At a glanceThree nights on a tea estate in the hills of Munnar, three on the backwaters around Vembanad Lake with one night on a private houseboat, then four slow nights on the red cliffs of Varkala above the Arabian Sea. A driver takes you between stops. It suits couples who want nature, Ayurveda and food over glitz. Go from November to February.
Kerala, on India's southwest coast, is the gentlest way to honeymoon in India. It is green, relaxed and famous for its food, with spice gardens, coconut palms and a long tradition of Ayurveda. Distances are short enough that a driver can take you from mountains to lakes to sea in a week and a half.
This route starts in Munnar, high in the Western Ghats, where tea estates cover the hills in neat green rows. Three nights on an estate give you cool mornings, sunrise viewpoints and walks through the tea.
Next you drive down to the backwaters, a maze of lakes, canals and rice fields around Vembanad Lake. You spend two nights at a lakeside resort in Kumarakom and one aboard a private houseboat, drifting past villages as your crew cooks fish curry on board.
The last four nights are in Varkala, where hotels and cafes sit along red laterite cliffs above the Arabian Sea. It is the slow stretch: Ayurvedic massages, swims at the beach below and sunset dinners on the cliff.
The route
- MunnarIndia · 3 nights
- Kerala BackwatersIndia · 3 nights
- VarkalaIndia · 4 nights
- Best months
- November to February
- Trip length
- 11 days
- Budget
- About $150–600 a night for two in estate hotels, lake resorts and boutique cliff hotels; private houseboats priced separately (approximate)
Day by day
Days 1–3: Munnar
Land at Cochin International Airport (COK), usually via a Gulf hub such as Dubai, Doha or Abu Dhabi. Your driver takes you up to Munnar, about four hours on winding mountain roads through forest and plantations. Take motion sickness tablets before you set off and aim to arrive before dark. Check into your estate hotel and rest by the fire.
On day 2, take a private walk through a tea estate with a guide, then visit the KDHP Tea Museum for a tasting. In the afternoon, drive to Top Station for valley views toward Tamil Nadu.
On day 3, leave before dawn by jeep for sunrise at Kolukkumalai, among some of the highest tea gardens in the world. Watching the clouds pour through the valley below as the sun comes up is the romantic moment of Munnar. Later, look for Nilgiri tahr, a rare mountain goat, at Eravikulam National Park, which usually closes for a couple of months from February.
Days 4–6: The Kerala Backwaters
Drive down to Kumarakom on the shore of Vembanad Lake on day 4, about four to five hours. Check into a lakeside resort and take a sunset boat ride on the lake.
On day 5, walk the Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary early, then book a couples Ayurvedic treatment. In the afternoon, take a canoe through the narrow village canals, past children walking to school and women washing clothes at the water's edge. Have karimeen, the local pearl spot fish, for dinner.
On day 6, board a private houseboat for the night. Your crew cooks lunch and dinner on board as you drift through palm-lined channels and rice paddies below the water level. Ask the operator to avoid the busiest main channels. Watching the sun set from the deck, then sleeping on the water under a sky full of stars, is the romantic moment of the backwaters.
Days 7–10: Varkala
Leave the houseboat in the morning on day 7 and drive south to Varkala, about three to four hours. Check into a hotel on the cliff or among the palms at Odayam or Kappil and walk down to the beach for a first swim.
On day 8, take a sunrise yoga class by the sea, then book an Ayurvedic massage for two. In the evening, walk the North Cliff path and choose a fish from the day's catch for dinner at a cliff-top restaurant.
On day 9, kayak the backwater lagoon at Kappil, where the lake meets the sea, then spend a lazy afternoon at Papanasam Beach below the cliff. In the evening, watch a Kathakali performance, the painted dance drama of Kerala.
Keep day 10 completely free. Make it your splurge with a long spa session and a private dinner. Watching the sun drop into the Arabian Sea from the cliff edge is the romantic moment of the trip.
Day 11: Home from Trivandrum
Drive from Varkala to Trivandrum International Airport (TRV), about one to one and a half hours. There are no nonstop flights from the US to Kerala. Most couples connect through Dubai, Doha or Abu Dhabi, or through a larger Indian city such as Mumbai or Delhi.
If your flight leaves late, ask for a day room at your hotel and spend the morning at the beach. A night in a Gulf city on the way home breaks up the journey.
Getting Between Stops
Hire a car with a driver for the whole trip. It is the normal way to travel in Kerala and costs less than in most countries. Your hotels or a tour operator can arrange one.
Cochin Airport to Munnar takes about four hours. Munnar to Kumarakom takes about four to five hours. The backwaters to Varkala take about three to four hours, depending on where the houseboat drops you. Varkala to Trivandrum Airport takes one to one and a half hours.
