Guide on Kerala Tour
Guide on Kerala Tour makes you turn the pages of history, we come across that Kerala, the land of authentic and refreshing greenery is a fantasy to all individuals around the globe. Once in lifetime they strives their best to be in this God’s Own Country.
A new venture Yatramantra™ here is really a boon to each traveller to Kerala. Through their exclusive travel planner you can plan your best moments of your life with Kerala.There are some minute matters that a traveller should take into consideration while planning a trip to Kerala.
Hope the below listed tips will be useful to you tp plan you’re Kerala Trip:
Obviously one should be accurate on the days he/she going to spend in Kerala.Have a good knowledge of touristic spots that you wished to visit and also choose date of arrival and departure without confusion.
To book tickets for arrival and return, you have to be aware of the following:-
The best arrival spot is Kochi, but if you are planning to be in Kanyakumari or Kovalam, Trivandrum is better and also if you are on to Wayanad route, you can choose Calicut. To reach Kochi, you can book bus up to Ernakulam, via train destination stations are ERS [Ernakulam Junction, South] and ERN [Ernakulam Town, North] and if you are opting via Air,[COK], you will be landing in Kochi International Airport Nedumbassery which has distance of about 20 km from the city.
Early arrival is best to visit maximum tourist spots.
It is also important to book your return trip according to final destination of your tour, in order to make your trip more convenient and relaxing.
You can have a discussion about this with customer Representative of Yatramantra™
A bird view of tourist spots in South Kerala
Kochi : the Queen of Arabian Sea, so do the land is rich with beautiful spots, as usually Kochi seems to be the arrival place for most of the travellers, one can opt to go around Kochi on the same day or the last day of the tour, so it is convenient for your return too.
Munnar : the land of romantic mist, a picturesque hill station in Kerala, it is about 135km drive from Kochi.
Thekkady : haven of wildlife, an eco tourism spot apt for trekking, boating, elephant ride and space for many more adventurous activities
Alleppey : the Venice of East, surely this land enthrals with its blessed backwaters and also give you the opportunity to wade in the rhythm of backwaters via House Boat cruise. The authentic resorts & cuisines here are really a lifetime experience.
Trivandrum : the Capital of Kerala, this land of palaces truly shows the rich culture and heritage of Old Travancore.
Kovalam : a crescent shaped land with the presence of three exquisite beaches of India.
Kanyakumari : the southernmost tip of Indian subcontinent, though it includes in the state of Tamil Nadu, it is easily accessible from Kerala, it’s a must visit place during Kerala Tour.
Athirapally Water Falls : The most beautiful waterfalls in Kerala and together with Vazhachal and the picturesque route through Western Ghats presented Athirapally a prominent seat in World tourist Map.
Cherai Beach : A serene beach at Vypeen Islands near Kochi and beach too offer water sports like Water-scooter and Speedboat rides and also has a park space for children.
Guruvayoor: land of Guruvayoorappan, if your trip needs a divine ambiance, then visit to this place is a must. The Sree Krishna Temple here is very famous.
Wayanad: The chilled hilly district of North Kerala, a favourite tourist destination and pride of Kerala, now abodes the South India’s first high altitude table top Cricket Stadium.
Plan your Itinerary
It is good if you can list down the places you like to visit and information follows will give an idea of number of days you can spend at each destination.
Kochi(Cochin)
According to your arrival, schedule one whole day to spend at Kochi, it is better you can allot the return day of your trip to explore Kochi.
The Time taken to reach different destinations from Kochi are:-
- Munnar – 4.5 hours drive
- Thekkady – 5 hours drive
- Alleppey – 2 hours drive
- Guruvayoor – 3 hours drive
- Athirapally – 2.5 hours drive
- Trivandrum – 6 hours drive
- Kanyakumari – 7 hours drive
To avoid travel fatigue there is an option to arrive at Trivandrum if your trip includes Kovalam and Kanyakumari. To get on to houseboat at Alleppey, be there by 12 Noon as per the Check in time of houseboats. To reach Kochi by 9 AM is the best choice, but if you are arriving by evening, then it’s better to avoid travel and stick on to stay overnight, as Kochi is blessed with lot of best and reasonable abodes.
Yatramantra™ is full-fledged to make reservations at hotels for you stay on the day of arrival, as it is better option because usually most hotels allow check-in at 12 Noon, so as you arrive no matter of time bound you can get in to your room without waiting.
Munnar
A must visit to Kashmir of Kerala, blessed with awesome climate all around the year. As the night stays here is beyond words, so go for night stay of 2 days or more, to relax and stay cool.
Actually the drive to Munnar is just a treat to your eyes as the way to Munnar is a blend of nature’s architecture with green tea plantations unfolding its way to Cheeyapara, Valara waterfalls. Karadipara viewpoints give the best sight of the picturesque hill station. The other whole day is required to hangout in Munnar as it is packed with beautiful sight seeing spots. It is more recommended to spend another day to relax in the lap of misty mountains and sprawling tea gardens and get refreshed with aromatic breeze.
Hotels within city limits and away from the city are available and according to your liking you can choose. If you choose cab without driver, then make sure you don’t drive in Munnar roads at night as it is risk due to fog and terrain.
