[nettooran]

The rains in October-November are usually concentrated in the southern Districts. The monsoons are over and thus you need not worry about adverse climate. (unless mother nature decides to have some surprise fun). Oct-Feb is a good time to visit Kerala.

Since you guys are fans of scenic places and want to limit your visits I suggest these three places,

Wayanad (wildlife and scenic nature)
Munnar (tea plantation and scenic nature. As per my experience, the only place in Kerala which can go below 10 degrees C. )
Alappey / Alappuzha (houseboat and backwaters )
Varkala (Beach)

Athirapilly waterfall is a 1 hr. detour on your trip from Wayanad to Munnar. Be sure to take the steps down to the waterfall base if you are intending to go here. Else it is not worth the detour

Avoid Thekkady. Nothing interesting there.

All three places offer different views. I will DM you a number of a group that has good homestays in Wayanad and Munnar ( nope!. I am not anyway part of their business)
<edit! guess your inbox is full and not longer taking DMs> Check whitetrip on the internet>

As someone mentioned, the highway roads are busier in Kerala. However You will definitely enjoy the twisties in Wayanad and Munnar. The roads you will be travelling for this route are healthy though. Not much of cracks or potholes.

Happy Journey!

[Sankar]

Originally Posted by humyum

So we will plan from Bangalore the Kerala trip as Mumbai to Bangalore we can stay at my relatives place and then head for Kerala from there. We have a hard stop to get back to Mumbai on 30th or at max 31st as work starts from then on.

So Day 1 on Sunday from Mumbai to Bangalore -16th October

Now, Wayanad is something my dad and mom both want to go, but since Wayanad is quite vast, which place is Wayanad we should aim for? Something which is very picturesque as well as not that far away from civilization if we need to get food/roam around during the day. We want to visit some really off beat areas too during our stay here, where in Wayanad would you guys recommend?

So 18th if we leave for Wanayad from Bangalore, we can stay till 22nd and leave on 23rd to the 2nd place to Chinnakanal/Munnar ( Both are next to each other, so they are like Panchgini, Mahabaleshar right?

Stay here from 23 to 28 and on 29th drive back to Bangalore and 30th Drive back to Mumbai?

Is there something I can change in this to accommodate one more place which could be amazing?

Will be replying to all the posts once out of office.

From Wayanad, Munnar, travel south towards Alapuzha for the backwaters, and further south towards either Varkala/Kovalam beach.

You said you are driving back to bangalore on 29th. If so plan to reach Kanyakumari on 28th and stay at Vivekananda Kendra their menu is pure veg. At Kannyakumari you may visit the Kanniyakumari devi temple, Vivekananda rock, Thiruvalluvar statue, and a little far away Vattakotta for the view.

On 29th morning you can drive peacefully to Bangalore from there avoiding all the traffic and chaos on Kerala roads. If you start by 7am you can enter Bangalore by 5PM driving leisurely.

[MithunSathianat]

It would be nice if you can take the coastal highway route Karwar - Udupi - Mangalore - Kannur.
You can easily find airbnb's in this route. This helps you to explore sea food delicacies too
You may plan to visit below places in this route

1. Bekal Fort
2. Kayaking in Kavvayi (near to Payyanur)
3. Muzhapilangad Drive in Beach (longest drive in beach in Asia)

After this you may plan to enter Wayanad from Kannur. Most of the popular places in Wayanad are already listed above.

You may include Fort Kochi, Kuzhupilly Beach, Kadamakkudy when in Cochin.
Alleppy has plenty of house boats to relax and do consider Mararikulam beach.

Coming to hill stations down south, hope you have already included Vagamon and Munnar in your list. Few other near by places are Thekkady (Kumily), Eravikulam national park, Marayoor and Kanthalloor.

If time permits, would recommend to include Varkala, Jatayu Earth Center, Kovalam and Shankhumugham beach.

As mentioned by many here, please plan your travel considering the narrow roads!

Wishing you a very happy vacation in Kerala

[vinaydatla]

I am back from a recent vacation in Kerala which ended 5th Oct 2022. We did Kochi - Guruvayur - Munnar - Thekkady - Allepey - Kovalam - Trivandrum for 7 days.

We booked a 2016 Innova for picking us up at Kochi airport and dropping at Trivandrum airport after 7 days.

Hotels:
1. Grand Plaza, Munnar for 2 nights
2. Pepper Vine, Thekkady
3. Deluxe house boat in Allepey
4. Sagara beach resort, Kovalam for 2 nights

I can provide more details if needed. Attached is our travel itinerary for your reference. We have added some more places like Jatayu, Poovar, Elephant rides etc. apart from the given itinerary.

[Vipin Kumar]

Originally Posted by Turbohead

Just remember that 250kms of driving inside Kerala will be the equivalent of covering 600-700 kms on a four lane highway along with additional fatigue. Yup, 25-30 kmph is all you can expect as average.

Very true. Mangalore - Kozhikode (Calicut) is a stretch of 240 kms approx but can take anything from 7 to 8 hours!

