Know More About Kerala!!!!

Wayanad
Luxuriant plantations of coffee, tea, cardamom, pepper and rubber, stretch over the hills of Wayanad as far as the eye can see. With the fast-flowing rivers - Panamaram, Mananthavady and Kabini - cutting across the undulating panorama and lending a picture-postcard look to the whole region - the north eastern tip of Kerala.

Wayanad

Edakkal Caves

Edakkal Caves
Atop Ambukutty Hills near Ambalavayal in Wayanad is Edakkal Caves. Two caves, formed by a split in a mammoth rock- one roofed over by other- make up the Edakkal caves. For decades the caves have been the haven of archeologists. Ancient carvings and pictorial wall inscriptions are supposed to be of pre-historic period. The stone walls also have pictures of human beings and instruments. Archaeologists consider this as one of the earliest centres of human habitation. A 1500-acre Reserve Forest also houses as many as 200 stone age monuments.

Down town Ambalavayal has a heritage museum, first of its kind in the state. It has a rare collection of instruments and curios shedding light to life, centuries back.
Location : Caves three km away from Ambalavayal, Wayanad. Ambalavayal buses from Kozhikode, Kalpetta and Sulthan Bathery.

Pookot Lake:
This perennial fresh water lake, nestled among wooded hills, is the only one of its kind in Kerala. Boating facilities, a children's park, a handicrafts and spices emporium and a fresh water aquarium are among the tourist facilities available here. The lake is 3 Km south of Vythiri Resorts. With its own dream-like serenity, this natural fresh water lake surrounded by meadows and trees on all sides is a haven for peace-loving travellers.

Pookot Lake

It is located half way from Calicut, half an hour ahead of Kalpetta. It is undoubtedly the most beautiful tourist spot in the whole of Wayanad. The lake nestles in the lap of mountains surrounding it. Boating in the Pookot Lake is a memorable experience. Tall trees and dense forests that line along the pathway around the lake provide a visual treat. A freshwater acquarium with a large variety of fish is an added attraction.

Tholpetty Wild Life Sanctuary

Tholpetty Wild Life Sanctuary
This is another popular wildlife sanctuary in Wayanad. Camping out at night in the watch tower in this sanctuary is a memorable lifetime experience for any adventure sports loving patrons.The watch tower is just above the lake, which is the only source of water to all animals.

All animals both wild & not so wild ones-come here to drink water at night. Needs nerves of steel & totally unforgettable experience for adventure sports loving patrons.

Soochipara Waterfall
22 kms from Hotel Green Gates is Soochipara Waterfalls. Alight from your 4-wheel drive and take a 2-km walk into the dense equatorial forest of Wayanad and find nature at its thundering best. Soochipara is a 3-tiered, powerful waterfall. And the cliff face here is ideal for rock climbing.

Soochipara Waterfall

Periyar Lake

Periyar
275 km from Trivandrum airport, 190 Km from Cochin airport, 114 km from Kottayam. Coconut Lagoon, Kumarakom is the best place to experience the Backwaters. The main attraction is the House-Boats.

Periyar Lake
The convenient way of seeing wildlife is to take a boat cruise on the lake, which is the only means of transport within the sanctuary. Boat cruises on the lake take two hours and depart from the boat jetty between 7 am and 4 pm. The morning and evening boat rides usually provide the best chance of viewing animals before they retreat into the jungle. The periyar lake have several fish species. The mashseer, the famous and endangered game fish of India is in plenty in the upstream. Lepodopygopsis typus, Hypselobarbus periyarensis, Crossochilus periyarensis and Puntius ophicephalus are endemic to the upstreams of Periyar. The Otter, the only mammels of the lake is a frequent sight from the boat. The Periyar Widlife sanctuary is spread across 777 sq km, of which 360 sq km is thick evergreen forest, the Periyar Wiild Life Sanctuary was declared a Tiger Reserve in 1978. This is the only sanctuary in India where you can have the unique experience of viewing wildlife at close quarters from the safety of a boat on the lake. The greatest attraction of Periyar, however are the herds of wild elephants that come down to play in the lake.

