Best time
September to March. September to November is the best value, with the hills at their greenest after the monsoon; December to February is the peak, cool in Munnar and beach season on the coast. June to August is the monsoon, half the price and the Ayurveda season; April and May are hot on the coast and pleasant in the hills.
- October to February, 22 to 32°C coast, 10 to 22°C hills: The season: dry days on the coast, cool nights in Munnar, calm backwaters. December to February is the peak and the Christmas fortnight books out months ahead.
- March to May, 26 to 36°C coast, 15 to 25°C hills: Hot and humid on the coast, pleasant in Munnar and Thekkady, which is why summer trips go to the hills first. Thrissur Pooram falls in April or May.
- June to September, 24 to 30°C: The monsoon: green, wet and half the price, Athirappilly at its fullest and the Ayurveda season. The houseboats run; the beaches are for walking, not swimming. Onam is at the end of it.
What to pack
Cotton for the coast and a light jacket for Munnar and Thekkady, where evenings drop to 10°C in winter. Walking shoes for Eravikulam and the spice walk, sandals for the houseboat and the beach, a raincoat in the monsoon, and mosquito repellent for the backwater night. Temples ask for a mundu or saree and men enter Guruvayur bare-chested; carry a change of clothes for the boat.
Getting there
From Hyderabad the trip starts with a 90-minute flight to Kochi, several a day on IndiGo and Air India, or the overnight Sabari Express to Ernakulam, about 20 hours. A Wayanad-first trip flies to Kozhikode instead. Every trip starts at the airport or station with a car and driver.
From Bengaluru, Kochi is a 70-minute flight or an overnight train of about 12 hours, and Wayanad is a six-hour drive through Mysuru, the one part of Kerala that works as a road trip from the city. Munnar by road is about 480 km, better done with a night stop or by flying to Kochi.
From Chennai, Kochi is a 75-minute flight or an overnight train of about 12 hours; Thiruvananthapuram has its own flights and trains for a trip that ends at Kovalam. The 700 km drive is not worth it with those options.