Kovalam- The Most Beautiful Beach of India

Kovalam is the second most beautiful sea beach in the world, next only to Miami of the USA. Those who prefer a place calm and quiet will definitely like to visit Kovalam, The sea here is calm and the beach looks like a bow. Sand is silvery, there are ripples in the sea. All these make it an ideal spot for bathing. Tourists feel like heaven with sheds of papaya, banana and coconut trees besides troves of palm trees. Under the blue sky is the enormous expanse of the blue sea.

Though Europeans came here in 1930, it was the Hippies 30 years after who spread the news of beautiful environment of this sea beach to different parts of the world. Kovalam as a tourist spot has never looked back since then.

Kovalam has added attraction as an Ayurvedic treatment centre, particularly Ayurvedic massage. The beach is split into four parts. Near the bus stand there is convention centre. On the sea shore there is Madrasa Hidayathul Islam. The southern most point is the most popular Light House Beach. Though The area is not very large in size but there are plenty of shops of all kinds and abundant hotels and restaurants. The Light House one can see from 14 Hrs to 16 hrs. Nearby is Vizhinjam village, the den of fishermen. The Middle Beach like a creek and also inhabited by the fishermen. The wandering tourists will see in the early morning scores of fishermen sailing their boats to the deep sea for their catch. The fourth beach is in the north where the sea is in pristine form with fishermen's boats sailing. The sea turns somewhat turbulent in the monsoon , which is from April to October here. Though the tourist season begins in October, it peaks from November to February.


How to reach Kovalam from Trivandrum, Kannya kumari and other places:
Opposite to Padmanava Swamy Temple, from Lane No: 19 (close toMGRoad) East Fort Bus of route 111 ply every ½ hr from 6-20 am to 9 -00 pm and reach Kovalam (16km to the south) in 20 minutes. Tourists may get auto, taxi or share taxi to reach there. Buses ply from Kovalam to Thiruvananthapuram also from 6-15 am to 8-00 pm. Direct buses go to Kannyakumari in 2 hrs (4 buses) and Periyar (1 bus) every morning. Buses are also available for Ernakulam, Kollam and other cities from Kovalam.


Where to stay at Kovalam?

Kovalam is always busy with crowded shops, establishments, hotels and restaurants. But tourists should remain cautions of touts and brokers. As the tourists get down from the bus, they start to move around them and tell false stories. So, try to avoid them and select the hotel yourself. From the bus stand towards sea beach, there are many ordinary ho¬tels in Kovalam:

STD Code of Kovalam +91 471

Rates vary with the closeness with sea and nearer is dearer. Rates also vary according to the number of tourists at that time. Hotels of Kovalam have divided the year into three parts according to the tourist flow.

Season: Aug-Nov; Peak season: Dec-Jan and off-season: rest of the year. The rates are almost doubled during the peak season.

Here are the names and phone number of some hotels of Kovalam

Hotel Palm Garden, Hotel Deepak, Hotel Sunshine, Hotel Blue Sea, Ph: 2481401 ; 22442051; Hotel Neela, Hotel Monalisa, Mann Cottage, Hotel Taj, Sreenivas Hotel, Hotel Suriya.

Adjacent White House; in beautiful location and atmosphere Apsara Ph: 2480950. Beach Cottage, Hotel Holiday Home Ph: 2480497; Hotel Kavitha, Hotel Orion Ph: 2480999; Simi Cottages, Beach House, Crab Club, Velvet Dawn Restaurant, Shangrila L; newly built Bright Resorts, Hotel Shamrock.

Close to beach on the top of Light House - Hotel Rockholm. Light House Rd Ph: 2480306, 22442051.

Opposite Sharma Cottages, a little ahead towards the sea Varmas Beach Resort, Light House Rd Ph: 2480478. Nearly adjacent to beach, Hotel Seaweed, Light House Rd Ph: 2480391, 22442051, Hotel Neptune, Ph:2480222, Volga, Marina Palace Beach Rd, Ph:2481428, Ph: 22442051; Sea Rock Hotel, Ph: 2480422, Hotel Thusltara Ph: 2480692,22442051.

