World's 1000 beautiful tourist places

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Varkala : Varkala is a perfect beach with a more laid back feeling than Kovalam. An Arabian sunset viewed from the cliff top over a fresh fish dinner is a small piece of heaven. The Papanasham beach is a peaceful area away from the crowd and hawkers. There are numerous centres for Ayurveda, yoga and massage. So beware, ask advice,
avoid touts !, it is business.

Varkaka is one of the most dangerous beaches in Kerala due to strong currents. So ask for advice to lifeguards at the beach before swimming. The beach is 2 km from the town and Railway station (Rs 40 by Auto). Varkala is 42 km from Thiruvananthapuram (40 min by train, Rs 25 2nd class).

Janardhana temple : It is a popular Hindu temple at the town.

Sivagiri Mutt : It is a popular pilgrimage site and is the head quarters of the Sree Narayana Dharma Sangam trust. Sree Narayana Guru was a social reformer (1855 -1928).

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Kollam : It is surrounded by coconut palms, cashew plantations and Ashtamudi lake. The public ferry across Ashtamudi lake to Guhananadapuram (1 hour) and Perumon (2 hour) are enjoyable trips at Rs 6. Munroe island trip is also a popular trip. It is 1.5 hour travel (Rs 45) by bus from Thiruvananthapuram.

Krishnapuram palace, Kayamkulam : The two storey palace cum museum is a fine example of Keralan architecture, which houses paintings, antique furniture and sculptures. Its renowned 3 m high Gajendra moksha, the chief of elephants, as told in the Mahabharata. The palace is 600 m from the bus stand. Located between Kollam and Alapuzha, Rs 26 by bus.

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Alapuzha (Alleppey) : This pleasant market town is built on canals and surrounded by coconut trees. Nehru trophy snake boat (chundan vallam) race is conducted at Vembanad lake here on the 2nd Saturday of August every year. Each boat is over 30 m long with a raised prow like the head of a snake, and is crewed by up to 100 rowers singing in unison and shaded by gleaming silk umbrellas.

Alapuzha has a nice beach with an ancient lighthouse. It was a busy port long ago, and the rusting sea bridge at the harbour tells the past. The boat jetty is near the bus stand. One can enjoy the backwaters at the public ferry boat. Long trips to Kollam (8 hour) and Kottayam (Rs 10, 2.5 hour, 5 times daily) are also available. Houseboats can also be hired for exploring the backwaters in luxury.

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Backwater trip in a houseboat : Houseboats are designed like a kettuvallam (rice boat) and a travel in it will be one of the most expensive experiences in India, but it's wroth every rupee. It is the biggest business in Kerala with Alapuzha as the main hub. Alapuzha has more than 250 houseboats with range of quality from veritable rust buckets to floating palaces. DTPC will be helpful in chartering houseboats at a right price. It will be cheap & safe if you book a cruise after reaching Alapuzha as you have greater choice.

Houseboats drifting through quiet canals lined with coconut palms, eating deliciously traditional Keralan food (served on a green banana leaf) prepared onboard by a chef, meeting local people, visit villages to watch coir making, boat building, toddy tapping, fish farming and sleeping on the water under a galaxy of stars will be an unforgetful experience.

Houseboats cater for groups (up to eight) or couples (one or two double bedrooms). Before agreeing to a cruise, visit the houseboat, make sure that everything has been included in the price (food) and agree for a reasonable price. Bargain is a must for getting right price.

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One can travel to Kollam or Kochi by houseboats fitted with outboard motor in 24 hour (around Rs 6000). It will cost more and will not be a peaceful experience. The small Canoe boats propelled by punting with two long bamboo poles obviously don't allow you to cover much distance (15 km max in a day at Rs 3000) but it will be a wonderfully relaxing way to travel.

The backwaters have unhindered spread of water hyacinth (African moss or Nile cabbage), which clogs many stretches of the canals. The houseboats have Generators for fans and light, furnished traditional rooms with furniture and Television, a kitchen, Yamaha engine, solar panels and sanitary tanks for disposal of waste.

Due to environment issues choose punting rather than motorised boat.

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Kottayam was the first in India to achieve total literacy. It is the home to Kerala's popular daily - Malayala manorama - with a circulation of more than 1.1 million. kottayam is 1.5 hour by bus from Alapuzha Rs 22).

Kumarakom is one of the top ten scenic places in the world listed by National Geographic traveller. It is located 16 km west of Kottayam (Rs 7, 30 min by bus) on the shore of Vembanad lake.

The bird sanctuary (Admission Rs 45)has a variety of domestic and migratory birds. Oct to Feb is the time for cormorants and ducks, Feb to July, night herons and Siberian storks. Early morning is the best time to watch birds. Kumarakom has some good resorts including one from Taj garden retreat.

