Kerala Backwater and Village Cycling Tour

All our tours are customizable.

Overview

Experience the enchanting charm of South Kerala on our Coastal Cycling Tour, a journey that promises more than just a typical short holiday. This easy ride along flat backroads offers an immersive exploration of tranquil backwaters, offbeat beaches, and charming fishing villages that will leave you mesmerized.

Our adventure begins in the historic city of Fort Kochi. As you pedal away from the colonial architecture and bustling streets, you’ll make your way to the pristine Marari Beach. Here, immerse yourself in the serene atmosphere of the fishermen’s village and soak in the natural beauty of this unspoiled coastal gem.

Continuing our journey, we head to the backwater haven of Alleppey. Enjoy a stay at a quaint heritage homestay along the lake, where you can experience the traditional hospitality and scenic beauty of this iconic backwater destination.

From Alleppey, we venture to the hidden gem of Munroe Island. Known for its mangrove forests and unique wetland ecosystem, Munroe Island offers a perfect natural getaway. Cycle through this verdant paradise and explore its rich biodiversity and tranquil landscapes.

Our next stop is Varkala Beach, renowned for its stunning cliffs and peaceful countryside. Enjoy the breathtaking views and the serene environment as you ride along the coastal roads to this picturesque location.

Finally, we’ll head to Kovalam Beach, where the scenic beauty of the coastline and the stunning sunset await. Pedal through the coastal roads to reach this renowned beach destination, where you can unwind and take in the vibrant colors of the sunset.

For a detailed itinerary and more information on the local experiences packed throughout the tour, please refer to our trip dossier. Join us for an unforgettable cycling journey through South Kerala’s coastal treasures!

The Route

The tour runs entirely through South Kerala’s lowland and coastal belt, starting in Fort Kochi and following backwaters, village roads, and shoreline routes through Marari, Alleppey, Munroe Island, and Varkala before finishing at Kovalam.

Landscapes & Riding Experience

Riding is predominantly flat, using quiet backroads, canal-side paths, village lanes, and coastal stretches. Daily distances are moderate, designed for unhurried riding with frequent stops rather than long-distance progression or elevation gain.

Village, Backwater & Coastal Life

The focus is on everyday life along Kerala’s waterways and coast. Riders pass fishing harbours, coconut groves, paddy fields, ferry crossings, and residential villages, with time spent in backwater homestays and small coastal towns rather than major inland destinations.

Cultural & Regional Context

The route highlights Kerala’s maritime culture, traditional fishing communities, backwater agriculture, and coastal settlement patterns. Encounters are local and informal, shaped by village routines rather than monument-based sightseeing.

Support, Comfort & Pace

This is a fully guided tour with vehicle support for logistics and transfers where required. Accommodation includes beachside stays and heritage-style backwater homestays. The pace is relaxed, prioritising ease of riding and time off the bike.

Tour Highlights

  • Fort Kochi Streets & Waterfront
    Introductory exploration of a historic port city shaped by maritime trade.
  • Marari Fishing Village
    Cycling through coastal lanes and beachside settlements.
  • Backwaters of Alleppey
    Stay and cycling access along canals and lake edges.
  • Munroe Island Wetlands
    Riding through mangroves and low-lying canal networks.
  • Flat Village Roads of South Kerala
    Easy cycling through coconut groves and residential areas.
  • Varkala Cliff Coast
    Coastal approach riding with elevated sea views.
  • Kovalam Beach Finish
    Tour conclusion along Kerala’s southern shoreline.

