Kochi
Kochi (also known as Cochin) is a city in southwest India’s coastal Kerala state. It has been a port since 1341, Cantilevered Chinese fishing nets, typical of Kochi, have been in use for centuries. St. Francis Church was the original site of Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gamas burial when he died in Kochi in 1524.
Santa Cruz Basilica is known for its pastel interior, including an imitation by Fra Antonio Moscheni of Leonardo da Vinci’s “The Last Supper.” Paradesi Synagogue, founded in 1568, features imported Chinese blue-and-white ceramic floor tiles. The surrounding quarter, once home to a large Jewish community, is now filled with antique shops and old spice warehouses. Mattancherry Palace, built by the Portuguese in the 16th century and later renovated by the Dutch, showcases vivid Hindu murals.
Alappuzha
Alappuzha (or Alleppey) is a city on the Laccadive Sea in the southern Indian state of Kerala. It’s best known for houseboat cruises along the rustic Kerala backwaters, a network of tranquil canals and lagoons. Alappuzha Beach is the site of the 19th-century Alappuzha Lighthouse. The city’s Mullakkal Temple features a traditional design. Punnamada Lake’s snake boat races are a well-known annual event.
Munnar –
Munnar is a town in the Western Ghats mountain range in India’s Kerala state. A hill station and former resort for the British Raj elite, it’s surrounded by rolling hills dotted with tea plantations established in the late 19th century. Eravikulam National Park, a habitat for the endangered mountain goat Nilgiritahr, is home to the Lakkam Waterfalls, hiking trails and 2,695m-tall Anamudi Peak.
Thiruvananthapuram
Thiruvananthapuram (or Trivandrum) is the capital of the southern Indian state of Kerala. Its distinguished by its British colonial architecture and many art galleries. Its also home to Kuthira Malika (or PuthenMalika) Palace, adorned with carved horses and displaying collections related to the Travancore royal family, whose regional capital was here from the 18th 20th centuries. Mahatma Gandhi Road is the main boulevard, lined with art and antiques shops, carpet sellers and sari stalls.
To the north, the ornate Napier Museum houses ancient Indian carvings, bronzes and natural-history specimens, while Sri Chitra Art Gallery holds miniature Indian paintings and work by lauded artist Raja Ravi Varma (1848 to 1906). Nearby is Thiruvananthapuram Zoo, home to Bengal tigers, Asian elephants and Indian rhinos. To the south, the giant Dravidian style Padmanabhaswamy Temple is dedicated to Vishnu, with a 7 tier entrance tower (gopuram). Along the coast are the popular beaches of Shank mugham and Kovalam.
Kovalam
Kovalam is a small coastal town in the southern Indian state of Kerala, south of Thiruvananthapuram. At the southern end of Lighthouse Beach is a striped lighthouse with a viewing platform. Palm-backed beaches also include Hawa Beach and Samudra Beach. Heading south, Vizhinjam Juma Masjid mosque overlooks the busy fishing harbor. Inland, Sagarika Marine Research Aquarium displays technology used in pearl production.
Poovar –
Poovar is a tourist town in the Thiruvananthapuram district of Kerala state, South India. This village is almost at the southern tip of Thiruvananthapuram while the next village, Pozhiyoor, marks the end of Kerala.
Bekal –
Bekal is a coastal town in the southwestern Indian state of Kerala. Its known for 17th-century Bekal Fort, built in the shape of a keyhole, which has red-brick towers overlooking the Arabian Sea. Adjoining the fort is Mukhyaprana Temple, dedicated to the Hindu monkey god, Hanuman. Sandy Bekal Beach stretches southwards. North of the town, peaceful Kappil Beach adjoins the backwaters of the Kappil Rive.
Varkala –
Varkala is a town in the south Indian state of Kerala. It’s on the Arabian Sea and known for Varkala Beach, backed by palm-covered red cliffs. Just south, Papanasam Beach is believed to have holy waters. On a nearby hill, the ancient Janardhan Swamy Temple is a Hindu pilgrimage site dedicated to Vishnu. Farther inland, the Sivagiri Mutt monument memorializes the social reformer Shree Narayana Guru, who is buried here.
Thekkady
Thekkady is the location of the Periyar National Park, which is an important tourist attraction in the Kerala state of India. Thekkady India’s largest wildlife sanctuary is a dream destination for any tourist visiting India . The 120 years old ‘Surki’ dam built across Peryiar, Poorna in Vedic parlance, is a major tourist attraction. This sanctuary is spread over an area of 777 Sq. Kms, surrounded by an artificial lake over an area of 25 Sq. Kms. The Country’s sole Tiger reserve, Thekkady, with its bountiful treasures of tropical flora and fauna is the ultimate reservoir of many an endangered species and a rich tribal culture. Thekkady is a pleasant heaven on earth for those who love nature in its wild manifestations.
