A long shoreline with serene beaches. Tranquil streches of emerald backwaters. Lush hill stations and exotic wildlife. Waterfalls. Sprawling plantations and paddy fields. Ayurvedic health holidays. Enchanting art forms. Magical festivals. Historic and cultural monuments, with the Arabian Sea in the west, the Western Ghats in the east and networked by forty four rivers, Kerala enjoys unique geographical features that have made it one of the most sought after tourist destinations in Asia. An equable climate. An exotic cuisine… All of which offer you a unique experience.
A hundred percent literate people. World-class health care systems. India’s lowest infant mortality and highest life expectancy rates. The highest physical quality of life in India. Peaceful and pristine, Kerala is also India’s cleanest State.The state of Kerala is divided into fourteen districts. Most of these districts offer all the tourism products typical of the State.
Popular Places in Kerala
Athirappally
The picturesque and majestic waterfalls,Athirapally and Vazhachal,two of nature’s most relaxing places, are located just five km apart, on the edge of the Sholayar forest ranges. The Athirappally falls join the Chalakkudy river after plummeting down 80 ft. The cool spray that covers a large area near the falls makes Athirapally a scenic location. The picturesque Vazhachal waterfall is close to dense green forests and is a part of the Chalakkudy river.
Athirappally Waterfalls is located 78 kms from Kochi ( Cochin ), at the entrance to Sholayar ranges.Affording to the onlookers one of the most bewitching sights, Athirappally Falls is about 80 feet high and located in the forest area. Combined with the greenery and the soothing sounds, it infuses freshness into any tired soul and is a tranquil and much needed escape from the troubles and stress of life.
Respite
Perched high above in the the Sholayar forest ranges, on the fringes of Keralas famed rain forests, the Vazhachal waterfalls provides a restful escape for those wanting to leave the hurried pace of city life behind-wild, beautiful and unspoilt by the passing of time.
Both these waterfalls are a part of the Chalakkudy river and 5 km apart on the road to the hill station Valparai, which has excellent tea estates and is one of s highest elephant density habitats and a crucial corridor between Parambikulam and Malayattoor.
Access
Nearest railway station: Thrissur, about 63 km.
Nearest airport: Cochin International Airport , about 58 km from Thrissur.
Nearby Places of Interest
Charpa Falls
To the east of Athirappally is the enchanting but lesser known Charpa falls which plunges on to the road during monsoon. It is a sight to watch and enjoy.
Anakkayam
It is located about 20 km from Chalakudy on the Sholayar Peringalkuthu route. Anakkayam means the “Elephant pit”. It is noted for a lake with cool and placid waters. The place is a forest untouched by human encroachments and is a haven for those who wish to escape from concrete jungles. It attracts the visitor with its bubbling streams, natural rock formations and flora.
Water Theme Parks
For those who want a little extra recreation there are two water theme parks nearby with plenty of adventure games and water sports.
Malakapara Tea Gardens
For the adventurous, a family safari through the deep forest and high ranges ( Western Ghats ) complemented with lots of hairpin curves takes you to the fascinating sculptured beauty of Malakapara tea Gardens. Along the route if you are lucky you may end up seeing some good wildlife.
Thumpurmuzhi Gardens
Thumpurmuzhi is an ideal stopover with its garden, scenic splendor and a classic waterfall.
Peringalkuthu & Sholayar Dams
Deep in the forest on the way to Valpara are the two dams that generate hydroelectric power to the state. Entry to the dam site is with special permission only.
The Peringalkuthu and Sholayar Dams are situated deep in the forest on the way to Valpara. Both the dams generate hydroelectric power to the state and entry to the dam site is with special permission only.
Vazhachal Forest Gardens
With the abundant flora and even herbal plantation maintained by the forest department, Vazhachal is a Botanists treasure trove.
