Kerala Coastal Ride: Kovalam to Bekal
“God's Own Country at 80kmph.”
Arjun Menon
@arjunrides
“Coastal highway NH66 — the most scenic road in South India. 600km of coconut trees, fishing villages, spice markets and backwaters on a Royal Enfield.”
Kovalam → Varkala (90km)
Lighthouse Beach, Kovalam
Start early — 6am before the tourist buses arrive. The lighthouse is open till 5pm (₹25 entry) and the views over the entire cape are extraordinary.
Varkala Cliff
Laterite cliffs dropping straight into the Arabian Sea. The cafes on the cliff edge serve the same food as Kerala beaches but the setting is 10x better.
✦ Creator's tip
Check in at Taj Homestay near the North Cliff. ₹900/night, the owner Suresh knows every fisherman in Varkala and can arrange a 5am boat trip.
Sodhi's Beach Restaurant
Pick your fish from the ice box outside and pay ₹100 per kg cooking charge. Get the calamari in coconut masala.
Varkala → Alleppey (110km)
Ambalapuzha Sri Krishna Temple
Famous for its paal payasam (rice pudding prasad) — it's genuinely the best sweet I've had in Kerala. Free. Open 5am–7pm.
Alleppey Backwaters
Rent a small punted ketuvallam (not the motor-houseboats) for 2hrs — ₹800 total. You get deeper into the smaller canals where the big boats can't go.
✦ Creator's tip
The sunrise on the backwaters at 6am, with fishermen casting nets, is an image that doesn't exist on Instagram. Because you need to be there for it.
Finishing Point, Alleppey
Best karimeen pollichathu (pearl spot fish in banana leaf) in Alleppey. The fish thali for ₹180 is a complete meal.
Alleppey → Kochi (60km)
Fort Kochi Chinese Fishing Nets
14th-century cantilever nets, still in use every morning. Buy the fish they catch right off the net (₹250/kg) and walk it to the fry shops behind — ₹50 cooking charge.
Mattancherry Palace (Dutch Palace)
The Kerala murals inside are some of the finest in South India. Completely overlooked by tourists who go to Fort Kochi's cafes instead. ₹5 entry.
Kashi Art Cafe
Colonial-era building with art gallery + cafe. The breakfast here — toast, eggs, and filter coffee — is a Fort Kochi institution.
Kochi → Kozhikode (215km)
Thrissur (Quick stop)
The cultural capital of Kerala. Vadakkunnathan Temple and the art deco Shopanam arts complex. 45 minute stop max.
Kozhikode Beach
Sunset here is underrated. The beach is long, uncrowded, and the evening snack culture (banana fritters, kozhukatta) on the promenade is peak Kerala.
Paragon Restaurant
The most famous biryani in Kozhikode. Thalassery biryani uses jeerakasala rice, not basmati — lighter, more fragrant. Get there before 1pm; it sells out.
✦ Creator's tip
They don't take reservations. Go 30 minutes before opening and you'll get a table. It's worth it.
Kozhikode → Bekal Fort (130km)
Bekal Fort
The largest fort in Kerala at the edge of a headland over the Arabian Sea. Come at sunset — the keyhole window framing the sea is one of the most photographed shots in Kerala.
Kappil Beach Backwaters
Where a lagoon meets the sea at Kappil — you can swim in the calm backwater side and then walk 50m to the waves. Uniquely Kerala.
Kasaragod Bus Stand
Take the overnight sleeper bus back to Bangalore or board the Mangala Express train to Mumbai if the ride ends here.
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