, taste-bud-tingling cuisine, Kerala is home to wild elephants, exotic birds and the odd tiger, while vibrant traditions such as Kathakali, theyyam (a trance-induced ritual), temple festivals and snake-boat races frequently bring even the smallest villages to life.
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Top attractions
These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Kerala.
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Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary
Wayanad's ethereal 345-sq-km sanctuary is accessible only by two-hour jeep safari (₹680), on which you might spot langurs, chital deer, sambar, peacocks, wild boar or wild elephants; the odd tiger and leopard wanders through, though you'd be incredibly lucky to spot one. Jeeps are arranged at either of the sanctuary's two entrances, Tholpetty and Muthanga; during the November-to-March high season, arrive at least an hour before the morning or afternoon openings to register and secure a vehicle. Whether you go to Tholpetty or Muthanga essentially depends on whether you're staying in the north or south of Wayanad, as there's no difference in the chances of spotting wildlife or the visiting arrangements. Both Tholpetty and Muthanga close from mid-March to mid-April, but remain open during the monsoon. There are a limited number of guides and jeeps permitted in the park at one time, and trekking is not permitted.
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Periyar Tiger Reserve
Bison, sambar, wild boar, langur, around 2000 elephants and 35 to 40 tigers wander the lushly green hills of South India’s most popular wildlife reserve, which takes in 777 sq km of glorious Western Ghats country, including a 26-sq-km artificial lake created by the British in 1895. Established as a sanctuary in 1934, Periyar was declared Kerala's first tiger reserve in 1978. All reserve access is through Kumily's Ecotourism Centre. The best months for wildlife-spotting are December to April. While the much-loved lake cruise here doesn't scream 'wildlife experience', other activities, such as treks led by tribal villagers, give you a real feel of the reserve's raw natural beauty and make for a rewarding visit. Bring warm, waterproof clothing.
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Pardesi Synagogue
Originally built in 1568, Mattancherry's synagogue was partially destroyed by the Portuguese in 1662, and rebuilt two years later when the Dutch took Kochi. It features an ornate brass bimah, elegant wooden benches, and elaborate hand-painted, willow-pattern floor tiles from Canton, China, added in 1762 during major remodelling under Ezekial Rahabi. It’s magnificently illuminated by Belgian chandeliers and coloured-glass lamps. The graceful clock tower dates from 1760, with inscriptions in Malayalam, Hebrew, Roman and Arabic script. There's an upstairs balcony for women, who worshipped separately according to Orthodox rites. The majority of Kochi's Pardesi Jews have emigrated, but the synagogue remains excellently preserved. No photography.
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Mattancherry Palace
Mattancherry Palace was a generous gift presented to the Raja of Kochi, Veera Kerala Varma (1537–65), as a gesture of goodwill by the Portuguese in 1555. The Dutch renovated it in 1663, hence the alternative name, the Dutch Palace. The building combines European and Keralan styles, but the star attractions are the royal bedchamber's astonishingly preserved Hindu murals from the 17th to 19th centuries, which depict scenes from the Ramayana, Mahabharata and Puranic legends in intricate, colourful detail. There are more fine murals further into the palace, too, including Vishnu sleeping on a snake. A small Mahavishnu temple sits within the palace grounds.
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Museum of History & Heritage
Occupying a handsome 120-year-old heritage building within the Kerala Tourism complex, this intelligently presented museum traces Kerala's history and culture through superb static and multimedia displays. Exhibits range from Iron Age implements to bronze, wood and terracotta sculptures, murals, dhulichitra (floor paintings), Roman-era coins, re-creations of traditional Keralite homes and replicas of engravings at Wayanad's Edakkal Caves.
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Napier Museum
Housed in an 1880 wooden building designed by Robert Chisholm (a British architect whose Fair Isle–style version of the Keralite vernacular shows his enthusiasm for local craft), this museum holds an eclectic display of bronzes, Buddhist sculptures, temple carts, ivory carvings and a wood-carved model of Kerala's famous Guruvayur temple. The architectural style fuses neo-Gothic and Keralan elements, and the carnivalesque interior is worth a look in its own right.
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Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary
This reserve on the 5-hectare site of a former rubber plantation on Vembanad Lake is the haunt of a variety of domestic and migratory birds. October to February is the time for travelling birds like the garganey teal, osprey, marsh harrier and steppey eagle; May to July is the breeding season for local species such as the Indian shag, pond herons, egrets and darters. Guides cost ₹300 for a two-hour tour; there are also motorboat (₹650) and speedboat trips (₹1200).
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Chinese Fishing Nets
The unofficial emblems of Kerala’s backwaters, and perhaps the most photographed, are the half-dozen giant cantilevered Chinese fishing nets on Fort Cochin's northeastern shore, known locally as cheena vala. A legacy of traders from the AD 1400 court of Kublai Khan, these spiderlike, 10m-tall contraptions rest on teak or bamboo poles and require five or six people to operate their counterweights at high tide. Modern fishing techniques are making these labour-intensive methods less and less profitable, with nets slowly disappearing from Kerala's coastline. Smaller fishing nets are dotted around the shores of Vembanad and Ashtamudi lakes; some of the best are just east of Cherai Beach on Vypeen Island.
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Kerala Folklore Museum
Created in Kerala style from ancient temples and beautiful old houses collected by its owner, an antique dealer, the family-run folklore museum houses a priceless collection of over 5000 artefacts and covers three architectural styles: Malabar on the ground floor; Kochi/Portuguese on the 1st; and Travancore on the 2nd (top). The fine top-floor theatre has an 18th-century wood-carved ceiling depicting Hindu gods, as well as colourful Ramayana and Mahabharata murals. It's 4.5km south of Ernakulam Junction. Uber and Ola taxis from Fort Cochin charge ₹270, or you can take any bus (including the Fort Cochin–Vytilla–Airport bus) to Thevara, from where it’s a short walk or rickshaw ride.
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