Things to Know Before Planning a Trip to Kerala

A trip to Kerala needs no permit and no registration, at the state border or anywhere inside it. The arrival of the monsoon in India is declared over Kerala on a rain gauge test, and the state then takes a second rainy season from the middle of October. Plan around two monsoons rather than one, four international airports, the cold in the high estates, and the distance between the hills and the coast.

Kerala is long and narrow, and the drive from the coast up into the tea estates changes the temperature by about fifteen degrees in three hours. The guide to preparing for travelling in India covers the general case, and this one covers the rain, the airports and the distances.

The best months for a trip to Kerala

October to May is the long usable window and it splits in three. The two monsoons sit on either side of it and they do not behave the same way.

• December to February. Dry, clear and the coolest months of the year.
• March to May. Hot and humid on the coast, still comfortable in the hills.
• June to September. The southwest monsoon. Heavy, long and the season the state is wettest.
• Mid October to mid December. The northeast monsoon, which is a second rainy season rather than the tail of the first.
• If you can take only one month, take January.
• The parks run on their own calendar. Eravikulam closes in February and March for the Nilgiri tahr calving season and reopens on 1 April.

Why the arrival of the monsoon in India is measured in Kerala

The India Meteorological Department declares the onset of the southwest monsoon over Kerala, and the normal date is 1 June. The declaration rests on three tests, and the first of them is rain measured at Kerala's own stations.

• The rain test. At least 2.5 mm on two consecutive days at 60 per cent of Kerala's 14 reporting stations, which means nine stations or more.
• The wind test. Westerlies of roughly 15 to 20 knots, holding up to the 600 hPa level.
• The radiation test. Outgoing longwave radiation below 200 watts per square metre over a box in the Arabian Sea.
• Why three and not one. Heavy rain alone can come from a passing system. The wind and the radiation confirm that the monsoon itself has set in.
• What this means for a date. The date moves. It has been declared in the last week of May and it has been declared in the second week of June.
• The second season. The northeast monsoon runs from the middle of October to the middle of December and Kerala is one of the areas it covers.

Entry requirements for Kerala, and which tickets are not permits

Kerala asks for no permit, from Indian citizens or from foreign nationals. There is no inner line, no protected area permit and no registration at the state border.

• What you still carry. A passport and visa if you are a foreign national, and photo identity for hotel check-in.
• Hotels and foreign guests. The property registers the guest with the authorities. Nothing is applied for in advance.
• Protected forest areas. Entry tickets and fixed timings, bought at the gate from the forest department. A ticket is not a permit.
• Trekking inside a reserve. Booked through the forest department or the local eco development committee, usually with a guide.
• The comparison. In Arunachal Pradesh an Indian citizen needs an Inner Line Permit to enter the state. See the guide to planning a trip to Arunachal Pradesh.
• Drones. The rules are national rather than state. Protected areas and the areas around airports are closed to them.

How to get to Kerala by air, rail and road

Kerala has four international airports. Kannur was the fourth of them and it opened on 9 December 2018.

• Kochi. Cochin International at Nedumbassery, the usual gateway for the highlands and the centre of the state.
• Thiruvananthapuram. For the south, Kovalam and Varkala.
• Kozhikode. Karipur, for the Malabar coast and the road up to Wayanad.
• Kannur. For the north, Bekal and the Theyyam country.
• What is unusual about Kochi. It was the first airport in the world to run entirely on solar power. The United Nations gave it the Champions of the Earth prize for it in 2018.
• By rail and road. The coastal railway runs most of the length of the state, and every hill town is reached by road from a station on it.

How cold Munnar gets and how warm the coast stays

The coast stays warm through the year and the high estates do not. The difference inside one narrow state is larger than most packing allows for.

• The coast. Warm and humid in every month, with a sea breeze in the afternoons.
• Munnar and the high estates. Cool for most of the year and cold in December and January.
• How cold it actually gets. In February 2022 the plantation stations recorded minus five degrees at Mattupetty and minus one at Chenduvarai. Frost wilted tea leaves on the estates.
• Thekkady and the Cardamom Hills. Cooler than the coast, warmer than Munnar, and wet for longer in the year.
• Wayanad and the north. Hill country again, with its own wet months and its own cold mornings.
• The working rule. One warm layer travels with you even in April, because the hills are on almost every route.

How long a Kerala trip needs

Eight to ten days covers the highlands and the centre at a reasonable pace. The state is narrow, so the drives are short by the standards of the Northeast.

• Four days. Kochi and Munnar, which is the short version.
• Six days. Kochi, Munnar and Thekkady, with the hill roads between them.
• Eight days. The same, with Palakkad and Thrissur added on the way back.
• Ten days. The highlands and the backwaters in one trip.
• Twelve days. Wayanad or the northern coast added to either of those.
• What does not fit. Wayanad and the far south in one week. They sit at opposite ends of a long state.

The rain decides more here than the calendar does, because two monsoons cover six months of the year between them. Our eight day journey through the Kerala highlands runs Thekkady, Munnar and the Kochi side. Customised tours is where the season, the route and the driving days get settled together.

Also Read

1. Destinations in India: Discovering Places Through Culture, Stories and Everyday Life
2. Cultural Places to Visit in India, and What Most People Miss
3. Understanding the Land: How Ecology Shapes Local Life

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you need a permit to visit Kerala?

No. Kerala asks for no permit and no registration at the state border, from Indian citizens or from foreign nationals. A foreign national carries a passport and visa, and the hotel registers the guest with the authorities. Entry tickets for protected forest areas are bought at the gate and are not permits.

When does the monsoon start in Kerala?

The India Meteorological Department declares the onset of the southwest monsoon over Kerala, with a normal date of 1 June. The declaration needs 2.5 mm of rain on two consecutive days at 60 per cent of Kerala's 14 reporting stations, along with a wind test and a radiation test. The actual date moves by a week or more in either direction.

What is the best time to visit Kerala?

December to February for dry weather and the coolest air, or March to May if you want the hills and can take heat on the coast. Avoid June to September, which is the southwest monsoon. Mid October to mid December is the northeast monsoon, which is a second rainy season rather than a dry window.

Which airport should I fly into for Kerala?

Kochi for the highlands and the centre, Thiruvananthapuram for the south, Kozhikode for Wayanad and the Malabar coast, and Kannur for the north. All four are international airports. Kannur was the fourth and opened on 9 December 2018.

Does it get cold in Kerala?

In the high estates it does. In February 2022 the plantation stations recorded minus five degrees at Mattupetty and minus one at Chenduvarai, and frost wilted tea leaves on the Munnar estates. The coast stays warm and humid in every month of the year.

How many days do you need in Kerala?

Eight to ten days covers the highlands and the centre properly. Four days does Kochi and Munnar. Six adds Thekkady, and eight adds Palakkad and Thrissur on the way back. Ten days takes in the backwaters as well, and twelve reaches Wayanad or the northern coast.