India has always been a place of interest for foreign travelers and visitors from across the globe, due to the variety of beautiful landscapes, the rich resources, and the warm and welcoming people. With great diversity in food and culture, India has always mesmerized travelers and tourists. One place, amongst the many, which has managed to maintain its awe in the minds of its travelers for the wide range of natural beauties, is Kerala – the god’s own country!
With the long coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Western ghats protecting the land, Kerala is home to beautiful mountains, beaches, plain lands and the most attractive of them all – the backwaters. From the food to the temples, from the leisure time activities on the beaches to being pampered at the naturopathy centers, Kerala is pronounced for a number of reasons. It has managed to draw hundreds of visitors every day.
However, whenever we think of Kerala, the common names that come to the mind are the backwaters of Alappuzha district, the dreamy hills of Munnar, Fort Kochi and its unique fishing techniques. But, Kerala has many more than these frequently visited places of interest. These lesser-known travel destinations of Kerala are no less beautiful; rather sometimes their virgin beauty is even more satisfying than the popular places of interest.
Here are 10 lesser-known travel destinations in Kerala which you can include in your Kerala tour packages.
- Illikkal Kallu
- Vellarimala
- Silent Valley National Park
- Wayanad
- Thenmala
- Thyckal Beach
- Ponmudi
- Veliyaparamba Backwaters
- Anamudi
- Thattekkad Bird Sanctuary
If you think that Munnar is the only dreamy hill station of Kerala, you are absolutely mistaken. Those, who love to trek, must visit this place. The view from the hilltop is stunning with a smoky fog covering the entire region almost completely. The place is just 10 km away from Erattupetta of Kottayam district. Reaching it is easy. But finding amenities there is difficult as it is not a very popular place for regular tourists. Planning the trip accordingly is a must. But it is worth paying a visit to this lesser-known hill station of Kerala. Here are are some top 10 hill stations in Kerala for perfect honeymoon.
If you love small falls, this is the place that you must visit. Falling down the camel mountains of the Vellarimala mountain range, this waterfall with the same name as its host mountain range is a truly stunning sight. This breath-taking beauty is actually a river named river Kurinjipuzha, which is a sister river of the more famous river Chaliyaar. Yet another place that is great for trekking is the Vellarimala mountain range, which is a part of the Western Ghats.
We all have heard about the Niligiri hills since our childhood days. This hilly region from the Palakkad district of Kerala is known for its unique flora and fauna. However, one of its hidden and yet-to-be-explored places is the silent valley national park. This tropical rainforest is probably one of the last ones that are located on the edges of the country. The evergreen forest of shoals and the dense enchanting wilderness with the Kunthipuzha and Bhavani rivers flowing with a winding style across the forest, truly give the forest a beauty that can’t be explained in words. Though this is one of those paces of Kerala that is yet to be explored by the masses, the UNESCO is considering this place to be announced as a world heritage site.
If you are keen to visit the best-kept secrets of Kerala, Wayanad is the place that you must visit. It is a beautiful place that has been a spectator of the stone age that survived here. With the Edakkal caves testify for that. Though it was discovered in the year 1890 by a British during his trip, the place is still safe from the commercial visitors. Those, who are truly keen about a streak of history and those, who want to encounter history, must visit Wayanad and the Edakkal caves here. As you go to the caves, stop by the Chembra peak to enjoy the stunning beauty of the lush green and lofty mountains surrounding the place. Trekking on such beautiful places is always an added treat.
Wayanad is also famous for the best honeymoon destination. Check out the list of Kerala houseboat tour packages which will make your honeymoon trip a memorable and special forever.
This is a must visit for every person traveling to Kerala. The term “ Thenmala ” means “ honey hills ” in the local language. This is because, the honey that is collected from this region, especially the hills that surround the area, is of great quality. The flora of the region is so diverse that it has had its impact on the texture, quality, and flavor of the local honey. Located in the Kollam district, apart from the hills and the honey, what makes this place a must visit is the Thenmala dam.