The Munnar roads are narrow and full of bends, so take something for motion sickness and avoid driving after dark. On the backwaters, resorts have their own boats. In Varkala, the cliff path is best on foot, with auto-rickshaws for short trips.
Where to Stay
In Munnar, stay on an estate outside the crowded town. Windermere Estate has cottages and villas among cardamom and coffee with long valley views. Blanket Hotel near the Attukad waterfalls has rooms facing the falls and a spa. Ask about heating, since nights can be cold.
On the backwaters, Kumarakom has the most polished resorts. Kumarakom Lake Resort is known for its heritage villas and winding pool. Coconut Lagoon, reached only by boat, uses restored old Kerala houses. Taj Kumarakom Resort occupies a colonial-era property on the lake. For the houseboat, book a private air-conditioned boat through a reputable operator or your resort.
In Varkala, the North Cliff is lively, the South Cliff quieter. For peace, look at boutique hotels and Ayurveda resorts toward Odayam, Edava or Kappil.
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When to Go
November to February is the best window for all three stops. Munnar is cool and clear, with chilly nights in December and January. The backwaters are warm and dry with soft light. Varkala has sunny days and a calm, swimmable sea.
March is still good on the coast but hot and humid on the backwaters. Eravikulam National Park usually closes for the Nilgiri tahr calving season from February. April and May are hot.
The southwest monsoon arrives in early June and brings heavy rain into September. Views in Munnar disappear into cloud, the sea at Varkala turns rough and many cliff restaurants close. Ayurvedic practitioners consider the monsoon ideal for treatments, so wellness-focused couples sometimes choose it anyway.
Budget and Booking
Plan on roughly $150–350 a night for two at good Munnar estate hotels, $250–600 at the top Kumarakom resorts and $100–350 in Varkala's boutique hotels. A private houseboat with meals often costs a few hundred dollars a night for two, more for luxury boats. All figures are approximate.
Book the backwater resort and houseboat first, since the best ones fill for Christmas and New Year, then Munnar and Varkala.
Other costs include the car and driver, guides, the Kolukkumalai jeep, park fees at Eravikulam, Ayurvedic treatments, Kathakali tickets and tips for your driver and houseboat crew. Kerala food is excellent and inexpensive, so meals out cost little.
Make It Shorter or Longer
For eight days, drop Varkala. Spend three nights in Munnar and four on the backwaters, then fly home from Kochi. Add a beach afternoon at Marari, near Alappuzha.
With two weeks, start with two nights in Fort Kochi for its Chinese fishing nets, colonial streets and spice warehouses, which also breaks the long first day. Or add two nights at Thekkady between Munnar and the backwaters for spice gardens and boat trips at Periyar Tiger Reserve.
Couples who want a true island finish can fly from Trivandrum or Kochi to the Maldives or on to Sri Lanka. Keep Varkala or the islands at the end, so the trip finishes slowly.
Honeymoon Tips
Kerala is conservative away from the beach. Both of you should cover shoulders and knees in towns and at temples, where shoes come off at the entrance. Some Hindu temples, including the Janardanaswamy temple at Varkala, admit only Hindus to their inner areas. Swimwear is fine on Varkala's beaches but cover up on the cliff path.
Swim only between the lifeguard flags at Varkala, since currents can be strong. The cliff path has no railings in places and is very dark at night, so carry a flashlight.
Drink bottled or filtered water and ease into spicy food. Dengue occurs in Kerala, so use repellent at dawn and dusk. If you're pregnant or hoping to be soon, check CDC travel health notices before booking. Entry and visa rules depend on your citizenship and can change at short notice, so check the official government website before you book.
FAQPlanning this trip
Is a houseboat night romantic or just touristy?
It can be very romantic if you book well. Choose a private air-conditioned boat from a reputable operator and ask it to avoid the busiest channels. Your crew cooks fresh meals and you drift past villages and rice fields at walking pace. One night is plenty for most couples.
How long is the drive to Munnar?
About four hours from Cochin International Airport (COK), on winding mountain roads through forest and plantations. Take motion sickness tablets before you start and plan to arrive before dark. If you land late, spend your first night near Kochi and drive up the next morning.
Can we swim at Varkala?
Yes, from about November to March, when the sea is usually calm enough. Swim at Papanasam Beach below the cliff and stay between the lifeguard flags, since currents can be strong. From June to September, the monsoon makes the sea rough and swimming is often banned.
Do we need an Ayurveda package?
No. Single treatments, such as an oil massage for two, are easy to book at resorts in Kumarakom and Varkala. Multi-day Ayurveda programs need a longer stay at a dedicated resort and include consultations, set meals and daily treatments. Choose a place with qualified doctors and good recent reviews.
When is the best time for a Kerala honeymoon?
November to February, when the hills are clear, the backwaters are dry and Varkala's sea is calm. December and January are busiest, so book early. Avoid the monsoon from June to September unless Ayurveda is your main reason for going.