To the south of Light House Sea Flower Home Ph: 2480554. On the Light House Roadd Eden Seaside Resort, adjacent Hotel Thiruvathira Ph: 2480588. Adjacent to beach Paradise Rock, Light House Rd Ph: 2480658,

Adjacent to Hospital Lobster Pot Hotel Ph: 2480456, a little away Neelam Hotel;
Away from Beach, Kovalam Tourist Home Ph: 2480441, Hotel Palm Beach, Hotel Sea Waves, Hotel Mast, Hotel Dwaraka, Ph: 2480411. Hotel Neelkantha, Ph: 2480321, behind this Wilson Tourist Home, Ph: 2480052, 22442051. My Dream Restaurant, Hotel Sea Queen, Beach Belair, Vizhinjam, Hotel Palmanova, Ph: 2480494.

Hotel Palm Shore, Light House Rd Ph: 2481481, Kodaloram Beach Resort, Raja Rd, Ph: 2481116.

At the sea coast there are Government Tourism Dept or KTDC's Hotel Samudra, Ph: 2480089. Their sister con¬cern Yatri Niwas. ITDC's Kovalam Ashok Beach Re¬sort Ph: 2480101,22885208, Somatheeram Ayurvedic Beach Resort, Chowara, Ph: 2481601,22442051. Hotel Soorya Samudra, Mulloor-695521 Ph: 2480413,

In the bus stand ITDC's Kovalam Hotel Campus, PWD's Govt Guest House Ph: 2480386, rooms are available for the tourists.

There are other hotels like Golden Sand, Ph:2481476, Hotel Dipak Ph:2480667, , Maryland Tourist Home, Ph:2480440, , Neelakanta Hotel. Ph:2480421; Lagoona Beach Resort, Ph: 2480049; Nikki's Nest, Ph:2481822,Coconut Bay, Ph:2480566, Hotel Sea Face, Ph:2481835, Bethsaida Hermitage, Ph: 2481554, Moonlight Hotel, Ph: 2480375, Park Lane Hotel, Ph:2480058; Swagath Holidays Resort, near Upasana Hospital Ph:2481148/ 22442051,Sree Vikas, Ph:235405551/ 22442051, Bright Resort Ph: 2481190 Ph: 22376714, 22442051. Royal Retreat Hotel, Ph:2452911Wilson Beach Resort Ph: 2210019, Hilton Beach Resort Ph: 2481995, 22492716; Manal Theeram Beach Resort, Chowara, Balarnm-puram, Ph: 2481610.

KTDC Ayurveda Packages

Kerala Tourism Development Corporation offers the, following packages at Hotel Samudra Kovalam To know the details and booking visit

Munnar In Kerala – More green than you can imagine!

The greenest hill station we have ever visited is no doubt Munnar in the Nilgiri Hills. One can come here in Munnar any time during the year. Possibly the best is winter, then at night temperature sometimes drop to subzero. We could not visit Munnar at winter but this is a story of October. At an altitude of 5400 Ft, Munnar is a dream like place with its lush green teagardens, colorful flowers and play of fog and clouds here and there. Anaimudi the highest peak (2700 Meters) of Nilgiri hill is also in Munnar. The literal meaning of Munnar is "confluence of three rivers". Here three rivers Madurapuzha, Nallathanni and Kundala. flow through the Munnar. Munnar can be approached from Kochi or, Ernakulam via Adimali in 4 hours or, from Coimbatore via Indira Gandhi National Park and Chinar National Park in 5 hours. These two routes are unique in their different natural beauty. The road from Kochi is through the tea gardens on each side of the road.

Kodai express from Chennai reached Coimbatore at 1.40 pm. Refreshed and had some snacks outside the station and hired a car from the station itself. It took some time to complete the formalities at the highway permit office before we could start our journey at about 3 pm. The first halt was the check post of Indira Gandhi National Park. Soon our car entered the forest with very little traffic. After a while we were passing through the Chinar reserve forest. The road and journey through narrow hilly road of the forest was adventurous. We were lucky (?) to see some wild elephants on our way. Our car left the forest area before the sunset and we stopped beside a water falls. A small shop was there where you can find tea, coffee, noodles and honey from the forest. We snacked and walked a little to ease out our cramped legs and started the journey again. Driver warned us beforehand regarding the dangerous fog in the 5 Km stretch after Marayur. He was right! Something was visible up to the sandalwood forest but after Marayur, we really still wonder how our driver drove? The visibility was absolutely zero! May be they know the road like their palm. Though we were tensed but safely reach near Munnar market area at about 8 pm. We booked a hotel for us there.