Munnar
The nature-lover’s paradise. Snuggling in the green and serene Kannan Devan Hills, lies the quite and restful resort of Munnar, at an altitude of 1524 m and 136 km off Cochin.
The main cultivation crops in Munnar are Tea and Coffee.

Munnar

Nearest Railway Station: Ernakulam Railway Station ( 04 Hrs from Munnar )
Nearest Airport : Cochin International Airport ( 4 hours 30 minutes from Munnar)
Altitude - 5000 to 8000 Ft above sea level.
Temperature - 0 degree Celsius to 30 degree celsius
Summer- 15 degree celsius to 25 degree celsius
Winter- 0 degree celsius to 10 degree Celsius

The Kundale Tea Plantation
An area surrounding a lovely lake that offers some of the most stunning views of the region. It offers the best opportunity you are ever likely to have to see the tea plantations, to watch tea being picked, to learn how tea is processed, to smell the sweet scent of tea wafting through the air and to buy the tea directly from the gardens.

Mattupetty (13 kms from Munnar)
Situated at a height of 1700 m , Mattupetty is famous for its highly specialised dairy farm, the Indo-swiss live stock project. Over 100 varietes of high yielding cattle are reared here. Visitors are allowed into three of the eleven cattle sheds at the farm

Visit Time : 0900 - 1100 hrs and 1400 - 1530 hrs.
The Mattupetty lake and dam , just a short distance from the farm, is a very beautiful picnic spot. The sprawling Kundala tea plantations and the Kundala lake are other attractions in the vicinity. DTPC Idukki provides boating facilities on the Mattupetty Dam. Speed Launch and slow speed motor boats are available on hire

Calicut

Calicut
Up north in Kerala, the meandering backwaters of Calicut (Kozhikode) lie waiting to be discovered. With a bewitching beauty of its own. North east of the city, Elathur offers an ideal jump-off base into the Canoly Canal - a name taken after its British builder and administrator.

The canal links itself to the Kallai River which unhurriedly threads through the city and offers its shores to Calicut’s historic timber trade. The produce of which is believed to have even adorned the courts of King Solomon and Queen Sheba a few millennia ago.

River Chaliyar
Known in the lower reaches as the Beypore river, this is one of the major rivers of the state. The lower reaches form part of the West Coast Inland Navigation system.

River Chaliyar

As an inter-state river, this has a total drainage area of 2923 sq.kms, of which 2532 sq.kms. lie in Kerala & the rest, 388 sq.kms. in Tamil Nadu. With a length of 169kms, the Chaliyar river flows through Nilambur, Mambad, Edavanna, Areacode, Vazhakkad in Malappuram district & Feroke in Kozhikode district before it joins the Arabian Sea near Beypore.

Kumarkom

Kumarakom
At Kumarakom, you could sail the backwaters in rented houseboats, which are poled by local oarsmen and are simply furnished with a living room, a bedroom and bath, together with a raised central platform creating a private sit-out for the passengers. Sections of the curved roof of wood or plaited palm open out to provide shade and allow uninterrupted views.

Boat trains - formed by joining two or more houseboats together - make for a convenient mode of sightseeing when the company is large. You could even take a canoe out into the quiet lagoons and spend time angling. Make sure you sample Karimeen and fresh Toddy - the favorite fresh-water food and the local wine. This is an ideal place for backwater cruises. A beautiful backwater spot accessible from Kumarakom is Alleppey.

Lake Vembanad
On the shores of the enchanting Vembanad lake, 14 kilometers from Kottayam (travel time: 20 min), lies Kumarakom in its small-town hush. Redolent of restful ease.A boat ride into the countryside offers a close look into an engaging rustic life. Skiff-fishermen launching their cockleshell boats. Large flotillas of ducks waddling down to the water from thatched houses on the banks. Women, neck-deep in water, with their waist-length hair heaped in a crown, searching for fish with their feet.

