Help Me Pack for My Trip to Kerala Next Week

Your bags are out. Your tickets are booked. Kerala is a week away. And you are standing there wondering whether to pack one suitcase or two, whether you actually need a raincoat, and why nobody told you earlier that Munnar evenings are cold.

We get this a lot at Japji Travel. People call us right before their trip asking the same things. And the honest answer is that what you pack for Kerala really depends on three things: where you are going within Kerala, what time of year you are traveling, and what kind of traveler you are.

You’ll find everything you need here, as this is a practical, focused issue aimed at people who are leaving here within days. There is no unnecessary information. The guide includes only the essential items to bring with you, items that are unnecessary to pack, and those that can be purchased upon arrival.

First Things First: What Is Kerala Like Right Now in February?

If you are traveling in February, you are catching Kerala at one of its best stretches. The monsoon is long gone. The skies are clear, the backwaters are calm, and the hill stations are crisp and green. Coastal Kerala sits around 28 to 33 degrees Celsius during the day. Once you head up to Munnar or Wayanad in the evenings, it can drop to 10 or 12 degrees, which feels genuinely chilly if you are not expecting it.

What this means practically: you will not need to have an extensive amount of rain gear at all. You don’t need a big coat, but one level of warmth is advised for the hills. Being on the coast and on boat rides requires the wearing of sunscreen at all times.

Traveling in a different month? Jump to the seasonal packing table near the end of this guide for adjustments.

Clothing: The Core Rule Is Light, Modest, and Multi-Purpose

Kerala is warm and it is culturally traditional outside of beach resort areas. Your clothes need to work for both the climate and the setting. You will be visiting temples, eating in local restaurants, walking through village markets, and spending time on houseboats. Dressing modestly is not just polite; it genuinely makes your experience smoother.

Here is what we recommend packing:

• Three to four lightweight cotton kurtas or linen shirts: These work for temples, restaurants, boat rides, and general sightseeing. They breathe well and dry fast if you wash them in your room.
• Two to three pairs of lightweight cotton trousers or salwar pants: Avoid denim. Jeans are heavy, take forever to dry in humidity, and feel uncomfortable in the heat after a few hours of walking.
• One to two pairs of shorts or capris: Fine for beaches and resorts, but carry a scarf or shawl to layer when you move from the beach to town.
• One light shawl or stole: Women will need this for temple entries. Men can use it as a light layer on boat evenings or as a makeshift towel. It takes up almost no space.
• One light fleece or full-sleeve sweater: This is for Munnar, Wayanad, or Thekkady evenings. People consistently underestimate how cold the hills get after sunset in February. Do not skip this.
• Comfortable sleepwear: Especially important if you are staying on a houseboat, where you want to feel relaxed without sitting around in your day clothes.
• One set of swimwear: Most Kerala beaches have changing facilities. One is enough.

What NOT to pack: Heavy jeans, formal blazers, thick woolens, and anything that takes a long time to dry. You will not need them and they will eat your luggage allowance.

Footwear: Three Types Is All You Need

Kerala temples require you to remove your shoes. Most houseboats do too. Traditional restaurants and many homestays follow the same practice. This means you will be slipping your footwear on and off constantly throughout the day, which makes complicated buckles and laces genuinely annoying.

• A good pair of walking sandals with easy on-off closures. These will be your workhorse. Buckle style or Velcro works best. Make sure they have decent grip for wet boat decks.
• Flip-flops or slippers. For beach days, poolside, and moving around your hotel or houseboat.
• One pair of closed-toe shoes. Only needed if you are trekking in Munnar, visiting Periyar Wildlife Reserve, or doing any forest trail walking.

Our Kerala team’s honest tip: Humidity combined with walking means your feet will sweat more than usual. Bring moisture-wicking socks for your closed shoes, and let your sandals dry fully each night before repacking them.

For complete travel guidance, destinations, and local tips, visit our detailed guide on Kerala Tourism for the latest information.

Health and Toiletries: What to Bring and What to Buy There

The good news is that Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram, and most major towns in Kerala have well-stocked pharmacies and supermarkets. You do not need to pack full-size bottles of everything. The items below are the ones you either cannot easily find locally or genuinely should not travel without.