Stick to coastal state highways and avoid NH as much as possible while in Kerala. So, between Kasaragod and Kanhangad, you can take the Chandragiri bridge - Bakel bridge route and between Payyanur and Kannur, you can take the SH (Payangadi) route. After Kozhikode too, you will get a coast line road to Trichur side.

Very good places to stay all along from Mangalore to Ernakulam -- hotels, resorts, etc. Even in small towns.

[thirugata]

Originally Posted by Sankar

You said you are driving back to bangalore on 29th. If so plan to reach Kanyakumari on 28th
On 29th morning you can drive peacefully to Bangalore from there avoiding all the traffic and chaos on Kerala roads. If you start by 7am you can enter Bangalore by 5PM driving leisurely.

+1 for that. NH 44 is a delight to drive.

[GeeTee TSI]

My two cents are more from the driving style and what to expect on the roads. Even from the neighbouring States it comes as an eye opener, the dense 'highways' of KL

• There are no hinterlands and 'free' highways, imagine KL as one continuous town with highways passing through them
• Avoid driving past sundown, since there are no medians (and shrubs to shield) blinding lights from oncoming vehicles can tire out both the driver as well as passengers.
• People overtake with a vengeance and under frustration to get ahead since there is hardly a straight, free stretch to cruise. Practice conscious defensive driving and do not try to 'gain' or 'make up' time on KL roads
• To enjoy the true beauty of KL roads (they are a driver's delight due to good surfaces generally and twists and turns dotted with greenery) plan early morning driving wherever possible (I personally enjoy 05:00-09:00 driving)
• Along with typical highways, typical highway joints are also uncommon, best bet is to have a pitstop at any of the numerous towns one will be traversing

[Bailey]

Originally Posted by humyum

The dates we can leave are from 15th October and till 30th October

I guess you must have already made your bookings by now. As I have done the drive from Mumbai to Bangalore a couple of times would like to offer some suggestions as you are travelling with your parents.

The fastest way to get to Kerala is via Bangalore - Salem - Coimbatore if you wish to enter Kerala thru Walayar (Palakkad) or from Salem via Madurai if you wish to enter thru Trivandrum side.

If entering via Wayanad / Nilambur would be via Bangalore - Mysore. If you have chosen to drive via Goa and enter from Kasargod please be prepared for a longish drive from the moment you enter into Kerala.

The drive to Kerala itself would take you 2 full days assume you drive for between 8 to 10 hours per day. If lesser keep 3 days.

A night or 2 on a houseboat in Alappuzha would be a real nice experience if you have not done it earlier. All meals are cooked on the boat by the crew and they will be sure to accommodate any dietary restrictions for your mother. Or you could choose to take a day cruise.

The popular options have already been suggested by most and the warnings on the driving times in Kerala.

Originally Posted by humyum

PS: Since I am a photography enthusiast, as a treat, I will try and click amazing pictures of the trip and post it here.

Enjoy your driving holiday and looking forward to hear about it through a travelogue with photos.

[nxshar2]

I did a full kerala trip in Aug-Sep 2017 from Mumbai to Kovalam (via hubli, coimbatore) and then back up via kozhikode, wayanad, mangalore and goa. Some observations

Entering kerala via the NH48/ coimbatore route is at least 24 hours of driving. I remember starting at 630 and reaching hubli by 7 and the next day we did about 800 kms till coimbatore in about 13 hours. I did get heavy rains while departing Mumbai and in Dharampur with very low visibility. Plus My 2011 city's abysmally small fuel tank meant had to refuel probably more than what you will have to.

As others have said, Kerala highways (with few exceptions) are winding roads and you are always climbing and descending small gradients. There are houses right on the edge so you might see odd chicken, children and pets. Road surface is excellent but watch out for bus drivers.

Pitt stops are few and restrooms are not in great shape so do carry toilet roll etc. Better to plan your stops. On the other hand if you are carrying your tea and coffee, you will always be in beautiful greenery to just stop and sip.

On hills (true for thekkady, wayanad at least) especially while descending be mindful of large craters which suddenly pop up. Paying attention to cars in front could help.

Do try the local cuisine.

[4wheels_2Wheels]

Originally Posted by humyum

So we will plan from Bangalore the Kerala trip as Mumbai to Bangalore we can stay at my relatives place and then head for Kerala from there. We have a hard stop to get back to Mumbai on 30th or at max 31st as work starts from then on.

Bangalore is a great starting point for a trip down the southern coast.
We had done the following trip (in Kochi and Varkala we stayed at Taj properties). Other than that all airbnbs.

