ATHIRAPILLY, VAZHACHAL

ATHIRAPILLY - VAZHACHAL tourist place in kerala



The scenic beauty of Athirapilly waterfalls presents a spectacular visual extravagance to visitors. A very popular picnic spot, Athirapilly is located close to Chalakudy in Kerala. The falls are located amidst dense forests and the entire region looks ‘picture-perfect’ in every way. Athirapilly-Vazhachal waterfalls are situated on the edge Sholayar forest ranges, just 5 kms apart.This sparkling cascade of silvery water, falls from a height of approximately 80 mts to join the Chalakudy river below

You can have a spectacular view from the top of the waterfalls when you walk through the rock pathway that leads from the main entrance. And for those with an adventurous streak, there is a fantastic view from the bottom of the waterfalls which can be reached with a little bit of trekking on slippery mountain trails. It’s a beautiful trail and you can relish the water from the falls sprinkling all over you. The view of the entire landscape is amazing.

But the falls can be treacherous, especially during the monsoons due to the slippery grounds, changing currents and the presence of huge rocks. So, enjoy the view, but be careful, all the same. Best Time to Visit Athirapilly Waterfalls is July to September. Unique attractions in and around Athirapilly Waterfalls are Chapra Falls (1.5 km away from Athirapilly), Vazhachal Falls (about 5 km from Athirapilly), Dream World Amusement Park (24 kms from Athirapilly) and Silver Storm Amusement Parks – (about 30 km from Athirapilly).



How to reach Athirapilly Waterfalls:


Nearest airport: Kochi International Airport - 55 kms
Nearest railway stations: Chalakudy Railway station - 33 kms, Thrissur Railway Station – 61 kms

Bhujangasana -Yoga class

YOGA- BHUJANGASANA STEPS

Lie prone on the floor. Stretch your legs back, tops of the feet on the floor. Spread your hands on the floor under your shoulders. Hug the elbows back into your body.

Press the tops of the feet and thighs and the pubis firmly into the floor.

On an inhalation, begin to straighten the arms to lift the chest off the floor, going only to the height at which you can maintain a connection through your pubis to your legs. Press the tailbone toward the pubis and lift the pubis toward the navel. Narrow the hip points. Firm but don't harden the buttocks.

Firm the shoulder blades against the back, puffing the side ribs forward. Lift through the top of the sternum but avoid pushing the front ribs forward, which only hardens the lower back. Distribute the back bend evenly throughout the entire spine.

Hold the pose anywhere from 15 to 30 seconds, breathing easily. Release back to the floor with an exhalation.

Paschimottanasana -Yoga Class

Sit on the floor with your buttocks supported on a folded blanket and your legs straight in front of you. Press actively through your heels. Rock slightly onto your left buttock, and pull your right sitting bone away from the heel with your right hand. Repeat on the other side. Turn the top thighs in slightly and press them down into the floor. Press through your palms or finger tips on the floor beside your hips and lift the top of the sternum toward the ceiling as the top thighs descend.

Draw the inner groins deep into the pelvis. Inhale, and keeping the front torso long, lean forward from the hip joints, not the waist. Lengthen the tailbone away from the back of your pelvis. If possible take the sides of the feet with your hands, thumbs on the soles, elbows fully extended; if this isn't possible, loop a strap around the foot soles, and hold the strap firmly. Be sure your elbows are straight, not bent.

When you are ready to go further, don't forcefully pull yourself into the forward bend, whether your hands are on the feet or holding the strap. Always lengthen the front torso into the pose, keeping your head raised. If you are holding the feet, bend the elbows out to the sides and lift them away from the floor; if holding the strap, lighten your grip and walk the hands forward, keeping the arms long. The lower belly should touch the thighs first, then the upper belly, then the ribs, and the head last.

With each inhalation, lift and lengthen the front torso just slightly; with each exhalation release a little more fully into the forward bend. In this way the torso oscillates and lengthens almost imperceptibly with the breath. Eventually you may be able to stretch the arms out beyond the feet on the floor.