The dam is built on the Kallada river. Based on this dam, a new tourism destination is being built, which is still less-known to many; but is completely equipped with various fun activities such as boating, rope bridge, trekking on the hills, mountaineering and even biking. Those, who do not want to indulge in any exciting activities, but want to enjoy the soothing beauty of the place, can choose to boat on the dam water. You can check out Kerala adventure tourism in India here
Regardless to mention that Kerala has many beautiful and stunning beaches that can top the high profile breaches of the foreign lands, given the vast and long coastline across the Arabian Sea. But, many people mistake the Kovalam beach to be the only one worth cherishing. The Thyckal beach is an equally beautiful one with its own charm. Since it is still a less known beach, it is a perfect place for you to spend personal and cozy time with your near and dear ones, especially during the sunset. Once a busy port, this place is now a perfect holiday destination for those, who want to spend some lone time amidst nature, away from the hustle and bustle of the commercial beaches. You can check out 11 top places to visit in Alleppey destinations.
The Trivandrum district is one of the most popular districts of Kerala, with thousands of visitors coming to the many places of interest here. With various temples and beaches, this district is always crowded. But, if you want to visit a place that would be away from the common travelers, with less crowded and more nature, Ponmudi is the place that you must visit.
On the western ghats, the golden peak of Ponmudi is a visually stunning hill. The journey to the hills itself is an amazingly interesting and adventurous one. There are 22 hairpin bends that will increase the adrenaline rush through your veins. But as you reach the top, the view of the green valley beneath will make the journey worthy.
Coming to Kerala and not visiting the backwaters would be sacrilegious. But, if you do not want to go to the side of the backwaters that everyone else is visiting, you need to visit the Veliyaparamba backwaters. The backwaters of Kerala go a long way interior to the different places or regions of Kerala. The Veliyaparamba backwaters that stretch to the Kasaragod district of Kerala is really calm and quiet. Spending some time in the houseboats here in this region will give you an entirely different feeling altogether. It is very less traveled and absolutely away from the general crowd. You can check out 11 things to know before booking houseboats in Kerala here.
Also try on the famous Alleppey houseboats which have played a vital role in the backwaters of Alappuzha. Every traveler should once in a lifetime should enjoy this.
As the general crowd would be busy in visiting the commercially popular tourism destination of Kerala, Munnar, which is just 13 km away, you can enjoy the same beauty at the Anamudi mountain region, which is the highest peak of the western ghats. In the local Malayalam language, the term means elephant forehead. The peak is named so as it resembles the forehead of an elephant. The mountain peak, as well as the Eravikulam national park, is a must visit for those, who love nature and the natural landscapes.
Aptly named as God's own country, Kerala seems to have a bounty of everything natural and beautiful. From beautiful hills and mountains, rivers and waterfalls, national parks and beaches, there seems to be the abundance of everything. But, what very few people know and the bird lovers would be very happy to know is that the Thattekkad bird sanctuary in Kerala, which is located in the central part of the state, about 58 km away from Kochi city, is one of the best bird sanctuaries in the entire country. The famous ornithologist Salim al described this bird sanctuary as the “richest” one on the Indian peninsula.
Now that you have learnt about the 10 lesser known travel destinations in Kerala, it will be quite easy for you to plan your next trip. You can certainly incorporate all of these in a single trip, if you have time and if you plan properly. But of course, you can always choose the ones that draw your attention. Nature lovers can visit the nature parks and bird sanctuaries. Those, who love hills and hilly rivers, must visit the places that give you waterfalls and stunning peaks. If you like to trek, choose your favorite ones. Kerala has so much for you that your holiday might end, but the list wouldn’t!
Tours in India is your travel partner and we will help you organize exquisite Kerala tour packages including all the best tourist destinations in Kerala that your heart is craving to visit. Planning for a tour to Alleppey? Then, contact us today and get your Alleppey houseboat packages customized with your Alleppey tour at exciting prices.
