It?s that time of the year again, when the schools have reopened and the holiday crowds have abated. And hotels and resorts still have slashed rates to woo the off-season traveller. Last week, we looked at what the resorts in Goa had on offer. This week, we move further down the coast to Kerala.

There is a lot that the state offers ? even in the rains ? from the pristine beaches at Kovalam to the famous backwaters at Kumarakom and Alleppey to the wildlife sanctuary at Periyar-Thekkady to hill stations like Munnar. And if you can bask in these delights on some great deals, why not? The monsoon holiday packages range right from the upscale Taj group of hotels to the government-run Kerala Tourism Development Corporation (KTDC).

There?s even a package from the Casino group at the famous Coconut Lagoon and Spice Village. Located on the shores of Lake Vembanadu in the backwaters of Kumarakom, Coconut Lagoon is cited among the world?s top 10 heritage resorts with its individual cottages designed in traditional Kerala style. The resort, which can only be reached by boat, has 14 mansions and 28 bungalows.

In the peak season, double room rates start at Rs 10,810 a night plus a 25 per cent tax. In the monsoon, the Casino group has a seven-nights, eight-days package for Rs 21,500 per person on a twin-sharing basis plus 15 per cent tax. The charge is Rs 9,500 for children aged between five and 12. Apart from one compulsory night at Hotel Casino at Cochin, you can divide the rest of the days between Coconut Lagoon, Spice Village at Thekkady and the Marari Beach at Alleppey. The package includes meals plus inter-city transfers. Be warned though: the group gives no refunds for cancellations in peak season but off-peak, they just might consider giving you a credit if you cancel 10 days in advance.

Or you may want to opt for the Taj group?s five-night and seven-night plan-your-own-holiday packages. Choose between the Taj Malabar at Cochin, the Taj Residency at Ernakulam, the Taj Garden Retreats at Thekkady, Kumarakom, Varkala and Madurai, and the Taj Green Cove Resort at Kovalam. The cost: Rs 36,000 a couple for the five-night stay with Rs 6,000 for a child between five and 12 years and Rs 7,500 for an extra adult in the room. For seven nights, it?s Rs 46,000 a couple with Rs 8,000 for a child and Rs 10,200 for an extra adult. One child below 12 can have a complimentary stay. All charges include taxes.

The package includes breakfast and a meal credit of Rs 1,000 per couple per night. For kids, the meal credit is Rs 350 per night. It also includes inter-city transfers in an AC car and sightseeing. There is no refund if you cancel within 14 days of check-in but refunds are available for cancellations prior to that.

The five-night and seven-night Taj packages are also available at a Rs 18,400 and Rs 23,400 a couple respectively. But this is minus food credits, transfers and sightseeing. Only breakfast is included.

The Taj group is also offering three and four-night packages at Rs 11,000 a person and Rs 11,700 a couple. For the former, choose any combination between the Taj Malabar and the Taj Garden Retreat at Kumarakom. The four-night package is split into one night each at Kumarakom and Varkala with two nights at Thekkady. These packages include breakfast only. Transfers and sightseeing cost extra. But two kids below 12 can share their parents? room with extra bed and breakfast on the house.

The Intersight group also has packages in tie-ups with the Taj group and with KTDC. Take the seven-nights, eight-days package with KTDC, which includes one night each at Cochin, Thekkady and Kumarakom and two nights each at Munnar and Kovalam. Two variants are available with deluxe and ?moddrate? hotels. The former include prime KTDC properties like the Bolgatty Palace hotel at Cochin, Tea County at Munnar, Aranya Niwas or Cardamom County at Thekkady, Waterscapes Backwater Resort at Kumarakom, and Udaya Samudra at Kovalam. This is priced at Rs 14,999 per person on a twin-sharing basis with Rs 7,999 for a child above five or extra adult. The ?moderate? hotels version is available at Rs 9,555 per person on a twin-sharing basis. The package includes breakfast and inter-city transfers in a non-AC car. You may have to forfeit a day?s tariff if you cancel 10 days before check-in, though.

In tandem with the Taj, Intersight has a six-night, seven-day package that covers two nights each at Kumarakom and Munnar, and one night each at Thekkady and Cochin. This will cost Rs 16,666 per person on a twin-sharing basis. It includes breakfast and inter-city transfers in an AC car. But unlike the other packages, which are valid till September, this one is only available till August 31.

KTDC, with some of the best-located properties in the state, has packages ranging from five-nights-six-days to seven-nights-eight-days. The five-nights (one at Cochin and two each at Munnar and Kumarakom) costs Rs 14,911 per head on a twin-sharing basis with Rs 10,255 for an extra adult. And if you?re in a group of four to six and share a Qualis to travel, your per head cost comes down to Rs 12,645.

The seven-night package has two variants ? one covers Cochin-Munnar-Thekkady-Kumarakom while the other includes Kovalam-Alleppey (houseboat)-Kumarakom-Thekkady-Munnar-Cochin. Both cost around Rs19,600-Rs 19,800 per person on a twin-sharing basis. If you?re in a group of four to six sharing a Qualis, the cost can come down to Rs 17,500 per head. The KTDC packages include meals, sightseeing and inter-city transfers in non-AC cars.

You can shop around for packages offered by local tour operators too. For instance, Trident, a travel agency in Mumbai, has a five-night package covering Cochin, Munnar, a one-night stay in a houseboat in Alleppey and one night at a resort in Alleppey that costs Rs 18,000 a couple (including breakfast and inter-city transfers).

While the Taj hotel packages are inclusive of all taxes, you have to pay 4.08 per cent tax to travel agents for packages booked through them.

Don?t let the rains dampen your spirits then ? especially if you don?t have school schedules dictating your holiday time. Go for it ? God?s own country is waiting for you.