Top Tourist Places to Visit in Kerala
Kerala , known as Gods Own
Country has some of the best tourist destinations in India for any kind
holiday. It is the land of coconuts, backwaters, elephants and the land of rich
cultures and traditions, and has been one of the most sought after places by
travelers from all around the world.
It is without doubt one of
the most beautiful places on earth and that’s why it is known as’Gods Own
Country’. From the stunning beaches along the Malabar Coast to the maze of
backwater canals cutting through huge rice fields to the glorious rolling hillside
tea plantations in the Western Ghats, Kerala’s landscapes are almost as diverse
as its people and the culture and history of the people of Kerala is a major
factor in attracting the tourists. If you are planning to visit Kerala, here is
a selection of the best places to visit in Kerala.
Kerala , is one of the most awesome tourist locations in the world
and that’s why it is known as ‘Gods Own Country’.Kerala has some of the best
destinations in the world for any type family vacation or holiday or honeymoon.
Tourist Places in Kerala is an amalgamation of rich cultures, traditions and
folk dances and is also the land of elephants, coconuts, backwaters and unique
local cuisine.
From the awesome seashores along the Malabar Shore to the
labyrinth of backwater pathways in Alleppey and Kumarakom to the fantastic
verdant hillside tea gardens in Munnar, Kerala’s scenery are almost as
different and unique as its individuals and the lifestyle and record of the
individuals of Kerala is a significant component in gaining the visitors from
all over the world.
If you are preparing to check out Kerala, here is a selection of
the Top 15 places to visit in Kerala.
Alleppey is well known for
the backwater trips on houseboats and always comes on top among the best
destinations to check out in Kerala, simply because it is a exclusive encounter
that you cannot get anywhere else on the globe. Alleppey was described as the
one of the locations known as ‘Venice of the East’ by Lord Curzon. A houseboat
vacation along the natural backwaters in Alleppey provides a chance to observe
landscapes attractions like lavish paddy areas below the water levels, small
chapels, fishing with netting, ducks in water, water lilies etc, sure to remain
etched in your mind forever and this is among the best places to visit in
Kerala in October to December. A vacation along the pathways with conventional
Kerala food provided in a bananas leaves is fascinating with a meditative spell
that is weaving a feeling of calmness and beauty around you . All months from
Sept to May are fun to check out and go to Alleppey which has few of the best
backwater trips in Kerala. Some other tourist destinations in Alleppey are
Chettikulangara Bhagawathy Temple , Arthunkal Church , Krishnapuram Palace,
Pathiramanal, Marari Beach, Sri Krishna Temple in Ambalappuzha etc other than
the beach in Alleppey which may be among the closest encounters to Arabian Sea.
All months from September to May are good time to visit and go to Alleppey
which has few of the best backwater tours in Kerala. All months from September
to May are good time to visit and go to Alleppey
Alleppey is the most famous backwater destination
in Kerala
Munnar is the most popular hill station in South India and one of
the best places to see in Kerala. It has exclusive views of extreme mountain
slopes which are covered with about 80,000 miles of green tea farms like
organic bedding over mountains which offer views of low-flying clouds and misty
valleys. Munnar is usually cold and relaxed and gives you a incredible
sensation, with the dense spray around you in the center of the organic tea
farms. Munnar was once the summer season of the erstwhile English and English
settlers found that the elevation, slope and alignment of the hills were
particularly designed for the farming of tea. The modern end result is the
lavish organic mountains decorated by tea gardens which is the sight to look
out for in modern Munnar. There are also lot of waterfalls and hiking routes in
Munnar for the adventure seeking guests. With its drowsy little bungalows,
bungalows, old play areas and tea factories, Munnar is one of those unique hill
stations in India with an old world colonial feel to the area.
Kumarakom
If you have craved to stay
in a small village in Kerala for enjoying the backwaters, sipping on tender
coconut water, tasting some authentic Kerala food and experiencing the warmth
of fresh air, Kumarakom is the place you should be in when you travel to
Kerala. Situated near the Vembanad Lake, Kumarakom is a sleepy little hamlet
with exotic scenery and rare flora and fauna. The place offers boating, house
boat cruising, fishing and sightseeing. Canals, waterways and lakes decorated
with lilies and lined with coconut groves, green paddy fields and mangrove
forests will be quite tempting for any visitor to have a stress relieving
vacation. Kumarakom is situated near to Ayemenem town where the popular book The God of Small Things was set is the most awesome
position in Kerala (arguably) providing you the most delightful Kerala food.