Stay in the pose anywhere from 1 to 3 minutes. To come up, first lift the torso away from the thighs and straighten the elbows again if they are bent. Then inhale and lift the torso up by pulling the tailbone down and into the pelvis.

KARIKKAKOM DEVI TEMPLE- THIRUVANTHAPURAM

A very powerful deity. Originally a family owned temple of Madathu Veedu in Karikakaam.In early 70's formed into a trust and now the temple affairs looked after by the trust.The temple had plenty of land which was donated by the Maharaja of Travancore to Godess Chamundi in return for the poojas carried out by Karikakam Asan .
The temple is unique in the sense that it has united all the people living in Karikakam and surrounding areas irrespective of religious beliefs.
The most important fact is that the temple has provided a livelihood to many families
and improved the economy of people in the surrounding areas who may have had no other source income.

It is situated at Karikkakom, around 7 km north of Sree Padmanabha Swami Temple in Thiruvananthapuram. The temple enshrines a Panchaloha idol (traditional five-metal alloys) of Goddess Karikakathamma – an incarnation of Goddess Parvati Devi. The annual Pongala festival at Karikkakom Devi Temple attracts thousands of devotees from around the state.

The annual Temple festival is celebrated on the Malayalam month of Meenam, starting on the Makam day. This festival is known as Ulsava Mahamaham.

Vazhvanthol waterfalls - TOURIST PLACE IN KERALA

Vazhvanthol waterfalls

Its within Thiruvanathapuram and is about  40 - 50 kms.
Route = Thiruvanathapuram > Vellayambalam > Peroorkada > Nedumangadu > Vithura.
From Vithura take the Bonacaud route and about 10 - 12 kms you will reach Kaanithadam checkpost (Its the same check post from were we have to go to Bonafalls and Agasthyarkoodam)


Forest guards will be there at check post and you can take pass of Rs35/- per person and go towards Vazhvanthol.

Inital 1 km from check post to waterfalls can be covered by vehicle rest you have to go by walk itself.
Its about 3km trekking path just beside the river itself. We took about one and half hours to reach the top waterfall.

Its nice and dangerous too..because no guards will be there at top, near the big waterfall.
For family better option will be to use the river banks and small falls within the first 1 km of trekking path, as the path gets tough from there.

Jadayu Para(KOLLAM)

Jadayu para(KOLLAM) - Tourist place in kerala



JADAYU PARA( ROCK) is situated on the South East side of Chadayamangalam at Kottarakkara Taluk.This is one among the large block in the district with an area of 249.03 sq.kms. Paddy, Coconut, Rubber, Tapioca, Pepper, Cashew, Banana, Areca Nuts etc. are the major crops under cultivation in the block.A huge sculpture of a mythological bird from the Indian epic Ramayana will be built on a rock at Chadayamangalam by 2008.



The sculpture will house a history museum, a mini theatre, an open area and also washrooms inside.The 200-foot long, 150-foot wide and 50-foot tall 'functional' sculpture of Jatayu will be built on a 1,000-foot tall rock at Chadayamangalam, 40 km from thiruvanathapuram

PADMANABHAPURAM PALACE

PADMANABHAPURAM PALACE : TOURIST PLACE


Padmanabhapuram Palace (Malayalam: പത്മനാഭപുരം കൊട്ടാരം) complex is located in at Padmanabhapuram Fort, close to the town of Thuckalay in Kanyakumari District, Tamilnadu. It is about 20 km from Nagercoil, and about 50 kilometers from Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. The palace complex is inside an old granite fortress around four kilometers long. The palace is located at the foot of the Veli Hills, which form a part of the Western Ghats. The river Valli flows nearby.


The palace was constructed around 1601 A.D by Iravipillai Iravivarma Kulasekhara Perumal who ruled Travancore between 1592 A.D. and 1609 A.D. In the late 18th century, the capital of Travancore was shifted from here to Trivandrum, and the place lost its former glory. However, the palace complex continue to be the best examples of traditional Kerala architecture, and some portions of the sprawling complex are also the hall mark of traditional Kerala style building art

SHANGUMUGAM -TOURIST PLACE

It is a popular city beach adjacent to the Thiruvananthapuram International Airport.
An indoor recreation club, a children's traffic training park and a star shaped restaurant are some of the attractions of the beach.

vellayani lake (Thiruvananthapuram)

Location

It is around 9 km away from the Thiruvananthapuram Central Bus Station at Thampanoor. Buses ply to Vellayani Lake from City Depot at East Fort also. It is at a distance of 7 km from Kovalam via Poonkulam junction.




