Fourteen ways in
Start with a district,
not a top ten.
District boundaries in Kerala mark real differences: rainfall, food, festival calendars and how long it takes to get anywhere. Use them as your first filter.
Thiruvananthapuram
തിരുവനന്തപുരം
The capital, the coast and the road south
Kollam
കൊല്ലം
Cashew country and the gateway to Ashtamudi
Pathanamthitta
പത്തനംതിട്ട
Forest, ritual and the pilgrim road
Alappuzha
ആലപ്പുഴ
The backwater capital
Kottayam
കോട്ടയം
Rubber, letters and the eastern shore of Vembanad
Idukki
ഇടുക്കി
Tea, mist and the high Western Ghats
Ernakulam
എറണാകുളം
The port city and its islands
Thrissur
തൃശ്ശൂർ
The cultural capital, with waterfalls at its edge
Palakkad
പാലക്കാട്
The gap in the Ghats
Malappuram
മലപ്പുറം
Rivers, teak and the road to the hills
Kozhikode
കോഴിക്കോട്
The spice coast
Wayanad
വയനാട്
Coffee, caves and high green plateaus
Kannur
കണ്ണൂർ
Theyyam country
Kasaragod
കാസർഗോഡ്
Forts, theyyam and the far north