High Ranges & Backwaters3 days / 2 nights
Munnar
Colonial Kochi, the misty tea hills of Munnar and a houseboat cruise through the Alleppey backwaters — the soul of Kerala in three unhurried days.
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Arabian Sea coast & the southern tip
Varkala, Kovalam & Kanyakumari — 5-Day Beach Journey
5 days / 4 nights · from €49 per person
Duration5 days / 4 nights
Best seasonNovember – March
Group size2 – 8 travellers
PaceRelaxed
Almost every district in Kerala has a beach, and no two feel alike. This journey strings together the three most loved ones in the south. Varkala is all laterite cliff, mineral springs and temple bells; Kovalam is coconut groves, crescent bays and a lighthouse view over the whole coast; and Kanyakumari, just across the state line, is the spiritual full stop of the subcontinent — the Vivekananda Rock Memorial, the Thiruvalluvar statue and the point where the Arabian Sea, the Bay of Bengal and the Indian Ocean meet. Private air-conditioned car throughout, comfortable hotels and plenty of unhurried beach time in between.
Highlights
- Varkala's laterite cliff, Papanasam Beach and the quiet Kappil and Odayam beaches
- Ponnumthuruthu (Golden Island) and the Anjengo Fort at Anchuthengu
- Kovalam lighthouse at sunset and crescent-bay beach hopping
- An authentic Ayurvedic massage or treatment on the Kovalam coast
- Kanyakumari: Vivekananda Rock Memorial by ferry and the Thiruvalluvar statue
- Fresh catch dinners on the sand, grilled to order
Your route
- PickupTrivandrum airport or railway station
- VarkalaCliff, beaches, temple and Sivagiri Mutt
- Kovalam2 nights — crescent bays, lighthouse, Ayurveda
- Kanyakumari84 km — rock memorial, temples, three seas
- Drop-offTrivandrum airport or railway station
Day by day
- Day 1
Arrival in Varkala
We meet you at the airport or railway station and drive you up the coast to Varkala. Freshen up over a proper Kerala breakfast, then head out. The cliff that lines one side of the beach is Varkala's signature — cafés along the top, mineral springs and Papanasam Beach below. Nearby lie the quieter Kappil Beach, where Kappil Lake meets the Arabian Sea, and Odayam. In the evening, the Janardana Swami temple and Sivagiri Mutt. Overnight in Varkala.
- Day 2
Varkala to Kovalam (57 km · about 1 hr 20 min)
Before leaving, a boat across to Ponnumthuruthu — the Golden Island — a serene stop much loved by birdwatchers, and the Anchuthengu village with its Anjengo Fort. Then drive south to Kovalam, a coastal town within Trivandrum known for crescent-shaped beaches, coconut groves running down to the sand and mossy rocks in the surf. Check in, then beach hop: swim, watch the waves, or try snorkelling and surfing. By late afternoon, climb the lighthouse on the main beach for the view over sea and city. Overnight in Kovalam.
- Day 3
A full day in Kovalam
A slow morning at Halcyon Castle, once a royal residence and now a heritage hotel above the bay. The rest of the day is yours for Kerala's most famous indulgence — an Ayurvedic massage or a longer treatment at a certified centre we trust, with a consultation first. Free time on the sand, and a grilled seafood dinner as the sun goes down. Overnight in Kovalam.
- Day 4
Kanyakumari day trip (84 km · about 2 hrs)
Drive to Kanyakumari, the southern tip of the subcontinent and a place of pilgrimage. Start at the Kanyakumari temple and the stories that surround it, then take the ferry out to the Vivekananda Rock Memorial, where Swami Vivekananda meditated, and see the towering Thiruvalluvar statue alongside it. Sea-shell ornaments are the local souvenir if you want to take something home. Return to Kovalam for the night.
- Day 5
Departure
A last swim or a slow breakfast by the sea, then your driver takes you to Trivandrum airport or the railway station for your onward journey.
What's included
Included
- 4 nights in good air-conditioned hotels: 1 night Varkala, 3 nights Kovalam
- Daily breakfast
- Spacious private air-conditioned car with driver throughout Varkala, Kovalam and Kanyakumari
- Fuel, tolls, parking, insurance and all vehicle-related costs
- English-speaking local guide on sightseeing days
- 24/7 on-the-ground support from our Kerala team
Not included
- International and domestic flights, e-visa fees and travel insurance
- Meals and beverages other than those listed
- Entry and camera fees at temples, monuments and the Vivekananda Rock ferry
- Ayurvedic treatments, spa and water sports
- Personal expenses such as laundry, phone calls and porterage
- Tips and gratuities (always optional)
Gallery
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