World Of Tourism

Tourist Places in Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram

Trivandrum (official name Thiruvananthapuram), lying on the southwest coast of India, is the capital to the state of Kerala. The city extends from latitude 8°29' N to longitude 76°59' E. The place is well connected to most of the other major cities of India through rail, road, and air network.

Tourist Places in Kerala - Kochi

In Cochin or Kochi, dawn is not often a thing of breathtaking beauty, but just a careless smear of tinted light where sea and sky unite. Daybreak is full of indeterminate promise. A slow lividness at the mist-obscured harbor mouth meets the swelling untamed surge of the ocean. Cargo-laden barges and vallams or country boats move, ponderously slow, over the sprawling vastness of the Vembanad Kayal, Kerala’s largest lake that spreads full bosomed and silver gray in the sultry sun.

Tourist Places in Kerala - Kayamkulam
Kayamkulam is a small village on the western coast of India in the state of Kerala. Washed by the waters of the Arabian Sea, the place is almost equidistant from Alleppey and Quilon, both of which connect the Kerala backwaters. The place is connected by rail and road with other cities in the region as well as other parts of the country.

Tourist Places in Kerala - Kottayam

The word Kottayam is a composition of the words Kotta (meaning fort) and Akkam (meaning inside). Kottayam is one of the exotic backwaters sites attracting tourists throughout the year. Being a mountainous region with scenic landscapes, backwaters, bird sanctuaries, temples and churches make this a place of tourist attraction. Lying below the sea level, some of its nearby places are also a treat to the eyes

Tourist Places in Kerala - Kovalam

Kovalam, meaning "a groove of coconut trees," is just 10 km from the state capital of Kerala- Thiruvananthapuram. Kovalam is actually a combination of three small beaches. Among these, the southernmost beach, named Lighthouse Beach, is the most frequented beach in Kovalam. Earlier this beach of Kovalam was an anglers' paradise. It still has some small villages, just a few kilometres away, which belong to the fishing community. Gradually, this beach of Kovalam has been transformed to a tourist spot of great interest. Kovalam is an ideal place for a sunbath during the winter. Tourists to Kovalam can also experience the typical Kerala massage from the parlours available a few kilometers away along the Kovalam beaches.

Tourist Places in Kerala - Kumarakom
The village of Kumarakom is a cluster of little islands on the Vembanad Lake, and is part of the Kuttanad region. The bird sanctuary in Kumarakom is spread across 14 acres is a favourite haunt of migratory birds and an ornithologist's paradise. Egrets, darters, herons, teal, waterfowl, cuckoo, wild duck and migratory birds like the Siberian stork that live in flocks, in Kumarakom, are a fascination for visitors. The best way to watch the birds of the Kumarakom sanctuary is a boat trip round the islands.

Tourist Places in Kerala - Palakkad

The tourist destination of Palakkad known as the granary of Kerala is a land of valleys, hillocks, rivers, forests, mountain streams, dams and irrigation projects. Situated at the foot of the Western Ghats, Palakkad is the gateway to Kerala from the north. Palakkad derives its name from the Malayalam words Pala (a tree Alsteria scholaris) and Kadu (forest), which goes to prove that this place was once a beautiful stretch of forests covered with the sweet-scented flowers of the Pala tree.

Tourist Places in Kerala - Kozhikode
Calicut or Kozhikode is situated in the south Indian state of Kerala on the southwest coast of the Arabian Sea. The district extends from latitude 11°15' N to 75°49' E. Basking in the idyllic setting of the serene Arabian Sea on the west and mesmeric peaks of the Wayanad hills on the east, this district has all the required ingredients to fascinate a tourist.

Tourist Places in Kerala - Munnar
Munnar is a small hill station set amongst the Kannan Devan hills. It is famous for its lush green surroundings, lakes, reservoirs, forests, and tea estates. The quiet environs of Munnar attract the traveler to relax in the lap of Mother Nature. Munnar also beacons the adventure-seeking traveler, who is interested in paragliding. It has some of the highest tea estates in the world.

Tourist Places in Kerala - Alappuzha
Alappuzha (Alleppey) is one of the exotic backwater sites of India’s southern state Kerala. Washed by the Arabian Sea, interlocked by a number of canals and bridges, this tiny marketplace is also famous for its Nehru Trophy boat race held every year. Alappuzha attracts tourists not only by its natural beauty but also through its locally made coir products that are of a very superior quality.

Tourist Places in Kerala - Kannur

Cannanore or more appropriately Kannur as it is known today is a place with a rich history right from the time of the Aryan migration. The word Kannur may have evolved from a village named Kannathur around which the modern town of Kannur grew. Or according to some it is a combination of Kannan (Lord Krishna), a deity in the Hindu pantheon and Ur meaning a place or an abode. With the advent of the Europeans, the name underwent yet another change - Cannanore!

Tourist Places in Kerala - Ponmudi

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.

Tourist Places in Kerala - Quilon

Quilon (also Kollam) is situated in the southwest corner of India in the state of Kerala. The district is encircled by Alappuzha in the north, Pathanamthitta in the northeast, Thiruvananthapuram in the south, Tirunelveli (Tamilnadu) in the east, and the Arabian Sea in the west. It extends latitude 9°28' and longitude 76°17' north.

