Things to do & places to visit in Kerala, India

In this lush, tourist-friendly southern state, positioned between the Arabian Sea and the Western Ghats, beaches, waterfalls, rice paddies and verdant green hills create a postcard-perfect landscape. Houseboats traverse its many waterways, providing an intimate look at its rural terrain. Rejuvenation programs through Ayurveda (alternative, natural medicine) are popular here; the cool June and mid-October monsoon seasons are considered ideal for healing therapies.

Kerala #6 destination in India 2023. The average rating score is 4.16 based on 111.2k traveler reviews, of 433 attractions. Timezone: Asia/Kolkata, current date and time: Friday, May 03, 2024, 2:47.

Kerala Weather Statistics view more »

Top things to do (25)

• Neighborhoods
• Bodies of Water
• Amusement & Theme Parks
• Nature & Wildlife Areas
• Caverns & Caves
• Lookouts
• National Parks
• Mountains
• Religious Sites
• Gardens
• Islands
• Waterfalls
• Art Museums
• History Museums
• Zoos
• Beaches
• Taxis & Shuttles
• Shopping Malls
• Points of Interest & Landmarks
• Observation Decks & Towers
• Forests
• Dams
• Architectural Buildings
• Speciality Museums
• Art Galleries

Top destinations in Kerala 30

• Athani
• Thiruvananthapuram District
• Kannur District
• Ernakulam District
• Paravur
• Maramon
• Kuthuparamba
• Manarcaud
• Kattangal
• Greater Kochi
• Wayanad District
• Thykattussery
• Chungam
• Kattappana
• Alappuzha District
• Kasaragod District
• Kollam District
• Malappuram District
• Palakkad District
• Kottayam District
• Pathanamthitta District
• Kozhikode District
• Tamarakulam
• Haripad
• Vettilappara
• North Paravur
• Idukki District
• Thrissur District
• Muttil South
• Elayavoor

Top places to visit (30 attractions) view more »

1. 5.0 Kochi Taxi 24X7 (1.322 reviews)
   - Smart & Stylish Cabby travels .
   Friday: 12:00 AM - 11:59 PM Taxis & Shuttles
   
   
   We are providing Taxi service from Kochi to Various destinations of customer choice with brand new vehicles and well experienced drivers. We operates with economical rates and comfortable formalities which ends with customer satisfaction. Ranging from 3 pax to 49 pax carrier we have an array of vehicles that operates for tourist packages, corporate travelling, special events, Outstation and local transfers See more..
   
2. 5.0 J & J Taxi Service (1.161 reviews)
   - Best Taxi Service with great captain.
   Friday: 12:00 AM - 11:59 PM Spent More than 3 hours Taxis & Shuttles
   
   
   Welcome To J&J Taxi Service, we are one of the leading agencies in Kerala which fulfill your travel needs. Our specialty is that we provide economical and efficient taxi service across South India. Services being introduced are Tourist Taxi Packages,Local Travel, i.e., Point to Point Travel within Kerala, Fixed - route, Airport Transfer, Railway Station Transfer, Half-Day and Full Day Packages and See more..
   
3. 5.0 Sobha Cab Services (881 reviews)
   - Great Trip with Sobha Cabs
   Friday: 12:00 AM - 11:59 PM Spent < 1 hour Taxis & Shuttles
   
   
   "Atithi Devo Bhava ! " ** Sobha cab Services provides a wide variety of cab services. We have premium and luxury vehicles to support your tours and transfers. Sobha Cab Service is one of the best tour providers in Kerala doing cab/taxi service. We provide excellent service with affordable price. We offer good - comfortable vehicles and drivers with well knowledge of languages and destinations. **Atithi Devo Bhava is Sanskrit verse, translated literally it means "The guest is equivalent to God". See more..
   
4. 5.0 Pepper Kerala Holidays (808 reviews)
   - Superb
   Friday: 10:00 AM - 8:00 PM Spent More than 3 hours Taxis & Shuttles
   
   
   PepperKera Travel Ventures LLP™ laid new foundations in the field of Kerala Tourism providing unparalleled service to our clients in exploring Kerala - "God's own country" with owned fleet of vehicles from small cabs to big luxury coaches with total strength ranging more than 135 in numbers. Our drivers are specially trained in tourism with good knowledge about Kerala geography and good communication skills to render safe travel across Kerala along with our dedicated personnel working 24 hrs to create most cherishing memorable memories for our clients. See more..
   
