Kovalam Beach
: World famous Indian beach since 1930 where foreign and
domestic tourists throng.The Kovalam beach is situated
16 Km, south of Trivandrum city. This post-card tropical
beach, bordered by blue waters and lush coconut gardens,
once was a haunt of hippies from European countries.
"Kovalam" means a grove of coconut trees. The crescent-shaped
beach has three parts. The southern most beach, and the
most popular, is light house beach. It offers an amazing
sight of Vizhinjam mosque. The northern Samudra is a laidback
one and time seems,to stand still here. The middle, hawah,
in the early day, is a beehive of activities with fishermen
setting out for sea. With a high rock promontory and a
calm bay of blue waters, this beach paradise creates a
unique aquarelle on moonlit nights.
Cherai Beach
: This lovely beach near Kochi, bordering Vypeen island
. . A typical Kerala village with paddy fields and coconut
groves nearby is an added attraction of this beach.It
is one of the best beaches in India. On account of its
natural location,azure water and favorable climate make
Cherai a favourite year-round spot for swimming. Sea,
here, is pacific and shallow where you can take a dip
in the saline waters.It affords facilities for safe sea
bath Landlubbers will get lifeguards' service.The clean
white sandy beach will arouse a temptation irresistible;to
lie in idle on the sands and tan the body. Dolphins are
occasionally seen here . The main attraction at cherai
is water - a large inland lake, separated from the ocean
by only a narrow sandbar.It separates the lagoon from
the sea. For a few rupees, a family can drift about in
a pedal-boat or a row boat. . While skimming over the
lake, visitors will see the local fishermen readying their
boats, working on their nets.
Backwaters
: Backwaters : Kerala's backwaters and lagoons stretch
over 1900 km. Kerala lives along these backwaters. They
snake over the state physique, bestowing paddy fields
with good harvests, and provide the whole village with
drinking water and other facilities.The backwaters refer
to the large inland lakes of Kerala.Today these backwaters
act as vital water ways for the transport of people and
produce. They are often the only link between remote,
isolated villages and crowded town pockets. It's an incredible
experience to float on these soothing waters in a country
craft to absorb this unusual representation of Kerala.
When you first encounter the backwaters they look unreal:
slow flowing watery highways meandering between palm-hung
banks. Clearly, the best way to encounter these water
lands is to hire a houseboat.
House boat
: Gliding along the calm and serene backwaters flanked
by green leaves and palms, seeing a rural Kerala preserved
through the ages and completely hidden from the road is
an enchanting experience to any visitor.
Today, widely and appropriately called houseboats, they
carry furnished bedrooms, modern toilets, cozy living
rooms, a kitchen and even a balcony for angling. It is
astonishingly romantic to watch the sunset from one kettuvallam
among several, while the boatmen hang lanterns and a pearly
glow fades behind the scrim of palms."Waking at dawn,
we find ourselves surrounded by hundreds of fishermens
skiffs on water. Its like time travel into a quiet morning
of another century."
Alleppey (Alappuzha)
: Alappuzha is famous for its boat races, houseboats,
coir products, fish and lakes. Alappuzha is interlocked
with a large number of canals and bridges.This water locked
district has immense untapped potential for backwater
tourism, preserved through the ages and completely hidden
from the road is an enchanting experience to any visitor.
Gliding along the calm and serene backwaters flanked by
green leaves and palms seeing a rural more so while sailing
a slow-moving, spacious Kettuvallam.
The sweeping network of canals, honey-combing the town
of Alleppey (Alappuzha) has earned for the place its sobriquet
- "The Venice of the East.". Do not miss out
on a ride into Kuttanad through shimmering, green paddy
fields and tail-wagging, head-bobbing groups of ducks.
The coir-workers too present an interesting sight as they
soak coconut fibre in pools, beat them out and weave the
tough brown strands into long ropes on spindles stretched
between endless coconut trees.
