A Malayalee's guide to Kerala

2025-09-29

Kerala

As an NRI, your dollar goes a lot farther in India. On trips back to India, my sister usually finds great resorts for us to enjoy. I’ve since realized many friends within India travel to Kerala as their go-to quick vacation destination, and so, I thought it’d be useful to provide a Malayalee’s guide to vacationing in Kerala. And if at least one person in your party speaks Malayalam, it makes things much easier (to communicate with the locals). If you don’t know Malayalam, English is your best bet (and then Hindi).

Where to stay

Here are some places I’ve stayed at that I’ve really enjoyed:

Accessible from Kochi

Coconut lagoon: You get to ride in a boat just to get here. The food was great, and the stay was great too (non-negotiables). They had a birdwatching tour and a mohiniyattam performance as well. Every evening, a lady would come by on a boat with tea and snacks. Great property to walk around as well. This is part of CGH. I’ve heard my family say you can’t go wrong with CGH hotels. We ate at Pearl Spot restaurant on the way here. Nice stop with a great view of Vembanad lake.

The Rain: A small property with a great room but not much else to do. For dinner they had some local musicians, who weren’t that great. The food was fine. Good if you simply want to relax. We did drive to the city (Alappuzha) for a change & got some biryani. I’d recommend trying Avees Puttu for a sadya/thali (or just puttu).

Western ghats

Pepper trail: Need to drive up to the mountains to access this property, which will allow you to truly feel like you are “in nature”. Carry bug ointment if you go on the hike they have, and check out the tour of the tea plantation. Food excellent as always.

Ambady estate: Another place that will let you feel lost in nature. Great lodging, and great surroundings. A good place to sit back and relax or use as a base to explore Munnar.

Greenwoods resort: In Thekkady. Again, great rooms, great food, and you can go on short walks around the property. Trees and greenery all around make it quite relaxing.

Winter vale green stay: More affordable than the other stays listed above, this stay is located near the town of Vagamon. The food was alright and the stay was not as luxurious. You could drive to Murugan Hill and hike to Vagamon Kurishumala church (1.1km, with a 148m elevation gain, meaning a 13% gradient). You get some great views of Vagamon and the western ghats on the hike.

What to eat

Almost anywhere you’ll find lots of dishes with meat and also lots of dishes without meat. Kerala’s food is very diverse, with the small exception that shredded coconut will likely be present in many dishes.

Meen pollichatthu (Roasted fish): Fish marinated in spices, wrapped in a banana leaf and roasted on an open fire. If cooked well, probably the best fish dish you’ll ever have.

Biryani: Biryani in Kerala is very different from biryani elsewhere in India, but it’s probably my favourite kind of biryani. Won’t be packed with as many spices as most other biryanis, but will have a more-than-adequate helping of ghee. And the pappadam… oh the pappadam. I’d usually go for the chicken biryani, which will come with a boiled egg presented as hidden treasure for you to find.

Sadya: Not very easy to find, Sadya is Kerala’s traditional meal served on a banana leaf. I’d do a quick Google search and go to one based on the reviews. Might be worth calling before you go to ensure they still have a sadya option. The curries are usually unlimited, so it’s like an Malayalee buffet. Vegetarian and worth a drive!

Where to eat

Azad Star, Trivandrum: Loved the food here.

Cheenavala, Kochi: The restaurant is named after the chinese fishing nets you see in Kochi (called Cheenavala). Lots of fish options. Love going here everytime I’m back in Kerala.

Rasatantra, Kochi: Great food.

Gokul Ooottupura: I haven’t been here in a while, but I remember liking their chole bhature!

What I might skip

The houseboats. Interesting experience the first time I tried it (mid-2000s), but the backwater were filled with weeds the last time I went.
Trivandrum. Old, sleepy town. Could go to Varkala or Kovalam instead.

Things to check out in Kochi

Drive along Cherai beach. Stop at Chilli out Cafe.
Go go-karting at Speedway Kochi or try batting in the nets (indoor cricket) at the same place
Check out Fort Kochi (not a fort, mostly a tourist attraction with cafes, markets, etc.).
The Jewish synagogue, where you get to learn a bit about the history of Kerala.
Cochin shipyard. You could see one of India’s two aircraft carriers docked here! These ships are huge and the most expensive ships owned by the Navy.
Kathakali. Traditional art form. Extremely hard to find a performance, but if you do, would be worth checking it out.
The metro is a great way to get around and cheap too.
The water metro may be fun to try!
Drive or walk along marine drive.
Sagar Rani cruise to check out the backwaters and go into the Arabian Sea (for a few minutes). The guides detail the buildings and areas around you, but in malayalam. Simple snacks & tea provided. Warning: lots of extremely loud music at the end.