5. 4.5 Kerala Backwaters (3.870 reviews)
   - The extract views of Kerala Backwaters
   Friday: 8:00 AM - 6:00 PM Spent More than 3 hours Bodies of Water • Nature & Wildlife Areas
   
   
   Kerala Backwater is a network of brackish lagoons and lakes lying parallel to the Arabian Sea coast of Kerala state in southern India. This backwater is a beautiful extraordinary scene in the lap of cosmic nature. It takes quite a while to get through the middle of the water by boat and you will see so many amazing landscapes that it will feel like a heavenly form in the bosom of the cosmic nature. Other boats, boats and boats will be seen crossing the backwater by boat. Crowds of commuters will be able to see the boats, boats and boats. As a rule, the boat and boating of those people in the back water is a really great sight. Many regular passengers are seen traveling in those boats and boats at very low prices. On the way to the backwater trip you will meet several rural views, which in a word is amazing. See more..
   
6. 4.5 Tea Gardens (3.403 reviews)
   - Essence of Munnar
   Friday: 9:00 AM - 7:30 PM Spent 2-3 hours Gardens
   
   
   It's the essence of Munnar Try and book hotel nearer to town to get the tea estate view. The difference between other tea estates and the one at munnar is climate nd its amalgamation with nature. The unending spread of tea gardens shine bright and merges beautifully with tree laden hills See more..
   
7. 4.5 Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple (2.637 reviews)
   - Darshan process not transparent at all.
   Friday: 3:45 AM - 12:00 PM, 5:00 PM - 7:15 PM Architectural Buildings • Religious Sites
   
   
   A Vishnu temple with a massive fort gateway has been built in Dravidian style and is closed to non-Hindus. See more..
   
8. 4.5 Varkala Beach (2.476 reviews)
   - BUDGET TRIP FOR VARKALA FROM CHENNAI
   Beaches
   
   
   As an overall experience, worth the penny site seeing was amazing it's like a mini goa vibe was found there easy access to the locale. Plan access from Chennai to Varkala under 2000 (Only Teansport) > Chennai - Varkala train Rs. 430(Sleeper) > From the railway station to Varkala beach local transport is available by bus and costs Rs. 20 >After reaching plenty of rooms are available via many platforms costs 700-1500 based on your needs. >After checking explore the cliff area by walking it's an amazing experience if you need some motorcycles contact them COCO TRAVELS and rent a bike. > Mangrove Village Adventures ( 13 km) from varkala each person costs 1000 Rs if you want you can also explore this one. >we stayed here for 2 days and the evening sunset experience in cafe italiano was amazing the price of food is bit higher but worth the view. >As an overall according to your needs choose the restaurants and accommodation . ~ Our trip costs around 6000 Rs per head. Do exploring ✨ See more..
   
9. 4.5 LuLu Mall (1.912 reviews)
   - Convenient Mall
   Friday: 10:00 AM - 10:00 PM Shopping Malls
   
   
   Convenient Mall close to Metro had all latest variety local and international brand. Proximity to reach the Mall through Metro were very convenient. Had all experience from shopping, amusement and dining and the centre of the city made it unique.Most of the shops were opened after 10 am only. Although parking facilities were there often congestion on entrance especially during weekend peak hours.Security and parking were good. See more..
   
10. 4.5 Poovar Island (1.313 reviews)
    - Poovar backwater and estuary and beach
    Friday: 9:00 AM - 4:30 PM Islands
    
    
    On way from Kanyakumari to Thiruvananthapuram, we made a short trip to Poovar island. It was an unexpected bonus - the scenic beauty of Golden Sand beach, the estuary, the backwater, the mangrove. Though our stay was short, images have remained engraved to visualize in leisure. See more..
    
11. 4.5 Marari Beach (1.196 reviews)
    - This is a paradise. Best staff I have encountered ever!
    Beaches
    
    
    My wife and I decided to vacation in Kerala for a few days. We found this place online and thought we should give it a try. As soon as we entered, we were greeted by pleasant courteous staff. We walked in and got blown away by the lush well maintained greenery and traditional infrastructure. It seemed like the hotel staff doesn’t even know that a word “no” exists. Everyone went above and beyond to make every single request of ours taken care of. Rooms were kept clean. Food at both restaurants was amazing. We asked for varieties of seafood that is not even on the menu, and still we got it. Private pool is clean and warm. Beach is clean and relaxing Finally, I would like to give special thanks to naturalist Shibu, Chef Merlin and mixologist Subhan das for showing us good time and teaching us new things while we are here. We are definitely going to come back here with more family and friends. Here are some pictures of the activities we learned here See more..
    
