Kerala Travel Guide
Are you looking for Kerala travel information or a Kerala travel guide? We have put together a couple of simple and general guidelines for you to follow, to make your trip to Kerala a truly pleasant one. Kerala also known as God's own country is a land of beauty, quite different from other states in India. Each state in India has its own distinct culture, language, traditions, and food habits quite different from the rest of the states in the country, so it is advised that you read the following guidelines carefully to avoid any hassles or unwanted troubles along your journey. Here we have included mostly Kerala travel tips but mentioned generally about India travel tips too. We also included Kerala tourism emergency contact details and information about the Kerala tour planner.
Clothes & Accessories - India due to its huge geographical size does not fit a particular climate zone. Generally speaking you must include cotton outfits, sunglasses, hats, mosquito repellant cream/lotion, shoes/ light sandals, moisturizing lotion and sun-block lotion mandatory, while planning your trip. If you are traveling to hill stations or the Himalayas do ensure that you carry woolen outfits with you. When in public places, care must be exercised to ensure your clothes are within the purview of decency to avoid unwanted attention.
Water - Carry a bottle of mineral water with you at all times. Do ensure that the seal is not tampered with when buying mineral water bottles. Do not drink water from public taps or road-side vendors. If you feel like having a juice, please have it from a hygienic restaurant than from a road-side shack.
Transportation - Buses are the cheapest option, auto-rickshaws, cabs and trains come next in the line. When traveling on a rickshaw or cab do ask the rates before you board the vehicle to avoid any problems and confusions. Also it is advisable to check the rates with some authority figure beforehand. When traveling in a train for long-distance reserve your tickets in advance, you can also get reserved tickets for short-distance which is the best way to avoid the heavy rush in un-reserved compartments. If you don't get your tickets through the regular way you can get them through the "tatkal" quota by paying a little extra charge. Do ensure to carry toilet paper with you when you are going on a long distance journey in train. Most of the train-stations have a pre-paid rickshaw counter, which is the best way to avoid bargaining and squabbling with the rickshaw driver.
In Public Places - India is a very orthodox country and doesn't accept any show of affection in public places especially hugging, kissing etc.
Smoking - This may come as a surprise to many; most places in India has a strict ban on smoking in public places. Smoking in public places is considered a punishable offence under law.
Money - Foreign exchange including foreign currency, traveler's cheques, drafts drawn on banks in India or letters of credit can be brought into India without any limit. However, if the gross amount brought into India in any form at one time exceeds USD 10,000/- or its equivalent, it is required to be declared by the holder to the Indian customs authorities on arrival on a Currency Declaration Form. The forms of which are available with the airport/seaport customs department.
Banks & ATMs - The nationalized banks are open for business from 10.00 in the morning to 14.00 hrs in the afternoon. A couple of private banks are open for business between 8.00 in the morning to 8.00 in the night. There is also an extensive number of ATMs spread across the metros, towns and villages of India.
Best Time to Visit -India is a land of celebrations and festivals. In the Northern parts of India Diwali, Baisaki, Pushkar fair, Holi, Kumbh Mela, and Goa Carnival are some of the prominent ones. Down south, it's an altogether different set of celebrations - Pongal, Karthigai Deepam, Kavadi are some of the prominent ones. Kerala has a set of exciting festivals and events like Onam, Thrissur Pooram, Boat races to mention a few.
Credit Cards - Most of the prominent hotels, shops and restaurants accept major credit cards.
Drugs - Carrying or found possessing drugs is considered a grave criminal offence punishable under law.
Food -Do make it a point to savor some of the authentic Indian cuisines, garnished with exotic spices and herbs, while you are here. North Indian cuisines are quite different from their Southern and Eastern counterparts. In fact, each region has different types of cuisines and methods of cooking, quite distinct from the other. Do make it a point to savor the regional specialties when you travel.
Temple Codes - If you are visiting a temple, please do ensure that you understand the rules and regulations concerning that particular temple before going in. Each temple has its own rules and codes of conduct that must be strictly adhered to. In general, non-Hindus are barred from entering most of the temples. Wearing footwear and particular type of clothes inside the temple premises are also strictly banned.
Nudity - Nowhere in India is nudity allowed in public places. Nudity is strictly banned in all the beaches in India.
Ayurvedic Treatment - Tourists flock to Kerala for Ayurvedic rejuvenation therapies. A lot of fake Ayurvedic centers have mushroomed across the state of the late, so care must be exercised to check the authenticity of the place before you book your therapy. You must consult a certified Ayurvedic practitioner before you enter into any sort of Ayurvedic treatment. To avoid any serious side effects, the treatment must be properly customized based on your medical history and body conditions.
Medicines - Do carry your medical prescriptions and enough medicines to make your journey hassle-free. Also ensure that you have taken proper vaccinations and precautions before you enter the country.
Electricity
- The standard voltage of
electric supply in the whole of India is between 220 - 240 Volts.
Two and three pin plugs are widely used and you will have to get
a voltage converter if the devices you carry do not accept 240
Volts at 50 Hertz. Voltage converters are easily available in the
electrical stores. The voltage converters that are adaptable to
the Indian voltage are Resistor Network Converters (50-1600
Watts), Transformers (50-1000 Watts) and Combination Converters.
