Top 10 Things to Do in Kerala in Your Bucket List This 2025

Visiting a place with your family or friends can be a daunting task when it comes to planning an itinerary for the same and ensuring that every place worth visiting is covered. When you travel and spend a considerable amount on a vacation, everyone expects the trip to be refreshing, insightful and one where you come home with a bunch of stories that will last a lifetime! Kerala is one such place for all mountain lovers with a host of alluring experiences. Right from the conventional tourist spots to some incredible hidden treasures, here are a list of things to do in Kerala that should be on your check list when you travel to Kerala.

Things to do in Kerala

• The Famous Backwaters

The first thing on anyone’s mind when one visits Kerala is the mandatory visit to the esteemed backwaters. And rightly so! The Kerala backwaters being a distinctive feature of this scenic place are a network of canals, extending from one end of Kerala to another. Hiring the traditional houseboat ‘kettuvallam’ for the day is a great way to immerse in the culture. Enjoying freshly cooked food on the houseboat along with a phenomenal view is guaranteed to elevate your Kerala travel experience. One of the top things to do in Kerala.

• Hidden Treasures At Vagamon

A beautiful way to spend your day, while in Kerala, is a visit to this quaint town that is a hill station in Idukki district. Children can very often get restless and an adventurous way to keep their spirits up and the adrenaline going, is to engage in exciting activities during your trip. Vagamon boasts of several activities like trekking, paragliding, mountaineering and rock climbing. A drive down the grass covered hills with cool mountain air for company, this day trip is one of the top things to do in Kerala that is nothing short of heavenly!

• Padmanabhaswamy Temple

Combining the Kerala style and Tamilian style of architecture, this is a temple that is worth visiting for its glorious historical references, festivals and rituals. The shrines are beautifully sculpted and the temple houses a corridor with 365 and one-quarter sculptured granite-stone pillars with elaborate carvings. Apart from the religious significance, this is a temple that is an architectural masterpiece and truly worth visiting when you take a trip to Kerala.

• Visit The Tea & Spice Plantations

Include this in your itinerary of things to do in Kerala and take home fresh tea leaves and spices from the state popularly known as the Land of Spices! Munnar and Wayanad in Kerala are places that are extremely famous for verdant hills and the tea plantations. Elaborate patches of green strewn across mountains will calm your mind and help you relax. There are tours organised that take you inside the plantations to get a feel of Kerala. You can always drive through and enjoy the greenery without opting for the guided tour or simply devote an afternoon to visit the spice plantations at Periyar.

• Soak In The Culture

Another important aspect of visiting an exotic destination is ensuring that you cover everything worthwhile and unique to that place, in order to make the most of your trip. This is one of the most incredible things to do in Kerala for every region in Kerala has something unique and different to offer in terms of cultural nuances. Kathakali is a dance form that is performed in Kerala at the Kerala Kathakali Center. Displaying a fusion of incredible colours, vibrant costumes and elaborate makeup that stands out and does complete justice to the culture and norms of this art, watching a performance at this venue should be on the cards.

• Sunsets At Kovalam Beach

A promising way to escape the trappings of covering a bucket list when travelling to a new destination is to visit a beach and surrender to its tranquillity. The Kovalam beach is one that offers panoramic views of the sunset and peaceful quiet that is amiss in most other areas. Relaxing at a beach with your family is a great way to spend evenings in Kerala! So even as you relax at your resort all day, spend the evenings on the beach and your vacation will prove to be a fulfilling one. Introduce your children to the joys of spending quality time with the family, reading a book by the ocean or simply building castles in the sand. Varkala beach is one that enjoys a cliff setting and an equally phenomenal view.

• Indulge In A Massage

The Ayurvedic massages of Kerala are considered to be one of the best massages and what better way to relax your body and mind than opting for a massage that soothes your senses. Various ayurvedic aromatic oils are massaged into the muscles giving sufficient time for the body to acclimatise to the pressure applied. Hot towel wraps help the body to seep in the oils and reduce the toxins and stress, thereby inducing sleep and offering tremendous relaxation. This is something that needs to be on the checklist of things to do in Kerala.

• Taste Some Toddy

This infamous drink in Kerala is one that has gained immense popularity for being sour and surprisingly strong. The drink is one that is made from the sap of palm trees and is usually served in small shops alongside the road. A local drink that is coconut based, this drink is best enjoyed with the authentic cuisine of Kerala.

• Jungle Safaris In Periyar

The Periyar national park is one that offers numerous activities to choose from, when you visit Kerala. Also known as the Tiger Reserve, this is a wildlife sanctuary where one can spot tigers, elephants and even the Sambar deer or the leopard, if lucky. Boat rides are organised on the Periyar lake for tourists to get a good look at the national park as you sail through in a beautifully shaped boat. Another great inclusion in your list of things to do in Kerala!

• Enjoy A Stay At Mahindra Resorts

A wonderful way to organise your stay and ensure that all your needs are taken care of, is to book a stay with Club Mahindra. The breath-taking views at the resorts and the secluded locations offer an experience that is just the perfect balance you will need while travelling. With the high standards of hospitality, your stay will be comfortable and immensely satisfying as you spend the day by the pool or enjoying the views most resorts boast of! Visiting all the locations mentioned above during the day, organising transport and providing an insight into the culture, cuisine and lifestyle of the place is something that will be handled by Club Mahindra with effortless ease.

Indulge in several activities and experiences on your next stay at our Munnar resort, any of the other Club Mahindra resorts in Kerala. With several things to do in Munnar, and nearby places to visit in Munnar, and other destinations in Kerala, a magical family holiday is assured.