 Keralatourstravel.co.inKerala : Better known as God's Own Country, Kerala is a heavenly portrait splashed with myriad of enchanting hues. Situated in the southern tip of India, Kerala is caressed by the Arabian Sea in the western coast of India. It is a green Venice, but unlike Venice, where man has created most of the glory, in Kerala nature rules. This beautiful coastal state of India is the country's ambassador to the world of travel and tourism. From the lagoons & backwaters that meander through the enchanting landscapes, to the rich and colourful culture & heritage that weave a tapestry of tourism delights, Kerala is a dream holiday destination of India. Kerala Tours and Travels includes following important things you should know about : 1. Backwaters of Kerala : For many years the backwaters remained Kerala's best-kept secret. Once just the state's trade highways, the palm-fringed, tranquil waterways are now a major tourist attraction in Kerala. The best way to enjoy the Kerala backwaters is to take a cruise on a Kettuvallam (house-boat). The point is not to get anywhere, but to drift languidly through ethereal beauty. It is astonishingly romantic to watch the sunset from one Kettuvallam among several, as you pass a world of coconut trees, marshy groves, shallow lakes, deep canals, and long boats. Your backwater odyssey will have twittering kingfishers, eye-catching cormorants and gliding ducks. The coastline of Kerala is dotted with delightful backwater destinations. The Best Backwater regions in Kerala are : Alappuzha Backwaters : Alappuzha is one of the major centres for backwater tour in Kerala. The intricate network of canals through this town has earned it the sobriquet "The Venice of the East". Small but long country boats are the taxies of the water. The coir workers present an interesting sight as they soak coconut fibre in pools, beat them and wind the strands on long spindles stretched between an endless line of coconut trees. Veli Aakulam Backwaters : A short distance from Thiruvananthapuram, is the Veli Aakulam lagoon. Water sports, a floating restaurant, an amusement park, speedboats and other facilities make this a hot-spot tourist destination in Kerala. The east end of the lake is flanked by two scenic hillocks. Kollam BAckwaters : The charming old port city of Kollam on the banks of the Ashtamudi Lake is known as the centre of the cashew industry. It is one of the oldest ports of the backwaters, with the ferry to Alappuzha taking more than 8 hours. Kumarakom Backwaters : A small village 12 kilometre west of Kottayam town, on the banks of the beautiful Vembanad Lake, Kumarakom is 14-acre bird sanctuary known for local varieties of water fowl, cuckoo, water ducks, and migrating Siberian storks. Just 80 kilometres from Kochi (Cochin), this area has unique Kettuvalloms, boat racing, motorboat and water sport facilities. The houseboats, plied by local oarsmen, are simply furnished with a living room, bedroom with attached bath and a raised central deck for lazing on cushions while watching the world go by.  Kozhikode Backwaters : In north Kerala, the cool backwaters of Kozhikode lie waiting to be explored. This old commercial town attracts travellers for its history, wonderful backwaters and leisure sports. Alumkadavu, in the town of Karunagapally hardly 20 kilometres north of Kollam, is where Kettuvalloms are built. These huge, long and tapering barges were traditionally used to carry tonnes of goods, with a portion covered with bamboo and coir servicing as a rest room and kitchen for the crew. Gliding down the calm and serene backwaters in a Kettuvallom, embraced by green leaves and palm, see a rural Kerala preserved through the ages, completely hidden from the road, and it is not surprising that this is called God's Own Country. Ernakulam - Kochi BAckwaters : Famous for its natural harbour, one of the best in the world, Kochi has earned the sobriquet "Queen of the Arabian Sea". All the islands that make up Kochi are well connected by ferry. The Chinese fishing nets, a method of fishing established in Kochi during the times of Kubla Khan line the waterfront. Besides these backwaters, other equally beautiful water bodies elsewhere are Veli (in South Kerala), Kadinamkulam, Edava, Anjengo, Madayara, Peravur, Ashtamudi, Kayamkulam, Kodungalur, Chetuva and Valiyaparamba (in North Kerala). In the monsoon months, the backwaters reverberate with the sound of the traditional snake boat races, featuring the 130-feet-long chundan boats. Up to 16 of them, with over a hundred rowers each, compete for the honours during the races. The most important of these races is the Nehru Trophy Boat Race. The Aranmula Boat Festival of the Parthasarathy Temple of Aranmula on the banks of the holy River Pamba, is the more traditional race. The boat carnival starts on the day of Thiruonam, the most auspicious day of the Kerala festival, Onam.  