Sailing through the relaxed wealthy waters of Kumarakom in an experience in
Kerala in itself. Spread across 14 acres, the sanctuary accommodates varieties
of birds including teal, wild duck, egrets, herons, cuckoo, waterfowl, darters
and also migratory birds. The place offers boat trip around the islands giving
you a breathtaking experience of watching the birds and the nature’s beauty.
The sanctuary is open for public daily from 6AM to 6PM.
To know the greener side of
Kerala, one must visit Wayanad which translates to the land of paddy fields in
Local language Malayalam. It won’t be irrelevant to call it the ‘Green
Paradise’ if you are planning for a sightseeing in Kerala. Calm and quiet, enriched
with scenic beauty, tradition and wildlife, Wayanad is a blend of nature and
heaven together and is one of the best places to visit in Kerala during summer.
Wayanad is also famous for the richness it holds in the tribal heritage and
agricultural abundance. Observing the lifestyle of over fifty tribes dwelling
in this region will be a mind-blowing experience. The place is least populated
when compared to other districts in Kerala, but the exoticness and landscape
make it a must visit destination in the God’s own country. Wayanad all together
has many exotic locations in and around the district like edakkal caves,
banasura sagar dam, Wayanad Wildlife Santuary, Lakkidi, Tusharagiri Waterfalls,
Kalpetta, and Sentinel Rockfalls. Wayanad is a popular trekking destination in
Monsoons and is a must visit destination in Kerala in July and August.
A heart shaped lake on the way to the top of the
Chembara peak is a major tourist attraction in Wayanad
Periyar Wildlife sanctuary
in Thekkady is a popular wild life sanctuary preserving various species of
animals including elephants, tigers, sambars, gaurs and the very rare lion
tailed macaques. The forest is situated on the banks of the lake, Periyar. Of
the 777 sq kms of area, 360 sq km has been taken up bythe thick evergreen
forest. Thekkady’s scenic beauty along with its wildlife has been attracting
tourists and visitors from all over the world for years. Probably the best
position in Kerala to see wildlife while doing a boat trip trip in Thekkady
lake. From the mighty Indian elephant to the Great Indian tiger to leopards,
boars, bisons, deers etc Thekkady has it all that a wild life sanctuary has.
The tourism department provides going up the right into the middle of the
jungles either on feet or on top of elephants. If you want some more awesome
adventure,you can take the path from Moozhiyar to Thekkadi via Gavi spinning
through the thickest wooded miles of Kerala. Elephants are a common sight in
Thekkady and boating is the favortie past time for most tourist who visits
Thekkady.
Cochin is in central kerala and it is easy to get to most of the
tourist places in Kerala from Kochi , the primary reason because of which Kochi
is the starting point for most of the Kerala tour packages. Though the tourist
destination is known as Kochi, it is a part of Ernakulam which is a beautiful
district located on the coast of the Arabian Sea and must see place to go in
Kerala. Ernakulam city is quite fast and modern and the old art of city is
theFort Kochi with a mix of british, portugese and dutch cultures spread all
across. Though Ernakulam is also known as Cochin, the latter is an interesting
city in the district often known as the commercial capital of Kerala. Ernakulam
is also titled as the ‘Queen of Arabian Sea’ as it is one of the finest natural
harbors in the world. In the past, Dutch, Portuguese, Arabs, Chinese and the
British have visited here and left their impressions in the town. Today,
Ernakulam is as a booming metropolis city in Kerala with many industrial
buildings and IT hubs taking shape in and around it.
Just 8 kilometers away from the Ernakulam town is a historic place
of Fort Cochin which has some beautiful impressions of the foreign heritage.
The place used to be a Municipal town for more than a century and is now one of
the major urban elements of the present day Cochin; Ernakulam is another and
Mattancherry forms the third element. One can find old English, Dutch and
Portuguese houses and buildings in both Fort Cochin and Mattancherry that take
us back to those colonial periods. Besides those beautifully laden busy streets
and shops, there are a few places in Fort Cochin as well as Mattancherry that
attract tourists, mostly foreigners like Chinese Fishing Nets, Jewish
Synagogue, Dutch Cemetery, Mattancherry Palace and so on.