Bangalore - Mysore (overnight in Mysore)
Mysore - Wayanad (3 days in Wayanad)
Wayanad - Kochi (the most difficult and tiring drive) would suggest Wayanad to coorg nstead. Coorg is cool and wonderful (look up blaze homes India. It's in a coffee plantation and has wonderful staff)
Kochi - 2 nights
Kochi-Varkala 3 nights in varkala

Varkala - Coimbatore (overnight in Coimbatore with a visit to the famous temples)
Coimbatore - kodaikanal (2 nights in Kodi)

Kodaikanal - Bangalore ( the Coimbatore Bangalore stretch is the best road in terms of speed and comfort)

Mysore to Wayanad is a gorgeous drive through forests

Driving withing Kerala is a nightmare

[Edud Regnad]

As someone Kerala, here's my take:


Good places:

Hills, scenery and chill weather : Wayanad, Munnar, Idukki, Vagamon.

Waterfalls: Athirapilly, Munnar, Idukki

Beach: Varkala (I'm from kochi and the have travelled across Kerala and the only beach worth spending a night is Varkala, rest of the beaches are just beaches with nothing more to offer but Varkala is somewhere which is very tourist friendly and has a lot of facilities to offer compared to other beaches. It's called mini goa for a reason, so you get the point)

Backwaters and boat rides : Alappuzha.

Shopping Malls: Kochi, Trivandrum (Avoid going to malls in rush hours)



Tips while traveling:

- Avoid traveling through cities, especially Kochi, Kollam and trivandrum during rush hours.

- Someplaces will have oneway traffic that's unmarked in google maps, so keep an eye on the road signs and traffic flow.

- There'll be a lot of potholes and twisty narrow roads, so be aware.

- Most stuffs are pretty cheap in Kerala and if you feel you're being overcharged for something, then you're being overcharged. Souvenir shops near tourist places will have overpriced items, but the thing is you can bargain with them.

- Food quality and taste differ from place to place. For most cases, the north parts (malabar) of Kerala has better tasting foods and the souther it gets, it gets worse. Not bad mouthing, but food in Trivandrum is sub par at best so stick with major food chain hotels like Indian coffee house, saravana bhavan etc when visiting there (was living at the heart of tvm for a considerable amount of time and noticed it specifically, but the city planing in Tvm is great compared to any other in Kerala since there's a lot of space everywhere, if it weren't as hot, it would be have been a breathtaking city to be lived in). Avoid drinking tea/coffee in Trivandrum and in the bordering parts of kollam with tvm.

- It might get nasty if it rains, so carry umbrellas for everyone.

- In case of lack of Airbnb, you can get into any motels branded as "luxury rooms" since they tend to have kitchens.

- Be careful about auto and bus drivers since they're unpredictable and doesn't care about anyone else. Also, Kozhikode usually have a lot of bad drivers with no road ethics and pedestrians that care even less. Auto riders are just as same in Thrissur and would only apply brakes in the last moment and are generally rude and also squids in two wheelers especially in kochi.

- In tourist places, there'll be a lot of Hindi speakers, so you won't face any problem, in other areas, it's best to ask youngsters in English and they'll be glad to help you.

- There'll be people that might anger you both on roads and off, always be polite and joke it off, being polite gets you better treatment in most cases.

- Drive with moderate speed at night time.

- In the southern districts and coastal areas, always drink bottled water. It's best to always comsume bottled water except you're in hilly regions.

That's all i have for now, have a fun trip.

[mikepapa]

I am planning for a road trip from Bangalore to the northernmost district of Kerala - Kasaragod, during the upcoming long weekend in KA. The high level itinerary is as below:-

28th Oct - Start by 5 AM to reach Kasaragod by second half of the day. Food and shopping around in the evening.

29th Oct - Explore areas in the Kasaragod district - specifically Ranipuram, Nileshwaram and Bekal Fort.

30th Oct - Start leisurely in the morning to reach Kannur by mid day. Laze around in the beach for rest of the day.

31st Oct - Stay at Kannur and exploring.

1st Nov - Start leisurely to reach Bangalore by late evening.

Would be great if locals/experienced folks can suggest some more offbeat places to visit/things to do in both Kasaragod and Kannur. Will be travelling in my Fortuner, open to remote scenic locations for photographing my new steed

Thanks in advance!

[thirugata]

Originally Posted by mikepapa

Would be great if locals/experienced folks can suggest some more offbeat places to visit/things to do in both Kasaragod and Kannur. Will be travelling in my Fortuner, open to remote scenic locations for photographing my new steed

Thanks in advance!

I have had this place called Valiyaparamba in my list of places to go, but couldnt do it. It is closer to Kasargod, you can check it out.

[Joscyriac]

Got an update for you. Widespread rain is forecast for the whole of Kerala so better beware. https://weather.com/en-IN/india/news...-october-15-19

[Bailey]

Originally Posted by mikepapa

1st Nov - Start leisurely to reach Bangalore by late evening.

As I am sure you will realise during your drive from Kasargod to Kannur, there is really no chance that you will reach anywhere with a leisurely start in Kerala. The best times to travel are always early in the morning. Recommended to put as much distance between Kannur and the Kerala border before the traffic comes out.

IMO it would be more relaxed for you to take a few hours break in Mangalore or Udupi rather than leave late from Kannur.