Kerala Tour Destinations

Kerala is a magnificent green strip of land, in the South West corner of the Indian peninsula. It has only 1.1 8 per cent of the total area of the country but houses 3.43% of the the country's population.

In 1956, when the states were reorganized, Kerala was formed after tying the princely states of Travancore and Cochin with Malabar, a province under Madras state.

Kerala may be divided into three geographical regions: (1) High lands, (2) Midlands and (3) Lowlands. The Highlands slope down from the Western Ghats which rise to an average height of 900 m, with a number of peaks well over 1,800 m in height. This is the area of major plantations like tea, coffee, rubber, cardamom and other spices.

The Midlands, lying between the mountains and the lowlands, is made up of undulating hills and valleys. This is an area of intensive cultivation. Cashew, coconut, areca nut, cassava (tapioca), banana, rice, ginger, pepper, sugarcane and vegetables of myriad varieties are grown in this area.

It is a purified world in Kerala, the land of trees. A big, spreading tree purifies as much air as a room air-conditioner. And the former is never switched off. The prolific, bustling, vegetation acts like a massive, biological, air-filtration plant working round the clock, round the year. Hence spending days in Kerala countryside is as if spending in an air- purified environment. So is the rejuvenating effect of the lush greenery of the state. 


Some of the best Kerala Tourism destinations are:

Eranakulam-Cochin
Cochin is the gate way to the Gods Own Country geographically located in the centre of Kerala on the shore of Arabian Sea as well as it’s the commercial capital of the state and the largest metro town. Cochin is the favourite port of Luxury international cruises coming from Europe, America and other Scandinavian countries. Major attractions includes historical Fort Cochin with the colourful remains of the Colonial Powers like Dutch, French, English, Jews, Arabs etc, Gigantic Chinese fishing nets and live fish catching with its traditional operation, India’s oldest St. Francis Church, Asia’s best preserved Synagogue, Dutch Palace, Jew Street, Cochin Marine Drive, Bolgatty Palace hotel and Island, Vallarpadam Church, Sea Mouth, Historical Museum Edappally, Hill Palace Thripunithura, chottanikkara Temple, Cochin Backwaters, Cochin Marena only one of its kind in India, Cherai- the most popular beach in Central Kerala with so many good beach resorts and holiday homes, Thattekkad bird Sanctuary, India first mosque Cheraman Masjid , Kumbalangi Tourism Villages etc are the attractions in Cochin. Also the newly recovered Muziris Heritage & Archeological site is the best hope of the future as it was the oldest port in the ancient India by the remains found out from there.

Munnar 
Munnar is known as the greenest place in Kerala and the icon of Kerala’s honeymoon tourism located in the district of Idukki as around 130 kilometres from Cochin. Munnar was the summer capital of British in India and it’s covered with unending expands of tea Plantations like a green carpet across thousands of acres hill area. Kerala’s best hill resorts are located in Munnar with fascinating views to the misty mountains and tea plantations. Its often misty and cooling to offer the best holiday mood to the honeymoon couples and family tourists. Major attractions in Munnar include the tea plantations, Tata Tea Museum, Eravikulam National Park (It’s the conservation place and protected area of endangering rare mountain goats called Nilgiri Tahr. Kundala Dam, Mattupetty Dam, Eco point, Top station, Pothamedu View Point, Chinnar Wild life sanctuary, Cheeyappara waterfalls, Karadippara waterfalls, Thoovanam Waterfalls etc are the major sightseeing spots in Munnar.

Thekkady
Thekkady is also known as Periyar as it’s the prime wild life destination in Kerala and a calm and quite hill station with large spice gardens and so many good tourist resorts. Periyar wildlife sanctuary is the core of Thekkady Tourism as it offers a wonderful boat ride through the Tiger reserve in Periyar Lake which offers the rare chance to watch the wild animals roaming on the shore and hills like Wild Elephant, Bison, Panther, Deer, Sambar, different kinds of birds etc. Attractive activities are available for tourist there like elephant ride, Spice plantation visit on foret and elephant, trecking, bamboo rafting, theatre shows for Kathakali and Kalarippayattu etc. Parunthumpara is another peak nearby Thekkady with tremendous view to the valley and forest, Ghavi Eco Tourist spot, Vandiperiyar are the some other beautiful spots in the surroundings. Thekkady has a distance 110 kms from Munnar and 180 kms from Cochin.

