Kerala has a reputation for being one of India’s most beautiful and relaxed states – think palm-lined backwaters, quiet beaches, lush hills and some of the best food we’ve eaten. But before we went, we still had a lot of practical questions: when’s the best time to visit, how easy is it to get around, is it safe, and what’s actually different from travelling elsewhere in India?

Many travellers told us that India is magical, but also overwhelming and crazy at times. Zooming rickshaws, traffic noise, heavy crowds and packed trains. Not sure we were ready for the intense, heady-side of India, we researched the south to find a “soft India” trip for our first foray into this beautiful and chaotic country.

We settled on Kerala.