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Kerala
The backwaters of Kerala
Tucked away in the South West corner of India, Kerala is a narrow strip of land between the Arabian Sea and the Western Ghat mountains. The name means 'land of coconuts,' and palms still shade almost the entire state from the tropical sun. The tropical landscape is criss-crossed by dozens of rivers and countless waterways and visitors can spend idle days riding small ferries through the backwater lagoons and see village life close-up in this, India's most populous state.

Kerala has some of India's best coastal resorts; among the finest is the much-photographed Kovalam, which many argue has the best beach in the country. Here visitors can take in Kerala's rich cultural and artistic life and enjoy the best vegetarian cuisine on the planet.

When the rest of India gets too hot to handle, Kerala is soothing and rejuvenating, whether you stick to the lowlands or head for the hills, passing through scenery dotted with churches and temples, past spice, tea, coffee and rubber plantations, enjoying natural forests with wildlife reserves filled with elephants.

Compared to the rest of India Kerala is short on monumental sights to see; the drawing card here, though, is the natural beauty. The countryside undulates westward from the mountains offering vistas of rich green valleys. Rivers glide across the plains towards the sea, creating attractions like the Athirampally Falls, ending in a linked chain of lagoons where the silence of the still waters is broken only by boats and canoes, seagulls and cranes.




Attractions

Kochi © Sajiv Vijay

Kochi (Cochin)

The port city of Kochi (long known as Cochin) is located on a cluster of islands and narrow peninsulas half way up the Goan coast. The majority of tourists stay in the Ernakulam district but the old section of Mattancherry and Fort Cochin...  see full details



Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary © Bernard Gagnon

Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary

Situated in the Cardamom hills region of the Western Ghats, the Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary is one of the most popular wildlife reserves in India. It is home to a great variety of game including elephant, sambar, wild pig, mongoose, the Malabar flying squirrel and...  see full details



The backwaters of Kerala

The Backwaters of Kerala

One of the most memorable experiences for travellers in Kerala is a boat journey on the backwaters of Kerala. The best known is the area known as Kuttanad, situated between the hills in the west and the Arabian Sea, stretching for 50 miles...  see full details



Padmanabhaswamy Temple © jynxzero

Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum)

Situated on a hilltop at the southern tip of the state, and India, is Kerala's capital, Thiruvananthapuram (still commonly known as Trivandrum). For most visitors the capital is simply a transit point on their way to Kovalam, the popular beach resort a few miles...  see full details


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