Thiruvananthapuram
Previously known as Trivandrum, this laid-back capital of Kerala has an easy-going old world charm. Places worth seeing while in Thiruvananthapuram, are the Padmanabhapuram Palace, the Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple, and the Puttan Malika Palace where the maharajas of Travancore held court. The museum at the palace displays historical artifacts and exquisite paintings by Raja Ravi Verma. Many buildings in Thiruvananthapuram display the traditional architecture of Kerala, with tiled roofs, carved wooden pillars and large verandahs overlooking green lawns. English is commonly spoken across Kerala and the pleasant climate of this city makes a tour of Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala, a relaxing and enjoyable trip.

Kovalam
This group of three crescent shaped beaches is known as one of the best beach resorts in India. With clean sandy stretches, opportunities for water sports and Ayurvedic masseurs offering their services to visitors alongside the beach, you're sure to enjoy a relaxing vacation in this idyllic beach paradise.

Kerala Backwaters
Traveling on a houseboat, through a quiet world of wind and water, with no noises but the swaying of the palm trees, the birds calling to each other and the sound of water splashing against the hull of your boat. Before you sleep at night, you can try to count the myriad stars in the clear sky above you, on the backwaters of Kerala. The waterways that connect the villages along the backwaters, reveal fascinating glimpses of village life in Kerala - you can see children running alongside, fields being ploughed and fishing eagles and cormorants diving for fish, as you drift along on a backwater cruise in Kerala. Most cruises are organized around Alleppey, Kuttanad and Kochi in Kerala.

Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary
This wildlife sanctuary in the Idukki district of Kerala, is set around the Periyar Lake - an artificial lake created by a dam on the Periyar River. Originally the royal hunting ground of the Maharajas of Travancore, Periyar is now a protected national park. A boat cruise on the lake lets tourists observe the animals from nearby, as they come to the waters edge to drink. Herds of elephants come together and can be seen drinking, bathing and playing nears the water. Other wildlife that can be seen in Periyar include tigers, leopards, monkeys, nilgai, sloth bear, porcupine, the Malabar Flying Squirrel and many birds including the Great Indian Hornbill. The best time to visit Periyar is between December and April.

Alappuzha (Alleppey)
Known for the annual snake boat races, hld in this sea saide town around the fetival of Onam, in Kerala, Allappuzha or Alleppey is transformed into a hub of excitement as tams of rowers power the swift snake boats called Chundanvalloms through the waters, competing for the annual Nehru Trophy Boat Race.

Thrissur
The temple festival at Thrissur is a grand event where two rows of magnificently decorated tuskers, stand facing each other while drummers beat out a traditional rhythm and representatives of the temple raise colored parasols over the elephants bearing the images of the deities of neighboring temples, is both an intense religious event and a colorful tourist attraction in Kerala.

Ponmudi
This hillstation in the Western Ghats, located around 65 km from Thiruvananthapuram, is a picturesque getaway. The green hills, with winding roads, pretty cottages, and an abundance of birds and butterflies flying through the spice plantations and tea estates, make it an idyllic Kerala tourism destination.

Wayanad
Wayanad is a splendid and glorious hill station, rich not only with the queen of scenic beauty and picturesque landscapes, but with its prosperous and enchanting cultural and traditional heritage. Wayanad follows a tradition and style of living which is a little different from various other cities of Kerala, simply because Wayanad was a major tribal settlement and hints of these can still be noticed in the contemporary households. Wayanad still shelters the largest population of aborigine tribes in Kerala, the relics and edicts which are still found here speak of an important pre-historic era. Wayanad harbors a number of major museums and historical places which continue to recount the saga of its cultural development over the years. Glance through the lines below to find out the different exciting and enthralling tourist attractions in Wayanad.

These are some of the well-known tourism destinations of Kerala. There are many more beaches, hill stations, and quiet getaways in Kerala where you can enjoy a relaxing holiday on tours of Kerala, India.