After one complete week in luxury, I was ready to backpack South India. We had heard of Kerala and we were absolutely curious about it. (We being Raphael of Journey Wonders and I, we were traveling together for 2 more weeks).
If you’re planning your India backpacking route you might want to add Kerala on your itinerary. They are many cool places to visit in Kerala and it’s also one of the main spots in South India. Traveling one week in Kerala is possible, so let’s see where you should go!
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I recommend SafetyWing Nomad Insurance, an affordable travel insurance offering automatic monthly payments that you can cancel anytime. I've been using it since 2019, and I can assure you it's the perfect solution for nomads like you and me. Learn more by reading our SafetyWing review.In this backpacking Kerala guide, you’ll get a one week Kerala itinerary including some other places you should visit in Kerala if you have more time. I’ll be focussing on Fort Cochin, Kerala backwaters (Alleppey) and Munnar.
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Backpacking in Kerala | Best Places to Visit in Kerala
Here’s my quick Kerala backpacking trip itinerary including tips, routes, and recommendations! When backpacking through India, Kerala must be on your itinerary.
Fort Cochin in One Day (or Two)
Fort Cochin is one of the cool places to visit in Kerala. It is a small town not too far from the airport in Kerala. It’s a fishing town ideal for sunset spotting and to start your trip in Kerala. Basically, it’s a good starting point but there is not a lot of things to do around the town.
What to see in Fort Cochin
Chinese Fishing Nets
Backpacking in Kerala, India
One of the main things you should see while in Fort Cochin is to head to the beach and look at these huge fishing nets. It’s quite impressive especially if you time it with the sunset.
Sunset Spotting
South India Backpacking
First, you should know that the beach in Fort Cochin isn’t the cleanest. It’s going to be a hard mission to find a spot where you can sit but you could definitely go for a short stroll on the beach while enjoying a pretty sunset.
Where to Stay in Fort Cochin
I had the privilege of staying at the Hostel Crowd when I was in Fort Cochin. The Hostel Crowd is a hostel chain which has most of their properties in Goa. It can be quite hard to find a decent hostel in India, and believe me, we were super pleased with the Hostel Crowd especially since their location was brilliant (close to the ferry, restaurants and the beach). Everything was walkable (or you can always take a tuk-tuk) and the room was perfect and affordable.
Kerala Backwaters – Alleppey (Day Trip or 2 Days)
While in Kerala, you will have to check out the backwaters. There are three different ways to experience this; on a tight budget, with a tour or you could also stay overnight on a houseboat. The backwaters are breathtaking! Sit back and relax while enjoying the prettiest views!
What to see in Kerala
Kerala
Kerala Backwaters – On a Budget (without a tour)
After looking at the prices for the tours I was pretty tempted with a DIY option. Although we decided to take the hassle-free option in the end and book a tour. Here’s what we heard from another backpacker.
You can head to Alleppey on your own and then find your own local boat directly over there. Of course, it’s the cheapest option but you have to find your own way there. You can then explore for as long as you want and head back to Fort Cochin at the end of the day.
Kerala Backwaters – With a Tour
The hassle-free version of the Kerala backwaters includes the pickup, the tour, lunch and drop-off at the end of the day. It’s a lot more expensive and you can pick different options (half a day or 8 hours, type of boats, etc.).
Personally, I thought the 8 hours tour was way too long for me, half a day would have been enough. I enjoyed the canoe better than the houseboat because you can access smaller canals with amazing views.
Kerala Backwaters on a Houseboat – Overnight Stay
Another popular option is to spend the night on a houseboat. This way you can make the most of the views while simply relaxing on a boat. Here are a few options for different budgets.
Munnar in Two Days (or Three)
My favorite place in Kerala was Munnar, a small town in the middle of the mountains and the tea plantations! It’s the perfect place to relax while walking amongst the tea plantations or even enjoying the sunset. We had so much fun walking around the mountains and this place was photography heaven.
What to See in Munnar
Tons of gorgeous views! We took so many photos while we were there – we loved it!
Itinerary of Kerala: Munnar
Where to go in Kerala: Munnar
Backpacking around India, Munnar
Where to Stay in Munnar
We had the privilege to stay at Kaivalyam Retreat, which is a unique hotel right in the middle of the tea plantations/forest.
It’s a quiet place (it’s actually a retreat) and the staff were lovely. We had an amazing view and great food while we were there. The location was perfect and it was just outside of Munnar Town.
Other Destinations in Kerala (if you have more than 1 week in Kerala):
Kerala is quite a big Indian state. If you have more time (more than a week), you should definitely add more places to your Kerala itinerary. If I was to come back to Kerala, I would visit Kumarakom, Thekkady, Varkala, Kovalam, Wayanad and Bekal. These are just a few examples as there is so much more to discover in Kerala.
Backpacking around India | Tips & Tricks
Getting a SIM card in India
India was the most complicated place I visited in terms of SIM cards. The best and easiest way to get one is to get it directly at the airport.
The reason is simple: they don’t sell Indian SIM cards to foreigners in most places (read 98% of the places).
To avoid having to provide many photocopies, addresses and contact information from a local, it’s a lot easier to get it sorted straight at the airport. (And it’s not that expensive!)
Getting Around India | Buses, Flights & Trains in India
Many places seem to be close to each other, but many of them are actually quite far in terms of traffic or routing.
I personally chose the local bus and overnight buses to travel around India as it was often cheaper than taking the train. You can find buses on RedBus or look for trains/buses/flights on MakeMyTrip. You can download the apps to make your life easier!
It can be quite tricky to book trains in India as they have so many different classes. I’d recommend you ask a local to help you out for the first time (ask the reception of your hostel!).
Another alternative is to travel by flight if you are limited on time and if you’re planning on covering cities that are far from each other. The earlier you book, the higher your chances are to find a decent price.
What to Pack for India | India Travel Essentials
When it comes to packing for India you should keep in mind that appropriate clothing should be light but also conservative.
I personally was always wearing t-shirts, long pants or leggings and I was covering my shoulders most of the time.
Here are a few travel packing essentials for India:
- Sarong/scarf to cover your shoulders when visiting temples
- Comfortable shoes/flip-flops
- Sunglasses
- Light and appropriate clothing
- Sunscreen
- Cap/hat
- Camera/tripod
Travel Insurance in India
Make sure you have travel insurance for your travels in India! Nobody wants to deal with unexpected surprises abroad!