Things You Must Carry

• SPF 50 sunscreen. Reapply every couple of hours, especially during boat rides where the sun reflects off the water and catches people completely off guard. Kerala’s tropical sun is stronger than it looks.
• Mosquito repellent. Non-negotiable for houseboat stays, wildlife reserves, and any evening dining in forested or rural areas. DEET-based formulas work best in Kerala’s environment.
• Antihistamine tablets. Kerala food is genuinely spicy. Even dishes labeled as mild can be quite intense if your palate is not used to it. Having antihistamines on hand is also useful for insect bites and dust.
• Oral rehydration salts or electrolyte sachets. Staying properly hydrated in tropical heat is harder than you expect, especially on full-day sightseeing itineraries. These make a real difference.
• Motion sickness tablets. If Munnar is on your plan, take these seriously. The road up has more than 60 hairpin bends. People who thought they were fine in the past have been caught out.
• Your personal prescription medicines plus a copy of your prescription.
• Basic first aid: plasters, antiseptic cream, and a general pain reliever.
• Hand sanitizer. Useful on boat rides and village walks where soap access can be inconsistent.
• Lip balm with SPF. One of the most commonly forgotten things and consistently regretted after a day on the water.

Things You Can Easily Buy in Kerala

Shampoo, conditioner, body wash, basic moisturizer, toothpaste, deodorant, and most over-the-counter medicines are all widely available. Do not waste luggage space bringing full bottles of these from home.

Book our 5 Days Kerala honeymoon tour package.

Electronics and Gadgets

• Your phone and charger: India uses round three-pin plugs. Most hotels provide them, but carry a travel adapter if you are coming from abroad.
• A portable power bank: A portable power bank is essential for long houseboat days or safaris where you can’t recharge your devices. With a 20,000 mAh, you could easily power up a device for an entire 24 hours!
• Camera or a phone with good low-light capability: Kerala at dusk on the backwaters is one of those scenes that rewards a decent camera. The golden hour light on the water is extraordinary.
• Waterproof phone pouch: For houseboat rides, beach days, and any boat trips. Do not rely on your pocket.
• Universal travel adapter if you are an international traveler.

Optional but worth it: A small Bluetooth speaker for houseboat evenings. Floating on the backwaters with some good music and a Kerala seafood dinner is one of those travel memories that stays with you.

Travel Documents: Do Not Board Without These

• Government-issued photo ID: Aadhaar, Passport, or Driving License
• Flight or train tickets, printed or downloaded offline
• Hotel and tour booking confirmations
• Travel insurance documents
• An emergency contact list written on paper, not just saved on your phone
• If you have booked a car rental with us: your driving license and booking reference number

Tip: Save our support number in your phone before you travel. Our on-ground team is available seven days a week for any last-minute changes, road queries, or unexpected situations.

Packing by Kerala Experience: What to Add Based on Your Plans

Most Kerala trips combine a few different experiences. Here is what to layer in depending on what is on your itinerary.

Houseboat Stay in Alleppey or Kumarakom

• Light slippers or flip-flops for use onboard. Most houseboats ask you to remove outdoor shoes at the entrance.
• Thin cotton nightwear for relaxing on deck in the evenings.
• Extra mosquito repellent. Evenings on the water bring out the insects, particularly closer to shore.
• A good book or downloaded material will help you pass the time on your houseboat. Some (or all) houseboats do not have Wi-Fi, so this is all part of the experience!
• If you like to go birdwatching, bring binoculars; you’ll be able to see kingfishers, cormorants, herons, and egrets in the backwaters of Alleppey.

Hill Stations: Munnar, Wayanad, or Thekkady

• A light fleece or sweater. February evenings in Munnar can drop to 10 degrees. People who skip this always wish they had not.
• Full-length trousers for forest walks and wildlife reserve visits.
• Closed-toe shoes or light trekking shoes for trail walks.
• Neutral, earthy-coloured clothing if you are doing a wildlife safari. Bright reds and whites can startle animals.
• Binoculars for Periyar Wildlife Reserve. Spotting elephants and deer through good binoculars is a completely different experience.

Beach Days at Kovalam, Varkala, or Marari

• A rash guard or swim shirt if you burn easily. The coastal sun in Kerala is intense, especially between 11am and 3pm.
• A large beach towel. Budget guesthouses and many homestays do not provide beach towels.
• Waterproof sandals for rocky beach entries, particularly at Varkala where the approach to the beach involves steps and uneven terrain.
• A dry bag or waterproof pouch for your phone and cash when you are near the water.

Ayurveda or Wellness Retreat

• Loose, comfortable clothing for between treatment sessions. You will spend a lot of time in treatment robes, but easy layers to slip on help.
• A journal. Ayurvedic retreats in Kerala genuinely create a different headspace. Having somewhere to write is worth it.
• Minimal makeup and perfume. Ayurvedic practitioners often ask you to avoid these in the lead-up to treatments.

