keralaTourism Kuttanad Backwaters

Kuttanad Backwaters


General Information
Kuttanad lies sandwiched between the sea and the hills. Kuttanad is an amazing labyrinth of shimmering waterways composed of lakes, canals, rivers and rivulets. Lined with dense tropical greenery, it offers a glimpse into rural Kerala life-styles. The view changes from narrow canals and dense vegetation to open vistas and dazzling green paddy fields. Homes, farms, churches, mosques and temples can be seen among the trees. And if you are lucky you might catch the blue flash of a kingfisher or the green of a parakeet. Endless tranquility is yours for the takinghere




Prime Attractions

Kuttanad Backwaters called the rice bowl of Kerala, because of her wealth of paddy crops is at the very heart of the backwaters. The scenic countryside of Kuttanad Backwaters with its shimmering waterways also has a rich crop of bananas.

How to reach there
Kottayam is accessible by road, boat or train from Cochin the nearest airport.




Climatic Conditions
Maximum 35 degrees Celsius. Minimum 22 degrees Celsius. Annual rainfall 250 mm.tag:keralaTourism Kuttanad Backwaters,

keralaTourism Kerala Backwaters

Alappuzha Backwaters



General Information
Alappuzha Backwaters is one of the exotic backwater sites of India's southern state Kerala. Washed by the Arabian Sea, interlocked by a number of canals and bridges, this tiny marketplace is also famous for its Nehru Trophy boat race held every year.


Prime Attractions

The Prime attractions of Alappuzha Backwaters are-----

Punnamada Kayal
The must-visit place of Alappuzha in kerala, where the annual Nehru Trophy boat race takes place during the month of August-September .The long boats, designed to resemble snakes, can accommodate 120 people, making two rows of 60 each.


Krishnapuram Temple
The two-storied building, displays the typical Keralan style of architecture. The largest mural painting, Gajendra Miksham, is displayed in a museum here.


Ambalapuzha Temple

Lord Krishna is worshipped here.Here one can see the typical temple architecture and culture of Kerala along with the chance to taste the Keralan delicacy, payasam.

St. Andrew's Church
Established by the Portuguese missionaries, celebrates the feast of St. Sebastian in a fun-filled, festive way.

Mullackal Temple
dedicated to goddess Rajarajeswari, is also a place worth visiting.
The Chettikulangara Bhagavathy Temple
This temple is believed to have miraculous powers and hence visited by number of pilgrims every year.


How to reach there





Alappuzha Backwaters is accessible by all the means of communication. The nearest airport is Kochi at a distance of 64 km north. The Trivandrum airport is located 159 km south of Alappuzha. Cities like Cochin, Chennai, Howrah, Bangalore and Bokaro are well connected to Alappuzha. National Highway 47 goes through Alappuzha connecting it with almost all the nearby places of South India.


The climate of Alappuzha Backwaters is temperate and humid in general and relatively more pleasant in the winter season. The temperature ranges from 22 to 35°C in summer and 20 to 32°C during winters.tag:keralaTourism,Alappuzha Backwaters,Punnamada Kayal,Ambalapuzha Temple,St. Andrew\'s Church,Mullackal Temple

keralaTourism Silent Valley

keralaTourism Silent Valley


                General Information about Silent Valley
                                        Area : 90 sq.km
                  Temperature range : 39 C- 20.4 C
                  Best time to visit : September to March.



Silent Valley National Park located 40 kms from Mannarkkad in the Palakkad district, echoes with the sounds of teeming wildlife.
The core of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, the Silent Valley National Park is probably one of the most magnificent gifts of nature to mankind, a unique preserve of tropical rain forests in all its pristine glory with an almost unbroken ecological history. Thanks largely to its difficult terrain and remoteness, the extent of degradation is minimal in comparison with other sanctuaries.

How to reach
Nearest airport is at Coimbatore, 55 kms.The nearest railway station is Palakkad, 75 kms.40 Kms From Mannarkkad, Kerala.

