Kerala: India’s Most Tourist-Friendly State, and Still Worth It

Kerala has been doing responsible tourism longer than almost anywhere in India. The state is compact - 560 kilometres north to south, averaging 35 kilometres wide - literate to a degree unusual in India, and has public transport that actually functions. It is also genuinely beautiful. The backwaters, the hill stations, the coast, and the food all independently justify the trip.

There is a reasonable case that Kerala’s very accessibility has eroded some of what made it distinctive: houseboat tourism on the backwaters has grown to the point where the main channels near Alleppey in peak season can resemble a floating traffic jam. The solution is not to avoid Kerala but to time it better and get slightly off the obvious circuit.

The Backwaters

Alleppey (Alappuzha) is the main hub for houseboat cruises. A standard two-berth boat for one night costs INR 10,000-18,000 depending on season and the level of finish. The main issue in December-January (peak season) is volume. Going in September-October, after the monsoon clears, the network is quieter, the vegetation is saturated green, and the bird life is more active. Kumarakom on Vembanad Lake has more upscale properties and a bird sanctuary that’s particularly good in early morning.

The toddy shops near Alleppey serve fresh coconut toddy (palm wine) with fish fry. This is not a tourist experience - it’s where the local working population lunches. Worth seeking out.

Munnar

Munnar sits at 1,600 metres in the Cardamom Hills, roughly 130 km from Kochi. The Tata-owned tea plantations cover the hillsides in manicured terraces. The Tea Museum covers the history of British plantation agriculture with more candour than you might expect from a corporate institution (entry around INR 100). Eravikulam National Park, strictly managed, has the critically endangered Nilgiri tahr; entry around INR 160.

The town of Munnar itself is congested and not the reason you’re there. Stay at a plantation property outside the centre. Tea Trails (MAHE group) has standalone bungalows on a working estate with exceptional food.

Kerala Food

The cuisine is built on coconut milk, curry leaves, black pepper, and seafood in combinations that are specific to this coast. Idiyappam (pressed rice noodle) with coconut milk is the right breakfast. Karimeen (pearl spot fish) in red curry is the benchmark seafood dish - it’s specific to the backwater fish and the flavour profile doesn’t translate elsewhere.

A proper sadya - the traditional feast served on a banana leaf - has around 24 separate preparations including rice, lentil curries, pickles, banana chips, and payasam. Most Ayurvedic resorts and traditional restaurants will do a simplified version for INR 300-500. Eating this while seated on the floor in the traditional manner is the experience.

Kochi

Fort Kochi, the old Portuguese and Dutch quarter, has the Chinese fishing nets, a 16th-century synagogue in the Jew Town area, St. Francis Church (where Vasco da Gama was originally buried before repatriation to Lisbon), and a good concentration of restaurants and contemporary art galleries. The Kochi-Muziris Biennale - held in December-March in even-numbered years - is one of the most significant contemporary art exhibitions in Asia and a specific reason to time a visit.

Kochi Cochin International Airport is the main hub. November through February is the clear season with the best weather and the highest prices. Trains along the coast are reliable and cheap; renting a car with a driver (INR 2,500-3,500 per day) covers Munnar and the backwaters in one trip.