12. 4.5 Guruvayur Temple (1.132 reviews)
    - A peaceful Darshan at Guruvayur
    Architectural Buildings • Religious Sites
    
    
    Everything was smooth, but do the online booking for Darshan well in advance, at the Guruvayur Dewaswom official website, to make it hassle free. If one misses it then an on-counter ticket has to be purchased and it would cost Rs 1000. The only challenge is that there was no place to change clothes and wear Lungi so one should change at Hotel and go for Darshan (Western outfit not allowed). There was no rush during the weekday and could get a peaceful darshan of the lord. See more..
    
13. 4.5 Guruvayur Temple (1.122 reviews)
    - Bhooloka Vaikunta
    Architectural Buildings • Religious Sites
    
    
    This temple in Thrissur district, Kerala is dedicated to Lord Guruvayurappan, where lord Vishnu is worshiped as Krishna in his four armed form. Known as Bhuloka Vaikunta, the Holy abode of Vishnu on Earth, this temple is one of the important places of worship for Hindus in Kerala.
    
    The temple opens at 3.00 am for 'Nirmalya darshan' and it is a divine experience to pray during that time. After Guruvayur, it is good to visit Mammiyoor Siva temple, located a few meters away, after visiting Guruvayur.
    
    Dress code: Traditional attire like saree, salwar kameez, long skirts for women and girls and dhoti for men
    
    Mobile phones are strictly prohibited inside the temple. They can be safely deposited at the lockers right outside the temple.
    
    The temple can get very crowded on weekends and auspicious days like Ekadashi, Janmashtami etc.
    
    Punnathoor kotta, a place where elephants belonging to the temple is also closeby and can be visited if interested. See more..
    
14. 4.5 Kerala Folklore Museum (1.122 reviews)
    - Hidden gem...
    Friday: 9:30 AM - 6:00 PM Spent 1-2 hours Architectural Buildings • Art Museums • History Museums
    
    
    Folklore Museum aims to provide art education to the students and helping to provide visual and academic knowledge to the art lovers, researchers and travelers from all over the world. Folklore museum is the only architectural museum in Kerala and the treasure trove of stone, wood and bronze sculptures, ancient terracotta, stone Age objects, jewellery, paintings, oil lamps, musical instruments, tribal and folk art, wood works, utensils, masks and traditional art forms etc. these are around 4000 artifacts from tiny to large size on display. This ethnic museum is the essence of the life and culture of the common man over the past 1000 years. See more..
    
15. 4.5 Wonderla Amusement Park (871 reviews)
    - One day visit
    Friday: 11:00 AM - 6:00 PM Spent More than 3 hours Amusement & Theme Parks
    
    
    Wonderla Holidays Limited, is the No. 1 amusement park operator in India. Promoted by Arun K. Chittilappilly and Kochouseph Chittilappilly, Wonderla currently owns and operates three amusement parks – one each in Kochi, Bangalore and Hyderabad respectively and a resort in Bangalore. Wonderla Kochi, spread over 35 acres of land, is thrilling visitors with 56 rides since 2000. Wonderla Bangalore, spanning over 82 acres, offers a spectacular range of entertainment with 61 rides. Wonderla Hyderabad, the latest edition in the portfolio, is spread over 50 acres and offers 43 attractions. Wonderla Amusement Park has been ranked No. 1 in India and No. 6 in Asia by TripAdvisor for 4 consecutive years. Wonderla Resort, located beside the amusement park in Bangalore, comprises of 84 luxury rooms, with amenities including 4 full-fledged banquet halls, multi cuisine restaurant, rest-o-bar and recreational facilities like a heated swimming pool, kid’s activity centre & a full fledged gym. See more..
    
16. 4.5 Athirappilly Waterfalls (864 reviews)
    - FANTASTIC SCENERY
    Friday: 12:00 AM - 11:59 PM Waterfalls
    
    
    Every tourists must visit the Athirappilly and Vazhachal waterfalls. It will be an excellent experience. The tourisam department should make more fecilities for the visitors. See more..
    
