Kerala Tourism Guide

Fascinating Facts:-
Kerala, the southern most state of India stretches for 550 km along the southwest coast of India.

The sole state of India which is famous for its tranquil back waters, that are the lifeline of the state.

Kerala famed worldwide for its ancient form of treatment know as Ayurveda.
It is home to the various ancient dance forms like Kathakali, Koodiyattam etc.

Another fascinating fact about Kerala is that it has the highest literacy rate among all the Indian states.

Introduction:-
Kerala, the paradise for travellers is a land famous for its tranquil backwaters, ancient temples, verdant valleys and vast plantations of cloves, cardamom and coffee. It is a land embellished with coconut groves and exotic beaches, which is sandwiched between the Arabian sea and the dense forests of Western Ghats.

This serene state of South India is also referred as the God’s own country as every part of the state has some exquisitely carved temples that are highly revered among the Keralites. Even Kerala is blessed with myriad of culture which are very well maintained by both the State government as well as people of the state.

Location of Kerala:-
Kerala which is one of the hot spots of honeymooners in India is positioned at the southwestern tip of the Indian mainland on the Arabian sea. It is bound by the Arabian sea on the west, Karnataka on the north and northeast and Tamil Nadu on the east.

The climate of this serene state is tropical. The weather in Kerala is never to chilly which is the main reason behind its emergence as a hot tourist destination.

Charm of Kerala:-
Kerala has an unique charisma of its own which is a totally different from other Indian states. There are an endless list of exhilarating things that can captivate your mesmerize by their beauty. Kerala has wide range of tourist attractions such as backwaters, ancient temples, wildlife sanctuaries, hill stations, beaches and many more alluring things.

Tranquil backwaters:-
This serene state has over 900 km of interconnected waterways, rivers, lakes and inlets which are the main constituents of Kerala backwaters. If you don’t get the opportunity to visit Venice city and Gondolla ride, than you must come to Kerala to have the same experience. Most of the towns of Kerala serves as the starting and end points of backwaters cruises as well as hosts many renowned boat races. These towns are a blend of historic and modern world. Globetrotters from each and every nook and corner of the world comes here to enjoy the scenic beauty of these backwater destinations. Even they are also famed as an ideal honeymoon hot spot. Some of the famous backwaters towns of Kerala are Cochin, Alappuzha, Kasargod, Kollam, Kottayam, Kozhikode, Kumarakom, Kuttanad, Thiruvallam, and Thiruvananthapuram.

Exquisitely Carved temples:-
As Kerala is fondly referred as God’s own country, here you will get to see numerous exquisitely carved temples which has the ability to transform an atheist into a religious person. The beauty of Keralites temples are unparalleled to rest of the country. The architectural design of the temples of this state is in accordance with the natural resources and climatic conditions of the state. Each and every town of Kerala has at least one or more temples that trace their origins to antiquity. Some of the most revered temples of Kerala are Padmanabha Swami Temple, Sivagiri Temple in Thiruvananthapuram, Guruvayoor Temple in Trichur, Sabarimala Temple, Pathanamthitta, Tiruvalla Temple, Mannarshala Temple, Ambalapuzha Temple in Alappuzha and many more temples.

Salubrious Hill Stations:-
Another most sought after hidden treasures of Kerala are its salubrious hill stations. These enchanting hill stations are nestled in the lap of the Western ghats and Blue mountains. Hill stations of the state are the ideal destinations to have a rendezvous with oneself. These hill resorts are so cool and calm, that they will surely mesmerize you by their simplicity. Kerala hill stations are home to the vast tea, coffee, cardamom, pepper, vanilla and rubber plantations. Munnar, Wayanad, Idukki, Ponmudi, Devikulam, Nelliampathy, Wagamon etc are some of the well known hill stations of Kerala. These panoramic hill stations are the best place for nature photography, trekking, mountain climbing, birding, spice tours, lake boat cruises etc.

Verdurous Wildlife Sanctuaries:-
Positioned amidst the lush canopies of Western Ghats, Kerala has 12 wildlife sanctuaries and 2 national parks. These wildlife sanctuaries and national parks has a rich collection of diverse flora and fauna. These abodes of rare wildlife has the ability to beckon the nature or wildlife lover from far and wide place. An elephant ride will be an appropriate one to explore the verdurous wildlife sanctuaries and national parks of the state. This wildlife tour will enable you to get more closer to the various wonderful creations of the Mother Nature. Some of the luscious wildlife sanctuaries and national parks are Peppara Wildlife sanctuary, Neyyar Wildlife sanctuary, Shenduruni Wildlife sanctuary, Periyar Wildlife sanctuary, Idduki Wildlife sanctuary, Chinnar Wildlife sanctuary, Kadalundi Bird Sanctuary, Thattekad Bird Sanctuary, Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary, Silent Valley National Park,
Eravikulam National Park and many more. These wildlife resorts are apt for jungle trekking.

Exotic beaches:-
Among various other charming aspects of Kerala, beaches are one of the major attractions of the state. Kerala has 600km long shoreline embellished with some finest and world class exotic beaches, lagoons, natural harbors and sheltered coves. These beaches are the favorite resorts of both the International and National tourists. Kovalam beach, Poovar beach, Varkala beach, Alappuzha beach, Cherai beach, Fort Kochi beach, Kappad beach etc are some of the popular beaches blessed with breathtaking beauty. These beaches are the best place for enjoying a leisure vacation. But if you are an adventure enthusiasts, than you can indulge yourself in various water sports like swimming, scuba diving, surfing and many more.

Ayurveda Treatment:-
Last but not the least, Ayurveda treatment is another important attraction of Kerala. Ayurveda is an ancient form of treatment, believed to be originated in Kerala. Many vacationers comes to Kerala with a desire to cure their illness with the aid of ayurveda, which is assumed to be one of the best way of treating without undergoing any surgical operations or intaking heavy doses of costly medicines. So, whenever you visit Kerala, don’t miss to check out the various Ayurvedic centres of the state. Some of the famous Ayurveda center of the Kerala are Rajah Healthy Acres in Palakkad district, Manasa Sarovar Ayurveda Mandir at Trivandrum, Karakathi Beach House at Kovalam etc.

Access to Kerala:-
By Air: To aid both International and National tourists, Kerala has three well developed air ports such as Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi and Kozhikode. From these airports even international flights also ply regularly. International destination which are joined to Kerala are Colombo, Maldives, Abu dabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Bahrain, Doha, Ras-al-khaimah, Kuwait, Riyadh, Muscat, Fujairah and Singapore.
By Rail: Each and every place of Kerala is very well connected to each other by the extensive network of Indian Railway. Even with the other parts of India. There are nearly 200 railway stations present in Kerala. Long distance express trains connects Kerala with the four metropolitan cities of the country such as Mumbai, New Delhi, Chennai, and Kolkata.
By Road: A vast network of smooth roads connects every region of Kerala with each other. National Highway 47, 17 and 49 joins Kerala with rest of the country.