kovalam
The Kovalam beach situated 16 Km. south of Trivandrum city, is one of the best beaches in India. It's a must see destination of India. On account of it's natural location, it affords facilities for safe sea bath Kovalam is an internationally renowned beach of Kerela, with three adjacent crescent beaches.
Kovalam is an internationally renowned beach of Kerela, with three adjacent crescent beaches. Kovlam has been a favorite haunt of tourists, especially Europeans, since the 1930s. A massive rocky promontory on the beach has created a beautiful bay of calm waters ideal for sea bathing. The leisure options at this beach are plenty and diverse - sunbathing, swimming, herbal body toning massages, special cultural programmes, Catamaram cruising etc.
The tropical sun acts so fast that one can see the faint blush of coppery tan on the skin in a matter of minutes. Life on the beach begins late in the day and carries on well into the night. Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum), the capital city of Kerala, is just 16 km away from Kovalam and getting there is no hassle. Thiruvananthapuram has interesting places to see like the Napier Museum, the Sri Chitra Art Gallery , the Padmanabhaswamy Temple , Puthenmalike Palace, Zoo, Planetarium, Veli Lagoon, Ponmudi hill station etc....
Agastyakoodam- the abode of biodiversity
Agastyakoodam (Agastya Malai), a towering forested peak of 1868 metres, and adjoining forests in the tail end of Western Ghats form the most diverse and unknown ecosystem in Peninsular India. These forests, falling in the Kollam and Thiruvananthapuram districts of Kerala and the Tirunelveli and Kanyakumari districts of Tamil Nadu habours many endemic species of plants that are unique to peninsular India.The undulating hills of these area, especially those at lower elevations, are also known for their abundance of medicinal plants. A sizable proportion of around 2000 medicinal plants used in the traditional systems of medicine are found here.Trekking to the top of the hill, you can observe many rare fauna and flora in their natural habitat.This place never fails to satisfy the adventurous traveller.The place can be accessed from Trivandrum by road.
Places to See
Here are some of the major tourist attractions and places to see in Trivandrum, Kerala. The capital city of Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram, boast lots of interesting places for pilgrims as well as national and international tourists. Here is a Trivandrum travel guide on the popular tourist destinations.
SRI PADMANABHASWAMY TEMPLE- Spread over an area of 2,400 sq. metres, the Sri Padmanabhaswamy temple is believed to be over 260 years old. The temple with its gopuram (tower) towering majestically is believed to be among the 108 shrines sacred to the Vaishnav in India. The main entranceof the temple is through the eastern gopuram which towers to over 30 metres and is built in the Dravidian style. Padmanabha (an incarnation of Vishnu) the deity of the temple reclines on a sacred serpent in the inner sanctum. The main sanctum sanctorum inside the temple is well safeguarded with a number of massive doors and one can have the darshan (audience) through one the three-door openings into the sanctum sanctorum.
Government Arts and Crafts Museum
This museum is officially known as "Napier Museum" and is named after a former Madras Governor General, John Napier. It is a treasure house of architectural splendor, combining traditional Kerala styles, along with Chinese and Mughal Influences. The museum houses a huge collection of archeological and historical artifacts. Visitors can see bronze idols, Stone Sculptures, wooden carvings, ornaments dating from 11th century to the 18th century. There is a clock which is said to be 400 years old.
Sri Chitra Art Gallery
Sree Chitra Art Gallery, located to the north of Government Arts and Crafts Museum contains various collections including the works of Raja Ravi Varma (1848-1906) and his uncle Raja Raja Varma, both pioneers of a unique academic style of painting in India. The museum is opened from 10 am to 5 pm on all days except Monday.
NaturalHistoryMuseum Thiruvananthapuram
Natural History Museum, located to the east of the Trivandrum Government Museum, has a vast collection of replica of a typical Kerala Nair wooden house, naluketu, detailing the principles of its construction. Adjacent to this complex is the Kanakakunnu Palace where the royal family of Travancore once entertained their guests. The museum houses a rich collection of ethnographic pieces. Animal Skeletons, Stuffed Animals and Birds are on the display. There are many galleries within the Natural History Museum. The museum remains open from Tuesdays to Sundays from 10 am to quarter to five in the evening. On Wednesdays, it opens only at 1 pm.
Kuthiramalika Palace Museum
Kuthiramalika Palace Museum is part of the Kuthiramalika Palace (Puthen Malika Palace) and is situated on the south-east side of Sree Padmanabha Swami Temple. Kuthira Malika Palace (Mansion of Horses) is so called because of the shape of head carvings of the horses on the exterior walls. Built by Maharaja Swathi Tirunal Balarama Varma, the King of Travancore, the palace is a fine example of the traditional Travancore style architecture embellished with exquisite woodcarvings. The palace museum displays paintings, ornaments and artifacts of the royal family. Besides, Swathi Thirunal’s ivory throne, marble idols, Chinese artifacts and rare musical instruments are kept in the museum. Museum Timings or Visiting Hours is from 8:30 AM to 1 PM and 3 PM to 5:30 PM (Monday closed). Kuthira Malika Palace is the venue of Swathi Music Festival held in January every year. Swathi Sangeethotsavam is a seven days long music festival celebrated in memory of Maharaja Swathi Thirunal Rama Varma.
AkkulamLake:
Trivandrum also has in store for its tourists this scenic lake which is one of the prominent places of tourist interest in Trivandrum. Located near the lake is a children’s park and you can also get facilities for boating at this place. It is also an ideal venue for picnic as it forms a beautiful locale to unwind and enjoy the beauty of nature.
KoyikkalPalace:
It is one of the most ancient palaces and features traditional Kerala architectural style with slanting roofs and a courtyard within. This palace also has two museums called the Folklore museum and the Numismatics museum. The Folklore museum houses a wide range of musical instruments and models of folk arts and the Numismatics museum has an astonishing set of ancient coins gathered from different places.
Touristplacesinindia.com offers online information on the tourist destinations in Trivandrum. For more information on the othe
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