Prime Attractions of Silent Valley



The park has a huge variety of wildlife, with over a 100 species of Butterflies and 400 species of Moths and other animals like the Ceylon Frog Moth, Great Indian Hornbill, the Nilgiri Laughing Thrush and the Lion-Tailed Macaque.

The park has around 26 species of mammals and 120 species of avifauna, many of them considered endangered. Apart from these, there are 11 species of snakes, 19 species of amphibians, and nine species of Lizards in the park.

There is a huge wild tree of Kattualying variety. It is hollow within and can hide at least 12 people in it.

Silent Valley National Park

These pictures have been taken during my stay in the Silent Valley National Park over the past nine months. I had ventured into this year-long project voluntarily as I was inspired by some of the great people who worked hard to preserve this biodiversity for the generations-to-come. Their dedication, commitment and perseverance paved way to the Silent Valley tropical rain forests being declared as a National Park in November 1984.

What trail worth remembering would I be leaving if I don't capture this legacy?

I dedicate my work to the movement behind the existence of the "Greatest Expression of Life on Earth".

I am aware that I have managed to cover only one percent of this biodiversity. I am happy that I have made this attempt as part of the preservation campaign. I hope that my pictures will serve as an eye opener to the people who are still not convinced about what the Silent Valley National park holds in her bosom and are trying to asphyxiate the life that is bubbling in these forests in the name of development.

This is just a beginning and I sincerely hope that my attempt would contribute a drop to the ocean of the Save Silent Valley Campaign.

keralaTourism Varkala

                                               keralaTourism Varkala




                                         General Information about Varkala
                                               Population : (2001): 42273
                                       Temperature range : 33 C -25 C
                                    Best time to visit : September To May


Varkala is must for those who prefer to do absolutely nothing while holidaying. Due to a spillover resulting from the over saturation of Kovalam, Varkala is a favourite with tourists who travel to Kerala. What makes the coastline of Varkala exceptional is its landscape. Towering cliffs that stand like silent sentinels, guarding the sparkling waters, back the beach. Highly unusual land formations, the sheerness of the cliffs, and the view from atop, simply astound the visitors.This is the perfect beach with a ayurvedic resort for all kind of ayurvedic treatments.

How to reach

Varkala is a peaceful town just 51km from Trivandrum international airport and 176km from Cochin international airport.

The 2000 year old Janardana Swamy Temple and the Nature Centre are the two main attractions here. A dip in the holy waters of this beach is believed to purify the body and the soul of all the sins hence the name 'Papanashini (destroyer of sin)' for this shore. It is also the centre of Sivagiri Mutt, established by the great social reformer Sree Narayana Guru.

Janardana Swamy Temple

The Janardhana Temple was built during this period and many Hindu's still visit Varkala to this day, for this very reason. The main beaches and tourist area are located at the cliff top, which is about 7 minutes walk from the Temple. The 'cliff-top' is where most of the hotels and restaurants are located, overlooking the Arabian Sea

keralaTourism Thekkady

                              keralaTourism Thekkady
                          General Information about Thekkady
                              Temperature range : 29 C -18 C
                            Best time to visit : September To May

Thekkady - The very sound of the name conjures up images of elephants, unending chains of hill and spice scented plantations. Here, in the crisp, cool air of the Western Ghats you will experience the most enchanting tour.

How to reach


Nearest Airport Madurai(140 km) / Cochin is (190 km).Nearest Rail Station Cochin (Kochi) is 190 km / Madurai 145 km for trains to major cities.


The Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary


The Thekkady sanctuary is one of the best in the country for watching and photographing wild life. Notable among the denizens of Periyar are the tigers, the majestic Asiatic wild elephants and the distinctive Nilgiri langur with an all black body and white face.
Other places to visit in Thekkady are----
Kumily,Murikkady,Pandikuzhi,Mangala Devi Temple,Chellarkovil

keralaTourism Wayanand

                        keralaTourism Wayanand

                          General Information about Wayanand
                                           Area : 2,132 sq.km
                         Population : (1991 census) 671,195
                               Temperature range : 35 C-20 C
                         Clothing : Tropical Cottons
                        Best time to visit : August to may


Wayanad is situated in an elevated picturesque mountainous plateau in Western Ghats.

