Things to do in  Kerala

The Kerala backwaters refers to a large region spanning some 558 miles (900 kilometers) consisting of an interconnected network of brackish lagoons, lakes, and canals. The best way to truly experience this beautiful area is aboard a traditional houseboat; journeys last anywhere from a few hours up to a few nights.

Fort Cochin’s Chinese Fishing Nets have been a beach installation for centuries, well before the arrival of Portuguese colonizers. It’s thought that the nets were introduced to this coastal area by the legendary Chinese explorer Zheng He in the early 15th century. The nets are permanent horizontal structures, lowered and raised by a network of cantilevered ropes, bamboo poles, and balancing weights and pulleys. They are operated by teams of up to six fishermen, but the catch is usually quite modest.

One of the world’s oldest active synagogues, and the oldest in the Commonwealth, can be found in the center of the port’s spice district, Jew Town. The synagogue sits at the center of the district once inhabited by Fort Kochi's vibrant spice trading community of Malabari Jews, who traveled here from Holland and Spain.

The Indo-Portuguese Museum was set up by the late bishop of Kochi to preserve and showcase the significant influence of the Portuguese Catholic community in Fort Kochi and its surroundings. A popular attraction, it depicts the art, architecture, and culture of this community and gives visitors a glimpse of the original fort’s foundations.

The Portuguese built the 16th-century structure as a gift to the then king of the Kochi dynasty, though it underwent significant remodels under Dutch rule, earning it its current moniker: the Dutch Palace. It's celebrated for its stunning murals, many of which depict scenes from Hindu epics, notably the Ramayana and the Mahabharata.

St. Francis Church is the oldest church in India, built in 1516 by Portuguese settlers to replace an older wooden church constructed in 1503 on the same site. It was once the burial site of Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama, who died in Kochi, and though his gravestone is still in place here, his remains have since been moved to Lisbon.

Santa Cruz Cathedral Basilica is notable for its Gothic architecture, with a whitewashed façade and beautiful interiors, with intricate pastel frescoes and paintings, and large stained glass windows. While it’s a popular attraction, it’s also a working church and the Sunday mass services here provide a great insight into local Catholic culture.

Dedicated to the crafts and folk arts of Kerala and South India, this family-run and colorfully-cluttered private museum is one of Kochi’s hidden gems. It has more than 4,000 objects spanning three floors, from masks and costumes to jewelry, musical instruments, and terracotta sculptures. Each level showcases a different architectural style: Malabar, Kochi, and Travancore. The museum must be doing something right, because King Charles and his wife Camilla even visited back in 2013.

Believed to be the oldest burial ground in the country, the Dutch Cemetery in Kochi dates back to the beginning of the 18th century. It houses the tombs of Dutch soldiers and traders who left their homeland in order to expand their country’s colonial empire—and as a result changed the entire course of history in India.

Surrounded by the backwaters of the Arabian Sea, Mattancherry is an old port area of Kochi, not far from Ernakulam Town. The area was once the main trade port for spices such as pepper and turmeric, as well as tea. Today, it’s a bustling and cosmopolitan community that welcomes people from all religious backgrounds and walks of life.

Sitting in the Tripunithura district of Kochi, the Hill Palace Museum was built in 1865 as a palace for local maharajahs. Now a museum housing Keralan archaeological and royal artifacts, its building remains an architectural gem, with classical Keralan columns and courtyards standing in 52 acres (21 hectares) of gardens.

Kerala has given the world many great cultural treasures, two of which are showcased at the Kadathanadan Kalari & Navarasa Kathakali Centre. Visitors can watch live performances of Kalaripayattu, one of the oldest martial art forms on earth, as well as Kathakali, a classical Indian dance known for its intricate eye movements, often used to depict epic tales.

Part of South India's UNESCO-listed Western Ghats region, this compact national park protects the endangered Nilgiri tahr species of mountain goat, along with all sorts of other mammals and birds. The park is also known for its purple neelakurinji flowers, which only bloom once every 12 years.

In the Western Ghats region of Kerala, this tranquil reserve is known for its biodiversity. People come to Periyar National Park to spot sambar deer, langurs, otters, elephant herds, and the elusive Bengal tiger, while birders flock to Periyar for kingfishers, herons, and hornbills. One of the park’s star attractions is Periyar Lake, where animals come to drink.

Home to around 40 Bengal tigers, the densely wooded Periyar Tiger Reserve in Kerala’s Western Ghat region is part of Periyar National Park, known interchangeably as Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary. Named after the Periyar River, the biodiverse park is also home to sambar deer, otters, bison, herds of elephants, and bird life such as egrets, hornbills, and herons.