Tourist Places in Kerala - Nilambur

Nilambur is a beautiful town in the Malappuram district of the Indian state of Kerala. It is situated on the banks of the Chaliyar River. It is at a distance of about 70 km from Calicut and 100 km from Ooty (Uddagamandalam). Nilambur is a small sleepy town has a surprise in store for its visitors.

Tourist Places in Kerala - Varkala

Varkala, a new destination in Kerala, is for those who prefer to do absolutely nothing while holidaying. Due to a spillover resulting from the over saturation of Kovalam, foreigners started coming to the town about six years ago. The trend that started as a trickle became a steady flow within two years. Today, there is a constant stream of visitors. However, because of the area’s comparative inaccessibility, a large influx of ‘outsiders’ has not happened here. At the Varkala platform, there is no indication that this town is on many a tourist itinerary.

Tourist Places in Kerala - Amritapuri Ashram
At the Mata Amritanandamayi Math in Amritapuri near Quilon, South Kerala, there is a beautiful temple that houses more than seven hundred full-time residents. The day dawns early in Amritapuri Ashram (monastery) located in the backwaters of Kerala. At 4.30 a.m. in the morning, most residents are up and begin to involve themselves on various activities.

Kerala is a globally famous tourism destination. It is the Indian state situated at the southern tip famous among tourists for its unique cultural and geographical features. The state is blessed with exceptional natural beauty. It enjoys lush green surroundings and delightful ambiance. Due to its copious natural beauty, it is also phrased as the God’s Own Country in tourists’ jargon. Backwater tourism is the sizzling side of Kerala tourism. Tourists from all over the world come to Kerala to visit its scenic backwaters, which provides them wonderful opportunity of eco tourism and houseboat stay. Backwaters are the huge network of lagoons, lakes, rivers, waterways, canals, inlets, etc.

Shorelines of the backwaters are dotted with palm coconut groves and other busy plants, which provide green hues to backwaters. One can see several unique species of aquatic animals, water birds, reptiles etc, in and alongside the backwaters. There remain several villages dotted alongside the backwaters which are also worth visiting on backwater Kerala tours. Some of predominant and worth visiting backwater destinations are Fort Kochi, Fort Bekal, Alleppey, Kollam, Kumarakom, Kozhikode, Kottayam, Thiruvallam, Trivandrum, etc. All these destinations are known for unique, serene and scenic backwaters and several other attractions like temple, palaces, forts, Ayurvedic resorts, houseboats, etc. All these destinations are serving as the starting and ending points of houseboat Kerala tour.

A houseboat cruise takes you into the unique world of wonderment, where unique peaceful ambiance delights you. Kerala houseboats are a marvelous example of traditional Kettuvalloms, which were used as country craft. Houseboats are made up of eco-friendly materials. And interestingly no nails are used. Today house boats are luxurious accommodation on backwaters. A houseboat stay provides excellent accommodation like luxurious hotels. Alleppey and Kumarakom are two predominant destinations of the state which are very popular among tourists as starting and ending points of houseboat cruise.

Alleppey backwaters are dotted with several house boats and houseboat cruise operators. Alleppey houseboats are very popular attraction and provide wonderful opportunity for unique house boat stay experience. Besides Alleppey, Kumarakom is also very popular among tourists from all over the world. The prime attractions are Kerala houseboats and Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary. Kumarakom is an ideal destination for houseboat cruise. A sunset houseboat cruise on scenic Vembanad Lake is a delightful experience of backwater tourism. Alleppey and Kumarakom boat cruises are also very popular among honeymoon couples. They provide honeymoon couples truly a romantic ambiance for their memorable honeymoon holidays. Well, get ready to enjoy luxurious houseboat stay and explore scenic backwaters.
source:http://www.merinews.com/catFull.jsp?title=Houseboat%20tours%20on%20Kerala%27s%20scenic%20backwaters&articleID=142376

Believe it or not, Kerala has around 20,000 Hindu temples and shrines and in almost all the villages there is at least one place of worship for Christians and Muslims.

These major and minor places of worship had contributed significantly to the development and continued maintenance of the rich cultural heritage of the state through the vibrant annual festivals.

Although some of the major festivals are known at the national and international levels, many of them are not known beyond the boundaries of the state.

The organisers of these celebrations are not publicity-conscious. As a result, the efforts to keep track of these festivals have become very difficult.

Obviously, neither the State Tourism Department nor any individual have tried to systematically bring out the detailed information on these cultural festivals till recently.

Kerala Festival Message 2008’, a directory of festivals in Kerala, edited by C A Menon, is a major work which provides detailed and systematic information about the festivals in Kerala.

The directory was first published in 2004 figuring out the details of around 1000 festivals across the state.

The latest and updated version lists out over 2500 festivals in the state in the year 2008, with eye-catching pictures to provide a glimpse of the richness of these festivals to its reader.

The latest volume also covers all the festivals beginning from January 2009 as well as major festivals next year.

The compilation is a valuable addition to the material that helps both domestic and foreign tourists to acquaint themselves with the festivals and rituals in Kerala.

Aimed at facilitating travel agents, tour operators and tourists, especially foreign tourists, to plan their programmes well in advance and to synchronise them with the festivals of their choice, the author is at present engaged in bringing out a directory of festivals in the state in the next five years shortly.

source:http://www.newindpress.com/NewsItems.asp?ID=IER20080527001853&Page=R&Title=Kerala&Topic=0