Tourism in india

Alappuzha is a Land Mark between the broad Arabian sea and a net work of rivers flowing into it. In the early first decade of the 20th Century the then Viceroy of the Indian Empire, Lord Curzon made a visit in the State to Alleppey now Alappuzha. Fascinated by the Scenic beauty of the place, in joy and amazement, he said, "Here nature has spent up on the land her richest bounties". In his exhilaration, it is said, he exclaimed, "Alleppey, the Venice of the East". Thus the sobriquet found its place in the world Tourism Map. The presence of a port and a pier, criss -cross roads and numerous bridges across them, a long and unbroken sea coast might have motivated him to make this comparison.

Ernakulam is the green commercial capital of Kerala with one of the finest natural harbours in the world. From here, ships set sail for foreign ports with pepper, sea food, rubber and coir. From times immemorial, Arabs, Chinese, Dutch, British and Portuguese seafarers followed the sea route to Cochin and left their impression in the town. The harbour is the nucleus around which Cochin has grown to become the Queen of the Arabian Sea.

This beautiful High range district of Kerala is geographically known for its Mountainous Hills and Dense Forests. For the people of Kerala, Idukki is always associated with Power Generation. About 66% of the State's Power needs come from the Hydroelectric Power Projects in Idukki. Idukki accounts for 12.9 percent of the area of Kerala and only 3.7 percent of the population of Kerala. About 50% of its area is Reserved Forests.

Kannur district derived its name from the location of its headquarters at Kannur town. The old name 'Cannanore' is the anglicised form of the Malayalam word Kannur. According to one opinion, 'Kannur' is a derivation from Kanathur, an ancient village, the name of which survives even today in one of the wards of Kannur Municipality.Another version is that Kannur might have assumed its name from one of the , deities of the Hindu pantheon, a compound of two words, Kannan (Lord Krishna) and Ur (place)making it the placeof Lord Krishna. In this context, it is worth mentioning that the deity of the Katalayi Sreekrishna temple was originally installed in a shrine at Katalayi Kotta in the south eastern part of the present Kannur town.

Kasargod, the land of seven languages and several cultures. The name, Kasaragod, is said to be derived from the word Kusirakood meaning Nuxvomica forests (Kanjirakuttom). Kasaragod district was formed on May 24. 1984, with the intention of bestowing maximum attention on the development of backward areas that. With the formation of the new district, comprising the erstwhile Kasaragod and Hosdurg taluks, it has become possible to develop this coastal area fruitfully.

Set high in the ranges of the Western Ghats, in Kerala, is the Periyar National Park and Tiger Reserve. The park has a picturesque lake at the heart of the sanctuary. Formed with the building of a dam in 1895, this reservoir meanders around the contours of the wooded hills, providing a perennial source of water for the local wildlife. Herds of elephant and sambar, gaur and wild pigs wander down to the lakeside and can be observed from the launches that cruise the lake. In March and April, during the driest period here, the animals spend a lot of time near the lake and the elephants can be seen bathing and swimming in the reservoir.

If it's beaches, temples and village life you are looking for, then Trivandrum and Kochi should be good choices:

1. Kovalam: This beach evokes mixed responses, but i feel that if you go South of Kovalam towards Vizhinjam the beaches improve dramatically. Surya Samudra Beach Resort, which has been mentioned earlier offers a mix of the modern and traditional. There's also a place called Karikkathi Beach house right next to Surya Samudar. IT's a small homestay facility, with no TV or air conditioning though. They have only 2 rooms so if you are the only guests staying there it's almost like having your own beachside vacation home. And the views from there are fantastic. The only drawback is that it has no road access - you need to walk through Surya Samudra or another nearby coconut grove to get there.
2. The Kuthiramalika Palace Museum: it's also been mentioned before. It's right next to the famous Padmanabhaswamy Temple and is a good place to visit. Some of the guides are not too great though.
3. The Padmanabhaswamy Temple: in the heart of the city's Fort area. Entry is restricted to hindus only, but non-hindus can go right up to the front entrance.
4. Padmanabhapuram: it's about 60 kilometers South of Trivandrum - a little more than an hour's drive away - in Tamil Nadu. Is the old capital of the former princely state of Travancore. is a must see if the Kerala style of archtecture interests you. will take half a day if done at a leisurely pace. This visit could be combined with a visit to Kanyakumari - the Southernmost part of mainland India.
5. The Museum and Art Gallery: both in a state of some disrepair, but still worth a visit, especially the Art Gallery.

1. Fort Cochin: the synagogue, the 'antique' shops, the Chinese fishing nets, the seaside cafes where you get to eat fresh fish and so on.
2. Kumbalangi: this is a village close to Kochi that is being developed as a heritage village. It offers some insights into village life. Not too sure if tourist accomdation is available there.
3. If temples intersest you a visit to TRICHUR about 70 kilometers south of Kochi is a possible option. IT would take about 2 hours by road. Trichur is full of temples including the famous Guruvayur temple about 30 kilometers away from Trichur town. also check out the elephant stables at Punnathoor Kota about 3 kilometers from Guruvayur. it has over 60 elephants of different ages there.