Kumarakom
: The village of Kumarakom is a cluster of little islands
on the Vembanad Lake. The lake, an enchanting picnic spot
and a fast developing back water tourism destination,
and its small water world is part of the Kuttanad region.
A 14 acre bird sanctuary is situated on the eastern banks
of the Vembanad Lake. The sanctuary adds to the natural
beauty of Kumarakom. Birds (waterfowl, water ducks, cuckoos,
wild ducks etc.) nest and spend happy summers here. Birds
like Siberian Storks migrate here every year and is an
ornithologist's paradise.
Thekkady (Periyar)
: The pride of Kerela and a testimony to nature's splendor
and human innovation, the Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary is
situated on the banks of the Periyar lake - an artificial
lake, at Thekkady. The drive to Thekkady itself as enchanting
as the road winds the high ranges.The Western Ghats are
clothed in dense evergreen, moist deciduous forests and
savannah grass lands. Below this thick green canopy roam
herds of elephants, sambars, tigers, gaurs, lion tailed
macaques and Nilgiri langurs.
Kochi (Cochin)
: The eventful history of this city began when a major
flood in AD 1341 threw open the estuary at Kochi, till
then a land locked region, turning it into one of the
finest natural harbours in the world. Cochin is the oldest
European settlement in India,recording a history of visitors
who came, saw and stayed for hundreds of years. Layered
impressions - Chinese, Arab, Jewish, British, French and
Portuguese, are contained within its environment.
The commercial capital of Kerala and the most cosmopolitan
of the state's cities,Cochin has long been eulogised in
tourist literature as the “ Queen of the Arabian
Sea” with ferry rides commanding its breathtaking
view. Cruise around man-made islands with lush green lawns
sloping down to the water's edge. Giant Chinese fishing
nets that billow from massive teak and bamboo poles dot
the entrance to the harbour. Silhouetted against the setting
sun, they present a magnificent sight at the waterfront.
Munnar Hills
: The nature-lover’s paradise, one of the most popular
hill stations in India is situated at the confluence of
three mountain streams - Mudrapuzha, Nallathanni and Kundala.
Located at 1600 m above sea level, this was once the summer
resort of the erstwhile British Government in South India.
Panoramic views of low-flying clouds and mist filled valleys
make it a pretty little heaven with a cool bracing climate.
It was opened up out of virgin forests a century ago by
pioneering planters. Sprawling tea plantations, it offers
the best opportunity you are ever likely to have to see
the tea plantations, to watch tea being picked, to learn
how tea is processed, to smell the sweet scent of tea
wafting through the air and to buy the tea directly from
the gardens.
Picture book towns, winding lanes, trekking and holiday
facilities make Munnar a unique experience Munnar also
has the highest peak in South India - Anamudi , which
towers over 2695 m. Anamudi is an ideal spot for trekking.
In the vicinity is the Eravikulam National Park, the home
of the endangered Nilgiri Tahr that roams on a stretch
of grassland or is seen climbing the pinnacles of the
undulating hills. Here we can have a glimpse of a Gaur,
Langur, Lion-tailed macaque, and Elephants roaming in
herds. Devikulam is a dainty town, sixteen kilometers
southwest of Munnar. It consist of irresistibly green
slopes touching the sky at a thousand metres and its silent
clusters of slender red and blue gum trees. It has a lovely
little lake hidden within the rolling hills.
Trivandrum (Thiruvananthapuram)
: The Capital city of Kerala.The seven hills over which
the city is spread and the great variety of lovely old
colonial and traditional Kerala buildings give Thiruvananthapuram
a special ambience.
A long shoreline, with internationally renowned beaches,
historic monuments, backwater stretches and a rich cultural
heritage make it a much sought after tourist destination.
Athirapally
: At the entrance to the Sholayar ranges, 78 kilometers
from Cochin, this scintillating waterfall is a popular
tourist spot.A picturesque spot adjacent to thick green
forest land.Nearby the gliding Vazhachal waterfall is
a part of the Chalakudy river.
