Kerala travel guide

Top places to visit in Kerala

One place from each district that our guide covers in depth.

1. Alappuzha backwaters and houseboats

   Alappuzha district · Backwaters

   Houseboat cruises through Kuttanad; Alappuzha-Kochi cruise one to two days via Kumarakom (Kerala Tourism).

2. Fort Kochi

   Ernakulam district · Fort Kochi and Mattancherry

   Chinese fishing nets, St Francis Church (16th century, Portuguese); area open 6 AM-10 PM (Incredible India).

3. Eravikulam National Park (Rajamala)

   Idukki district · Munnar

   97 sq km; home of the Nilgiri tahr; closed in the calving season (Kerala Tourism).

4. St Angelo Fort

   Kannur district · Forts and heritage

   Portuguese fort, later held by the Dutch (Kerala Tourism; Incredible India).

5. Bekal Fort

   Kasaragod district · Forts and beaches

   17th century, Shivappa Nayaka of Keladi; 40 acres; open 8 AM-5:30 PM (Incredible India; Kerala Tourism).

6. Ashtamudi Lake

   Kollam district · Backwaters and coast

   Called the gateway to Kerala's backwaters (Kerala Tourism, claim); the Kollam-Alappuzha boat journey takes about eight hours.

7. Kumarakom backwaters and bird sanctuary

   Kottayam district · Backwaters

   On Vembanad, described as Kerala's largest lake; bird sanctuary of 14 acres (Kerala Tourism; Incredible India).

8. Kappad Beach

   Kozhikode district · Beaches and history

   Where Vasco da Gama landed; a stone inscription marks it (Kerala Tourism).

9. Nilambur teak forests

   Malappuram district · Forests and rivers

   Teak over a hundred years old (Kerala Tourism); teak museum (Incredible India).

10. Silent Valley National Park

    Palakkad district · Forests

    Over 237 sq km, established 1984; open 8 AM-1 PM (Incredible India).

11. Sabarimala Sree Dharma Sastha Temple

    Pathanamthitta district · Pilgrimage

    Hill shrine inside the Periyar Tiger Reserve; Mandala-Makaravilakku season mid-November to mid-January (Kerala Tourism; Incredible India).

12. Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple

    Thiruvananthapuram district · Temples and palaces

    Vishnu temple in East Fort; only Hindus may enter; strict dress code (Kerala Tourism).

13. Athirappilly Waterfalls

    Thrissur district · Waterfalls and forest

    About 80 ft (24 m); open 8 AM-6 PM (Incredible India).

14. Edakkal Caves

    Wayanad district · Caves and heritage

    Rock engravings from about 6000 BC; about 300 steps (Kerala Tourism; Incredible India).

Districts of Kerala 14

14 (unchanged since 1984) — Renamed Keralam: Kerala (Alteration of Name) Act, 2026, in force 25 Aug 2026. 14 districts since Kasaragod (1984).

• Alappuzha

  HQ Alappuzha · 11 placesHouseboats on the Kuttanad backwaters, the Nehru Trophy race on Punnamada Lake, and Alappuzha beach.Highlights: Alappuzha backwaters and houseboats, Kuttanad

• Ernakulam

  HQ Kakkanad · 13 placesKochi: Fort Kochi's fishing nets and churches, Mattancherry Palace and Jew Town, Hill Palace and Cherai.Highlights: Fort Kochi, Mattancherry Palace

• Idukki

  HQ Painavu · 12 placesMunnar's tea hills and Eravikulam's Nilgiri tahr, Thekkady's Periyar reserve and the Idukki arch dam.Highlights: Eravikulam National Park (Rajamala), Munnar tea hills, Periyar Tiger Reserve, Thekkady

• Kannur

  HQ Kannur · 9 placesSt Angelo Fort, Muzhappilangad drive-in beach, Theyyam season and the Parassinikadavu and Kottiyoor temples.Highlights: St Angelo Fort, Muzhappilangad Drive-in Beach

• Kasaragod

  HQ Kasaragod · 8 placesBekal Fort above the sea, Ananthapura lake temple, Valiyaparamba backwaters and Theyyam and Yakshagana.Highlights: Bekal Fort

• Kollam

  HQ Kollam · 7 placesAshtamudi Lake and Munroe Island, Thenmala, Jatayu Earth's Centre and the cashew trade.Highlights: Ashtamudi Lake, Munroe Island, Jatayu Earth's Centre

• Kottayam

  HQ Kottayam · 9 placesKumarakom on Vembanad Lake, the Vagamon hills, and the temples of Vaikom and Ettumanoor.Highlights: Kumarakom backwaters and bird sanctuary, Vagamon

• Kozhikode

  HQ Kozhikode · 9 placesKappad beach, where Vasco da Gama landed in 1498, Beypore, Thusharagiri falls and the city's sweet street.Highlights: Kappad Beach

• Malappuram

  HQ Malappuram · 7 placesNilambur's teak, Kottakkal's Ayurveda, Kadalundi's birds and the Mamangam site at Thirunavaya.Highlights: Nilambur teak forests

• Palakkad

  HQ Palakkad · 9 placesSilent Valley, Tipu's fort, the Kalpathy chariot festival, Malampuzha and Nelliyampathy.Highlights: Silent Valley National Park, Palakkad Fort (Tipu's Fort)

• Pathanamthitta

  HQ Pathanamthitta · 7 placesSabarimala, Aranmula's temple, boat race and metal mirrors, Gavi and the Konni elephant centre.Highlights: Sabarimala Sree Dharma Sastha Temple, Aranmula Parthasarathy Temple

• Thiruvananthapuram

  HQ Thiruvananthapuram · 13 placesThe capital: Padmanabhaswamy temple, Kovalam and Varkala, Napier Museum and the Neyyar and Ponmudi hills.Highlights: Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple, Kovalam (Lighthouse, Hawah and Samudra beaches), Varkala cliff and beach

• Thrissur

  HQ Thrissur · 8 placesAthirappilly falls, Guruvayur, Vadakkumnathan and its Pooram, and Kerala Kalamandalam.Highlights: Athirappilly Waterfalls, Guruvayur Sri Krishna Temple, Vadakkumnathan Temple

• Wayanad

  HQ Kalpetta · 8 placesEdakkal's Stone Age engravings, Chembra peak, Meenmutty falls, Muthanga and Thirunelli.Highlights: Edakkal Caves, Chembra Peak, Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary (Muthanga and Tholpetty)

Festivals and dates to plan around

• Kalpathi Ratholsavam — Palakkad: 14-16 Nov 2026 (Incredible India)
• Sabarimala Mandala-Makaravilakku — Pathanamthitta: Mid-Nov 2026 to mid-Jan 2027 (pattern, Kerala Tourism); online slot booking required in 2025-26
• Theyyam season — Kannur and north Kerala: December-April (Kerala Tourism)
• Attukal Pongala — Thiruvananthapuram: 14-23 Feb 2027; Pongala 22 Feb (Onmanorama)
• Guruvayur temple festival — Thrissur: February-March (Kerala Tourism)
• Eravikulam closure — Idukki: January-February every year, tahr calving (Kerala Tourism)
• Thrissur Pooram — Thrissur: Annual; 2027 date to confirm
• Nehru Trophy Boat Race — Alappuzha: Annual on Punnamada Lake; 2027 date to confirm