When is Onam this year?

Typically August or September, with the main day set by the Malayalam calendar. Confirm the exact dates for your travel year. (confirmed on enquiry)

Is Onam a religious festival?

It has religious roots (associated with the legendary King Mahabali) but is widely celebrated across communities in Kerala as a cultural harvest festival, regardless of faith.

Can tourists watch the snake-boat races?

Yes — the Alleppey Nehru Trophy race in particular draws large numbers of visitors, and seating/viewing areas are set up along the race course.

Festival

Last updated: 1 September 2026

Onam

Onam is Kerala's major harvest festival, a ten-day celebration in the Malayalam calendar month of Chingam, which typically places it in August or September. It features pookalam flower-carpet displays, snake-boat races on the backwaters, and the elaborate Onam sadya vegetarian feast, and is as much a cultural and secular celebration in Kerala as a religious one.

By Experience My India Editorial Team

Destination specialists and licensed local guides

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Onam runs over ten days, with households creating pookalam — intricate flower carpets at the entrance — and a highlight on the main day of Thiruvonam. The vallam kali (snake-boat races) on the backwaters, particularly the Nehru Trophy race at Alleppey, and the multi-course Onam sadya feast served on a banana leaf are the festival's best-known features for visitors.

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Aisha Al Mansoori
Dubai, UAE · Group · Verified trip
4/51 week ago
Really good. The early start was tough but paid off in empty courtyards and cool air. One of the stops on the itinerary was swapped without warning, though the replacement was arguably better.
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Wei Ling Tan
Singapore · Solo · Verified trip
5/51 month ago
Timing was spot on — we hit the fort in the soft morning light and were back at the hotel before the afternoon heat became unbearable. Clearly a team that has done this many, many times.
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Rupam Das
Agartala, Tripura · Solo · Verified trip
5/51 month ago
Our guide grew up in the old town and it showed. We got the version of the city locals see, not the coach-tour one. He also found us a wonderful sweet shop that has ruined all other sweets for me.
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Subhalaxmi Mohanty
Bhubaneswar, Odisha · Couple · Verified trip
5/52 months ago
Perfect balance of monuments and everyday life — a spice market, a morning at a ghat, then the big sights in the afternoon light. Our guide read the group well and adjusted the pace.
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Part of Festivals & Events

Onam

Experiences around Onam

Onam in Kerala

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