17. 4.5 Kashi Art Gallery (800 reviews)
    - One of the most famous cafes of Kochi
    Friday: 8:30 AM - 7:30 PM Art Galleries
    
    
    I visited this cafe during my Kochi visit for my dinner as I heard about it a lot. The cafe is quite pretty with a nice gallery. The food was nice and portion sizes were good too. I had a Mushroom Sandwich and Chocolate cake. Sandwich was served with chips as a side. Cake was moist, dense and loved it. Cost - Appx. 400 bucks for both items Location - Kashi Art Cafe, Kochi, Kerala See more..
    
18. 4.5 Chembra Peak (796 reviews)
    - Beautiful trip and definitely worth giving it a shot..
    Mountains
    
    
    Best ever trek in kalpetta region. Started around 5 and reached chembra around 5:30 just to make sure we get the slots to trek since the trek will be providing slots only for 200 people. Good place to meet outsiders and join them for a group trek. Trek experience was great and we found few snakes and salamanders on our way up. Definetely worth giving a try in the wayanad!! Key points: 1. Carry sanitizer for leeches. 2. Carry first aid like band aids or something since the path is too slippery. 3. Carry water and snacks as there would be no stalls up the trek. See more..
    
19. 4.5 Muzhappilangad Drive-in Beach (726 reviews)
    - One off a kind experience
    Beaches
    
    
    Its a pretty big beach and the best part is you can take your vehicle right next to the ocean. Sand is flat and hard enough to drive. BUT, do not park your vehicle right next to the Sea or take your vehicle in Sea. We saw a car getting stuck as they went pretty close to the waves where the sand was loose. Also, do not drive too fast else when you’ll apply brakes your car is gonna skid. With these precautions you can drive safely here. Pro-tip: towards the right hand side after crossing few stones there are two small beautiful and clean beaches. Do visit there and thank me later. :) See more..
    
20. 4.0 Kannan Devan Tea Museum (2.348 reviews)
    - Kanan Devan Tea Museum
    Friday: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM Spent 1-2 hours Speciality Museums
    
    
    From Munnar Town boarded a autorickshaw and on a fare or Rs 50 headed to " Munnar Tea Museum", India's first tea museum.The museum is owned and managed by " Kanan Devan Hills Plantations Private Limited " and entrance fee was Rs 125.Excellent World class museum having separate sections in different rooms each explaining a different topic .Most importantly is the history of Munnar and its development as a tea production centre showcasing the history of tea cultivation in Munnar since 1876 when tea was first planted in this tea plantation district. On display are several rare artefacts and curios as well as evocative photographs from an era long forgotten and of which few are aware. See more..
    
21. 4.0 Jew Town (2.026 reviews)
    - A must visit in Kochi
    Spent 1-2 hours Neighborhoods • Points of Interest & Landmarks
    
    
    I loved visiting these quaint streets of the Jewish Town and the Jewish Synagogue. Jewish Synagogue tells the history of Jewish people in Kochi, Kerala and it was quite fascinating to learn about that. No photography or videography is allowed inside the Synagogue. Location - Jewish Town, Kochi, Kerala Ticket Cost - Very Minimal See more..
    
22. 4.0 Periyar Lake (2.009 reviews)
    - Serenely beautiful
    Friday: 6:00 AM - 3:00 PM Bodies of Water
    
    
    For the best chance of seeing wildlife you need to be there in the early morning. Unfortunately, by the time tickets were bought, bus transfer from car park taken and next boats ready to go it was 7.30 and I suspect we had missed the best of the animals coming down to drink. Certainly I had expected to see more wildlife than we did. However, the lake was lovely in the morning light. There are different size boats and ours was one of the larger ones. Tickets give your seat numbers; best to try for upper level and at the side not middle for best views. You must wear the life jackets but they are bulky and not entirely comfortable as well as impeding peoples view between heads. The crew do a good job of making people stay seated which helps with viewing from the inside seats. They also offer to take photos for you through their binoculars and from the best vantage points. See more..
    
23. 4.0 Top Station (1.880 reviews)
    - The mist and the beautiful
    Lookouts
    
    
    It was an amazing experience to see the misty view from the top station @ munnar. Breath taking moments, we will never forget. There is a good view point, and something like a trekking facility to walk down to have a valley view. There are some trekking facilities with tent stays. Morning vibes are really amazing. We from FAB KERALA TOURS AND TRAVELS , always pick our clients to this destination @ munnar, they were always very happy with this place. An entry fee of Rs.20 charging to enter the top view. See more..
    
