Kerala

shradhamis
Jan 3
7 min read

Introduction

I've not had the opportunity to travel much within India and this is something that I started to change in 2024. One such trip, cruising through Kerala, took us through Kochi, Munnar and Kumarakom. All I can say is how breathtaking the views were, the hospitality out of this world and the flavourful food still makes my mouth water just thinking about it. As a first excursion into Kerala, we'll be building on this travel guide in the near future but here's a sneak into the wonders of the South of India and this glorious nature filled state.

Pricing

Kerala, like much of India, can be travelled both on a budget or in extraordinary luxury. This trip was certainly a tale of two, but don't like the budget options fool you into thinking they are anything less than perfect. The cities and places we visited held a myriad of options when I was researching accommodation and I ended up selecting places more for their location or for the unique experiences they provided. In total, we spent about £1,200 on accommodation over 8 nights for 2 people including bed & breakfast. Car hire cost around £185 from EVM Wheels in Kochi (highly recommend) for the 8 days so we had the flexibility of transport between our 3 destinations. The majority of our meals were taken at the locations we were staying due to the remoteness of some accommodation, but don't forget to pack some good car snacks for the scenic drives!

Accommodation

As I mentioned above, Kerala isn't short of both fantastic staycation homes as well as luxury resorts. Our trip took us to 3 different locations, and 3 very different accommodation options.

Kochi Airbnb - We started our trip in Kochi, the easiest city to start in Kerala if you're flying in to the state. From Heathrow, I flew into Mumbai and then a short transit into Kochi. We selected an airbnb as we were only going to be in the city for 2 nights and didn't want to splurge too much, giving us more of our budget to explore. This airbnb was HUGE. 2 big bedrooms, a spacious living / dining area and a large kitchen space. Perfect for a group of people to stay, it felt a bit too big for just 2 if I'm honest. The special part was definitely the balcony for me, where I sat and watched the rain early in the morning. This cost £200 for 2 nights and included a parking space which was perfect for us. The location is a bit tucked away, but in a beautiful residential area. We found it easy to walk to nearby restaurants / cafe's and to drive out towards the heart of the city.
Mudhouse Marayoor - Urgh, I don't think anything I say will ever do justice to how beautiful this stay was. When I was researched Munnar and places to stay, the first place that popped up on Airbnb was Mudhouse. It's a property nestled in the hills of Marayoor, with an array of mudhouses to stay at along with 1 treehouse. We of course had to pick the treehouse because what is more unique than that?! The stay cost us £320 for 2 nights including breakfast and was well worth the money. The drive from Kochi to Marayoor through Munnar is exquisite, and in the post monsoon haze it provided a stunning backdrop. The treehouse was like nothing I've seen or stayed at before. Perfectly designed, instagram aesthetics, and making the most of the surrounding views. It included a gorgeous outdoor bathroom and shower, a sitting area on the 1st floor and a canopy bed on the 2nd floor. Now, I will just warn you that the treehouse isn't for you if you have mobility issues as it the stairs up are a bit steeper than usual but don't let this put you off. The package included a traditional Keralan breakfast each morning, and you can pay to have lunch & dinner there as well which we ended up doing for ease. This was also my first experience of a traditional Sadya (meal served on a banana leaf) and I loved every morsel!
Kumarakom Lake Resort - We ended the trip in the backwaters of Kerala, because of a trip to this state without seeing the infamous backwaters is incomplete. After much google time, I selected Kumarakom Lake Resort and booked directly through their website (best deals available / packages). For 3 nights, bed and breakfast, we paid £620 for a Heritage Pool Villa which had its' own plunge pool. I know this seems expensive, but it was so worth it. The package included a sunset cruise each day, tea & snacks in the afternoon, a wonderful breakfast spread as well as access to clay pottery making, yoga sessions, bicycles and much more. To be honest, the sunset cruise was utterly magical just on its' own. The pool villa was spacious, with a rustic charm. I was amazed by the water pressure of the outdoor shower and could have easily spent days there itself! Due to the nature of the resort, you tend to have your meals on site. There are a number of restaurants to choose from, including speciality seafood restaurants where you can sample the most glorious prawn rasam (hint hint, this is my recommendation) but more on this below.

