Kerala is a land drenched in perfumes of native Indian spices allures you into a sun soaked paradise of cardamom, nutmeg, vanilla and cinnamon plantations interspersed with neatly clipped tea bushes and other tropical trees.

The spices of Kerala were exported to faraway lands in the ancient times and are an important industry in modern-day Kerala. Kerala hill tours must definitely include tours to Kerala spice plantations that give you an opportunity to explore a fairy tale land with rows of plantations abuzz with tiny birds and colorful insects.

Spices of Kerala are famous for their distinct taste and flavor. Mostly used as condiments that flavor food, the spices of Kerala have several other uses. Some of these are used for seasoning and garnishing purposes. Others are used for medicinal and cosmetic purposes.

Cardamom, the 'queen of spices', is a rich spice culled from the seeds of a cardamum perennial plant

Cassia is a spice consisting of the aromatic bark of the Cinnamomum cassia plant

Chilli or pepper (Capsicum) is any of a great number of plants of the night shade family

Cinnamon

Cinnamon, a bushy evergreen tree of the laurel family (Lauraceae) is native to Sri Lanka, the Malabar Coast of India, and also Myanmar

Clove

Clove, small, reddish-brown flower bud of the tropical evergreen tree Syzygium aromaticum of the family Myrtaceae, was important in the earliest spice trade

Coriander

Coriander (Coriandrum sativum) is an umbelliferous annual plant of the parsley family

Cumin

Cumin,  a small annual plant of the parsley family, is used as a flavoring agent in many ethnic products

Ginger

Ginger is one of the earliest known oriental spices and is being cultivated in India both as a fresh vegetable and as a dried spice

Kokam

Kokam is an Indian spice specialty, with an agreeable flavor and sweet, acidic taste

Nutmeg

Nutmeg is the seed of an apricot-like fruit of the nutmeg tree and mace is its arillus

Tamarind

Tamarind is semi-evergreen, tropical tree. The portion of the fruit is widely used in the Orient in foods, beverages, and medicines.

Turmeric

Turmeric is a very important spice in India, which produces nearly the whole world's crop and uses 80% of it. 

Vanilla

Vanilla is the fully grown fruit of the orchid Vanilla fragrans. Vanilla is world's most popular flavourant