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Attractions

A road passes through this lake; a bund has been constructed for this purpose. This lake attracts a lot of tourists. Once in Kovalam, a visitor should not allow to miss the opportunity of seeing this wonder lake of freshwater. Its crystal-clear calm water, especially during moonlit nights, is a craze for the minds. The locals say a side of the lake is Kochu Kovalam, meaning tiny Kovalam.



There is a boat race in the lake during Onam which attracts a huge crowd. Country boat service is available from Kovalam beach to reach the lake.

VARKALA BEACH(PAAVA NASAM) - TOURIST PLACE

Location : 51 km north of Thiruvananthapuram city and 37 km south of Kollam, Thiruvananthapuram district, south Kerala.
Attractions: Beach, mineral watersprings, the Sivagiri Mutt and a 2000 year old Vishnu temple

Varkala, a calm and quiet hamlet, lies on the outskirts of Thiruvananthapuram district. It has several places of tourist interests like a beautiful beach, a 2000 year old Vishnu temple and the ashramam- 'Sivagiri Mutt' a little distance from the beach.At the serene Varkala beach is a quiet sea resort rich in mineral water springs.A dip in the holy waters at this beach is believed to purge the body of impurities and the soul of all sins. Hence the name 'Papanasam beach'.A two thousand year old shrine the Janardhanaswamy Temple, stands on the cliffs overlooking the beach,a short distance away. The Sivagiri Mutt, founded by the great Hindu reformer and Philosopher Sree Narayana Guru (1856 - 1928) is also close by.The Samadhi (the final resting place) of the Guru here attracts thousands of devotees every year during the Sivagiri Pilgrimage days - 30th December to 1st January. Sree Narayana Guru propagated the ideology:"one caste, one religion and one god",in a society torn by the taboos of caste system.Varkala offers excellent accommodation facilities for the tourist and is fast becoming a popular health resort with many Ayurvedic massage centres.

Nearest railway station : Varkala.

Nearest airport : Thiruvananthapuram international airport, nearly 57 km away.

VZHIJAM - TOURIST PLACE

POOVAR - TOURIST PLACE IN KERALA

Poovar is a small coastal fishing island at the southern tip of Thiruvananthapuram district in Kerala.
The village is embraced by a beautiful beach on one side and the backwaters on the other. During high tides, an estuary links it to the sea.




It is very close to harbor of Vizhinjam and is a network of lagoons, lakes, canals, estuaries, deltas, interspersing forty-four rivers that join the Arabian Sea.




Located 38km from the State capital, a fifteen-minute boat ride reaches you at Poovar.

NEYYAR DAM -TOURIST PLACE IN KERALA

NEYYAR DAM


It is situated at 30km east of Thiruvananthapuram, at the foot of western ghats. It was established in 1958. The 128sqkm Neyyar sanctuary occupies a beautiful wooded and hilly landscape, dominated by the peak of Agasthya malai. Wild life includes gaur, sloth bear, Nilgiri Tahr, jungle cat and Nilgiri langur but most commonly seen animals are wild elephants and sambar deer. Boating facilities are available at the reservoir.


It is occupying the basin of the rivers Neyyar, Mullayar and Kallar. This popular picnic spot has a watch tower, crocodile farm, lion safari park and deer park.

ARUVIKKARA DAM - TOURIST PLACE IN KERALA

ARUVIKKARA DAM

Situated 16km from Thiruvananthapuram city


Aruvikkara Dam site used to be a preferred tourism location. Now you can describe the condition of this place in a single word – pathetic.


There was a good park, which now is home to some snakes and big groves –may be preserving nature.

