“With its ideal location, Kerala is fast becoming one of the top tourist destinations in the world. Breaking its long-standing identity as slow-paced destination, Kerala Tourism repackages God’s own country as the perfect playground to acquire new and composite experiences. From high mountains and deep-cut valleys to sunny tropical beaches and placid backwaters, Kerala’s 38,863 square kilometre holds within itself a variety of landscapes that differ in settings and flavour, each one of them offering an opportunity to relish the outdoors. Several eco-friendlies, sustainable initiatives would constitute the high spot.”
– Global Tourism India
Kerala is a magical tourist destination and is called God’s Own Country for a reason. The backwaters are mesmerising, it is the spice capital of India, and you can see natural beauty at its best. There is a whole range of places you can visit in Kerala from temples to wildlife sanctuaries, hill stations to backwater cruises, beaches to waterfalls and dams. Depending on what interests you, you can plan a trip to Kerala and be assured of fun, adventure, and excitement.
- Alleppey or Alappuzha
- Wayanad
- Cochin
- Munnar
- Kumarakom
- Kovalam
- Thekkad
- Kollam
- Vagamon
- Kozhikode
- Ashtamudi
- Bekal
Alleppey or Alapuzzha is one of the best Kerala places to visit with your children. This heavenly place with its serene and quiet backwaters and boundless beauty is often referred to as the Backwater Capital of India or the Venice of the East. Located on the banks of the Vembanad Lake with its azure blue water, it is one of the most popular backwater destinations in Kerala and offers houseboat cruises and stays, Ayurvedic therapies, village walks and much more. Some of the places you can visit here are Alleppey Beach, Marari Beach, Kuttanad Backwaters, Krishnapuram Palace, Arthunkal Church and Mannarasala Temple to name a few.
Best Time to Visit: October to February
Nearest Airport: 90 km from Kochi International Airport
Railway station: 4 km from Alappuzha railway station
Wayanad is one of the scenic Kerala places to visit with your family. Nestled in the Western Ghats, this hill station is situated between 700 to 2,100 metres and is the ultimate in pristine nature and having a great time. One of the top places to visit in Kerala, tourists can also get a taste of history as the lush forests in Wayanad are said to have been inhabited for the last 3,000 years. Wayanad is also home to the Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary, Banasura Sagar Dam, Chembra Peak, Sentinel Rock Falls, Kanthanpara Waterfalls and many more.
Best Time to Visit: November to February
Nearest Airport: 90 km from Kozhikode International Airport
Railway station: 110 km from Kozhikode railway station
Cochin or Kochi is one of the unique tourist places to visit in Kerala and a perfect amalgam of cultural and modern values. This magnificent port city is referred to as the Queen of the Arabian Sea and has always attracted different people since the beginning of history making it a melting pot of various traditions and cultures. It is one of the most developed metropolises in India and carries the flavour of British history, Dutch establishments, Chinese nets and traditional spice markets. You can visit Fort Kochi, Vypeen Beach and Island, Cherai Beach, Marine Drive, Bolgatty Island, Guruvayoor, Chinese Fishing Nets, St. Francis Church, Jewish Synagogue, Kodanad Elephant Training Centre, and a whole lot of other places. Cochin is a must Kerala place to visit with your family.
Best Time to Visit: October to February
Nearest Airport: Cochin International Airport
Railway station: Ernakulam Junction railway station.
Munnar is yet another scenic place to visit Kerala with family. It is a delightful hill station nestled in the Western Ghats, Munnar is located 1,600 metres above sea level and offers a soothing and relaxing ambience with its scenic mountains and rolling hills. One of the best places to visit in Kerala, Munnar cannot be given a miss. Its thick and lush forests and numerous tea plantations add to its beauty. Munnar offers many tourist attractions like Eravikulam National Park, Mattupetty Dam, Anamudi, Blossom Park, Devikulam and a host of other places.
Best Time to Visit: October to February
Nearest Airport: Cochin International Airport
Railway station: 108 km from Aluva railway station
Kumarakom is another enchanting backwater destination, and its charm is enhanced by the beautiful Vembanad Lake. It is also one of the best places to visit Kerala with family. Very close to Kottayam city, it’s a place one can just laze around and relax with its coconut groves and rice fields. Backwater cruises and houseboat stays are very popular among tourists. Kumarakom is one of the top places to visit in Kerala and has a lot to offer in tourist destinations like Eravikulam National Park, Pothamedu Viewpoint, Mattupetty Dam, Anamudi, Blossom Park, Devikulam, Pallivasal, TATA Tea Museum and Vattavada to name a few.
