13 days
Kerala, slowly
Five places most itineraries leave out, with two or three nights in each.
All journeys
For travellers who would rather see less and stay longer.
Poovar, where a river reaches the sea behind a sandbar; Kollam, at the southern end of the backwaters; Nedumudy, in the paddy fields of Kuttanad; the grassy hills of Vagamon; and Vypin, an island off Kochi with a beach on one side and the harbour on the other. None of them is famous, which is the reason they are here.
- How long
- 13 days
- Where
- Kerala
The route
7 stops
- Trivandrum
- Poovar
- Kollam
- Nedumudy
- Vagamon
- Vypin Island
- Kochi
Highlights
Along the way
- 01Poovar, reached by boat, where the Neyyar river meets the sea
- 02Ashtamudi lake at Kollam: the backwaters with far fewer boats
- 03Nedumudy, where rice is grown below sea level and worked from the bunds
- 04The meadows and pine woods of Vagamon
- 05Vypin: a beach, the old Portuguese fort at Pallipuram, and the harbour mouth
- 06Two or three nights in every place, so nothing feels like a stop
Day by day
The plan
- Day 1Arrive in Trivandrum and drive down the coast to Poovar.
- Days 2–3Poovar: the estuary by boat, the beach across it and the backwater behind.
- Days 4–5North to Kollam and Ashtamudi lake. Cashew, coir, and the Chinese nets at Thangassery.
- Days 6–7Nedumudy, in the middle of Kuttanad. Canoe trips along the bunds, and the paddy fields at work.
- Days 8–9Up to Vagamon for the meadows, the pine forest and a walk along the ridge.
- Days 10–12Three nights on Vypin: the beach, Pallipuram fort, and Fort Kochi a short crossing away.
- Day 13Depart from Kochi.
Tell us about your journey
Since 1997
Our team has been in tourism since 1997. Scenic Escapes India Private Limited is a private company registered in Kerala and based in Karunagappally, Kollam. Its registration details are published for anyone to check.
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