A Complete Travel and Tourism Guide about Kerala
Kerala is one of the most visited tourist destinations in India. Every year, thousands of tourists visit this beautiful state, to enjoy its scenic beauty, breathtaking views, mists covered mountains and lush green woods. This coastal state is divided into fourteen districts, with Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum) serving as its capital. Thiruvananthapuram is also the largest city in the state. Other most visited cities are Ernakulam (Cochin), Kozhikode (Calicut), Idukki, Munnar, Palakkad, Wayanad, Trichur, Thekkady, Alleppey, Kollam, Kannur and Kasargod. Every district and city has distinctive features and represents the natural beauty of the state. Kerala has a long and impressive history, which includes trading spices to China, West Asia, Egypt and the Roman Empire.
Travellers weary of India’s daunting metropolises will find Kerala’s cities smaller and more relaxed. The most popular is undoubtedly the great port of Kochi (Cochin), where the state’s long history of peaceful foreign contact is evocatively evident in the atmospheric old quarters of Mattancherry and Fort Cochin. In Kerala’s far south, the capital, Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum), is gateway to the nearby palm-fringed beaches of Kovalam and Varkala, and provides visitors with varied opportunities to sample Kerala’s rich cultural and artistic life.
Travellers weary of India’s daunting metropolises will find Kerala’s cities smaller and more relaxed. The most popular is undoubtedly the great port of Kochi (Cochin), where the state’s long history of peaceful foreign contact is evocatively evident in the atmospheric old quarters of Mattancherry and Fort Cochin. In Kerala’s far south, the capital, Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum), is gateway to the nearby palm-fringed beaches of Kovalam and Varkala, and provides visitors with varied opportunities to sample Kerala’s rich cultural and artistic life.
One of the best aspects of exploring Kerala, though, is the actual travelling – especially by boat, in the spellbinding Kuttanad region, around historic Kollam (Quilon) and Alappuzha (Alleppey). Cruisers and beautiful wooden barges known as kettu vallam (“tied boats”) ply the backwaters, offering tourists a window on village life in India’s most densely populated state. Furthermore, it’s easy to escape the heat of the lowlands by heading for the hills, which rise to 2695m. Roads pass through landscapes dotted with churches and temples, tea, coffee, spice and rubber plantations, and natural forests, en route to wildlife reserves such as Periyar, where herds of mud-caked elephants roam freely in vast tracts of jungle.
Thrissur’s famous Puram festival (April/May) is the most astonishing, but smaller events take place throughout the state – often outdoors, with all welcome to attend. Theatre and dance also abound; not only the region’s own female classical dance form, mohiniyattam (“dance of the enchantress”), but also the martial-art-influenced kathakali dance drama, which has for four centuries brought gods and demons from the Mahabharata and Ramayana to Keralan villages. Its two thousand-year-old predecessor, the Sanskrit drama kudiyattam, is still performed by a handful of artists, while localized rituals known as theyyem, where dancers wearing decorative masks and hats become “possessed” by temple deities, remain a potent ingredient of village life in the north. Few visitors witness these extraordinary all-night performances, but from December through March it is possible to spend weeks hopping between village festivals in northern Kerala, experiencing rituals little altered in centuries.
A word of warning, however, for budget travellers. Kerala ranks among the most expensive regions of India. Accommodation is particularly pricey – and tends to be of a correspondingly high standard. Cheap places to stay are thin on the ground everywhere, but especially in the coastal resorts, hill stations and backwater areas, where it’s not uncommon to pay upwards of Rs2000 for a room in a modest guesthouse in season.
Alleppey (Alappuzha) Travel
Alleppey (Alappuzha) is among the top tourist attractions in Kerala. This beautiful tourist site has a large network of inland canals that give it the name ‘Venice of the East’. The history of the place states that it was founded by the Dewan of Travancore, Raja Kesavadasan in 1762.
