10 days in Kerala with kids for New Year's Eve 2025

What a pleasure to be back on this forum after all these years... Well, we're clearly far from the days of backpacking solo and without any ties! Today, I'm well "tied down," with two adorable little anchors aged 3 and 5 1/2 at my feet 😄 But here we are, we’ve finally decided to take the plunge and head back on an adventure, backpacks on... as a family this time!

Oh, that rings a bell 🤔

good evening Celine, namaskaram! I just wrote you a long message from my phone, and it all disappeared... Having lived 21 years in Fort Kochi and in Wayanad, I’ll reply from my computer tomorrow. Tears in my eyes from nostalgia... good night and see you tomorrow.

aaaaahhhhh damn technology..... Even though I couldn't read your reply, I already want to thank you for taking the time to write [:)] And even more if you try to enlighten me again.... Over 20 years of life experience there must be incredible!

Hi there! Looks like there’s a festival in Cochin during the last week of December and the first week of January—so it spans two weeks. I’m interested and planning to go. If you’re there too, we could join in together if you’d like!

Hello! Our itinerary still isn’t set [:(] We might end up avoiding crowds with the little ones... Since one of our kids gets a bit stressed if there are too many people, we’re thinking we probably don’t want to traumatize her by putting her in an "Indian crowd" This new "kid" factor is tricky to factor in for us

Hi Celine, and sorry for my long silence. But here’s what I’d suggest.

With young kids, I’d still soak up the festive vibe, but before New Year’s Eve. In Fort Kochi, there are lights and Santas everywhere, plus a huge Christmas tree that’s truly magical. There aren’t too many people between Christmas and the 31st, and there are plenty of little alleys to wander without traffic. If I were you, I’d try to escape on the morning of the 31st to avoid the crazy crowds! On the 31st, Fort Kochi gets packed with tens of thousands of people celebrating the end of the year and watching Papaji burn! On January 1st, there’s still a crowd for the Kochi Carnival.

You’ve picked Marari Beach, which has always been my favorite beach... but I think you could head there on the morning of the 31st and spend a much quieter New Year’s Eve!

The houseboat cruises in Alleppey will also be pretty crowded. There are cruises organized from Fort Kochi, including a bus transfer to Vaikom, where the cruise is really nice and more peaceful!

It’s important to book your accommodations as soon as possible, since you’ll be traveling during peak season!

If you need contacts or have other questions, don’t hesitate.

Have a great day, Monique

Thanks for your feedback, Monique—it really helps! It matches what a friend who’s an ER doctor told me. She traveled around the area quite a bit a few years ago… She said: “Do you really want to risk losing the kids in the crowd or seeing them get trampled? Do you really want to traumatize them for life?” … Okay, she might have a point. I’m not just a solo backpacker anymore… I’m a responsible adult I’ll spare you the other “recommendations/orders” I’ve gotten about vaccines, mosquitoes, accommodations… the whole program! So, I think we’ll listen to you, play it safe, and settle in quietly in Kochi when we arrive, then leave the city before New Year’s Eve. We’re thinking of heading to Marari Beach. If it’s your favorite beach, that reassures me a bit! Because, to be honest, some recent reviews had made me doubt… Several people said it’s become way too touristy and much less pleasant than before. Otherwise, do you know Munroe Island? I’ve read a lot of traveler accounts saying that, even if there’s “not much to do,” they would’ve loved to stay longer just for the vibe. My husband actually suggested we go there at the end of the trip, when we start getting a bit tired of the crowds and hustle. And now, thanks to you, I’ll have to look for an alternative for that famous backwaters cruise—preferably outside Alleppey… Your message confirms that Alleppey has turned into a real river highway, and that’s not really my thing. I’d spotted “Lake and Lagoons” as a solid option, but I’ll have to dig deeper elsewhere 😅 Anyway, we really need to get moving on booking! You’ve confirmed what I was afraid of: at this time of year, things fill up fast, and we’re in trouble… Oh, and a silly question, but I think I already know the answer… Trying to see elephants or tigers in a reserve with young kids—mission impossible, right? I feel like it’ll just waste our time for not much in return… And finally (yes, I’m overdoing it!), if you have any contacts for nice hotels, accommodations, spots not to miss, or great tips of any kind… I’d love to hear them! Thanks again for your insights and invaluable help! 😊

namaskaram! well, I just burst out laughing at that: ": “Do you really want to risk losing the kids in the crowd or seeing them get run over? Do you really want to traumatize them for life?” for mosquitoes, get "Odomos spray"—it’s really effective for the whole family! Apply it to exposed skin and on clothing. We used it for my granddaughter when she visited Fort Kochi at 6 to 10 weeks old! vaccines: none needed! elephants: you can go watch the elephant baths. Back in the day, I was the only one taking travelers there, but now it’s become a very popular (and paid) attraction. Still, with your kids, I think it’d be a great experience, whereas going to a reserve is far and you’re not even sure you’ll see elephants. Otherwise, a lovely day trip with monkey encounters would be Athirappally Falls (one of my favorite places in the world!) I’ve never been to Monroe Island. Either way, it’s peak season everywhere, but you’re going to love it—and so will your kids!