Providing a panorama of undulating mist clad hills and dales, Wayanad of Kerala is blessed with a unique geographical position.Luxuriant plantations of coffee, tea, cardamom, pepper and rubber are strewn all over the hills of Wayanad. Situated at a height of 700-2100 m above sea level, it is bound on the east by the Nilgiris and the Mysore districts of Tamilnadu and Karnataka respectively. Panorama, Manathavady and Kabini, the fast flowing rivers lend a unique beauty to the whole region.

How to reach


The nearest airport is Calicut.The district is well connected by a railway network.Wayanad's Headquarters, Kalpetta is linked by road to other towns in Kerala and there are frequent buses to Calicut.

Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary
Established in 1973, the Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary is contiguous to the protected area network of Nagarhole and Bandipore of Karnataka and Mudumalai of Tamilnadu.


Thirunelli Festival
Thirunelli Festival is a two-day festival celebrated on Vishu day and its eve, in the Malayalam month of Medam (April) is the annual festival of Sree Thirunelli Devaswom at Thirunelli in Wayanad.


Lakkidi
Lakkidi, the gateway of Wayanad, is situated 700 m above mean sea level, at the crest of the Thamaraserri ghat pass. Lofty peaks, gurgling streams and luxuriant forests add magic to the journey up the winding roads to this hill station of kerala.


Valliyoorkavu Festival

Located high in the Wayanad Hills at Valliyoorkkavu, 3 kms from Mananthavady town, the temple is dedicated to goddess Bhagavathy.


Thusharagiri Waterfalls
Snuggled cosily in the Western Ghats, are the gurgling waterfalls of Thusharagiri.Thushargiri exhibits a unique kinship between the land and water.


Banasura Dam
15 kms north west of Kalpetta, Banasura Dam is the largest earth dam in India. A vast expanse of crystal clear water bounded by blue hills on all sides, except one. Its an ideal picnic spot in Kerala.

Kalpetta
This is where the headquarters of the Wayanad District are located. A stronghold of the Jains in the past, the famous Ananthanathaswamy Jain Temple is situated at Puliyarmala near Kalpetta.

Sentinel Rockfall
Near Chooralmala, about 22 kms south of Kalpetta, it is a rivetting waterfall tumbling down a height of 20 m from a hilltop. The spot is ideal for rock climbing.

keralaTourism Kumarakom

                               keralaTourism Kumarakom

General Information about Kumarakom
Area : 30 sq kms
Population : 7000
Temperature range : 37.80 C--16.10 C
Best time to visit : June and August



Kumarakom is a breathtakingly beautiful paradise stocked with divine mangroves and coconut groves, lush green paddy fields, gushing waters snaking through the dense forests and the magnificent delicate fluttering blossoms.

How to reach




Kumarakom in Kerala is just a few miles (16 km) from the nearest city, Kottayam. There are daily flights to Kerala where, as entry points, you have a choice of three international airports - Kochi (Cochin), Kozhikode (Calicut) and Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum).

Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary
This fabulous bird sanctuary is on the banks of the Vembanad lake house. An ornithologist's delight, this place is the favourite haunt of the migratory birds like the Siberian stork, egret, darter, heron and teal.

Backwater in Kumarakom

Kumarakom slumbers on the banks of the famous Vembanad Lake. The Vembanad Lake with its majestic canals, streams and distributaries along its banks weave an intricate and enchantingly beautiful web.
Aruvikkuzhi Waterfalls
Pay a visit to the picturesque Aruvikkuzhi Waterfalls . It is this beautiful picnic spot where streams tinkle as they make their way through the landscape and waters roar as they cascade down the mountains from a height of 100 ft.

Pathiramanal (sands of midnight),
This is an enchanting island on the lake, can be accessed by boat from here. This 10 acre island on the backwaters is home to many rare varieties of migratory birds from different parts of the world.