Ernakulam Travel
Situated on the coast of Arabian Sea, Ernakulam in Cochin is the commercial capital of Kerala. The city has been named among the best natural harbors in the world. Ernakulam has a long ancient history of receiving Arabs, Chinese,
Idukki Travel
The real natural wealth of the state of Kerala lies in Idukki District. The charming district contains the state’s highest mountain peak and also the largest forest cover. Some of the major rivers of Kerala,
Kannur Travel
Kannur is a beautiful district in the northern part of Kerala. Famous for its temple festivals, Kannur is the best place for nature lovers, who want to take a break from hectic life and enjoy a relaxing vacation.
Kasaragod Travel
Kasaragod, the northernmost district of Kerala, is home to a number of tourist attractions of the state. Nature has splattered its bountiful beauty throughout Kasargod, with as many as twelve rivers flowing across its terrain and Arabian Sea in the west.
Cochin (Kochi) Travel
Cochin (also known as Kochi) is the commercial capital of Kerala. The city holds the reputation of being one of the finest natural ports in the world. Kochi has an impressive history of subsequent rise and colonization by European forces.
Kollam Travel
Since ancient times, Kollam district has been considered as a major trading port of Kerala. It serves as the trade route for the merchants of Western Ghats. The region is well known for producing pepper, coir, cashews and other agricultural products.
Kottayam Travel
Kottayam, among the state’s more mountainous districts, provides some of Kerala’s finest natural scenes, sandwiched as it is between serene palm-fringed backwaters on the west and the Western ghats on the east.
Kozhikode (Calicut) Travel
Calicut (also known as Kozhikode) is a major city and one of the prime tourist attractions in Kerala. For centuries, Kozhikode remained an important port for trade and commerce in the state. It was a prominent trade centre,
Malappuram Travel
Malappuram (literally, a land a tops hills) is situated 50 kms south-east of Kozhikode, bounded by the Nilgiri Hills in the east, the Arabian sea in the west and Thrissur and Palakkad districts in the south. Malappuram is enriched by three great rivers flowing through it - the Chaliyar, the Kadalundi and the Bharathappuzha.
Munnar Travel
Munnar is a popular hill station in the state of Kerala. Famous for its tea plantation, Munnar served as the summer retreat of British. The hill station is located at a height of 1,600 m above the sea level. Over the years, it has become a major tourist attraction in Kerala.
Palakkad Travel
Also known as the Gateway of Kerala, Palakkad (or Palghat) is located at the base of the vast Western Ghats. The region includes high mountains, green forests and rich valleys with rivers and streams flowing through the district.
Pathanamthitta Travel
Engrossed in the hilly terrain of Kerala, Pathanamthitta can rightly be called the head quarters of Pilgrimage tourism in the State. With more than fifty per cent of the land area covered with thick forests the district has a prominent place in the supply of hill produces in the State.
Thekkady Travel
Thekkady, a very popular tourist attraction in Kerala, is the ideal place to sit back and relax a laid-back holiday, amidst breathtaking scenery and cool climate. Located at a distance of 60 km from Idukki and 114 km from Kottayam,
Trichur Travel
Trichur District (also known as Thrissur) is one of the most populous cities of Kerala. It is also known as the cultural capital of the state due to the presence of a large number of important cultural, spiritual and religious places. The notable ones are Kerala Sangeetha Nadaka Academy,
Trivandrum (Thiruvananthapuram) Travel
Trivandrum located on the southwest coast of India, Trivandrum, also known as Thiruvananthapuram, is the capital city of Kerala. The largest city of the state is also a prime tourist attraction of South India. This ancient city has an impressive history dating back to 1000 BC.
Wayanad Travel
Wayanad lying between the Western Ghats Mountains, Wayanad is a popular hill station and one of districts located in northern part of Kerala. Wayanad mesmerizes its visitors with its stunning beauty that unfold in its mist clad mountain peaks. Read More...
Alleppey (Alappuzha) Travel
Alleppey (Alappuzha) is among the top tourist attractions in Kerala. This beautiful tourist site has a large network of inland canals that give it the name ‘Venice of the East’. The history of the place states that it was founded by the Dewan of Travancore, Raja Kesavadasan in 1762.
