Trivandrum

Click here to Print

Overview		Tourist Attraction		Excursions		How to Reach

Introduction Earlier known as Trivandrum is sprawling over seven hills covered with English government buildings side-by-side local traditional wooden houses in this seaside capital city. Thiruvananthapuram is the composite and cosmopolitan character; the capital city's attraction's run from museums, art galleries, temples and zoo's. With a seven storied Gopuram, the Padmanabhaswamy Temple is the most famous site of the capital city. Best Time to travel September to May Thiruvallam (10 km) This serene backwater stretch, enroute to Kovalam, is famous for its canoe rides. Kovalam Beach (16 km - 1/2 hour) This internationally renowned beach resort has been a favorite haunt of tourists since the 1930s. Kovalam consists of three adjacent crescent beaches. The southernmost, known as the Lighthouse Beach, is the most popular. Kovalam offers accommodation options to suit all budgets. Padmanabha Swamy Temple The temple is located inside the East Fort. Dedicated to Lord Vishnu, the temple is a blend of the Kerala and Dravidian styles of architecture. It is known for its mural paintings and stone carvings. One among the 108 sacred Vishnu temples in India, the presiding deity in here is Lord Vishnu reclining on Anantha the Serpent. Only Hindus are allowed inside the temple. Dress code: Men - Dhoti; Women - Saree and blouse Museum Complex The Napier Museum: Built in the 19th century, the Indo - saracenic structure boasts a "natural" air conditioning system and houses a rare collection of archaeological and historic artifacts, bronze idols, ancient ornaments, a temple chariot and ivory carvings. The use of plastic is banned in the museum premises. The Zoological Park One of the first zoos in India, it is located in a well-planned botanical garden. With huge trees like frangipani and jacaranda dotting the sprawling lawns and wild fowl swimming in the lake, it is like a small jungle in the heart of the city. A reptile house with different species of snakes is also located in the premises. The Kanakakunnu Palace The palace and its sprawling grounds are today the venue for many cultural meets and programmes. Shankhumugham Beach Just 8 km from the city, this is a favorite haunt of sunset watchers. The beach is adjacent to the Thiruvananthapuram Airport and Veli Tourist Village. An indoor recreation club, the matsya kanyaka (a gigantic, 35 m long sculpture of a mermaid) and a restaurant shaped like a starfish are some of the attractions here. Chacha Nehru Traffic Training Park here provides opportunity for children to learn the traffic rules. Veli Tourist Village This picnic spot, where the Veli Lake meets the Arabian Sea, offers boating facilities. Pedalboats and paddleboats can be hired to explore the charms of the lagoon in a leisurely manner. For a quick ride over the waters, speedboats are available for hire. Children enjoy climbing over the huge sculptures which dot the landscape. Akkulam Tourist Village A picnic spot with boating facilities, Akkulam is a place children flock to. It has a well equipped children's park and a paddle pool. There is a swimming pool for adults too. Vizhinjam Rock Cut Cave (17 km - 1/2 hour): There are rock cut sculptures of the 18th century in the cave temple at Vizhinjam. The granite cave here encloses a one-celled shrine with a loose sculpture of Vinandhara Dakshinamurthi. The outer wall of the cave depicts half complete reliefs of the Hindu God Shiva with Goddess Parvathi. Koyikkal Palace, Nedumangad (18 km - 1/2 hour): Located on the way to the Ponmudi hill station and the Courtallam waterfalls, this ancient palace dates back to the 15th century. Here you can see a double storeyed traditional Nalukettu building with slanting gabled roofs, an inner courtyard and museums of folklore and numismatics set up by the Department of Archeology. Neyyar Dam: (32 km - 1 hour) A popular picnic spot, Neyyar Dam has a watch tower, crocodile farm, lion safari park and deer park. Boating facilities are available at the reservoir. Varkala: (40 km - 1 1/2 hours) Varkala is a seaside resort and spa. It is also an important Hindu centre of pilgrimage. The final resting place of the great social reformer, Sree Narayana Guru, is near Varkala, atop a hill called Sivagiri. High cliffs with mineral springs rise majestically from the coastline. According to a myth, sage Narada was approached by a group of mendicants who confessed to having sinned. Narada threw his valkkalam (cloth made of the bark of a tree) into the air, and the place where it landed was subsequently named Varkala. The mendicants were directed by Narada to offer their prayers in the newly created place by the seashore. The place where they prayed for redemption, came to be known as the Papanasham Beach ( Papanasham means redemption from sins). The 2000 year old Sree Janardhana Swamy Temple and the Nature Care Centre are the two main attractions here. Padmanabhapuram Palace (63 km - 2 1/2 hours. Closed on Mondays) The seat of the erstwhile rulers of Travancore, this splendid palace is situated at Thuckalai, on the way to Kanyakumari. This is a well preserved wooden palace, a glorious testimony to the traditional Kerala school of architecture. The extraordinary murals, exquisite floral carvings and the black glossy granite floor have withstood the test of time. Introduction Earlier known as Trivandrum is sprawling over seven hills covered with English government buildings side-by-side local traditional wooden houses in this seaside capital city. Thiruvananthapuram is the composite and cosmopolitan character; the capital city's attraction's run from museums, art galleries, temples and zoo's. With a seven storied Gopuram, the Padmanabhaswamy Temple is the most famous site of the capital city. Best Time to travel September to May How To Reach Air Trivandrum has an international airport in the city. Major public and private including a number of international airlines operate regular flights to and from Trivandrum. Many Indian cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kochi are well connected to Trivandrum. Road Thiruvananthapuram is connected with Kollam (1½ hours), Alappuzha (3¼ hours), Ernakulam (5 hours), Trichur (6¾ hours), Chennai (17 hours), Madurai (10 hours), and Pondicherry (16 hours) by road. Rail Trivandrum is a major Railway Station in India. Key destinations in Kerala and South India are linked to Trivandrum by rail.