Kerala

Capital district: temples, museums, palaces and the southern beaches.

• SpiritualPadmanabhaswamy TempleDravidian-style temple; strict dress code and limited visitor areas.
• BeachKovalamThree crescent beaches with a lighthouse at the end.
• HillsPonmudiCool hill station with a winding road through tea estates.
• WildlifeNeyyar Wildlife SanctuaryReservoir, lion safari park and crocodile farm.
• OffbeatPoovar IslandOffbeatEstuary meeting the sea; quiet boat rides and golden sand.

Cashew and coir town at the mouth of Ashtamudi Lake.

• NatureAshtamudi LakeEight-armed lake; the quieter backwater alternative to Alappuzha.
• HeritageThangasseryOld Portuguese and Dutch lighthouse quarter by the sea.
• Must-seeJatayu Earth's CenterHuge bird sculpture and hilltop adventure park near Chadayamangalam.
• OffbeatMunroe IslandOffbeatCanal-laced village islands best explored by canoe.

Pilgrim district of Sabarimala, with hills and the Pamba river.

• SpiritualSabarimalaHill shrine of Ayyappa; open in set seasons with online queue booking.
• HeritageAranmulaKnown for Parthasarathy temple, snake boat race and hand-made metal mirrors.
• OffbeatGaviOffbeatForest ecotourism zone with boating and cardamom hills.
• WildlifeKonniElephant training centre and forest-edge walks.

Venice of the East: canals, houseboats and Kuttanad's below-sea-level farms.

• Must-seeAlappuzha backwatersHouseboat or shikara through narrow canals.
• WildlifeKumarakom bird sanctuaryMigratory birds on Vembanad lake edge, best in winter.
• OffbeatMararikulam beachOffbeatUncrowded fishing-village beach with homestays.
• HeritageKrishnapuram PalaceKerala-style palace with a huge mural of Gajendra Moksham.
• OffbeatPathiramanal IslandOffbeatTiny forested islet in Vembanad, reached by boat.

Rubber, rivers, old churches and the backwater hub of Kumarakom.

• NatureKumarakomResort village on Vembanad Lake, with luxury houseboats.
• HillsVagamonRolling pine and grass hills; paragliding in season.
• OffbeatAruvikkuzhi waterfallOffbeatSmall fall near Kottayam town, popular with local families.
• HeritageKottayam ValiyapallySyrian Christian church with stone crosses and old murals.

High-range district of cardamom, tea and giant dams.

• Must-seeMunnarTea country, mist and the Top Station viewpoint.
• WildlifeEravikulam National ParkHome of the Nilgiri tahr; Neelakurinji blooms once in about twelve years.
• NatureIdukki Arch DamSlender arch dam between two granite hills; opens on selected days.
• OffbeatRamakkalmeduOffbeatWindy hilltop with views toward Tamil Nadu and wind turbines.
• HeritageMarayoorDolmens and natural sandalwood forest east of Munnar.

Commercial capital: Kochi's harbour, art and food, plus rural Muziris.

• HeritageFort KochiChinese fishing nets, Dutch Palace and St Francis Church.
• HeritageMattancherryJew Town with antiques, spice warehouses and the Paradesi Synagogue.
• NatureBhoothathankettuDam and legend-linked forest walk in the Periyar valley.
• OffbeatKodanadOffbeatElephant training area on the Periyar and short river rides.
• HeritageMuziris HeritageAncient trading port sites near Kodungallur and North Paravur.

Cultural capital of Kerala, known for temple arts and Thrissur Pooram.

• SpiritualVadakkunnathan TempleAncient Shiva temple at the centre of the city's Pooram festival.
• NatureAthirappilly FallsWidest waterfall in Kerala, with a rainforest lower viewpoint.
• SpiritualGuruvayurFamous Krishna temple and an elephant sanctuary at Punnathur Kotta.
• OffbeatVazhachalOffbeatForest stretch beyond Athirappilly with hornbills and river views.

Grain bowl of Kerala, with the Palakkad Gap, forts and toddy shops.

• HeritagePalakkad Fort18th-century laterite fort built by Hyder Ali.
• WildlifeSilent Valley National ParkPristine rainforest with strict access and guided trails.
• HillsNelliyampathyOrange groves and viewpoints above the Palakkad plains.
• OffbeatKalpathyOffbeatOld Tamil Brahmin agraharam with a river-front temple and chariot festival.
• NatureMalampuzhaLarge reservoir with garden, ropeway and a Yakshi sculpture.

Malabar heartland of Mappila culture, football and old mosques.

• SpiritualThirunavayaBharathapuzha river-bank temple site with traditional rituals.
• WildlifeKadalundi Bird SanctuaryEstuary with mangroves and winter migratory birds.
• OffbeatNedumkayam rainforestOffbeatQuiet rainforest patch near Nilambur with a teak museum nearby.
• HeritageConolly's PlotWorld's oldest teak plantation at Nilambur.

Old spice port, beaches and gateway to Malabar's food.

• BeachKozhikode BeachCity seafront with lighthouse and evening halwa stalls.
• HeritageKappad BeachWhere Vasco da Gama landed in 1498; rocky beach and temple.
• NatureKakkayamDam and forest trek in the Western Ghats foothills.
• OffbeatThusharagiri FallsOffbeatSeries of twin falls in the high forest, reached by a short trek.
• HeritageBeyporeTraditional wooden dhow-building yards.

Rainforest plateau, tribal communities and misty plantations.

• HeritageEdakkal CavesAncient rock engravings inside a split rock; short trek to reach.
• AdventureChembra PeakTrek to a heart-shaped lake; permit via forest department.
• NatureBanasura Sagar DamLargest earth dam in India with island-studded reservoir.
• NaturePookode LakeNatural freshwater lake with boating in a forest pocket.
• OffbeatKuruva IslandOffbeatRiver delta of forested islets; entry tightly controlled.

Home of Theyyam, handlooms, forts and the long Malabar coastline.

• HeritageSt Angelo FortPortuguese fort on a cliff by the Arabian Sea.
• BeachMuzhappilangad Drive-in BeachFour-km hard sand beach where cars can drive on the sand.
• SpiritualParassinikadavu Muthappan TempleTemple with daily Theyyam performances and snake park.
• OffbeatDharmadam IslandOffbeatSmall green islet reachable at low tide near Thalassery.
• OffbeatEzhimalaOffbeatNaval-academy headland with a pretty sand beach nearby.

Northern outpost with forts, Tulu-speaking villages and quiet beaches.

• HeritageBekal FortBiggest fort in Kerala, set on a sea-facing headland.
• SpiritualAnanthapura Lake TempleOnly lake temple in Kerala, with a legendary vegetarian crocodile.
• OffbeatValiyaparamba backwatersOffbeatKayak-friendly backwater maze on the northern border.
• HeritageChandragiri FortSeventeenth-century fort overlooking the Chandragiri river.