Ernakulam Travel
Situated on the coast of Arabian Sea, Ernakulam in Cochin is the commercial capital of Kerala. The city has been named among the best natural harbors in the world. Ernakulam has a long ancient history of receiving Arabs, Chinese,
Idukki Travel
The real natural wealth of the state of Kerala lies in Idukki District. The charming district contains the state’s highest mountain peak and also the largest forest cover. Some of the major rivers of Kerala,
Kannur Travel
Kannur is a beautiful district in the northern part of Kerala. Famous for its temple festivals, Kannur is the best place for nature lovers, who want to take a break from hectic life and enjoy a relaxing vacation.
Kasaragod Travel
Kasaragod, the northernmost district of Kerala, is home to a number of tourist attractions of the state. Nature has splattered its bountiful beauty throughout Kasargod, with as many as twelve rivers flowing across its terrain and Arabian Sea in the west.
Cochin (Kochi) Travel
Cochin (also known as Kochi) is the commercial capital of Kerala. The city holds the reputation of being one of the finest natural ports in the world. Kochi has an impressive history of subsequent rise and colonization by European forces.
Kollam Travel
Since ancient times, Kollam district has been considered as a major trading port of Kerala. It serves as the trade route for the merchants of Western Ghats. The region is well known for producing pepper, coir, cashews and other agricultural products.
Kottayam Travel
Kottayam, among the state’s more mountainous districts, provides some of Kerala’s finest natural scenes, sandwiched as it is between serene palm-fringed backwaters on the west and the Western ghats on the east.
Kozhikode (Calicut) Travel
Calicut (also known as Kozhikode) is a major city and one of the prime tourist attractions in Kerala. For centuries, Kozhikode remained an important port for trade and commerce in the state. It was a prominent trade centre,
Malappuram Travel
Malappuram (literally, a land a tops hills) is situated 50 kms south-east of Kozhikode, bounded by the Nilgiri Hills in the east, the Arabian sea in the west and Thrissur and Palakkad districts in the south. Malappuram is enriched by three great rivers flowing through it - the Chaliyar, the Kadalundi and the Bharathappuzha.
Munnar Travel
Munnar is a popular hill station in the state of Kerala. Famous for its tea plantation, Munnar served as the summer retreat of British. The hill station is located at a height of 1,600 m above the sea level. Over the years, it has become a major tourist attraction in Kerala.
Palakkad Travel
Also known as the Gateway of Kerala, Palakkad (or Palghat) is located at the base of the vast Western Ghats. The region includes high mountains, green forests and rich valleys with rivers and streams flowing through the district.
Pathanamthitta Travel
Engrossed in the hilly terrain of Kerala, Pathanamthitta can rightly be called the head quarters of Pilgrimage tourism in the State. With more than fifty per cent of the land area covered with thick forests the district has a prominent place in the supply of hill produces in the State.
Thekkady Travel
Thekkady, a very popular tourist attraction in Kerala, is the ideal place to sit back and relax a laid-back holiday, amidst breathtaking scenery and cool climate. Located at a distance of 60 km from Idukki and 114 km from Kottayam,
Trichur Travel
Trichur District (also known as Thrissur) is one of the most populous cities of Kerala. It is also known as the cultural capital of the state due to the presence of a large number of important cultural, spiritual and religious places. The notable ones are Kerala Sangeetha Nadaka Academy,
Trivandrum (Thiruvananthapuram) Travel
Trivandrum located on the southwest coast of India, Trivandrum, also known as Thiruvananthapuram, is the capital city of Kerala. The largest city of the state is also a prime tourist attraction of South India. This ancient city has an impressive history dating back to 1000 BC.
Wayanad Travel
Wayanad lying between the Western Ghats Mountains, Wayanad is a popular hill station and one of districts located in northern part of Kerala. Wayanad mesmerizes its visitors with its stunning beauty that unfold in its mist clad mountain peaks. Read More...
