RoutesSouth Asia
Three Weeks in Kerala and Tamil Nadu
Tea hills, backwater houseboats, cliff-top beaches and South India's great temples.
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Dotted path is schematic (great-circle-ish arcs between stops), not a transport route.
Stop by stop
Click a stop (or its pin on the map) for costs, country facts and what to do there.
1Kochi INFort Kochi's fishing nets, Mattancherry's spice warehouses and a Kathakali performance.3 nights
We do not hold a full destination profile for Kochi or its country yet, so there are no cost, climate or visa figures for this stop; the route notes describe what it involves.
bus or hired car into the Western Ghats · about 4.5 hours
2Munnar INTea estate walks and Eravikulam National Park.3 nights
We do not hold a full destination profile for Munnar or its country yet, so there are no cost, climate or visa figures for this stop; the route notes describe what it involves.
bus or hired car down to the coast · about 5.0 hours
3Alappuzha (Alleppey) INAn overnight houseboat or public ferry rides through the backwaters.2 nights
We do not hold a full destination profile for Alappuzha (Alleppey) or its country yet, so there are no cost, climate or visa figures for this stop; the route notes describe what it involves.
train · about 3.0 hours
4Varkala INCliff-top walks, yoga classes and the beach below the cliffs.3 nights
We do not hold a full destination profile for Varkala or its country yet, so there are no cost, climate or visa figures for this stop; the route notes describe what it involves.
train via Thiruvananthapuram · about 8.0 hours
5Madurai INThe Meenakshi Amman Temple and the Thirumalai Nayak Palace.2 nights
We do not hold a full destination profile for Madurai or its country yet, so there are no cost, climate or visa figures for this stop; the route notes describe what it involves.
train to Villupuram and bus to Puducherry · about 7.5 hours
6Puducherry (Pondicherry) INThe French Quarter, the seafront promenade and a trip to Auroville.3 nights
We do not hold a full destination profile for Puducherry (Pondicherry) or its country yet, so there are no cost, climate or visa figures for this stop; the route notes describe what it involves.
bus along the East Coast Road · about 2.5 hours
7Mamallapuram INThe Shore Temple, the Five Rathas and Arjuna's Penance relief.2 nights
We do not hold a full destination profile for Mamallapuram or its country yet, so there are no cost, climate or visa figures for this stop; the route notes describe what it involves.
bus · about 2.0 hours
8Chennai INMarina Beach, the Kapaleeshwarar Temple and the Government Museum.2 nights
We do not hold a full destination profile for Chennai or its country yet, so there are no cost, climate or visa figures for this stop; the route notes describe what it involves.
Kochi and the tea hills
Fort Kochi's colonial-era streets, the cantilevered Chinese fishing nets, the Paradesi Synagogue in Mattancherry and evening Kathakali performances make for a gentle start. The road east climbs into the Western Ghats to Munnar, where tea estates cover the hillsides and Eravikulam National Park protects the Nilgiri tahr, a mountain goat found only in these ranges. Walks through the plantations and visits to tea factories and museums fill the days.
Backwaters and cliffs
Alappuzha (Alleppey) is the main base for the Kerala backwaters, a network of canals, lagoons and lakes lined with villages and paddy fields. Overnight houseboat cruises are the classic option; state-run public ferries and small canoe trips through narrower channels cover similar scenery for far less. Further south, Varkala's red laterite cliffs above the beach are lined with guesthouses, cafes and yoga schools, and the town has a steady community of longer-stay visitors working remotely.
Temple towns of Tamil Nadu
Crossing into Tamil Nadu, the route reaches Madurai and the Meenakshi Amman Temple, whose towering gateway towers (gopurams) are covered in thousands of painted sculptures, and the Thirumalai Nayak Palace nearby dates from the seventeenth century. Puducherry (Pondicherry) offers a change of pace: the French Quarter's ochre streets, a seafront promenade and the experimental township of Auroville a short ride north. On the coast road towards Chennai, Mamallapuram's Shore Temple and rock-cut monuments form a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Chennai, with Marina Beach, the Kapaleeshwarar Temple in Mylapore and a major international airport, closes the trip.
Practical notes
Visas: Most nationalities need a visa before arrival. India's e-Visa covers many passports; the official Government of India e-Visa portal is the place to apply and to check current eligibility. Transport: Buses or a hired car for the hill roads between Kochi, Munnar and Alappuzha, trains along the Kerala coast and into Tamil Nadu, and buses on the East Coast Road. Weather: December to March is drier and less humid in Kerala. The southwest monsoon soaks Kerala from about June to September, and the Tamil Nadu coast receives most of its rain from the northeast monsoon, roughly October to December. Budget: The mid figure assumes private rooms in mid-range guesthouses and homestays, one overnight houseboat shared between two, air-conditioned train classes, a hired car for the hill-country legs and temple and site entry fees. Safety: Sea currents at Varkala and other Kerala beaches can be strong; hill roads are narrow and winding, and heat and humidity rise quickly from March. Government travel advisories are worth checking before departure.