The Marvel called Kerala!

The capital of Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram, also known as Trivandrum, is a popular tourist destination in Kerala. It is famous for Padmanabha Swamy Temple, which is one of the 108 shrines sacred to the Vaishnavites in India. People with Hindu religion only are allowed inside the temple. Other popular attractions in Trivandrum are Napier Museum, Chitra Art Gallery and the Observatory. The city is also known for being the home to the famous ancient martial art form called Kalarippayattu. Pampering oneself at the Ayur Heath Centre and Ayurveda College is a must indulgence while in Thiruvananthapuram.

Kovalam, located at a distance of about 11 km from Trivandrum is also well-known for its charming beach. Kanyakumari, one of the most fascinating tourist destinations in India, is a popular excursion from Kovalam. Renowned for its breathtaking sunset and sunrise views, this seaside town is located around 90 km from Kovalam and can be accessed in 3 hrs through roadway. Enriched with fantastic and attractive appeal of sea shores, Kanyakumari houses many tourist attractions.

Kochi, also known as Cochin is a famous port city of Kerala, popular for its beaches and monumental heritage. Visit the Fort Kochi Beach, as it is one of the very few places in the country where one can see the traditional Chinese fishing nets. Another place of interest in Kochi is St. Francis Church, one of the oldest churches built in India by Europeans. Just 5 km away from Kochi is Mattancherry, with many tourist attractions. Some of the major places of tourist interest at Mattancherry include Jewish Synagogue, Dutch Palace, Jew Town & Spice Market. These attractions are a must see for those visiting Kochi for short period of time or a day.

Alleppey is one of the most famous tourist destination in Kerala, known for its backwaters. Popular for houseboat cruising, the city also houses Shree Krishna Temple as an important attraction. The best time to visit the city is during the month of August, when the most famous snake boat race is held here. Spend a day at the houseboat to experience the beautiful backwaters of Alleppey.

Located around 40 km from Alleppey (1 hr journey), Kumarakom is one of the paradisiacal destinations of Kerala, that is made from an assemblage of small islands near the Vembanad Lake. Besides fishing, tourists can visit the famous Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary to get a glimpse of various unique migratory birds and Bay Island Driftwood Museum.

Among all the hill stations in Kerala, Munnar is the most visited one. Famous for its verdant tea gardens, the main attractions here includes churches, tea estates, waterfalls, dams and the Eravikulam National Park. Tourists are advised not to miss Elephant Safari at the wildlife parks and shopping for tea and spices from the local shops.

Tourist visiting Munnar for more than two days can also plan for a trip to Marayoor. Marayoor, at a distance of around 42 km from Munnar is well-known for its Sandalwood forests; with Sandalwood Factory being the prime attraction of the place. Other attractions that can be visited in Marayoor also include Rajiv Gandhi Children’s Park, Muniyara Caves and Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary.

The home to the world popular Periyar National Park, Thekkady is a fast growing tourist destination in Kerala. Thekkady is around 165 km from Kochi and 100 km from Munnar. Besides the famous Periyar National Park, the place has many other attractions like the Tribal Heritage Museum and Mangaladevi Temple, which is also gaining immense popularity. Tourists are advised not to miss the Elephant safari held inside the national park. A 1nt stay at Thekkady is recommended for travellers
Thekkady offers diverse attractions like wildlife sanctuary, hill station & spice plantation. Periyar Wildlife sanctuary is one of the best in the country for watching and photographing wild life. Notable among the denizens of sanctuary are Tiger, Wild Elephant, Sambar Deer, Wild Bison, Wild Boar, Malabar Gaint Squirrel, Nilgiri Langur, Hornbill, Woodpecker, Kingfisher, Otter...etc.

Athirapally is the land of rivers and forests and great waterfalls!The destination houses the largest waterfall in Kerala, the Athirapally waterfall,a major tourist attraction. This patch in Sholayar ranges so beautifully intertwined with lush green forest cover and sizzling silver cascades and located central to Cochin and River Nila(Bharathapuzha),is a treat for the eyes during the monsoon.Swollen Chalakkudy river, Charpa, Vazhachal and Athirapally are ideal places where the monsoon is to be enjoyed.

