Munnar

Munnar is a town in the Western Ghats mountain range in India’s Kerala state. A hill station and former resort for the British Raj elite, it's surrounded by rolling hills dotted with tea plantations established in the late 19th century. Eravikulam National Park, a habitat for the endangered mountain goat Nilgiri tahr, is home to the Lakkam Waterfalls, hiking trails and 2,695m-tall Anamudi Peak. The Tea Museum at the Nallathanni Estate presents the region’s history of tea production. Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary is an ecotourism site that protects numerous animal species. Northeast of town, Top Station is a 1,700m-high overlook and trekking site with views over the mountains. Fields of blue Neelakurinji flowers bloom there once every 12 years. En route to Top Station, reservoirs at Mattupetty Dam and Kundala Dam are popular for boating and picnicking. Aside from Lakkam, the region's many picturesque waterfalls include Attukal and Chinnakanal.

Kochi

Kochi (also known as Cochin) is a city in southwest India's coastal Kerala state. It has been a port since 1341, when a flood carved out its harbor and opened it to Arab, Chinese and European merchants. Sites reflecting those influences include Fort Kochi, a settlement with tiled colonial bungalows and diverse houses of worship. Cantilevered Chinese fishing nets, typical of Kochi, have been in use for centuries. St. Francis Church was the original site of Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama’s burial when he died in Kochi in 1524. Santa Cruz Basilica is known for its pastel interior, including an imitation by Fra Antonio Moscheni of Leonardo da Vinci's "The Last Supper." Paradesi Synagogue, founded in 1568, features imported Chinese blue-and-white ceramic floor tiles. The surrounding quarter, once home to a large Jewish community, is now filled with antique shops and old spice warehouses. Mattancherry Palace, built by the Portuguese in the 16th century and later renovated by the Dutch, showcases vivid Hindu murals.

Thiruvananthapuram

Thiruvananthapuram is the capital of the southern Indian state of Kerala. It's distinguished by its British colonial architecture and many art galleries. It’s also home to Kuthira Malika (or Puthen Malika) Palace, adorned with carved horses and displaying collections related to the Travancore royal family, whose regional capital was here from the 18th–20th centuries. Mahatma Gandhi Road is the main boulevard, lined with art and antiques shops, carpet sellers and sari stalls. To the north, the ornate Napier Museum houses ancient Indian carvings, bronzes and natural-history specimens, while Sri Chitra Art Gallery holds miniature Indian paintings and work by lauded artist Raja Ravi Varma (1848–1906). Nearby is Thiruvananthapuram Zoo, home to Bengal tigers, Asian elephants and Indian rhinos. To the south, the giant Dravidian-style Padmanabhaswamy Temple is dedicated to Vishnu, with a 7-tier entrance tower (gopuram). Along the coast are the popular beaches of Shankumugham and Kovalam.

Kerala's climate can be classified roughly into three main categories. From February to May, it is summertime and the climate is generally hot and humid. The southwest monsoons begin in June and continue till the middle of October or the beginning of November. In this season, there is fairly good rainfall without intermission. It is followed by fair weather during December and January. Though, northeast monsoons do being some thunderstorms with rains and linger on till the month of February. However, these spells of rain do not last long but the weather becomes very sultry. In the mountain ranges, there is heavy fog from April.