Other Popular Places by District
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| Thiruvananthapuram | |||
| Thiruvananthapuram, also known as Trivandrum, was the erstwhile capital of Travancore and is the State Capital today. The sprawling city is built on seven hills. The word Thiruvananthapuram means ‘the place of the sacred serpent’ takes its name from the idol of God Vishnu in the city’s magnificent Padmanabhaswamy temple as he reclines on the world – supporting serpent, ‘Anantha’ or ‘Adisesha’.
Tourist SpotsThiruvananthapuram city : The City has several palaces and Museum showcasing the culture and heritage of erstwhile princely states. Sree Padmanabha Swami Temple, Zoo, Art gallery. Planetarium and Shangumugham Beach are the city’s other tourist hubs.Being the capital of Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram has headquarters of all Government Departments. Varkala : Beach Resort, facilities are on par with any other beach resorts. Janardhana Swami Temple , a leading pilgrim centre. Sivagiri is another pilgrim destination. Neyyar Dam and Wildlife Sanctuary : A lake tucked away in hills. Wildlife Sanctuary has a crocodile- breeding plant. 29 km away from Thiruvananthapuram. Kovalam : 18 km off Thiruvananthapuram. Promontories, shallow waters for swimming and long sand-spread are major features. Chowara beach : 9 kms south of the renowned Kovalam Beach. Chowara is a virgin beach, a new tourist destination having heritage and ayurvedic resorts like Somatheeram, Surya, Samudra and Manaltheeram, Coconut Bay etc. Veli Tourist Village : A popular picnic spot built at a point where the Veli Lagoon meets the Arabian Sea. It is replete with fish ponds, wading pools and landscaped garden. About 8 kms from Trivandrum city.Ponmudi : An enchanting hill resort with narrow winding pathways and a cool green environment. Ponmudi offers excellent opportunities for trekking. It is located around 61 kms from Trivandrum ity and is having an altitude of around 915 M above sea level. |
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| Kollam | |||
| Kollam (earlier Quilon), 72 km off Thiruvananthapuram, is a trade-nerve in Southern Kerala. Its trading-tradition dates back to early centuries when Chinese, Greeks, Arabs and Romans haunted the shore for ship-loading Kerala spices and produces. Today Kollam is the major cashew trading and processing centre in the country. Also a hub of marine industry. Tourist Spots Kollam – Alappuzha backwaters Alumkadavu : A traditional boat-building centre.Thankassery Light House : Century-old light house at Thankassery beach. Remains of colonial culture are visible. Anglo-Indian families are concentrated here. Neendakara : A major fishing harbour in Kerala. Centre of Indo-Norwegian Fisheries Community Project, since 1953. Sasthamkotta : The biggest freshwater lake in Kerala and picturesque Sasthamkotta temple. Thenmala : Reservoir, wildlife sanctuary, eco-tourism centre. Palaruvi waterfalls : 35 kilometers east of Punalur on Kollam – Shenkottah road. |
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| Pathanamthitta | |||
| Hilly district. Half of the geographical area is forest. Sabarimala, a major pilgrim centre in India, is perched at an altitude of 3790 feet. The district has the lowest birthrate in Kerala. Highly educated people, a major chunk of overseas Keralites hail from this district. Tourist Spots Perumthenaruvi Waterfalls Konni, Kakki, Pamba, Anathodu water reservoirs Sabarimala, Maramon, Cheukolpuzha, Manjanikkara, Parumala are places of religious importance. Famous Arenmula mirror (metal mirror) is being designed at Arenmula in the district. |
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| Kottayam | |||
| Kottayam is the largest rubber producer in Kerala. A stop-over for Sabarimala pilgrims, Kottayam is also know as a gateway of Highranges. The city, spread over hills, is basking in the reflected glory of Kumarakam, a tourist hub and bird sanctuary in the district. The lakeshore city is on the ‘backwater’ circuit. Several publishing houses are headquartered here. Kumarakam : 10 km away from Kottayam. Pilgrim centres : Bharananganam, Mannanam : Pilgrim centres |