Alleppey
The sweeping network of canals, honey-combing the town of Alleppey (Alappuzha) has earned for the place its sobriquet - "The Venice of the East." Small, low-slung country boats are the taxis of this waterland.

Alleppey Backwaters

It is a heart-warming sight to see them carry a motley assemblage of cycles, goats, fisherwomen with cane baskets, school children, toddy-tappers with their knives and pots, duennas in white with gold earrings, Syrian Christian priests and a bare-chested boatman apiece.

Do not miss out on a ride into Kuttanad through shimmering, green paddy fields and tail-wagging, head-bobbing groups of ducks. The coir-workers too present an interesting sight as they soak coconut fibre in pools, beat them out and weave the tough brown strands into long ropes on spindles stretched between endless coconut trees. Alleppey becomes the cynosure of the eyes of the world in August - September, every year, as it plays host to the celebrated Snake Boat Races - a water regatta unique to Kerala.

Cochin Fishing Nets

Cochin
Come into Cochin (Kochi), Queen of the Arabian Sea. Believed to be the finest natural harbour in the world. With ferry rides commanding its breathtaking view. Cruise around man-made islands with lush green lawns sloping down to the water’s edge.

Today, centuries later, the city is home to nearly thirteen communities. Fort Kochi is accessible by bus or ferry. The bus ride from Ernakulam town, which is nearly 13 km away, takes about an hour and the ferry ride from Main boat jetty at Ernakulam about 20 minutes.

Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary
A 14 acre bird sanctuary is situated on the eastern banks of the Vembanad Lake. The sanctuary adds to the natural beauty of Kumarakom. Birds (waterfowl, water ducks, cuckoos, wild ducks etc.) nest and spend happy summers here. Birds like Siberian Storks migrate here every year. The sanctuary is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary

Chinese Fishing Nets

Chinese Fishing nets
The Chinese fishing nets found here are the only ones of its kind in India. It is believed that traders from the court of the Chinese ruler Kublai Khan introduced these nets here. Erected here between 1350 and 1450 AD by traders from the court of Kublai Khan, these nets are set up on Teak wood and bamboo poles.

The best place to watch the nets being lowered into the sea and catch being brought in is the Vasco da Gama Square, a narrow promenade that runs along the beach. The Square is ideal place to idle, with stalls serving fresh delicious sea food, tender coconut etc. Giant Chinese fishing nets that billow from massive teak and bamboo poles dot the entrance to the harbour. Silhouetted against the setting sun, they present a magnificent sight at the waterfront.

Dutch or Mattancherry Palace
The Dutch Palace was originally built by the Portugese. Later, in 17th century, the Dutch modified it and presented to the Raja of Kochi. The centre of the building has a Coronation Hall where Cochin Rajas investitures were held. Today, it is a portrait gallery of the Rajas.

Dutch Palace

The place has a fine collection of mural paintings depicting the scenes from the Hindu epics Mahabharatha and Ramayana.
Location: Eranakulam. Open for visitors. 10 am to 5 pm Closed on Fridays, national holidays.

St Francis Church

St Francis Church
Fort Kochi is also home to one of India's oldest churches - the St.Francis Church. It is the oldest church built by European in India. This was a Roman Catholic Church during the Portuguese rule from 1503 to 1663, then a Dutch Reformist Church from 1664 to 1804, and Anglican church from 1804 to 1947. Today it is governed by the Church of South India (CSI).

On his 3rd visit to Kerala, Vasco da Gama, the Portugese trader who reached India from Europe by sea, fell ill and died in Kochi. He was buried in the St. Francis Church.Later his remains were taken back to Portugal. In spite of that the exact place where he was buried has been marked out inside the church. Each and every structure, street, door, window and brick in Fort Kochi has several stories to tell.