Kerala Travel Pal Picture Blog: December 2013

Trivandrum, the capital of Kerala, is located in the extreme south. In addition to several attractions in town, there are many other lovely locations at short travel distances.

Here is the secretariat building, where the legislative assembly and top tier government offices are located.

Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple is the major shrine in the city. This is the wealthiest temple in the world.

Here is Kanakakkunnu palace, one of the heritage landmarks in town-

Not far away from here is Napier Museum, another historical building.

Here is the inside view of Napier Museum-

Sree Chitra Art Gallery has a good collection of Ravi Varma paintings. Raja Ravi Varma, a member of the Royal family, was the best painter Kerala ever had.

A short stroll away is the zoo. Here is the map-

One of the birds in the zoo.

Another inmate-

If you have kids, the science and tech museum may be of particular interest, although it is for anyone.

Shanghumugham beach is a popular hangout. It is located near the airport, at a short ride from the city.

The backwater strip of Veli is close to Shanghumugham. Veli has gardens, children's play areas and boating facilities.

A short ride from Veli will take you to Akkulam tourist village, a nice location by the side of Akkulam lake.

Beema mosque (Beemapally) near to Shanghumugham beach is a famous mosque in Kerala. It is located between Valiyathura and Poonthura near the coast.

Scattered around the city are several interesting places. The most famous of them is Kovalam, the beach that is well liked by people from all over the world.

Trivandrum coastline has several beaches. Somatheeram beach, north of Kovalam is known as an Ayurvedic beach thanks to Ayurvedic resorts and wellness centres near the beach. Next to the beach is a cliff where the resorts are.

Another beach famous for its cliffs is Varkala. This is one of the most sought after tourist spots in South Kerala, relaxing and vibrant.

Next to the beach, on the cliff is Sree Janardhanaswamy temple. It is one of the famous temples, a very holy place for Hindus where rituals for the dead are conducted.

Idol of Subramanya Swamy at Varkala beach.

Kappil near Varkala is a stunning place.

Here is a temple near Kappil, one of the wayside attractions-

Sivagiri Mutt is only a few kms from Varkala beach. This is an important place associated with Sree Narayana Guru, saint, philosopher and social reformer. Guru's dedication resulted in the betterment of lower caste Hindus. Long after his death, Guru is a prophet like presence in the minds of a huge section of people of Kerala.

Thiruvallam is a backwater belt near the city, reachable in about 10 - 15 minutes by car. Here are a few photos-

One of the resorts-

The temple near Karamana is very pretty. Here is the entrance -

And a view inside-

Leafy locale-

Ponmdi is a cooler location, about one and a half hours drive away from the city. There are some nice waterfalls en route to Ponmudi.

Vegetable vendors at Poovar Island. The island is a tranquil spot, only for those who want to spend time doing almost nothing.

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Athirapally waterfall is one of the popular tourist spots in central kerala. It is about 78 kms from Cochin.

The wild flow of the stream creates another waterfall before it reaches Athirapally. That is Vazhachal waterfall, just 5 kms drive away from Athirapally.

Here is the same stream at a different location.

Fort Kochi is the tourist area of Cochin.

Tender coconut water is nourishing and refreshing. You will find these stalls all over Kerala.

Cherai backwater is just a stones throw away from the beach. Cherai is a popular hangout of tourists.

Cherai beach is quite long, so finding a restful spot is easy.

Cheraman mosque is the first mosque in India and one of the earliest mosques in the world. It was built by Malik bin Dinar, a disciple of Prophet Mohammed.

Thrissur town is built around Vadakkunnathan temple. The deity of the temple is Lord Siva. Here are a couple of gates of the temple.

Elephant lovers in the middle of Thrissur city.

Guruvayoor temple is one of the most important Sree Krishna temples. The idol here is believed to be from Krishna himself. Krishna gave it to Udhava, a friend, instructing him to find a suitable place and install it.