Chinese fishing nets in cochin
Thiruvananthapuram which is the capital city of Kerala is a blend
of serenity and city life.Thiruvananthapuram means The City of Lord Anantha is
of historical importance and has many stories to unfold. Thiruvananthapuram
owes a lot to Padmanabha Swamy Temple – for the charm, fame and the name. This
huge temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu situates in the heart of the city, East
Fort. A mix of Dravidian and Kerala architectural style, the Padmanabha Swamy
Temple is the right place for art lovers as it holds many ancient stone
carvings and mural paintings. The divine idol of Lord Vishnu reclining on the
Serpent Anantha is yet another treat to the eyes.
Being the largest and the
most populous city in Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram has people from various parts
of the state living here in social, religious and cultural harmony. The city
also holds India’s first IT Park and Asia’s third largest, Technopark, making
it a land of technology as well. As large as it is, Thiruvananthapuram has many
breathtaking locations, of which some must-visits are Kuthiramalika Palace
Museum , Napier Museum ,Ponmudi, Kovalam, Veli Tourist Village and Thenmala Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple which
is the riches temple in the world is also in trivandrum. .
Varkala in Kerala is a amazing beach with a little seaside and a
high high cliff part which is complete of action and is among the best seaside
places in Kerala . 51 miles away from Thiruvananthapuram, on its northern side,
Varkala has the appeal and potential to entice guests from all over the world
with its natural charm and high cliffs. The seaside is quite well-known among
people from other countries as its journey and enjoyment provides many
interesting activities such as sun bathing, boat riding, surfing and ayurvedic
massages. Varkala also is unique as a important pilgrim of the Hindus and the
beach called Papanasham which translates into was away your sins is supposed to
be the best place to look at the sunset. The long unique seaside places,
amazing resorts, fresh air etc attracts the guests to Varkala, who wish to have
a less crowded beach vacation than that in near by Kovalam. The unique and
amazing destinations of varkala is one of the best cases for the appeal of
God’s Own Country. Varkala seaside is about one range long and divided into
two. The northern end is for sun worshippers & the south east end is for
Hindu lovers and the varkala tourist sightseeing include attractions like
Varkala Beach, Janardhana Temple , Sivagiri Mutt and Kappil Lake.
Varkala is among the best beaches in India with
sea on one side and a high cliff on other side
Rated as among the best
beaches in India even before Kerala Tourism shot into prominence Kovalam is the
favorite option of many tourists in Kerala for relaxing in the sun, ayurvedic
treatments and powerful strong deep massages and is also among the best places to visit in
Kerala in December and January for New Year celebrations. The
crescent shaped beach has a light house on its southern side, which provides an
excellent view of the city especially the moon-shaped beach and the Vizhinjam
mosque. Kovalam which is derived from cocnut trees is 16 kms away from
Trivandrum. The mild home provide an awesome perspective of the moon-shaped
beach and the Vizhinjam mosque. To the northern of Kovalam is the Samudra beach
and Hawah beach is in the middle of Kovalam. The rocky formations mixes with
the calm blue bay to turn the bay into a exclusive aquarelle on moonlit
evenings. Three beaches at Kovalam are divided the rocky formations that is
projecting out to the sea. The bigger one is known as Light House Beach and the
second biggest in the Hawah beach.
Across the Idukki-Kottayam border, there is an enchanting hill
station called Vagamon, pulling visitors and tourists across the world to feel
the nature’s rhythm in wild and is an offbeat destination among tourist plaecs
in Kerala. Studded with meadows, gardens, dales, tea plantations and valleys,
Vagamon is a promising hill station holiday retreat in India. Mystic hills,
perfectly maintained lawns and fresh air are quite enough to make your visit
ravishing. What makes Vagamon extraordinary is a chain of hills contemplating
religious harmony – Thangal Hill, Murugan Hill and Kurisumala. Vagamon is one
of those places that have to be experienced live than just read about and is
rated among the best hill stations in India.
In Kasargod district of Kerala, locates a place called Bekal with
beauty engraved all over. The Bekal Fort enhanced with the Arabian Sea is
definitely one of the most significant tourist attractions. Film directors’
favorite, the Fort has also done a major role in enriching various Indian
movies, especially their songs. In Kerala, Bekal Fort is the best preserved and
the largest among its kind. This giant keyhole shape fort with the excellence
of the sea surrounding it, greenery view from the top of the fort and the cool
breeze sets an exotic feel. The Anjaneya temple located at its entrance is
another attraction of the Fort.
