Best and Popular places to visit in Kerala


We cannot pick one and say, “This is the best place to visit in Kerala!” Every individual place, even if it is a one tiny quaint village, has glory and eccentricity attached to it. Not every travel locale in India storms up its place in top 5 family destinations marked by the respected Lonely Planet.

(https://www.lonelyplanet.com/travel-tips-and-articles/best-family-travel-destinations-for-2014)

Nonetheless, we have tried to bring out the different flavours of Kerala through these experiences;

  1. Backwater Experience
  2. Beach Experience
  3. Hill station Experience
  4. Wildlife Experience

These are the top destinations in each of these theme

1. Backwaters 

  1. Aleppy and Kumarakom backwaters -Kuttanad
  2. Nileswar/Valiyaparamba/Kavvayi backwaters- Kazargod
  3. Ashtamudi, Munroe island backwaters and Ponnumthuruthu Island- Kollam
  4. Poovar Island backwaters- Trivandrum

2. Beaches  

  1. Varkkala Cliff beach& Kappil beach - Varkala
  2. Kovalam beach- Trivandrum
  3. Marari & Alleppey beach- Alleppey
  4. Cherai Beach, Ernakulam
  5. Meenkunnu, Thottada, Payyambalam and Ezhara beaches- Kannur
  6. Muzhappilangadi and Dharmadam Island beaches -Kannur
  7. Bekkal Fort beach, Kappil beach, Nileshwar beach- Kasargod
  8. Naatika and Chavakkad beaches- Thrissur

3. Hill stations  

  1. Munnar- Idukki
  2. Wayanad - Wayand
  3. Vagamon- Idukki
  4. Ponmudi- Trivandrum
  5. Paithalmala- Kannur
  6. Ranipuram- Kasargode

4. Wildlife 

  1. Periyar wildlife and  Gavi forest - Thekkady
  2. Parambikkulam Tiger Reserve/Wildlife Sanctuary- Palakkad
  3. Muthanga,Tholpetty wild life sanctuaries- Wayanad
  4. Ervaikkulam National Park (Rajamala)- Munnar
  5. Chinnar wildlife sanctuary- Munnar
  6. Thattekkad bird sanctuary- Thattekkad
  7. Silent Valley National Park- Palakkad 
  8. Aralam wildlife Sanctuary- Kannur

UNEXPLORED PLACES TO VISIT IN KERALA

Kerala tourism experience can be split into North Kerala and South Kerala. While the southern Kerala offers an authentic and quaint tourism with vast culture and rural life at a cheaper tariff, the Northern Kerala is more of a tourist’s dream, a version of paradise, with virgin beaches, unhabituated backwaters, dense wild life sanctuaries, exotic hill stations and cultural and Ayurveda centres.

In 2014, Kerala had been listed in top 5 family tour destinations in India by the Lonely Planet Org. Hence, it can be as beautiful as you can picture a heaven on earth.

Since the southern Kerala is widely known, let us see the magnificence of Northern Kerala in a crisp version.

A walk through the ethnic North Kerala, The Malabar Region Theyyams, the exquisite dance art form originates from the northern Kerala. It was created eight centuries back, a sacred ritual to worship the ancient Gods and Goddesses.

Like Theyyam, there is innumerable deep rooted cultural significance which could be experienced only in Malabar regions of Kerala. Kannur educates us on the heritage of the state through its folklore academy.

Malarbar Cuisines: The Malabar cuisine is prejudiced and adopted from various cultures such as Arab, Zamorin, Brahmin, and Chirakkal. You will savour a combined taste of each culture beautifully blended into one. Calicut and Thalessery are known for its authentic Malabar gastronomy.

Malabar Backwaters: The prominent destinations for backwater and luxurious houseboats are Alleypey and Kumarakoram. These two northern districts attract more tourists every year. And, why not? Every year, the population of houseboats have been seen to increase in two folds. Northern Kerala backwaters have a platonic relationship with the houseboats providing a perfect environment to submerge into plethora of emotions. The Malabar backwaters offer a composed and laid back intimacy which you may not experience in the southern backwaters.

Beaches of North Kerala:

North Kerala beaches proffers a tranquil experience as these are travelled by less number of tourists. Unlike South Kerala Beaches which are continuously buzzing with activities, tourists, adventure sports and regular on-goers, Malabar beaches are calm and sultry, sharing with you a period of privacy and leisure.

Northern beaches are less expensive and provides you with a cosy and unhurried ambience. The exclusive beaches of Northern Kerala are;

  1. Kannur –Muzhappilangad and Dharmadam Island beaches
  2. Kasargode - Kappil, Bekal Fort and Nileshwar beaches
  3. Kannur -Thottada, Ezhara, Payyambalam and Meenkannu beaches

The Kannur Dharmadam Island beach is the only drive in beach in India and during the lower tides, you can walk through the beach up to the stoic Island at the far side of the shoreline. The Bekkal fort is located on the Bekkal beach which also has historical elements buried in its soil.

The Malabar Hill Stations:

Just so you know, North Kerala’s hill stations cannot be labelled in words; they have to be sensed and experienced by sight. Wayanad: Words may fall short in describing the effervescent Wayanad, the best hill station of Kerala, which is also a dwelling to many endangered species of flora and fauna. It is a picture perfect locale amidst lush green forest and jungle stays. Unlike Munnar, Wayanad is less commercialised, hence is an abode to unusual species of wildlife, tea and coffee plantations, spice cultivation and a panorama of trekking trails such as

  1. Chembra Peak Trek
  2. Pakshipathalam Trek
  3. BrahmagiriTrek
  4. Thusharagiri Waterfalls, suitable for low inclined trek
  5. Vellarimala – Masthakappara – Vavul Mala – Olichi Chattum waterfalls

Wayanad also nurtures two pretty waterfalls, Meenmutty and Soochiparra, multi- faceted viewpoints and daunting flora and fauna. Every locale in Wayanad exhales an enchanting feeling bringing itself more closely to Mother Nature. For the tourists who are from Mysore and Bangalore, Karnataka, Wayanad will be the closest hill station in Kerala geographically.

The untouched hill stations, though lacking in fully fledged infrastructure and tourism facilities, which are part of Malabar Kerala are Ranipuram and Paithalmala.