ODOMOS cream ordered! Thanks for the great tip! Apparently, this stuff is a real magic potion (the internet confirms what you’re saying 🧙‍♂️). And honestly, when I see how I get eaten alive by mosquitoes even in France, even though I slather myself in Insect Ecran Tropical… I’m definitely open to trying something else! I’ll just need to check if there’s a spray version for clothes too—if you’ve got a lead, I’ll take it! Thanks also for the advice about the waterfall and the monkeys. I’d spotted it, but I wasn’t sure it was worth the detour… Well, I’ll take a closer look then 😊. And the elephant bath sounds tempting too! (If it’s in a respectful setting, of course—I’ll dig a little to see what’s available.) Thanks again for all your feedback, really 🤗. It’s super helpful for sorting things out, adjusting, and especially taking the stress out of all this logistical mess 😅.

PS: My friend thinks I’m totally capable of dragging the kids right into the middle of the crowd burning the Pappanji… She knows the little demons I’ve got at home all too well 😆.

As for vaccines, she’s advising Hepatitis A. According to her, the kids are still too young to handle a nasty local bacteria without ending up out of commission for several days. Like she says (I’m quoting): "You parents, if you get sick, it’s no big deal, it’s well-deserved. But them, at their age, they don’t have the same immunity! And they didn’t ask for this!"

And then she also told me about the famous ceiling fans in Kochi… Apparently, they’re gorgeous. She spent two whole days staring at them, lying in bed, unable to move—thanks to a run-in with a local bacteria. And since she’s nice, her friend took over for the next two days, just so those poor fans wouldn’t go unwatched 😆.

Oh wow... cool down! Hahaha, the local bacteria, vaccines—no need, really! Fort Kochi is in India, okay, but it’s far from medieval India! As I already explained, my granddaughters came at 6 weeks and 3 years old! Odomos spray is available everywhere in India—no need to buy it in advance! To stay healthy, just drink enough water! Nothing simpler! For anything else you’d like to sort out, give me a little extra time, and I’ll send you a private message (I avoid doing ads online) with the details of what I suggested.

Hello wanderer, You’ve lived in Kerala for a long time, right? I lived in Madras and Chennai for 20 years. We’re more or less used to the illnesses there. But tourists catch them easily. It’s best to get vaccinated so you don’t regret it later. Mosquitoes can smell fresh blood based on what we eat. In Kerala and Coimbatore, you can easily contract dengue from mosquitoes. As we all know, there’s no treatment for it. This is from experience. It doesn’t mean it’s inevitable, though. Fans don’t do much against mosquitoes—they can still move around. The best option is an air-conditioned room; they don’t like the cold.

hello and thanks for your message

"I lived 20 years in Madras and Chennai." oh, tell me the difference between these cities :D

"We more or less get used to illnesses." you don’t get used to illnesses—you can get used to a lifestyle, an environment, the neighbor’s humor, but not illnesses!

"But tourists catch them easily." tourists/travelers can stay vigilant and, above all, adapt to the climate, which forces you to drink a lot, avoiding iced and overly sweet drinks. To rehydrate and get minerals in Kerala (land of the coconut), you drink coconut water.

"It’s better to get vaccines so you don’t regret it later." I don’t regret never having gotten vaccines since I was 15 (I’m now 73!) without ever getting sick, neither in India nor elsewhere.

Opinions and points of view differ just like travelers and tourists do. I was lucky to meet many travelers/tourists in 21 years in Kerala—what a chance! Among them, I knew someone who caught chikungunya off the beaten path!

"Mosquitoes can smell new blood based on what we eat." oh, so mosquitoes are "new blood" hunters... hungry, they wait for tourist season?

"In Kerala and Coimbatore, you easily contract dengue from mosquitoes. As we all know, there’s no treatment for it. That’s from experience. It doesn’t mean it’s inevitable. Fans don’t do much against mosquitoes—they still manage to move around. The best is an air-conditioned room; they don’t like the cold." Coimbatore is a city in Tamil Nadu, and Kerala is a state on India’s western coast. Dengue fever, like chikungunya, is transmitted by mosquitoes. This year, there have been many cases in Europe too! But not all mosquitoes are infected, and it’s enough to close room windows after 4 PM and protect yourself with Odomos spray....

I meant Madras and Pondicherry*

Type "mosquitoes go for blood rich in protein. You’ll get it."