Just 52 miles away from Palakkad, Nelliampathy is one of the best
hill stations in India you would never want to skip out of your itinerary.
Evergreen jungles, lemon, tea, java and cardamom farms rich with awesome
valleys and misty mountains makes Nelliampathy a fascinating place to visit and
enjoy and this is one of the must see kerala places to visit in june as this
place is fampus for peacocks who dance in monsoons. The awesome environment and
the nature’s miracle improve the whole encounter. Nelliampathy, often known as
as ‘Poor man’s Ooty’ is also popular for the hiking paths and adventure
experiences it offers. Take a drive through those thrilling hairpin turns and
experience the wealth of characteristics at Nelliampathy.
Kozhikode also known as Calicut is famous for its historical,
cultural, educational and culinary excellence. Calicut used to be the main
trading center in the past between Kerala and the rest of the world. Vasco da
Gama in his search for spices and other trades came to Calicut first, who was later
followed by the English and Dutch. Today, Calicut is one of the most active
commercial cities in Kerala. The National Institute of Technology and the
Indian Institute of Management have their campuses here in Calicut offering
higher and sophisticated education to the deserving candidates. Another notable
thing about Calicut is the authentic Malabar food it serves. Some mouthwatering
delicacies such as Dum Biriyani, Kalummakaya and Chatti pathiri, and the
yummiest halwa varieties are loved by the locals and the tourists alike.
Malampuzha is a beautiful township located around 10 kilometers
away from Palakkad town. The second longest river in Kerala, Bharathapuzha
nurtures Malampuzha and the place is famous for its greenery and picturesque
view. It is a blend of natural beauty and various man-made amusements.
Malampuzha’s charm is spread over various smaller areas that give an
enthralling experience to the tourists. Some of them are mentioned below.
Thrissur originally known as ‘Thirusivapperoor’ is the cultural
capital of Kerala. Its cultural, religious and spiritual abundance has been
historically recorded and is still preserved. The city is also denoted as the
‘Golden capital of Kerala’ because of the surprisingly high sales of gold
happening here every year. In fact, there will be no other district in Kerala
that would be doing consistently well in business over years. Talking about its
cultural extravaganza, one must mention the mother of all poorams, the Thrissur
pooram that is celebrated every year without fail. Held in April-May, Thrissur
pooram is colorfully spectacular and pulls in a large number of tourists from
all over the world to the city only to watch this festival.
Thrissur Pooram is colorfully spectacular and
pulls in a large number of tourists from all over the world
Ashtamudi translates into
eight channels and translates in local language as a lake with eight branches
and is the second longest lake in Kerala stretching a distance of 16 kilometers
finally merging into the sea at the estuary in Neendakara in Kollam. The
backwater cruise between Ashtamudi and Alleppey is considered to be the longest
in Kerala and is the best experience to intimately experience the best backwaters in Kerala . Ashtamudi lake is the
best place to enjoy the serene beauty of the coconut groves and palm trees
along the banks the backaters and is less crowded unlike Alleppey. Munroe
Island (Munroethuruth) which is located at the confluence of Kallada river and
Ashtamudi lake is a cluster of eight tiny islands is named in honour of
Resident Colonel John Munro who oversaw the land restoration efforts in Kallada
river adjoining the Ashtamudi lake. When you enjoy a cruise in Ashtamudi lake
you can enjoy the sightings of Chinese fishing nets which is locally known as
cheena vala which is used for fishing and other activities like coconut husk
retting used to produce coir products and the canoe from which the ripples from
the oar spreads out in the backwaters.
If the National Geographic Traveler Magazine had included Kerala
among the ‘Ten Paradises in the world’, then that could be one of the wisest
choices ever. Clearly one of the most beautiful and serene states in India,
Kerala has everything a tourist is looking for. If you think Puttu and Kadala
for breakfast or entertaining yourself with a session of ‘Kathakali’ can make
your day in Kerala, then you should know that there are many more interesting
things awaiting in this coastal region that are worth your time, money and
energy. The stupendous greenery, coconut tree fringed canals, palm swaying
lakesides, green-clad hill stations, exotic wildlife, calm beaches, crystal
clear waterfalls, Ayurvedic heritage, artistic history, cultural extravaganza;
not to miss out the delightful Kerala cuisine that stands class apart from any
other national or International cuisine.– the soul of Kerala is way beyond
words.
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Courtesy: irishholidays.com
