Tips by Trips for Trippers to Kerala

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Best time to Visit

High season: September-May

Monsoon Rejuvenation programmes: June-August

Indian Time

Indias time zone is GMT/UTC +5.30 and can expect jet lag for International passengers. We recommend you to get onto Indias time zone before you leaves your home town and try to eat and sleep on Indian time. This helps you to get adjusted fast to start enjoying your trip.

Visa and Travel Insurance

Foreign passengers are required to obtain a VISA from the nearest Indian Consulate and remember to apply for the VISA at least 14 days before date of arrival and buy adequate travel insurance

Flight Ticker and Train Tickets

While doing flight reservations, you can book to Cochin (Kochi), Trivandrum or Calicut depends on your travel plan and with the consultation of your travel agent.

While booking train tickets if you are trying for Cochin, search Ernakulam which is same as Cochin. There is no railway station by name Cochin and code for Ernakulam is ERN or ERS

Money
There is no limit to the amount of foreign currency that visitors can bring. There are lots of ATMs at most of the places there by avoiding carrying more cash with you.

Banks
Banks are open for transaction from 10:00 - 15:30 hrs on weekdays and on First and third Saturdays. Second and Fourth Saturdays will be holidays.

Credit Cards

Main hotels, restaurants and shopping centres honour major credit cards.

Ornaments

For your safety, try to carry minimal gold ornaments.

Carry Your Camera and Binoculars

Your camera is must for the gorgeous place you share with your family or partners at Kerala needs to be frozen in time. Binoculars are most important if you are planning to hit the wildlife sanctuaries in Kerala.

Take permission for photography

Some temples in Kerala and other religious institutions many not be photographed without prior permission. Hence, respect the rules.

Carry tanning cream and sun guard lotions

The beached in Kerala are wonderful gateways for tourist. But, the bright ubiquitous sun is ready to give you a perfect tan. Use the sun as you prefer. Get a tan, or get away from it.

Avoid Strangers

Don’t respond to the genial ‘Hello’ of a conman and never catch the eye of professional beggar.

Try out authentic Kerala Cuisine

The spices of Kerala make a lip smacking table. Remember that.

Sail out on a local Fishing Boat

If you want the rural experience, abandon the resort yacht and sail hire a local fisherman to take you out of the seas. May be get a help from your tour operator and he provides you a safe journey.

Coconut Water

The coconuts in Kerala are mind blowing. The sugariness of their water puts sugar syrup to shame. Do not miss it. Click the picture to read my blog on the values of Tender Coconut water.

Drinking water

Carry enough mineral water with you and mineral water bottle will be available in most of the shops in Kerala. Keep yourself hydrated with water and other juices when you are sightseeing. On some days heat in Kerala can be intense and can sap your energy.

Clothes

Put on soft cotton clothing on the beaches. For the hill stations carry light warm clothing as the nights can get chilly. Winter brings cold nights on the Western Ghats.

Houseboats

The best way to explore the Backwaters is on a houseboat. Bargain hard- prices are always jacked up whenever shopkeepers spot a tourist and a foreign tourist at that. So Be Careful to purchase anything in India.

Drugs
Heavy penalties including imprisonment for possession of narcotic drugs.

Ayurveda
You can get Ayurveda Wellness Treatment In Kerala. However go only to those Green Leaf & Olive Leaf classified Ayurveda centres that are approved by the Kerala Tourism Department.

Temple Codes

Some temples do not permit entry to non-Hindus. Strict dress codes are followed in most of the temples. Footwear is banned inside the temple premises.

Nudity
Nudity is not allowed in any Kerala beach.

Smoking
Smoking is banned in public places.

Footwear in Houses

Visitors to most Kerala houses leave their footwear outside before entering the house.

Demonstrativeness in Public

Behaviour, demonstrating affection in public like hugging or kissing is not an accepted practice in Kerala.

Avoid Night Journey

It is not recommended to travel after 7PM as there will be fog on the road and is danger to drive during this time. Try to reach your hotel before 7PM so that you get enough time for relaxing and re-energizing yourself for the next day.

Accommodation 
Plan your trip well in advance. Make your bookings in time and choose a hotel that suits you as well as your budget. As soon as you arrive here, your needs will be taken care of by the hotel you are staying in. Home stays are a good option if you want to experience the traditional Kerala lifestyle. Ask the hotel staff for information about the places you wish to see. Ask for a guide who can show you around.

It is advisable to take the package with breakfast only. If you opt for a package with lunch/dinner you would have already paid for the food and if you are not liking the food from the hotel you do not have any other option than wasting your money

Sightseeing 
You can hire a taxi and be chauffeured around or you can even use public transportation. However, choose public transportation only if you know the place or have a person who can guide you. Most of the places of interest in Kerala do not have expensive entry fees and you won’t have to stand in long queues to get them. The weather is mostly humid, hence it is advisable to have plenty of water with you. 

Shopping 
Largely a consumer state, Kerala has a number of shops selling textiles, gold ornaments and other handicrafts. The mall culture is becoming popular in cities like Cochin, Trivandrum and Thrissur. Traditional Kerala settu mundu and kasavu sarees can be bought at Kasavukada, a brand name in Kerala Sarees. Handicrafts such as mirrors, wooden boats, Chinese fishing net models, elephants made out of wood etc are souvenirs you might want to take back. Khataisons and Surabhi on MG Road, Cochin are outlets that sell such handicrafts. Unlike rest of India, there is very little scope for bargaining. Almost all the shops have fixed prices.

Food 
The cuisine of Kerala has varieties of vegetarian and non-vegetarian delights. The seafood specialities are something you cannot afford to miss. The naadan sadya (traditional feast), an all-vegetarian meal, served on plantain leaves is a favourite among both vegetarians and non-vegetarians. The food is generally spicy but if you are not fond of spices you can try out the various appams (a fluffy pancake made out of fermented rice flour) which go well with vegetable and meat stews that are low on spices. 

Emergency Number

100 is the emergency number to call the nearest police station and 101 is the emergency number for fire station.

Self Drive

If you want to drive a vehicle in Kerala and you are a foreign citizen, carry your international driving license

Tips

People expect tips in Kerala and the usual standard is ten percentage of the service amount. You may have to do tipping in Kerala in taxis, Hotels, cafes, porters, tourist guides, travel assistance and restaurants.

Taxis

You can book the taxis directly from airports at a reasonable rate if you take any prepaid cabs and you can also take rental cars or other vehicles including bicycles. In such cases make sure that you return them on the referred date and time and they don’t take extra charges for unnecessary reasons.

Use Mobile Travels Apps

Get a good smart phone using which you can use any of the best travel android applications that will help you to enjoy more of your holiday with less hassles.

Be Safe in the Beaches

In beaches always listen to the lifeguard and tourist police. The waves may be good for bathing and surfing, but there may be rocks underneath and they could hide a current or a sudden depression.