Kerala Family Holidays

If you embark on this journey in paradise, you’ll be enthralled by the jaw-dropping waterfalls at Cochin, the scenic grandeur at Munnar, the virgin beauty of Thekkady, the peaceful charm of Alleppey, the delightful beaches of Kovalam, and the relaxed mood of Trivandrum. Kerala has a lot to offer and this trip can be a collection of diverse moments for you and your family.

You can explore the small, sleepy yet vibrant town of Kochi, formerly known as Cochin. It has a confluence of Chinese and Indian culture. From being the erstwhile trading partner to Dutch, Chinese, Arabs, and Portuguese to a stronghold of the British Empire, with constant local dynasty battles for power, Kochi has a chequered history. It’s also the melting pot of a mesmerising culture. Some of the iconic sightseeing options in Cochin are the Chinese fishing nets, the Hill Palace Museum, Santacruz Basilica, Dutch Palace, and a host of other architectural wonders. You can also visit the Athirapally and Vazhachal waterfalls from here.

If hills are your thing, you can travel to Munnar, one of the most scenic hill stations in India. Tagged as the summer resort of the British, Munnar has vast green tea plantations spreading as far as your eyes can go. It’s also home to the "Neelakurinji" (strobilanthes), a blue flower that grows every 12 years. Munnar is also the confluence of three rivers - Mattupetti, Nallathanni and Periavaru. One of the popular tourist places in Munnar is the Eravikulam National Park where you can spot the endangered species of Nilgiri Tahr. It’s best to stay for a night and experience Munnar slowly. The lush greenery is sure to grow on you. Some of the main tourist places to visit in Munnar are the Atukkad Waterfalls, Mattupetty Dam, Echo Point, Tata Tea Museum, and Eravikulam National Park. This is an ideal place for you to unwind with your entire family.

To nurture your wild side, you can explore Thekkady. The journey from Munnar to Thekkady will be an adventurous one since the road will wind through plantations, countrysides, and jungles. Thekkady can be a mixed bag of wonders for your family. Your young ones will love the wild call of nature with elephants and forests, while your senior members will love the unspoiled view of hills and plantations. Some of the best sightseeing places in Thekkady are Periyar Tiger Reserve, Vandanmedu, one of the largest cardamom auction centres, Pattumala, tea plantations, and the Spring Valley Mountain, a grand viewpoint.

The best way to relax will be by taking a quiet houseboat ride. Descending from the rolling plantations to the still backwaters, you can explore Alleppey or Alappuzha, home to the delightful backwaters in the country. This is also one of the reasons why it’s known as the Venice of the East. One of the best ways to enjoy Alleppey is to take a houseboat ride and enjoy the bounties of nature pass by. It’s one of the most relaxing ways to spend time with your family and connect.

You can shift from backwaters to beaches after travelling from Alleppey to Kovalam. It’s one of the best beach destinations in India and the ideal place to unwind with your family. It’s a leisurely village by the sea with shallow waters and low tidal waves that make it ideal for various types of activities. It’s the perfect place to have fun and frolic with your young ones. You can also relax under the green shade of palm and coconut trees.

Your Kerala trip will be incomplete without a visit to Thiruvananthapuram or Trivandrum. Mahatma Gandhi coined the place as the “Evergreen City of India”. It’s a beautiful city located between the green Western Ghats on one hand and the blue Arabian Sea on the other. It’s the perfect place to relax and finish your trip. It has a rich history and was a hotbed of princely states and dynasties. Some of the iconic places to see in this city are Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple, Kuthiramallikka Palace, and East Fort. Some of the important official buildings are The Napier Museum, The Kerala Government Secretariat, Kerala Legislature Assembly Complex, and Legislature Museum.

Kerala, with its diversity, can be one of the best locations for a family holiday in India and can give you enough memories to last a lifetime. Make sure you take some time out to experience it fully.