Pre Departure Tips
1 : It is advised that you have a medical/dental/optical check-up as a pre-departure precaution for the trip. Make sure that you have any recommended shots for India - the standard recommendation is a booster to Tetanus and TB (a hepatitis shot if you don't have a current one).
2 : Ensure that your passport is valid for at least months after your arrival date in India, also check that you have enough spare pages for visa stamps.
3 : India's time zone is GMT/UTC +5.30, so chances of jet lag cannot be ignored. It is advised that you get onto India's time zone as soon as you leave home and try to eat and sleep on Indian time. Also, if you reach India early in the day, try to stay awake - this will help the body's internal clock to reset.
4 : Check your travel insurance papers whether they offer any medical coverage to meet any unforeseen incidents in a foreign land.
Kerala FAQ'S
When Can I Visit Kerala?
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Round the year(12 months)
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High Peak Season( October to March)
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Peak Season( April to June 15th)
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Off Season( June 16th to September)
Which Season is the best and low priced?
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August and September is the best in terms of low price and good climate (No heavy rain).
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June and July is the best, If you want to enjoy your holiday with rain.
Which are the must see destinations and how many days need to spend in each destination?
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Munnar(2N)
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Houseboat(1N)
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Thekkady(1N)
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Kumarakom(1N)
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Kovalam(2N)
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Cochin(1N)
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Kanayakumari(1N)
I have only 2N/3D time, Which one is the best option?
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Munnar(2N/3D) Package
I have only 3N/4D time, Which one is the best option?
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Munnar(2N) & Houseboat(1N)
I have only 4N/5D time, Which one is the best option?
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Munnar(2N), Houseboat(1N), Thekkady(1N) / Kumarakom(1N)
I have only 5N/6D time, Which one is the best option?
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Munnar(2N), Thekkady(1N), Kumarakom(1N), Houseboat(1N)
I have only 6N/7D time, Which one is the best option?
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Munnar(2N), Thekkady(1N), Houseboat(1N), Kovalam(2N)
Which Operator I can use to organize my holidays / honeymoon?
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Always use good approved operators
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Always read reviews about the tour operators
Can I bargain and reduce the price?
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Negotiate for best deal, but never bargain much and spoil your holidays or honeymoon.
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Always remember low price deliver low quality.
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If any operator reduce the price considerably, remember you may not get quality service.
How much advance I need to pay for confirming the packages?
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Normally 25% but some may ask 50% and others may ask anything above 10%
How to pay remaining amount?
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On arrival you can pay it as Cash/DD/Debit or Credit Card.
Kerala Tourism Emergency Contact Details
Kerala Emergency Numbers
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Kerala Police Website : www.keralapolice.org
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Nearest Police station : 100
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Police Helpline : 0091-471-324 3000/4000/5000
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Police High Way Help Line : 0091-9846 100 100
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Fire Station : 101
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Ambulance : 108
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Crime Stopper : 1090
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Women Helpline : 1091
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Traffic Alert : 1099
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Highway Alert : 9846100100
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Highway Alert : 9497900000 ( For SMS registration)
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Rail Alert : 9846200100
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Computer Emergency Response Team : 0091-471-2725646
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Police Message Centre : 0091-94 97 900000
Kerala Tour Packages Online Booking Procedures
1 : Submit your tour plan by clicking the link.
2 : Your enquiry automatically forwarded up to 2 leading tour operators/ advisors in Kerala and your home town.
3 : Tour advisors will contact you through either phone or email for preparing the best tour itinerary as per your budget and duration of stay.
4 : You shall get the tour plan and cost from our recommended tour advisors.
5 : You may opt for the best tour itinerary/advisor as per your wish.
6 : The tour operator will confirm the tour plan and ask you to pay a 25% advance payment. Balance payment you can pay on arrival.
7 : You will get vehicle details and driver details 2 days before arrival.
8 : Our recommended tour operators representative will receive you on arrival at the airport/railway station/bus station.
9 : Your dedicated tour advisor will be available to support you from start to end of your tour.
10 : Our service is absolutely free of cost.
Essential Information & FAQs About Kerala Tour
Arrival Point : Cochin airport / Ernakulam Railway station.
Departure Point : Thiruvananthapuram Airport / Kanyakumari Railway station.
How to book this package : Post your tour / honeymoon package requirements in the enquiry form. Up to 2 leading tour operators in Kerala will contact you with best rate and itinerary via phone and email. You can choose the best one.
Can I customize the package : Yes, you can ask for customization as per your interest and budget.
Can I book only taxi services for my package? : Yes, you can book taxi only with us. But entire package booking will help you to save up to 25% of the total cost.
How can I do the payment : Normally 25% of the package cost need to pay as advance balance amount can pay on your arrival at Kerala.
How much this package cost / Person : Package cost is absolutely based on the hotel section, car preference, how many of you travel and of course what season you are travelling.
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POST YOUR TOUR REQUIREMENTS AND FEEL THE DIFFERENCE OF HOSPITALITY |
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