Ettumanur : The Ettumanur Shiv temple is noted for it's superb woodcarvings and murals. The annual festival is in Feb/Mar with grant elephant processions (12 km from Kottayam).

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Thekkady : Periyar is South India' most popular wildlife sanctuary with a 26 sq km artificial lake in the 777 sq km sanctuary. It's home to bison, sambar, wild boar, langur, around 1000 elephants and 40 tigers. The mountain scenery, lake cruise for wildlife spotting and the jungle walk make the visit enjoyable. Nights will be chilly.

The small forest department boats (0930,1130, 1400, 1600 h at Rs 15 per person will help to view the animals a bit closer. KTDC boats also operate (Rs 45) at the above timings. Then first and last trips will be good for watching animals.

The three hour jungle walk (Rs 100, 5 km, 0700, 1030, 1400 h) with a tribal guide is a better way to experience the park. Leeches are a problem after a rain. For more adventurous three day tiger trail at Rs 3000 organised by Eco tourism centre www.periyartigerreserve.org .

Kumily : It is 4 km from Periyar with shops, spice shops and Kashmiri emporiums. The Green land spice garden and Abraham's spice garden are worth a visit (5 km from Kumily, tips expected). One can visit tea factories in operation here. Kottayam (Rs 52, 114 km, 5 hour by bus).

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Munnar : It is one of the world's tea growing estates at a height of 1524 m. The hill station is an ideal retreat with delightful surroundings and crisp mountain air. he attractions include Tata tea museum (Rs 50), Christ church (1910) with fine stained glass and the inside brass plaques honour the memory of tea planters.

DTPC conducts full day tour to Chinnar wildlife sanctuary (home to deer, leopards, elephants and endangered grizzled giant squirrel. Trekking and tree house stays are available inside the sanctuary, 60 km) at Rs 300 and Tea valley tour covering Echo point, top station (32 km , four daily buses, spectacular views of Western Ghats) and Eravikulam national park (16 km from Munnar is the home to the rare Nilgiri tahr - a type of mountain goat. Season Sep to May.). They organise full day, two to four day trek around Munnar. Kochi (Rs 70, 130 km, 4.5 hour by bus).

Anamudi, highest peak on Sahyadris is 20 km from the town. Mattupetty dam is on the way, 10 km from Munnar.

Thattekkad bird sanctuary : The 25 sq km park is a home to over 270 species, including Malabar grey hornbills, parakeets and rare Sri Lankan frog mouth and rose billed roller. It is 15 km from Kothamangalam. Kothamangalam is on the Kochi - Munnar road.

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Kochi : The main city in Kerala with India's oldest church, 500 year old Portuguese houses, shopping malls and good hotels. Fort Cochin and Mattanchery has a blend of medieval Portugal, Holland and an English country village.

Fort Kochi : The fixed, cantilevered Chinese fishing nets (Cheenavala in Malayalam) were introduced by the traders from the court of Kublai Khan. They are used at high tide and require four men to operate their system of counterweights. One can travel to the nearby Vypin island or to Ernakulam by boat.

India's oldest European built church, the St Francis church was constructed in 1503 by Portuguese friars who accompanied the expedition led by Pedro Alvarez Cabral. Vasco da Gamma, who died in Cochin, was buried here for 14 years before his remains were taken to Lisbon. The tombstone is still in the church. The 1724 Dutch cemetery has many European graves.

The impressive Catholic Santa Cruz basilica dates from 1902. The Indo-Portuguese museum (Rs 10, Monday closed) in the garden of Bishop house exhibits vestments, statues, silver processional crosses and altar pieces from the Cochin diocese.

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Mattanchery palace : The palace (Rs 2, Friday closed, no photography) was built by Portuguese in 1555 for the raja of Cochin (Dutch palace - palace was renovated in 1663 by the Dutch). The central hall on the first floor is a portrait gallery of the maharajas. The astonishing fine murals depicting scenes from Ramayana, Mahabharata and Puranas. The ladies bed chamber downstairs features a cheerful Lord Krishna using his six hands and two feet to engage in foreplay with eight happy milkmaids.

Jewish Synagogue : Originally built in 1568, the Synagogue (Rs 2, Saturday closed) features ornate gold pulpit and hand painted, willow pattern floor tiles from China in the mid 18th century, and is stunningly bedecked with chandeliers and coloured glass lamps. The clock tower was built in 1760.

The area around the Synagogue is known as Jew town and is one of the main centres of Spices (ginger, cardamom, cumin, turmeric, cloves, pepper etc) and antiques trade (there's a plethora of shops selling antiques and reproductions).