Kerala: A Week-Long Journey Through God's Own Country

 Kerala: A Week-Long Journey Through God's Own Country

It's been a week since I visited this beautiful destination, and I still can't stop thinking about it. In this blog, I'll share details about how I travelled, the cuisine of Kerala, and its rich culture. I hope you'll read until the end. Let's explore Kerala together.

The Journey Begins

On 31st May, we boarded the Kerala Kranti Express. The ticket was ₹2,355 per person, which wasn't too expensive since it was a 3AC coach. We reached Ernakulam Junction after a 21-hour journey—one night on the train.

Our itinerary: Kochi → Munnar → Thekkady → Alleppey → Kollam → Varkala → Trivandrum.

Kochi

After reaching Ernakulam, we headed to our hotel, Gama Heritage Residency. It was a 3-star property, and as you all know, Kerala's service industry is excellent. The hotel was clean and spacious, costing around ₹2,000 per night—very budget-friendly.

After check-in, we kept our bags, got ready, and left for our first sightseeing spot: the Chinese Fishing Nets. Honestly, I found it overhyped on Instagram and didn't like it that much, but it was still worth a visit. We picked up some fridge magnets as souvenirs.

Next, we headed to Mattancherry Palace, a museum showcasing how Kerala got its name, along with portraits of the many kings who ruled the region. The entry fee was only ₹5 for Indians—an excellent sightseeing spot.

We then explored Jew Town, a shopping area famous for souvenirs like idols of gods and other handicrafts. With this, we wrapped up our Kochi sightseeing.

Munnar

From Kochi, we headed to Munnar—a breathtaking destination famous for its scenic views, where the clouds pause and the hills whisper. We stayed for two nights at 7 Malai Residency, a good 3-star hotel. In Munnar, you'll mostly find 3-star properties. The hotel was clean, and the views were absolutely amazing—we all loved it.

Munnar is famous for its tea plantations. We visited a tea factory where the entry fee was a bit costly, but it was worth it. Inside, they demonstrated how tea powder is produced.

We also visited the Botanical Garden, which is all about plants. We hired a guide, and the entry fee was ₹100 per person. It was a short and sweet experience.

Munnar has many famous viewpoints and echo points, but as a blogger, I'd suggest staying at 7 Malai and simply enjoying the view from there. To travel to Munnar, KSRTC buses are available, and the ticket costs around ₹188 per person from Kochi.

Thekkady

After Munnar, we headed to the majestic Thekkady. We stayed at Cardamom Thekkady Hotel, which was excellent—neat and clean. We all loved it.

Private buses run between Munnar and Thekkady, with timings from 11 AM to 6 PM and good frequency.

At Thekkady, we did an elephant ride. It was a little scary, but we loved it. Afterwards, we attended the Kalaripayattu show at Yodha Culture Centre, from 6:00 to 7:30 PM. It was a goosebump-inducing performance. If you're a fan of action, you must watch it—Kalaripayattu is a traditional martial art often called the mother of all martial arts. After the show, we returned to the hotel and slept.

Alleppey

We woke up early and headed to the Thekkady bus junction. We boarded a private bus to Changanassery first, and from there, KSRTC buses took us to Alleppey. It was around a 3-hour journey.

Alleppey was so beautiful that we still miss it—especially me. It's famous for its backwaters. There isn't much sightseeing as such, but the backwaters alone make it worth visiting.

Kollam

From Alleppey, we visited Kollam, known as the cashew capital of Kerala. We hired a rickshaw to get around and then visited Jatayu Earth's Centre. It was wonderful—there's a ropeway and also trekking options. The ropeway costs ₹555, while trekking costs ₹325. We chose to trek, and it took about 3 hours to reach the top.

At the summit, there's a beautiful sculpture of Jatayu. According to legend, this is where Jatayu was killed while trying to rescue Sita. It was a peaceful and awe-inspiring place.

Varkala

After the wonderful experience in Kollam, we stayed at Varkala. Our hotel was Bava Beach Resort—not good, not bad, just average. There's no sightseeing at Varkala as such; it's all about Varkala Beach. This leg of the trip was purely for leisure.

Trivandrum

From Varkala, we headed to Kerala's capital, Trivandrum. We travelled by train, and the ticket was only ₹70.

We visited the Padmanabhaswamy Temple, one of the richest temples in the world. We all felt blessed to experience its grandeur. After taking darshan, we headed to the station, carrying with us the best memories of Kerala.

Kerala truly lives up to its name—God's Own Country.