When my family was planning a trip to Kerala for the new year, I was pretty much in a skeptical mood as I’m not at all a fan of places where the temperature is mostly humid. Let’s say I’m more of a mountain guy.
But when I was on the flight from Kerala, I was already missing the beauty, nature, the clear sky, and the backwaters.
I didn’t want to come back! That’s the beauty of Kerala.
So, without wasting time, let’s quickly jump on to my nostalgia and check out the places that you must visit on your trip to Kerala.
MUNNAR
As I mentioned at the beginning of my being a mountain guy, I was pretty much excited about this place. It is the mountain city of Kerala. A Hill Station, around 105km far from the Kochi Airport. It was so beautiful. When we think of the word “Mountains,” the first thing that comes into our mind is an inverted V-shaped figure covered with a white blanket, the snow. But, this cute place was a lot more different than that. All the mountains were covered with greenery and vegetation. There were tea and coffee plantations all over the city, and being a coffee lover, I couldn’t resist myself and ended up buying a good supply of caffeine! That’s not it. There is an adventure park in the city known as the “Wonder Valley Park,” which is full of fun activities, sports, adventures, rides, and whatnot. Reserve an ample amount of time for this place in advance as it can take up to 5-6 hours to enjoy all the activities in the park.
THEKKADY
My first impressions when I first heard that name, “Isn’t this a Surname?”. I was not expecting much from it, but this place was awesome! Fortunately, the hotel that we checked in was fantastic. It had a plethora of activities to do, such as gym, play area, swimming pool, boating area, etc. This city had a lot more places to explore. A huge Ganesha statue built somewhere on the midway to our first sightseeing location, the Spice Plantations. Kerala is rich and famous in its spices. There were many spice plantations in the city, and the guide there was so helpful and full of enthusiasm. She provided all the knowledge of the spices that were available in their gardens. However, this enthusiasm was not for free as me, and my family ended up buying spices worth ₹34,000. The next location was the Elephant Rides in Periyar Tiger Park. After waiting for an hour, it was our turn to experience the Elephant ride. A good 15-20 minute ride relaxed our minds amidst the scorching heat that was there on that day. It was quite a soothing experience.
ALLEPPEY
Alleppey is the city of BackWaters. Located on the Laccadive Sea, this city is best known for houseboat cruises along the rustic Kerala backwaters. We checked in to a premium 5-star rated houseboat for the new year night, and it was altogether an amazing experience. All meals in the boat, sightseeing experience, dancing, playing cards, and celebrating the new year while getting drunk! All in that houseboat. It was such a pleasant atmosphere.
POOVAR ISLAND
This was “The Best” place on our itinerary! Don’t trust me? See the photos below, and you will agree to what I said. Hotel built on an island, and a boat being the only mode of transport from the island to the city. It was a scenic and peaceful experience. On your way from the city to the island, you will come across “floating food joints,” such as the Sarvana Bhawan, Pizza Place, etc. The best part, you could see the Arabian Sea from your room! It was just a kilometer away from that island. The beauty of this island can be easily seen from the photos below. These are taken from a mobile phone. Had it been taken from a DSLR, it would surely be a wallpaper material. This island hotel had everything you would need. From restaurants to bars, from gyms to kids zone, from the swimming pool to a bicycle ride, it had everything!
This place is a must visit. You will appreciate the serene environment of this place. My suggestion would be to keep this experience for the last so that you can enjoy the experience to the fullest. Thank me later!
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM
Last but not least, Thiruvananthapuram is the capital of Kerala and has a lot to offer when it comes to tourism, shopping, food, culture, etc.
Since we had our flight on that day in the evening, we did not get much time to explore the city, but visiting Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple was a must as its famous for being one of the richest temples of the World. The Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple was built in the 16th Century by the kings who ruled over the then kingdom of Travancore. This temple follows a culture, tradition, and their dress code. Whoever is visiting the place has to wear a “Dhoti” (for men) or “Saree” (for women).
For Planning a Trip to Kochi: VISIT HERE
If you are planning a trip to Kerala, these are some places that you should include in your itinerary for a mind-blowing and memorable experience.
Happy Travelling!
