The Spice Bowl of India: Kerala, a Soft Landing for Solo Women

Why Kerala is the perfect destination for first-time visitors to India

by Mariellen Ward

India may have a reputation as a challenging travel destination for first-time visitors, but there’s one region that is known as a soft landing. Kerala, in tropical south India, is famous for welcoming visitors with warmth and gentleness.

Kerala is known in India as “God’s Own Country.” The state boasts incredible geographical diversity that makes it a fascinating place to visit, plus it offers visitors a unique culture and cuisine. Perhaps most important of all, the people of Kerala are very warm and friendly. All in all, Kerala makes for the perfect destination for first-time visitors to India.

Kerala is one of two states that occupy the southern tip of the subcontinent. (The other is Tamil Nadu.) There is a very long coastline on the western side of the state, bordering the Arabian Sea, that is lined with beautiful beaches such as Marari, Chowara, and Kappad and well-known beach towns such as Varkala and Kovalam.

In fact, this is the reason we designed the Remarkable Kerala Women-only Tour (March 2 – 13, 2025), to celebrate the 30th anniversary of JourneyWoman. Join us for the trip of a lifetime. We will be visiting many of the places mentioned in this article – including Cochin, Thekkady, Munnar, the backwaters, and beautiful Marari Beach – and staying in the most gorgeous and sustainable resorts in the state. I will be leading the tour and holding a special evening on March 8 to honour JourneyWoman and International Women’s Day.