PALARUVI WATERFALLS - TOURIST PLACE

PALARUVI WATERFALLS


Palaruvi( Kollam)

Palaruvi - Location : About 75 km from Kollam on the Kollam - Shencottah road.Palaruvi - literally, stream of milk - is one of Kerala's most picturesque waterfalls, cascading down a height of 300 feet. It is a favourite picnic spot for visitors from all over south India.

The journey to Palaruvi through the dense tropical forest is a spellbinding experience. The surrounding mist-clad blue hills and green valleys form a stunning backdrop to the milk-white burst of foam whose muffled roar resounds through the otherwise tranquil virgin forest. Palaruvi - Getting there: Palaruvi - Nearest railway station : Kollam about 75 km. Palaruvi - Nearest airport : Thiruvananthapuram International Airport,about 72 km from Kollam town.

VELI LAKE - TOURIST PLACE IN KERALA

VELI LAKE

On the outskirts of Kerala’s capital city, by the side of the placid waters of Veli lake, the Tourist Village and Boat Club attracts the city people and tourists.



Veli, developed as a major tourist spot by providing facilities for pedal-boating, row boating, swimming, get together, etc. is just the right place for an exciting outing. The Youth Hostel at Veli which is hardly three km, from the international airport, provides inexpensive dormitory type accommodation.


Veli, with its palm fringed lake is easily accessible by road.

THENMALA - ECOTOURISM IN KERALA

Thenmala is a tourist place near Punalur town, Kollam district in Kerala. The first eco tourism project in India is located at Thenmala. The Thenmala dam was built across Kallada River.


Thenmala is famous for being the shooting location in Malayalam and Tamil movies.citation needed Thenmala attracts foreign and domestic tourists with a host of attractions. Boating on the lake, a rope bridge, trekking, mountaineering, biking and a musical fountain.

Thenmala is approachable both from Trivandrum and Punalur by road. The waterfall calledPalaruvi is a prime attraction nearby. Also nearby is a deer rehabilitation center where visitors can see deer in a forest setting and have a peep into a traditional tree house used by forest dwellers to escape harm from wild animals. Other places near Thenmala are Kulathupuzha, Anchal, Punalur, Kamukumchery and Shenkottah Tirunelveli Dist(Tamil Nadu). Themala is 72 km from Thiruvanathapuram and 16 km from Palaruvi Falls.

KOVALAM - TOURIST PLACE IN KERALA

 KOVALAM

Kovalam is a beach town on the Arabian Sea in Kerala, a state in south India. It is located around 16 km outside Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum) City in the Thiruvananthapuram district.

Beaches

Kovalam has three crescent shaped beaches separated by rocky outcroppings. Shallow waters stretching for hundreds of metres are ideal for swimming. The beaches have steep palm covered headlands and are lined with shops that offer all kinds of goods and services.

The larger of the beaches is called Light House Beach for its 35 metre high light house which towers over it atop Kurumkal hillock. The second largest one is Hawah Beach named thus for the topless European women who used to throng there. It was the first topless beach in India. Topfree bathing and parading is banned now except in private coves owned by resorts. Visitors frequent these two beaches. The northern part of the beach is known as Samudra Beach in tourism parlance. A large promontory separates this part from the southern side. Samudra Beach doesn't have tourists thronging there or hectic business. The local fishermen ply their trade on this part. The sands on the beaches in Kovalam are partially black in colour due to the presence of ilmenite and thorazite. The normal tourist season is from September to May.

AGASTYARKOODAM - TOURIST PLACE IN KERALA

AGASTYARKOODAM



Agastya Mala(also known as Agastyarkoodam or Agasthyakoodam) is a 1,868 metres (6,129 ft) peak within Neyyar Wildlife Sanctuary in the Western Ghats South India. The mountain lies on the border between the Indian states of Kerala (inKollam and Thiruvananthapuram District and Tamil Nadu (in Tirunelveli).


The perennial Thamarabarani River originates from this hill and flows into the Tirunelveli District of Tamil Nadu. pilgrimage centre for devotees of the Hindu sage Agastya, who is considered to be one of the seven rishisSaptarishiHindu Puranas Tamils language is considered to be a boon from Agasthya. There is a full-sized statue of Agastya at the top of the peak and the devotees can offer pujas themselves.