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1: Cycling to Marari
Activity: Cycling to Marari Beach, Coir Factory visit, Fishermen Village walk
Hotel: Azure Tides
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Our guide will pick you from Hotel in Kochi, then we start the ride toward the pristine beach destination of Marari. The road will be mostly flat throughout. You will be riding along the patches of wetlands, coastal village of Chellanam, Fishing Harbour of Andhakaranazhi and coconut groves. We will visit coir factory enroute to learn more about coir and coir products made by the locals here. Once, this cottage industry was a prime source of income for the locals, men and women alike. We will ride to a serene beach resort at Marari and settle down. Evening, we can go for a walk in the fishermen village nearby and chit chat with the brave sea warriors. During the 2018 Kerala floods, these good Samaritans were at the forefront to rescue stranded people with their fishing boats. You will wind up the day watching the beautiful sunset at the beach here.
Day 2: Cycling to Champakulam Backwater Village
Activity: Cycling to Champakulam Backwater, Village Walk
Hotel: Kurialacherry
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Leaving the beach, we will pedal through the Alleppey town and visit a traditional temple enroute. The road will again be flat with some high bridges over the backwater canals with the view of houseboats traversing underneath. You will be riding along the paddy fields, fish and duck farms, coconut lagoons and canals to reach Champakulam. Here you will be greeted by the friendly host of the heritage homestay situated right on the banks of Vembanad lake. After lunch, we will go around for a village walk to see the church, toddy shop, vegetable market, local tea shop and meet the delighted villagers or explore the tranquil village on country canoe. You can opt to spend a leisurely day on the famed houseboat instead of the homestay. You can have traditional meals with fresh catch and enjoy the sunset as the reels of the backwaters life unfold before you on the houseboat.
Day 3: Cycling to Munroe Island
Activity: Cycling to Munroe Island & Explore the Island on canoe
Hotel: Munroe Meadows
Meals: Breakfast, Enroute Lunch & Dinner
Leaving the Champakulam village, we will ride towards the hidden gem and secret getaway – the Munroe Island in the Ashtamudi lake. You will ride the flat backroads through agrarian villages, Harippad - the land of temples and many festivals. You can visit the 18th-century Krishnapuram Palace exemplifying the traditional architecture of Kerala. Now, we will change course towards the cluster of 8 backwater islands. Mangrove vegetation, wetlands, narrow intrinsic canals and the tranquil countryside makes this destination truly offbeat in every sense. We will explore the island on foot in the evening and visit the Cashew Nut processing factory.
Day 4: Cycling to Varkala
Activity: Cycling to Varkala, Explore Beach / Leisure
Hotel: Krishnatheeram
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Today, we will ride through the most scenic route of the tour. Riding across the many branches of Ashtamudi Lake, we will head towards Paravur lake. The mangroves of the wetland ecosystem here support a great numbers of birdlife. We will pass along patches of lush green paddy fields, crisscrossing canals and the many agrarian villages. The route also offers view of the lakes and canals converging with the Arabian sea. We will ride further on a narrow strip of coastal land with view of lakes on one side and the sea on other towards the offbeat Kappil and Odayam beaches with its fishermen villages. We will end todays ride at the tranquil Varkala Beach encircled by cliffs and swatches of coconut palms. You can watch the picture perfect sunset and the beach from the hilltop resort.
Day 5: Cycling to Kovalam
Activity: Cycling to Kovalam, Explore Beach / Leisure
Hotel: Neelakanta
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Morning, we will ride towards Thiruvananthapuram, the capital city of Kerala. We will ride through the flat coastal roads via fishermen settlements, small villages, towns and the touristic Veli Beach. We will pass by Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple - one of the sacred and richest temples in South India and Attukal Bhagavathy Temple known for Pongala festival – the largest congregation of Women for a festival in the world. We will end the last day ride at a scenic luxury resort by the famous Kovalam beach. It’s time to for you to relax or sunbathe at the scenic beach, a few steps closer by the resort. The calm and serene beach offers a good chance to go swimming as well.
Day 6: Depart
It’s the time to say Adieu, with fond memories of the Backwater & Fishermen Village Ride. We will be happy to drop you at the Trivandrum International Airport if this is as per your schedule.

Reviews

Mahesh Prajapat

January 6, 2026
I just completed the Kerala back waters 6 day cycle tour and I honestly had the absolute time of my life. The tour was incredibly well organized, the support provided all along the journey could not have been better and every detail of what we needed was provided by Sujith and his team. I am from Canada and travelled a long way to be on this tour and this was easily one of the best adventures of my life as we saw so many different aspects of India and experienced Kerala in such a close and personal way. There is no better way to really get to know a place than to see it on a bicycle journey. Thank you Sujith and the whole Offbeat Pedals team for making our vacation so memorable. I would recommend this tour whole heatedly and hope that I too have the chance to participate on another tour.

Morgan Adolfsen

January 6, 2026
We had a wonderful bicycle ride with Francis. Got to see a lot of places, inside Fort Kochi and more in the beautiful coutryside. We even got to visit som og his relatives, and had som food and drinks there. Lovely. Francis was a very pleasent and fun guy to interact with.

Gallery

Inclusions

  • Accompanying English Speaking Guide
  • Geared Bicycles (Trek / Giant / Cannondale / Scott)
  • Accommodation in Twin Share
  • Snacks, Beverages & Drinking Water
  • Entry Fees at Forest, Monuments, Plantation, Museums etc
  • Transfers in AC vehicle
  • Airport Pickup and Drop
  • Toll, Vehicle Permit, Parking & Government taxes

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