Ayurveda in Kerala : Kerala, in the southernmost tip of India, is noted, among many other things, for its Ayurvedic resorts that draw a large number of tourists every year coming for Ayurveda Holidays in Kerala. Kerala's equable climate, natural abundance of forests (with a wealth of herbs and medicinal plants), and the cool monsoon season (June - November) are best suited for Ayurveda's curative and restorative packages. In fact, today, Kerala is the only State in India which practices this system of medicine with absolute dedication. Traditional texts reveal that the monsoon is the best season to plan Ayuveda vacations in Kerala. The atmosphere remains dust-free and cool, opening the pores of the body to the maximum, making it most receptive to herbal oils and therapy. Kerala is dotted with numerous Ayurveda resorts. Festivals of Kerala : Onam Festival : Onam is celebrated in Kerala when the August monsoon rains give way to the pleasant warmth of autumn. Onam is the celebration of the return of Mahabali, the once and future king. This king ruled "when all men were equal, when no one was poor, when there was neither theft nor dread of thieves".  Kerala Boat Festivals : On the great backwaters of Kerala, fierce Vallom Kallies (boat races) and water carnivals erupt every year in a dramatic spectacle and hold tens of thousands of people spell-bound, cheering the action, laying bets, goading the boatmen to row faster. The water carnivals and snake boat races herald the week of the great harvest festival of Onam. It is Kerala's most important celebration and in scores of villages spread across central Kerala, competitive races featuring the smaller churulans, oadis, and irrutukuthies provide expression to the spirit of an intrepid, athletic people, born and bread near water. Vishu Festival : Vishu falls on the first of Medam (March-April), which is the Malayali New Year's Day. Since it is considered propitious to view good things on this day for year round good fortune, Vishu morning is an important time in Kerala. Thrissur Pooram Festival : The most spectacular festival of Kerala is Thrissur Pooram. Sakthan Thampuran, the Maharaja of erstwhile Kochi state, introduced this festival. Celebrated in Medom (April-May) the festival parades the fulgent faces of Kerala culture. With every passing year Tthrissur Pooram, the temple festival, attracts large masses of devotees and spectators to Kerala. Payippad Jelotsavam Festival : Payippad Jelotsavam held in memory for the Prathista ceremony of Haripad Subramanya temple and therefore has a religious significance. This festival is celeberated for three days commencing from the Onam festival day. Snake boat processions are taken out on the first two days and competitive boat race take place on the third day.  Attukal Pongala Festival : Attukal Pongala this is the one and the only temple festival in the world where lakhs of women assembled together to make offerings by cooking a pudding for the goddess in the Attukal temple. It is taken home after the chief priest of the temple will come and sprinkle the holy water and will shower the flowers. This festival will come to an end in the evening with a procession from the temple. Makaravillakku at Sabarimala Festival : For centuries, Sabarimala in Pathanamthitta has been a major pilgrim centre in Kerala attracting lakhs of devotees from all over India, more so from the southern states. The presiding deity is Lord Ayyappa known as Dharma Sastha, a considered symbol of unity between Vaishnavites and Saivites. Christmas Festival : With a large number of Christian population in Kerala, Christmas is a festival that is celebrated with much vigour and enthusiasm in the state. Easter is also an important festival in the state. The numerous churches that are spread across the state brighten up around this time. Theyyam Festival : Theyyam is one of the popular festivals of Kerala. It is the worship of the deity; on the other hand, the dancer is also the deity. Theyyam celebrates primarily the Mother Goddess. Animals, serpents and trees also figure in worship. Wildlife in Kerala : Kerala is bestowed with a rich repertoire of natural bounty - mountains & hills, rivers & lakes, backwaters & shoreline. It is natural for Kerala to be home to many national parks and sanctuaries. The enchanting green forest with its rich flora and fauna makes Kerala a much sought after wildlife destination in India. The numerous national parks and wildlife sanctuaries of Kerala will add that extra bit of excitement when you holiday in Kerala. Wynad Wildlife Sanctuary : The Wynad Wildlife Sanctuary is a must for tourists wishing to experience a bit of wilderness while on Kerala travel. A part of the Wynad Plateau, the Wynad National Park in Kerala is famous for its tigers and leopards along with the other wildlife that one can find during vacations in Wynad Wildlife Sanctuary. Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary : The most renowned destination is the Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary at Thekkady, one of India's major sanctuary areas. The drive to Thekkady itself is enchanting as the road winds through tranquil countryside, rich plantations and thick jungles. Silent Valley National Park: The Silent Valley contains India's last substantial stretch of tropical evergreen rain forests and it is perhaps the only vestige of a near virgin forest in the whole of the Western Ghats. Elephants, tigers, wild dog, flying squirrel and lion-tailed macaque are found here. Thattekad Bird Sanctuary : This bird sanctuary is a peninsular land of 25 sq. km. Formed between the branches of River Periyar. The rivers are rich in fishlife and are shallow for most of the year. The avifauna includes both resting indigenous birds and water birds. The most notable of the indigenous birds are Malabar grey hornbill, grey jungle fowl, heron, egret, jungle myna, woodpecker, rose winged and blue winged parakeet. Rare birds like Ceylon frog-mouth, rose billed roller etc. are also seen. Parambikulam Wildlife Sanctuary : Parambikulam has one of the largest population of gaur (bison). Sambar, spotted deer, jungle cat, lion-tailed macaque, common otter, sloth bear etc. are the other inhabitants. There are also a few tigers and leopards. Facilities for boarding and lodging are available at the sanctuary. There are forest rest houses at Thunacadavu, Thellikkal and Elathode. Motor transport and boat cruise can be arranged on request. The Indira Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary of Tamil Nadu lies adjacent. Idukki Wildlife Sanctuary : The sanctuary is situated just above the arch dam. An area of 70 sq. km. of forest land in between the Periyar and Cheruthoni rivers form an excellent habitat for wildlife. Elephants, bisons, bear, wild boars, sambar etc are found in this area. The lake on the three sides of the sanctuary offers a panoramic view to the tourists. Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary : Proximity to Eravikulam National Park and Anamalai Wildlife Sanctuary in Tamil Nadu makes Chinnar rich in wildlife. This sanctuary is easily accessible from Udumalpet in Tamil Nadu and Munnar in Kerala. Aralam Wildlife Sanctuary : Elephants, sloth bear, sambar, mouse-deer etc. are found in this sanctuary. It is also rich in avifauna and reptiles. This sanctuary is easily accessible from Kannur. Peppara Wildlife Sanctuary : Peppara is accessible from Vithurai on Thiruvananthapuram - Ponmudi road. This sanctuary with its rich fauna and birds is emerging as a big attraction to wildlife enthusiasts. It is spread over an area of 53 Sq. km. on the Western Ghats. This is dotted with large hills and numerous hillocks with forests and Eucalyptus plantations. Elephant, Sambar, Leopard and Lion tailed macaque are commonly seen. Neyyar Wildlife Sanctuary : The Neyyar reservoir is easily navigable and extends 9.06 sq. km. The vegetation varies from tropical wet evergreen to grasslands. Agasthyakoodam of 1890 metres elevation is in this sanctuary. Elephants, gaur, sloth bear, Nilgiri Tahr, jungle cat, wild boar, Nilgiri Langur etc. are seen. A crocodile rearing centre, deer farm and lion safari park are the main attractions near the dam site. Peechi-Vazhani Wildlife Sanctuary : It lies in the catchment areas of Peechi and Vazhani dams in Trichur District. Peechi, the headquarters of the sanctuary is 15 km by road from Trissur. Nagarhole Wildlife Sanctuary : It is 40 km from Mananthavady. There are no bus services to Nagarhole from Mananthavady, only jeeps and trucks are available. There is a PWD Rest House, Forest Rest House and Forest Inspection Bungalow at Mananthavady. The reservation authorities are the District Collector, Waynad and the DFO, Mananthavady. There are also mid range hotels and an Indian Coffee House here. From Cannanore, Tellicherry and Calicut there are frequent buses to Mananthavady. |
Copyright © Kerala Tours Travel. All Rights Reserved.Site Developed & Maintained by The Info India