How to reach Kerala?
By Train
There are many trains which you can take for Kochi (Ernakulum Jn) from Mumbai or Bengaluru.
Click Here to see all trains from Mumbai to Kochi.
Click Here to see all trains from Bengaluru to Kochi.
By Bus
There are many buses to Kochi from Bengaluru.
Click Here to see all buses from Bengaluru to Kochi.
By Flights
Kerala has 2 big cities with airports well connected to other parts of India : Kochi and Trivandrum. You can enter Kerala via 1 airport, travel within Kerala and exit via another airport.
You can search flights to Kerala here.
Our Kerala Itinerary
We travelled Kerala for 7 Nights and covered Munnar (Hills), Thekkady/Periyar (National Park), Alleppey / Alappuzha (Backwaters) and Varkala & Kovalam (Beaches) as under :
Below are the Cities we visited and hotels we stayed at:
Day 8 : Depart from Trivandrum Airport
How to travel within Kerala?
By Bus
There are many state buses which ply between the various locations mentioned in the itinerary. However the roads are not that good and there are no luxury volvo buses. Hence it's suggested to hire a cab and travel.
By Car
This is the preferred mode of transport. It's a good idea to take quotes from multiple travel agencies (Google 'Car rental in Kerala'), compare rates and book in advance. Click Here for one of the travel agencies with good feedback.
What to Do/See in Kerala?
Day 1 : Kochi
Kochi Streets/City
Jewish Synagogue
Dutch palace
Day 2 : Munnar
Day 3 : Munnar
Tea Plantations
Munnar Lake
Day 4 : Thekkady ( Periyar National Park)
Periyar wild life sanctuary and the plantation zone
Day 5 : Alleppey (Alappuzha)
Day 6 : Varkala
Varkala Beach & Cliff
Day 7 : Kovalam
Padmanabhaswami Temple
Veli Tourist Village
Kovalam Beach
What to EAT in Kerala?
Kerala style Fish Curry
Idiyappam with Egg Curry
Kerala breakfast
Kerala Guide
Lonely Planet has a good guide for Kerala.
Click Here to buy the same.
I hope, this article will help you to plan and explore Kerala in a relaxed manner!
Enjoy the Paradise!