From Munnar it is advisable to drive to destinations like Thekkady.Alleppey or Kochi. Drive to Kovalam or Kanyakumari from Munnar is really hectic and time consuming. Make sure if you are on return, start your drive 6 hours ahead from Munnar to catch your flight/train.
Thekkady
Thekkady is probably the best place in Kerala to observe wildlife and hence it’s a dream destination for any tourist visiting Kerala. There are lot of surprises awaiting here for an adventurous traveller as well as a normal traveller.
The eco-tourism concept here is fabulous and famous Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary & Tiger Reserve is located here. Apart from trekking, boating, other activities here include Kathakali, Magic, Martial Arts, Musical Fountain, elephant ride, Ayurvedic massage; tribal dance and Spice tour are offered at Thekkady. Boating is also an refreshing experience as you can watch Wildlife sanctuary, herd of elephants, Mullaperiyar dam and variety of birds.
You can get spot tickets and option of reservation is also available. Spot Tickets are cheaper than advanced ones, while former cost 250 INR,latter costs 500 INR. Yatramantra™ arranges you a wonderful boat ride. Boat ride last for about 1.5 hours and timings of boating are as follows:
- Morning: 7:30, 9:30, 11:15
- Afternoon: 1:45
- Evening: 3:30
It is desirable for an adventurous mind to stay in Thekkady for 2 nights. Interesting adventurous activities encompasses Gavi Tour, Jeep Safari, Bamboo Rafting, Nature Walk and Night Patrolling.
From here you have best choices to drive ahead to Kochi, Munnar,Alleppey, Madurai and Kodaikanal. Drive to Trivandrum from here is not a good option.
Alleppey
Obviously the star attraction here is houseboat cruise and it is a must ride in a Kerala Tour. Wade in the rhythm of backwaters, who will say NO…really amazing and most of the times it may happen once is lifetime.
Morning and Full Day cruises are available. According to your time and preferences you can opt Morning Cruise that lasts for 5 to 6 hours or 21 hours Full Day Cruise.
Full Day Cruise offers you lunch, munch, crunch and brunch that too freshly prepared inside the boat. Check in time is at 12 Noon and Check out at 9AM. Air Conditioned and Non AC houseboats are available, though AC will be operated from 9PM to 5:30AM, after it anchors at the shores.
Houseboats stop their ride by 6PM and begin their ride by 7AM. While at houseboat, you can anchor in the middle of lake to enjoy its beauty and you can also see green paddy fields, canals, day life of natives, birds, ducks and of course backwaters.
Resorts at Alleppey and Kumarakom are really an abode of recreation.They proffer with swimming pool, pedal boats and also fishing. You are accessible to houseboat for morning cruise and in the evening you can surf in the beautiful beach of Alleppey.
Packing from Alleppey you can drive to Trivandrum, Kovalam,Kanyakumari, Thekkady, Munnar, Guruvayoor and Kochi.
Varkala
Varkala Beach is a quiet, clean and isolated sandy expanse where you can have a relaxing beach holiday without the crowds and bustle of some of the busier beaches in Kerala. It is between Alleppey and Trivandrum.
Trivandrum
Land of palatial Palaces and rich temples, one will be surprised to see the extravaganza of Sree Padmanabha Swamy Temple, royal museums, art gallery, Planetorium, Zoo and Kerala’s legislative assembly complex. To enter the famous Padmanabha Temple, certain dress code has to be carried and timings are between 5am to 11am and 3pm to 6pm.The better stays are offered in Trivandrum is in and around Kovalam. The beaches here are exquisite. Go for 2 night stays to explore Trivandrum relax in Kovalam.
It is convenient to return to your destination from Trivandrum than to get back to Kochi. So you can plan accordingly.
Kanyakumari
Cape of Comorin is so close to Trivandrum, though it is in the state of Tamil Nadu. From Kovalam you can drive a distance of 90km to Kanyakumari to enjoy the beautiful sunset and sunrise.
Guruvayoor
It is 80km drive from Kochi and it is worth to visit the famous Sree Krishna Temple located in the Thrissur district of Kerala. The most interesting sightseeing here is the elephant sanctuary or palace exclusive for famous elephants of Kerala.
Waterfalls of Kerala
Athirapally and Vazhachal, biggest waterfalls in Kerala is also located in Thrissur district which is 70km drive from Kochi.
Cherai Beach
A serene beach offering water sports nearby Kochi and it is only 30km from Kochi in the Vypeen Islands of Ernakulam District.
Wayanad
It is located in Northern Kerala, and it is 300km away from Kochi. It is recommended if you for sure visit Wayanad, then better you start your trip from by arriving at Calicut. The details listed above can now help one to decide their destinations,days & nights of stay in each destination.
Selecting your CAB
Select it according to the number of people and their luggage space. The following list will help you on this regard
- Tata Indica – Maximum 4 people
- Tata Indigo – More than 4 people
- Chevrolet Tavera – 5 or 6 [Luxury]
- Toyota Innova – 6 people [Luxury]
- Tempo Traveller – 12 seat,17 Seat, 25 Seat are available.
Safety Tips
- No or Minimal Ornaments
- Less Luggage
- Carry Plastic Money
- Carry ID cards
Hope this article will help in planning your hassle free holidays in Kerala and after taking decision on itinerary, log on to Yatramantra.com and plan your trip online using our travel planner. Yatramantra™ Welcomes you to Kerala, the God’s Own Country.