A trip to Kerala is the ultimate experience for anyone who enjoys travelling. Kerala is the land with a thick green canopy of tropical vegetation, peaceful and serene backwaters, beautiful beaches with mesmerizing sunsets, Western Ghats mountain range with pristine tropical forests and numerous rivers and waterfalls. For those who love people and culture, there are several heritage sites and festivals. These seven tips for Kerala trip would make your travel to Kerala a happy and satisfying one.
1. A capable carriable camera
To capture and preserve the lovely sights of Kerala, you need a high end camera which you can easily carry in your pockets or in a belt pouch. So, my first tip for your Kerala trip would be to carry a small but highly capable camera. As a person who had been carrying different types of cameras during my travels, I would advise you against carrying heavy SLR cameras on your trip to Kerala, unless you are a professional photographer. You may find it difficult to protect the SLR from rain, due, humidity and sand and it would be easy to lose it in the crowd. Also, at several places, you may end up paying extra for photography and for taking videos in a apparently professional camera. What I would suggest instead would be to use a small but highly efficient camera some of which which possess features even better than many high end SLR cameras. Due to its diminutive nature you can carry it around taking photographs and videos without anyone taking offence.
2. Cloths for tropical climate.
Except for a few hill stations, the climate in Kerala is hot and humid throughout the year. My second tip for your Kerala trip would be to wear white or light colored cotton cloths which would be ideal to protect you from the sun and bear the climate. Clothing with minimum body exposure would suit for your Kerala trip as it would protect you from mosquitos and insects. For ladies this would protect them from disapproving stares as they are generally expected to dress modestly. Men can travel around wearing any casual comfortable dress. Apart from Indian dresses, it would suit women to wear jeans or leggings with preferably long tops.
Dress for temples
In case you intend to visit temples, many of the traditional ones adhere to strict dress codes. For men a white or light colored mundu is a must and except for a veshti they are not allowed to cover the upper part of the body. For women, Mundu veshti set and saree are the preferred mode of dressing. However most of the temples these days allow women to wear salwar kamiz set though they may sometimes be asked to wear a mundu over it. Western dress is not allowed inside most of the temples.
3. Power bank for charging your mobile
This is an important tip for your Kerala trip. Though less frequent these days, you can expect power outages in Kerala anytime. Power bank is something you would miss dearly at those times. Also, when you are travelling around, you may not find many convenient places to recharge your mobile or camera. A good power bank would come to your rescue al these times. Also keep a power adapter suitable for 220-240 V power supply in Kerala.
4. A lightweight folding Umbrella
Another useful tip for your Kerala trip would be to carry a light folding umbrella. Kerala is a land of abundant rainfall. It get heavy during May to November period. A good folding umbrella would help in avoiding getting drenched. The umbrella would also protect you from scorching sun when it is not raining. A folding umbrella is better than a raincoat as you can conveniently carry it around. You can get one in the local market also.
5. A good eBook reader
During your trip to Kerala, you would find a lot time while waiting in Airports and during travelling from place to place. Also, if you are planning to stay in houseboats to enjoy the famous backwaters of Kerala, you would have lot of time in your hand as these boats are moored between 6 PM to 8:30 AM. You can utilize this time to rekindle your reading habits. A lightweight e-book reader like Amazon Kindle is ideal for this purpose. Kindle will also help you to unwind, when you relax in your cottage or houseboat. Fast Wi-fi facility is available almost every place you stay in Kerala which would help you to download books and fully utilize your Kindle.
6. A sturdy waist pouch or bag
My next tip for Kerala trip would be bring a sturdy waist pouch or bag. Since you would be doing a lot of travelling around Soaking in the lovely sights of Kerala, it would be prudent to carry your identity documents like passport, money and Smartphone with you at all times. A good pouch, which you can attach to your waist or belt, would be ideal for this . You can select a pouch would have space even for a camera like Sony RX100. You can misplace a handbag but a waist pouch will cling to you always.
Click on following links for useful information and tips if you are planning to visit following temples.
What is Special About Airavateshwara Temple in Kumbakonam?
Guruvayur Temple Dress Code and Special Darshan Information
Tanjavur Brihadeshwara Temple Dress code and other information
Kerala Temple Dress Code and Traditional Rituals