If you are planning a solo trip, check our complete Kerala solo travel guide for safe places to stay, local transport tips, and must-visit attractions across the state.

What to Buy in Kerala: Leave Space in Your Bag

This is the section most packing guides skip entirely, and it is one of the most useful things we can tell you. Kerala is a genuinely excellent place to shop for certain things. Leave half your suitcase free and bring it home full.

• Thekkady is home to many spices in their markets. Among these, cardamom, black pepper, turmeric, cinnamon and cloves are available directly from the source for a fraction of what you would pay at home. Furthermore, the quality difference is significant.
• Coconut oil as well as ayurvedic products are sold by legitimate ayurvedic brands from Kerala in local pharmacies and health stores at a much lower price than they can be purchased online or at airports.
• Kerala cashews. Buy them vacuum-packed for easy transport. The roasted and salted cashews from Kerala are among the best you will have anywhere.
• Kasavu sarees and handloom fabric. If you or someone you know wears them, Kochi’s Connemara Market and Government Handloom stores are the right places to buy.
• Wooden handicrafts and carvings. If you have checked luggage space, the craft markets in Fort Kochi have beautiful pieces.

What NOT to Pack: Save the Space

• Formal or business clothing. You simply will not need it.
• Heavy jeans. Swap them for linen or cotton trousers.
• More than three pairs of shoes. One sandal, one flip-flop, one closed shoe is genuinely enough.
• Large bottles of toiletries. Buy them in Kerala.
• Thick woolens or a heavy winter coat. A light fleece handles everything Kerala’s cool evenings throw at you.
• Disposable plastic bags and bottles. Kerala has a strong environmental culture particularly in coastal and backwater areas. Carry a reusable bottle and bags.

Packing by Traveler Type

Families Traveling with Kids

Add children’s mosquito repellent (DEET-free versions are available), child-specific sunscreen, extra ORS sachets, motion sickness medicine suitable for children, and a lightweight carrier for toddlers if you are visiting heritage sites with uneven ground.

Solo Women Travelers

Kerala ranks consistently among India’s safest states for solo women travelers. Standard precautions apply: keep photocopies of your ID separate from the originals, buy a local SIM with data at Kochi or Trivandrum airport, share your daily itinerary with someone back home, and stay in accommodations with reasonable reviews. A door stopper travel alarm is a small addition that adds peace of mind in budget guesthouses.

Photography-Focused Travelers

Make sure to bring additional memory cards and an appropriate sensor cleaning kit, and incorporate a golden-hour approach into your daily routine. The sunrises over the backwaters of Alleppey and the sunsets at the Chinese Fishing Nets at Fort Kochi are two images that are routinely discussed amongst photographers for years after taking them. Neutral density filters will also be very beneficial to use while photographing in Kerala’s bright coastal light.

Active and Trekking Travelers

Add moisture-wicking base layers, trekking poles for Munnar trails, trail shoes with decent grip, and energy bars or gels for long forest hikes. The Eravikulam National Park and the Chembra Peak trail in Wayanad are the most popular trekking routes.

Your Last-Minute Checklist for the Week Before You Leave

Three to Four Days Before

• Confirm all hotel, transport, and tour bookings
• Check the weather forecast for each destination on your route
• Sort travel insurance if you have not already
• Pick up any medications you need: motion sickness, antihistamines, ORS
• Charge all devices and power banks fully
• Notify your bank about international travel if applicable

The Night Before

• Download all booking confirmations for offline access
• Pack all liquids in a one-litre clear zip-lock bag for cabin baggage
• Check your airline’s current luggage weight limits
• Write down the Japji Travel support number and your hotel address in a notebook
• Set two alarms

Seasonal Packing Quick Reference

Planning Your Kerala Trip

Getting your packing sorted is one thing. Having the right travel plan underneath it is what makes the trip work.

If you are still putting together your Kerala itinerary, figuring out how to move between destinations, or want someone to handle the logistics so you can simply show up and enjoy it, that is exactly what we do at Japji Travel.

We offer Kerala car rentals with experienced local drivers who know the hill roads, the backwater villages, and the scenic routes that most travelers miss. We put together custom Kerala tour packages from five-day short trips to twelve-day itineraries that cover the backwaters, hill stations, wildlife reserves, and beaches. Additionally, we also handle houseboat bookings in Alleppey and Kumarakom and give accommodation recommendations across all budgets.

Reach out before your trip. Even if you just have questions about what to expect on the ground, our team is happy to help.

Frequently Asked Questions