Sightseeing / Experiences

There is an endless list of activities and excursions in a city as vast as New York. From the classic sights, to unique markets and walks, there's something for everyone. Each time I've visited, I've found something new to see and do. Here's a round up and some tips on the best time to visit as well.

Fort Kochi - because we were quite short for time in Kochi (only 1 day to explore), we headed out to Fort Kochi via the public ferry. You can easily spend an entire day walking around Fort Kochi, however we were hit with a fair bit of rain so our visit was cut short. We'll definitely be going back, and there's actually a number of great hotels and staycations on Fort Kochi island itself which are quite appealing! Getting the local ferry is super cheap (only 20inr per person), and they run fairly regularly. Head to the Kochi High Court where you'll find the jetty for the ferry.
Munnar - now of course, Munnar is famous for its' rolling hills and scenic views. We suggest taking a long drive through the winding roads, check out Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary, and just take it in the amazing atmosphere. We actually ended up being pretty lazy during our stay and just enjoying the Airbnb location!
Tea Plantations - Munnar may not be as famous for its' tea as Darjeeling, but there are still some lovely tea plantations you can visit. We ended up driving to the Lockhart Tea Factory and did a short tour of their facilities. Tours run every hour or so and are 250inr per person
Backwater Cruise - it's not a trip to the backwaters without some sort of cruise. Most resorts in the area offer sunset cruises as part of your stay package and we highly recommend making use of these. At our resort, Kumarakom Lake Resort, the cruise included some lovely live music which really set the scene.
Malarikkal View Point - a recommendation from one of the hotel staff, this was the highlight of the trip. Only blooming just after the monsoons for a short time, you can find a lake FILLED with beautiful water lilies. I've genuinely never seen anything more beautiful. We recommend going for sunrise when the lake is not as busy (our trip was in September and seems to be the perfect time for this excursion). We paid our boatman 500inr for a 30-40min trip which was perfect in terms of timing. I think the photos speak for themselves here.

Food

Now the food of the south of India is my kind of cuisine. Flavourful, spicy, full of delicious masala and of course glorious seafood. We did try and eat as much of the local cuisine as possible, however there was the odd instagram worthy meal we had to add to the roster as well. You can't blame us for that!

French Toast - As the name suggests, we went here for french toast. A combination of delightly savoury creamy mushroom french toast and a more classic sweet 3 berry option. Both utterly delicious, and paired with excellent coffee to help us kick start our day of Kochi exploration.
Aroma Kitchen - a find of desperation after arriving quite late in Kochi and craving some home comforting food. This place did not disappoint. A simple offering of Keralan cuisine, but hits the spot. Order a warming curry with the classic appam of course. A new discovery here was the nannari sharbat which is a must try!
Fort House Restaurant - On your exploration of Fort Kochi, don't miss this wonderful spot by the waterside to grab some lunch. Amazing seafood, well priced and every morsel was delightful. I definitely recommend the mushroom pepper fry and the prawn and green mango curry. My mouth is watering just typing this now
Mudhouse Marayoor - As mentioned above, all our meals during our stay at the mudhouse were taken there itself. If you're looking for something special, then definitely book the BBQ in advance as this was a great dinner. The meals are whatever the chef has cooked that day so be prepared to just eat whatever they give you! It's all very tasty, traditional Keralan food, and the sadhya is a must try.
Vembanad (Kumarakom Lake Resort) - Now if you are a seafood lover, you must try this restaurant located within Kumarakom Lake Resort. I had never heard of prawn rasam before and oh my god, I am a total convert. I now need to try and re-create this at home! Paired with a seafood platter which we had made in a spicy masala coating and a garlic butter dressing, the food will leave you more than satisfied. A bit more on the pricy side given the seafood aspect, but well worth it.