Kerala, explained by the people driving you round it

Guides to the places these trips go, and the questions we get asked most before someone books.

Timing · 5 min read

When to visit Kerala, month by month

September to March is the easy answer. What the other six months actually look like, and why the monsoon is cheaper for a reason.

Houseboats · 4 min read

Houseboats in Alleppey range from simple to hotel-grade. Here is what each class buys you on the water.

Driving · 4 min read

About four hours by road, one stretch of ghat road, and where to stop for breakfast.

Families · 5 min read

Which sights involve steps, which drives are long, and how to build a week that neither the youngest nor the oldest resents.

Munnar · 4 min read

One of the highest tea estates in the world, a 4am jeep on a track no car will manage, and the one thing that can ruin it.

Alleppey · 4 min read

A houseboat sees the wide water. The canals, the villages and the coir yards need a smaller boat and a pair of shoes.

Thekkady · 4 min read

A reservoir made in 1895, a full-day rafting programme that books out, and an honest answer about tigers.

Kochi · 5 min read

Five hundred years of Portuguese, Dutch, Jewish and Chinese trade in an area you can cross in twenty minutes.

Food · 5 min read

Appam and stew, karimeen from the backwaters, Thalassery biryani, and why the toddy shop is really about the food.

Festivals · 4 min read

The dates move every year because they follow a different calendar. What is worth building a trip around.

Coast · 4 min read

One is a cliff with cafes along the top. One is three coves and easier with family. And one you can drive a car onto.

Wayanad · 4 min read

Coffee instead of tea, ancient rock carvings, and a heart-shaped lake you need a permit for.