Local communities along the Chalakudy river banded together to stop the construction of a hydroelectric dam upstream from Athirapally Waterfall. The proposed dam would have submerged more than 140 hectares of forest, dried up extensive riparian areas downstream and destroyed Athirapally Waterfall, one of several scenic waterfalls important to the local tourism industry.The dam also would have destroyed the critical habitat of many important species, including the rare Cochin Forest Cane Turtle, the endangered Great Indian Hornbill, the Lion-Tailed Macaque and the Nilgiri Langur.

Idukki is one of the most nature rich districts of kerala. The cool and humid climate of the region is a blessing to various forest types and vegetations. the main forest types in the sanctuary includes tropical evergreen forests, semi-evergreen forests, most deciduous forest, hill shoals and grasslands. These forest types provide the rarest species of flora having medicinal values. Evergreen forests are composed of mainly Dipterocarpus – Palanquin, calophylla associations and the semi-evergreen forests include the tree species like Bisola javanica, Artocarpus hirsuta, Lagerstroemia microcarpa etc. The common species in moist deciduous forest are Tectona grandis, lecocarpus marsupium, Terminalia paniculata , Tabellaria etc.

Idukki wildlife sanctuary a nest of steep mountains and valley, is one of the prominent tourist attraction in Idukki district of Kerala. Located about 40 Km. from Thodupuzha. Idukki is a landlocked destination rich in vast varieties of flora and fauna. This sanctuary extends over Thodupuzha and Udumbanchola taluks of the district spreading over an area of 105 Sq. Km.

Located in the Cardamom Hills, Kumily is a beautiful town in Idukki District of Kerala. Situated at a distance of approximately six km from Thekkady, the place serves as the trading centre of spices. The destination is known for its strategic location in the middle of other regions in southern India.

It is a famous tourist place, which attracts large number of travellers, owing to its natural beauty and rustic appeal of its markets. Apart from the markets, Periyar Wildlife and Tiger Sanctuary and Abraham's Spice Garden are the two most prominent attractions of Kumily. For adventure lovers, Kumily is one of the ideal locations for trekking. In addition to trekking, tourists visiting the destination can also enjoy boat cruises.
Apart from the traditional handloom of Kerala, many antique items are also on display that includes traditional lamps, kitchenware, household utensils, handcrafted items like rosewood and sandalwood sculptures, batiks etc are find many takers at the Kumily market.

Spread across the beauty of Periyar Tiger Reserve, Gavi is a quiet, beautiful and pristine forest haven. It is at the eastern extreme of the Pathanamthitta District at 3400 ft above MSL. These evergreen forests are abundant with magnificent Wildlife including the tiger, elephants, leopards, bears, Indian gaur, sambar, barking & Mouse deers, lion tailed macaque, other varieties of monkeys, Nilgiri Marten and a lot more.

For the nature explorers Gavi offers the complete acquaintance with the flora around including Nageia Wallichinia (Podocarpus Wallichinia), a highly endemic species of the Gymnosperm family seen only around Gavi in the whole Western Ghats !If you are a birder, the forests around Gavi are home to over 320 species of birds –the great Indian hornbills, sunbirds, woodpeckers, kingfishers and myriads of mynas, dongos, cuckoos and bulbuls-truly any birder’s dream!The sheer beauty of this place is indeed worth a closer look ! Here is nature at its unadulterated best. Gavi often serves as a base camp for deep jungle trekkers, birdwatchers, nature lovers, research students and the like.

A mere one and a half hour’s road journey separates the beaches of Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum) from the invigorating climate of Ponmudi Hills. The name Ponmudi, a hill station so close to the sea, in Malayalam means golden crown.

On the way to Ponmudi, the thick tropical forest greets one at the foot of the Ponmudi hill range. The road passes under a canopy of thickly matted foliage. The forest recedes gradually giving way to neatly clipped tea bushes. As one leaves the city behind, one enters the region of plantations - rubber, pepper, cardamom and tea. The change is abrupt. The tappers can be seen going about briskly gathering the milky fluid from rubber trees collected in coconut shells. Coconut thatch mats cover almost one half of the road, over which women spread black pepper for drying. One may come across a lone elephant ambling along carrying his mahout atop and his breakfast of coconut thatch in his trunk.
Trekking to the north of Ponmudi Crest, one passes along a mini zoo, primarily of barasinghas, on the edge of the forest. Entering the forest, the verdant shades of green numb the senses, as does the avian orchestra.