Best Time to Visit: September to March
Nearest Airport: Cochin International Airport
Railway station: 16 km from Kottayam railway station
If you love the beach, Kovalam is the place to visit. This beach town is located only 16 km from Thiruvananthapuram and has some of the most picturesque beaches in the country. There are a lot of beach activities for tourists around Kovalam Beach, Hawah Beach, Lighthouse Beach and Samudra Beach. Other tourist attractions in Kovalam are Vellayani Lake, Chowara Beach, Shanghumukham Beach, Aruvikkara Dam, Neyyar Dam, Edakallu, Karamana River, Halcyon Castle and Vizhinjam Rock Cut Temple among others. Kovalam is one of the places to visit Kerala with family if you love the beaches!
Best Time to Visit: September to March
Nearest Airport: Trivandrum International Airport
Railway station:15 km from Trivandrum Central Railway Station
Thekkady is famous for its greenery and natural beauty and is one of Kerala tourist places. It is known as the Spice Capital of Kerala and is home to various exotic wildlife species. Periyar National Park in Thekkady has a fascinating range of wildlife. You could also visit other places like Periyar Lake, Cardamom Hills, Gavi, Kumily, Spring Valley Mountain, Chellarkovil, Penicuik, Mangala Devi Temple, and a whole lot of other places.
Best Time to Visit: October to February
Nearest Airport: 114 km from Madurai Airport
Railway station: 114 km from Kottayam Railway Station
Kollam is one of the amazing Kerala tourist places to visit with your family.This quaint port city has its own appeal and is surrounded by the turquoise blue water of the Lakshadweep Sea and the emerald green water of Ashtamudi Lake. It is the perfect holiday destination and you can have a firsthand experience of the indigenous culture and traditions of Kerala be it fishing, cashew processing, agriculture or tourism. There are several beaches like Kollam Beach, Tangasseri Beach and Thirumullavaram Beach. That’s not to say that there aren’t other tourist attractions, and you can visit Dutch Quilon, Ashtamudi Lake, Palaruvi Waterfalls, Paravoor, Punalur and a whole lot of other places.
Best Time to Visit: October to February
Nearest Airport: Trivandrum International Airport
Railway station: Kollam railway station
Vagamon is one of the lesser-known yet beautiful Kerala tourist places to visit with your kids. This little explored hill station in the Idukki district is exceptionally scenic with a very pleasant climate and is one of the great tourist places to visit in Kerala. For those in search of adventure, it is the perfect destination for paragliding, rock climbing, mountaineering and trekking. You can also visit the Murinjapuzha WaterFalls, Ulipooni Wildlife Sanctuary, Idukki Arch Dam and several other places.
Best Time to Visit: March to May and December to February
Nearest Airport: 93 km from Cochin International Airport
Railway station: 22 km from Kuttikanam railway station
Kozhikode or Calicut goes by many names — City of Spices, City of Truth and the City of Sculptures and one of the best spots to visit in Kerala. Located on the Malabar Coast, Kozhikode is one of the unique places to visit in Kerala. It is dotted with historical landmarks and tourist spots and is still reminiscent of the British and Dutch eras in India. The tourist spots include Kappad Beach, Kozhikode Beach, Beypore Beach, Kozhippara Falls, Thusharagiri Falls, Thikkoti Lighthouse, Kadalundi and the list goes on.
Best Time to Visit: October to March
Nearest Airport: Kozhikode International Airport
Railway station: Kozhikode railway station
A quaint city of Kollam, Ashtamudi lies on the edge of the enchanting Ashtamudi Lake and one of the beautiful spots to visit in Kerala. Once a busy trade centre, it now attracts an impressive number of tourists from all over the world. Tourists come to enjoy the beauty and tranquillity of this place and can also witness coir manufacturing, cashew processing and traditional fishing. Apart from Ashtamudi Lake, tourists can also visit Thevally Palace, Alumkadavu Boat Building Yard and Monroe Island.
Best Time to Visit: August and January
Nearest Airport: 63.4 km from Trivandrum airport
Railway station: 20 km from Kollam railway station
Located in Kasaragod district, tourists get a beautiful view of the majestic Arabian Sea and lush greenery. This tiny village is of historical importance and the grand Bekal Fort stands testimony to that. It is the perfect getaway to relax, and you can visit places like Pallikere Beach, Valiyaparamba Backwaters, Hosdurg Beach, Nileswaram Cultural Centre, Nityanand Darshan Caves and a host of other places.
Best Time to Visit: December to February
Nearest Airport: 67 km from Mangalore Domestic Terminal
Railway station: 12 km from Kasargod and Kanhangad railway station
Conclusion
The beauty and tranquillity of Kerala is unsurpassed, and it truly lives up to its name of God’s Own Country. This is not all that Kerala has to offer if you are planning to visit as a tourist. In this article, we have provided information on 12 places to visit in Kerala. There are a whole lot of other places like Guruvayur, Idukki, Kannur, Kasargod and Malampuzha to name a few and you can visit the EuroKids website to get more information on places in Kerala that are a tourist’s delight.
Which of these places are you planning to visit in Kerala with you little one?
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