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| Idukki | |||
| The name, ‘Idukki’ is supposed derived from ‘Idukku’ means a narrow gauge. Man, animals and plants live in perfect harmony in this unspoiled natural queen of Kerala. The district is a sierra of domineering Western Ghats with altitude from 2500 to 6700 ft. The highest peak in Kerala, Anamudi, and a dozen peaks stand sentinels to Idukki, the spice kingdom of the state. The district has a forest of 260907 hector, largest area in the district. Several rivers, as Pampa and Manimala, originate from Idukki hills before meandering through the plainlands. Thekkadi, Wildlife Sanctuary and lake. The lake was formed in 1895 when the then Madras government constructed a reservoir across periyar. The wildlife sanctuary was declared Tiger Reserve in 1978. Munnar : 136 km away from Kochi. Tucked away in misty teagardens. Indo-Swiz cattle project, Mattuppetti is near here. Idukki, The first arch-dam in India, inaugurated in 1976, is built between two granite hills across the River Periyar. Peerumedu : a hideaway in the snuggle of tea gardens. Chinnar wildlife sanctuary : On Munnar- Udumelpetta route, 50 km from Munnar. Rajamala : Eravikulam National Park, endangered sambhars can be spotted, 13 km from Munnar. Kumali : Portal of Thekkady, where Kerala and Tamil cultures meet and mingle.Mangaldevi temple 12 km away. Maryur : Famous for sandwood forests. Marayur jaggery is well-known. Sericulture and silk sari weaving are other attractions. Waterfalls : Vallakkuthu waterfalls on Aluva-Munnar road. Thommankuthu falls, 20 km off Thodupuzha. Thenmarikkuthu falls in Udumbenoore. |
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| Wayanad | |||
 The name Wayanad derived from ‘Wayalnadu’ means land of paddy fields. The picturesque plateau, having the largest concentration of tribal population in the state, was once known as Africa in Kerala. Kalpetta, the only municipal town in the district, is district headquarters. Tourists were late to find this unsung paradise which is Kerala’s answer to Tamilnadu’s Ootty or Karnataka’s Madikeri. In many fronts, the hilly-district stands unique. In monsoon days Wayanad is soaking wet. Colonial presence in the district in the second half of the 19 the century has transformed the district, then a vast reserve forest, into plantations of coffee and tea.  Even then, the district is credited with 78787 hector reserve forest, the largest forest tract in a Kerala district. Wayanad is in fact cordoned off by six districts of Kerala, Tamilnadu and Karnataka. Several microscopic communities such as Jains and Kurichiyars are housed in the district. The district offers much for anthropologists and archeologists. The Kurichiyars, now a decadent group, have a great martial tradition. They constituted the army of Pazhassi Rajah who fought against the British forces in this part of the country. They still excel in archery. The district is the largest producer of pepper in the country. WILDLIFE SANCTUARIES, Muthenga, Tholpetty : Muthanga sanctuary is adjacent Bhandipur Sanctuary in Tamilnadu. These areas are teaming with elephants and during scorching summer, elephants in herds move to Muthenga from Bhandipur. Muthanga on Kozhikode-Mysore route. 20 km from Sulthan Bathery. Tholpetty near Mananthavady. THIRUNELLY : Vishnu Temple, one of the oldest in South India, is known as Southern Kasi. River Papanasini is nearby the temple. River Kabani, a major tributary of Legendary Caveri, originates from the thick forest of 5276- feet-high Brahmagiri hills. 27 km from Mananthavady. PAKSHIPATHALAM : A natural nest for birds, in the Brahmagiri valley. rare species are seen. POOKODU LAKE : A major tourists hub in the district. A natural lake tucked away in the hills. facility for paddling country boat MANANTHAVADY : Pazhassi Raja, who died a martyr’s death at the hands of British, rests here. His tomb is preserved by state Archeology Department. 100 km from Kozhikode. EDAKKAL CAVES, Ambalavayal : Archeologists reason that the scribbles on the caves dates back to pre-historical period. 80 Km from Kozhikode. |
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