By plane
There are three international airports in Kerala - at Kozhikode, Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram. These airports have several carriers operating from Singapore, Colombo, Male and the Middle-east. Kerala can also be reached through the major air-transport hubs in India like Chennai, Bangalore and Mumbai. Sometimes this would be cheaper than flying directly to airports in Kerala.

By train
Indian Railways operates several trains to and from (and within) Kerala. Trains into Kerala start from all the neighboring states like Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, etc. Log on to the Indian Railways booking site to book tickets online or you can walk up to any railway station to book tickets between any two destinations in India. Be aware that trains are a very popular method of transport. Almost all trains in Kerala originate or terminate in Thiruvananthapuram and are usually heavily booked. Buy your tickets as early as possible.

By bus
Both private and government buses operate between neighboring states of Kerala. It is advisable to take the bus journey by night so that you can escape the heat of the day.

Get around
Trains, buses and taxis provide the easiest way to get around in Kerala. Trains are ideal for long distance travel. The taxis are good, but are expensive for short distances. A cheaper vehicle to move around for short distances (within cities etc.) is the autorickshaw. Do negotiate the travel tariffs before you get into a taxi.

Buses services are good short trips within Kerala. Both government and private buses ply between and within cities. Buses within cities are generally crowded and if you are to travel in them please ensure your belongings (esp. wallet, passport etc.) are kept safe, as pickpockets are not rare.

Kerala cuisine is never complete without seafood and coconut. Almost every dish will have coconut paste in it. The oil used for cooking is generally coconut oil. Unlike the rest of India, beef is also popular in Kerala. It is always best to stick to seafood as it is been rated as one of the best. One of the favorites for any connoisseur of food would be the “sadhya” served especially during festive occasions in plantain leaves.


Sadhya
It can have up to 24 dishes served in it. The usual dishes are “olan” ( a pumpkin dish), “avial” (an assorted mix of all vegetables) , “injipulee” (ginger & tamarind dish), “kaalan” (dish made of yam and yogurt), “thoran” (deep fried beans sprinkled with grated coconut), “sambar” (a mixed vegetable curry) etc. “Payasam” is a sweet dish made of jaggery or sugar along with rice, cereals, fruits etc. served towards the end of the sadya.

Kerala cuisine varies with the regions. The southernmost parts serve the richest sadya, the real traditional one. Mid-Kerala cuisine is rich with its non-veg additions. In Northern Kerala cuisine, you can see the influence of Arabian cuisine. Seafood is available all over. In regions like Alleppey, Cherthala etc., one can easily get fishes of inland water bodies which include Karimeen, Prawn, Shrimps, Kanava[Squid], and many other delicacies combined with other food stuffs like Kappa[Tapioca] etc.

Drink
Water is usually safe to drink, but mineral water is available at almost all shops and is the safest bet. Fruit juices, tender coconut water, coffee and tea are available in even the smallest towns.
Alcohol - Kerala leads in per capita alcohol consumption in India, despite the high rate of government taxation. Youll find a bar in many hotels serving anything from Kallu (toddy) to Scotch Whisky. Alcohol consumption in public is frowned upon.

Kerala is one of the first states in India to pioneer the concept of “Home-stay” to make it a successful industry providing a much-needed source of extra income to locals. Under this Home-stay concept, you get to stay with a family, which can also assist travelers with their travel and other requirements. Your accommodation and food is taken care of at a nominal cost. You will in all probability be staying with a family whose members are well versed in English or at the least can speak decent English. All the people offering home stays are vetted by the Government and will have to register themselves as such.

Budget
Rs. 400 (nearly 10USD) and Rs 800 (20 USD) are magic numbers when you are looking for low budget Non-AC and AC rooms respectively. Most budget hotels in Kerala will have rooms available in this tariff range. You could expect basic facilities with a bed, T.V and an attached toilet. There could also be an attached restaurant catering mostly South Indian Cuisine.

For a more comfortable stay, you need to shell out above 800 Indian Rupees (20 USD) for a Non AC room. A cosy air-conditioned room can cost Rs. 1500 (around 40USD). This category would be available in many 3 star hotels. You can expect to have more spacious rooms, English speaking assistants, Airport/Railway Station pick-up and drop-back.

Five Star hotels in India dont come cheap. If you were willing to stay in these hotels, most of them would throw in a guided tour or a packaged tour as a compliment. Most Five star hotels provide attached kitchenette and if you are sick of Indian food, this is an option. However be prepared to shell out more than 300 US$(The five star hotels usually have their tariff in US$ so its easy on the eye. i.e $300 looks better then 10000 INR)

Kerala is one of the places where several religions exist in great harmony. Visits to religious shrines are necessary to understand the depth of cultural influences in the State.

Hindu Temples
In some Hindu temples non-Hindus are not allowed enter the shrines. Non-Hindus should confirm this even before they enter temples (you may ask people staying around the temple). Many temples are happy to let you in as long as the usual rules of the temple are observed. You are also expected to take off your footwear outside the temple. Usually, there are no locker facilities and therefore, cheap footwear should be worn when you go visiting temples. There is a dress code for male visitors to temples - at many places inside a temple, the dress code is traditional “mundu / veshti” without a shirt. In certain temples, mundu may not be compulsory, but the shirt will be to be removed before entering. The best way is to watch what the other fellow-visitors / pilgrims are doing and follow the same rules. You may seek their assistance, if you wish to. Photography inside the temple is a strictly prohibited. For females, any decent dress without any indecent exposure is allowed. It would be ideal for women to wear the traditional Indian dress – the saree / salwar kameez / churidar etc. Women wearing shirts and trousers may not be allowed entry to temples. There are also exceptions to these rules. Hence, it would be ideal to enquire about the temple customs even before you attempt entering a temple.

In Muslim mosques, women have some restrictions.

In Christian churches, usually males should be at left side of aisle and females on right side.

The Synagogue at Kochi is not open to non -Jews on Saturdays.