Eravikulam National Park:

Next morning a beautiful clear weather was waiting for us. We hired an auto @INR 250 to visit Eravikulam National Park and other spots. The route was really charming by the side the lush green tea plantation and river. It took half hour to reach the gate of the Eravikulam National Park. There was nice arrangement to travel within the park. We had to get on to a car to travel within. The car is available in every 5 to 7 minutes. The greenery was always more than what we imagine. In 20 minutes we reached at a high point in the park , like a view point and rain started. We will remember for long the magnificent view of rain over the green valley. This place is famous for Nilgiri Thars. Neelakurinji flower use to bloom in this park every 12 years. The last bloom was in 2006. We spent about an hour at Eravikulam National Park.

Mattupetti Dam:

This is a beautiful reservoir and surrounded from three sides by green hills. We enjoyed the view running of speedboats in this dam. We had our lunch and visited a nursery and our plan was to see Kundala lake, Echo point and top station. Echo point was near by and it was a fun to hear the clear echo of anything you speak out loudly.

Kundala Lake:

Through the dense Anaimudi forest a little away is Kundala Lake. A peaceful spot with little or no tourist. Few colorful boats are anchored in the lake. We enjoyed the serenity and tranquil beauty of the place by spending some time there.

Came back to Munnar by the evening we spent the by seeing the market and shops at Munnar. Variety of steel household goods including coffee filters. Shops of tea, filter coffee, homemade chocolates and honey is the specialty of this place apart from other regular shops. You will get all kind of food sops both vegetarian and non vegetarian; will serve you food of choice by making them instantly. Many cybercafé to link you to the world is also there at your service.

Next day we got up late. It was little cloudy. Last few hours are remaining for Munnar. We decide to go towards Marayur, the beauty of which we missed due to excessive fog. We took one auto and what a heavenly beauty was waiting for us! The place remain filled with mist throughout the day. The Carmel Church, tea garden, school lush green ambience and greenish blue mist made that place so dreamy. Bright red flowers on the road was like a warm red carpet welcome. We spent hours in the tea garden. Now it is the time to return.

From Munnar we proceeded to Ernakulam (Kochi) through the second route with a different landscape of tea gardens.

What is the best time to go to Munnar?

Almost throughout the year Munnar experience rain; but June to august is rainy season. The beauty of rain is also unforgettable experience. Always keep umbrella, whenever you come here. The temperature remain comfortable throughout the year between 10 to 25 degree Celsius. At times in winter it drop to subzero at night. Though you can come any time during the year the season is from September to May.

How to reach Munnar?

From any part of the country reach Coimbatore or, Ernakulam (Kochi). Both these places are well connected to Chennai by bus and rail service. The car fare from Coimbatore is @ INR 2220 and that from Kochi @ INR 1600. Bus services to Munnar are also available from important cities of south India.

Where to stay at Munnar:

STD code: +91 4865

Budget travelers can get hotels here @ INR 600 – 1200. Like other places in southern India you will not have problem with food. You can get food of your choice both vegetarian and non vegetarian.

Luxurious options are:

• Tall Trees Hotel

• Best Western fort

• The Sienna Village

The other hotels in Munnar:

• KTDC Hotel County: Ph: 230460 DB @ INR 5500 – 6500

• Canonvivan Hotel: Ph: 230252 DB @ INR 950

• Holiday Inn: Ph: 232155 DB @ INR 1000 – 1200

• Green view Hotel: Ph: 230940 DB @ INR 650 – 1100

• Munnar Inn: Ph: 230736 DB @ INR 1500 – 1800

• Hill view Hotel: Ph: 230567 DB @ INR 2000 – 3000

• Misha Holiday: Ph: 230376 DB @ INR 1000 – 2000

• Puppata resort: Ph: 230223 DB @ INR 1200 - 2000

This article is republished in India Study Channel

Photo attribution:


http://www.flickr.com/photos/kcbimal/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jan_k/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sallyanderson/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bratboy76/

Magnificent Periyar Forest

Amazing Periyar

Though it is possible to see Periyar tagged with other parts of Kerala like Madurai, Kodaikanal, Munnar, Kochi etc. but we, this time decided to see only the forest and one of the famous in India, Periyar in Kerala. For that we reached Madurai without any booking of hotels in the month of October. After reaching Madurai we hired a car from the station for Periyar. It was 4 hours drive to Kumili, the last town in Tamilnadu, after which Thekaddy is adjacent to this is in Kerala.