24. 4.0 Rajamalai (Eravikulam) National Park (1.793 reviews)
    - Whooo to the sights and maintainance
    Friday: 7:30 AM - 4:00 PM National Parks
    
    
    A must visit national park if you visit munnar. Dedicate 3-4 hours for the visit.You will get beautiful sight of mountains covered in greenery and surrounded by clouds.If the climate is good usually you may spot nilgiri tahr,this national park is dedicated itself for this rare endemic species You will have to buy tickets from the base which is 200/- . A bus will drop you on the top point. After that there is a walk way of around 1km. Which will lead you to beautiful scenery. There is one cafe and an exhibition hall too.Almost after walking half the hill you may spot a place where you could get free cold natural water. See more..
    
25. 4.0 Edakkal Caves (1.684 reviews)
    - Average Experience
    Friday: 9:00 AM - 4:30 PM Caverns & Caves
    
    
    The place is closed on 1. Republic Day 2. May Day 3. Independence Day 4. Gandhi Jayanti 5. Thiruvonam 6. All Mondays Also the place is likely to be closed after 1pm because there is a rule that only 1920 (approx) people per day can visit. Even though the official closing time is 4pm. Suggestion would be to visit this place in the morning itself around 9 am to avoid crowd and get a ticket. Quite a lot of shops on the way to caves. You be charged Rs. 20 if you have a plastic bottle. Do carry cash since their internet is glitchy (obviously). The caves are interesting but there is no explanation on what exactly is written on those rocks! You may find some random guy asking for money in exchange of explanation. The stairs are well constructed, even a senior citizen can climb it. See more..
    
26. 4.0 Kovalam Beach (1.635 reviews)
    - A little taste of heaven
    Beaches
    
    
    We spent most of December 50 yards from this beach. It is delightful and lots of fun can be had messing about in the waves. Beds and sun shades are very cheap to hire, also body boards if you fancy some surfing. We loved it so much that we will be returning at the end of January before we fly home to the cold weather. People are very welcoming and super friendly. A delightful place to rest and recuperate. See more..
    
27. 4.0 Lighthouse Beach (1.627 reviews)
    - Best beach in Kerala?
    Beaches
    
    
    I can’t be sure about that, but for India it’s very good and very tourist friendly. lots of restaurants, cafes (selling alcohol too - in mugs!) shops, money exchanges, hotels and self catering acc. What is nice to see that it’s very popular with locals and North Indians too, all enjoying the beach together. Some great banter with the hawkers (haggle hard guys), fruit ladies (lush jack fruit) and sunbed sellers (pamper to your every need) Lighthouse in great condition. Plenty of surfing and bodyboarding. Speedboats too. Fishing boats on the beach at northern end and after fab sunsets, they all go out to sea. Not much to dislike - warning, waves can be strong so expect to be smashed about a bit (good fun) ☀️⛱ See more..
    
28. 4.0 Kovalam Beach (1.529 reviews)
    - Kovalam, The Beautiful beach side village.
    Beaches
    
    
    Appropriate sea side destination for calm, quiet and marvellous holiday. Mainly crowded by local people who are visiting for day trip and weekends. And the foreigners. Beautiful sea and beaches. Light house beach is the best among three other beaches. Beach side shacks are well equipped with the liquors and local Cuisines at very reasonable prices. Good place to spend holidays with families, couples. See more..
    
29. 4.0 Cherai Beach (1.366 reviews)
    - Picturesque Strip Of Sand.
    Friday: 12:00 AM - 11:59 PM Beaches
    
    
    Cherai Beach is located on Vypin Island north of Fort Kochi. It is a narrow strip of sandy beach stretching for about 10 km on the western side of the island. On the eastern side of Vypin Island are the backwaters making it a very picturesque place between the placid waters and the deep sea. Many coconut trees dot the island and can be seen all along the beach. During low tide we could walk along the beach and we saw some people swimming, but during high tide the breach almost disappears in some stretches. During the rainy season it becomes hazardous to swim here, and we did not see any lifeguards patrolling the beach. We did not see any signs of water sports activities either. At one point along the beach there is a platform and promenade about half a kilometre long where many of the locals come for an evening walk. There is a pay-and-park area and many restaurants lining the road just opposite this part of the beach. Further down south the beach becomes wider and there are many holiday resorts across the road. Some of them lay out deck chairs on the sand for their guests to enjoy sun-bathing in the colder months from November to February. See more..
    
30. 4.0 Paradesi Synagogue (1.351 reviews)
    - Oldest Synagogue in Commonwealth
    Friday: 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM Religious Sites
    
    
    This temple dates back to the 16th century. See more..