Didn't like Thekaddy much! There are many hotels around the bus stand. The palce is very crowded much like a very ordinary small town of India. We wanted to stay at or near the jungle so proceeded further. On the way was inquiring about the tariffs of the hotels. Closer we were to the forest more were the tariffs. This time our budget was low so we were getting depressed. ultimately a local boy helped. He said with the collaboration of Kerala Government the local people are giving home stay facility at very reasonable price. Hearing this we started to search the lanes and saw many sign boards at the local homes there. Even tariffs are displayed at places. We chose a home there @ INR 400! per day. It was a three story building and we were accommodated at the second floor. The main house of the owner is few feet away from the guest house. The room was nicely decorated with a small TV, flower pot. The Bathroom was clean. The lady of the house also provides foods on request. That was great. We could taste the local food.

The gate of the forest is 5 to 7 minutes from the house we stayed. Without wasting time we entered the forest. Just to mention don't carry any food items in your hand, the chance of being snatched by the monkeys are very high.

Langur

The Lake is 77 Sq. Km and the area of the forest is 777 Sq. Km. One of the best place to stay here is KTDC Periyar House INR 1000 - 2000 is within the forest compound. We reached the ticket counter for the launch ride in the lake. KTDC charge INR 110 for each for one hour ride.

From the Launch

Almost through out the lake there are stems of very old dead plants standing. Many kind of different birds made their nests in them. They are so used to the tourists and the boats, we could snap to our heart's content.

Great Cormorant



Fishing Kite

It was amazing to see the great cormorants are busy with drying their wings or the snake bird and fishing kite is patiently waiting for her pray.

Elephant Family

The lake is like an 'U'. The launch route is straight at first then turns right. After some time take the turn and return to the jetty. After a while we saw a family of elephants with kid. At one place seen one bathing by spraying water from its trunk.

Cool:)

The Indian bisons (Gaur), Deers of different variety were also grazing fearlessly on the banks.
One hour is so little time! Suddenly our sailing ended on the jetty. No one of was satisfied.

Indian Bison

Deer

This time we hired a boat. The advantage of boat is you are at your control and it is easy to come near the bank with the boat. The disadvantage is for taking the photos. The boat was never stable in the water.

Periyar is really a paradise for the photographers. Click here to see the other photos of Periyar.

The best time to see Periyar is September to March. Forest department claims there are 70 tigers in this forest but could be seen only rarely as a ver small part of the forest is open for tourism. At least 63 kinds of mammals, 320 kind of birds, 27 kind of aquatic animals and 45 kinds of snakes including king cobra.

Kerala Forest department also has arrangements for professionally guided trekking in the forest. Even trekking is arranged at nights with the armed guard. The rate for each for this trek is 500 INR per head. They have flat type of boat made of bamboo, on which one can float on the lake @ INR 1000. For more enthusiasts they have cottage at Kokkara 5 Km inside the forest @ INR 2000.

This time our budget was low and could not avail all these .........but surely next time.

Aleppy

You can reach Aleppy from Tiruvananthapuram, 16o Km, Ernakulam 70 Km, Kottayam 50 Km, Quilon 87 Km. There are regular bus service from these places to Aleppy, or you can hire car to reach.

Aleppy is famous for its backwater. At one side of the town there is Arabian sea and on the other side Bhembanad and Punamada lakes. Backwater are spread all over the town like spidernet connecting each other. Hire a boat, or motor boat from the jetty in the town and travel around the city in the backwater. Approximate fare per hour in a boat is INR 300. You can enjoy the charming beauty of the villages of kerala, fishing on chinese fishing net while floating on backwater.

Enjoy at the beach on the other side of the town, visit Vijaya Beach Park, Sea view park.

15 Kms south from Aleppy there is Amabalapujha Srikrishna temple.

Book backwater cruise to Quilon from DTPC Tourist office near Aleppy bus stand.Trip starts at 10.30 am. It takes 8 hours. You will stop in a resort at a beautiful village for lunch at noon. The fare per person is INR 300.Without this cruise your Kerala travel will remain incomplete.

Houseboat is another attraction in Aleppy. You can book your houseboat package from DTPC +91477-2253308/1796, KTDC +91477-22432462

Plenty of hotels and resorts at different prices are available here. You can get a double bedroom at the lowest range is INR 500 per day.