KERALA TOURISM: KERALA TOUR

KERALA TOURISM: KERALA TOUR: The travelers can plan the Kerala tours with their family or friends at any time of the season. Dotted with natural faculties the vac...

KERALA TOURISM: THE PEOPLE OF KERALA

KERALA TOURISM: THE PEOPLE OF KERALA: The People:  Kerala also has considerable ethnic diversity. The Malayali majority belong to the Dravidian group (local race) of early ...

KERALA TOURISM: HILL STATIONS

KERALA TOURISM: HILL STATIONS: Hill Stations: Much of Kerala's exotic appeal is centred in the highland area of the Western Ghats. Not to speak of expansive, loamy ...

KERALA TOURISM: CLIMATE IN KERALA

KERALA TOURISM: CLIMATE IN KERALA: The climate is equable and varies little from season to season. The temperature normally ranges between 27�C and 32� C in the plain...

KERALA TOUR

The travelers can plan the Kerala tours with their family or friends at any time of the season. Dotted with natural faculties the vacationers could grasp an opportunity to explore the placid regions of the state by availing the Kerala tour packages. There are many Kerala tour operators located in different parts of the region. These tour operators arrange special Kerala Pilgrimage tours .

The kerala backwaters tours are famous amongst honeymoon couples looking for complete seclusion. Dotted with crystal clear lakes, verdant mountains, swaying palm trees, Kerala beach tours have created special space in the heart of vacationers. The travelers who are really interested in wild life photography must prefer to avail the Kerala wildlife tours. Blessed with marvelous beaches, the aspiring travelers could discover the biological diversity of the region. 

THE PEOPLE OF KERALA

The People: Kerala also has considerable ethnic diversity. The Malayali majority belong to the Dravidian group (local race) of early Indian people. There is a small population of descendants of Indo-European migrants from the north. Certain hill tribes exhibit affinities with the Negrito peoples of Southeast Asia.  

Most Keralites are Hindus, but there are also large Christian and Islamic, and lesser Jain and Jewish, minorities.

The official language is Malayalam. A long contact with the outside world has led to an intriguing blend of cultures and given Keralites a cosmopolitan outlook.

HILL STATIONS

Hill Stations:
Much of Kerala's exotic appeal is centred in the highland area of the Western Ghats. Not to speak of expansive, loamy plantations of tea, coffee, rubber and fragrant cardamom.

 Munnar: 1600m above sea level, Munnar is a nature lover's paradise and was the summer resort of the British Government in the South India. Sprawling tea plantation, picture-book towns, winding lanes and holiday facilities make this a popular hill station.

 Peermade: Situated 915 m above sea level, Peermade is on the way to the Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary. Here you will find sprawling tea, coffee, cardamom, rubber and eucalyptus plantations side by side with natural grasslands and pine forests.

Vythiri: Tucked away at the north eastern tip of Kerala, this quaint little hill station about 1300m above sea level is renowned for its coffee, tea, cardamom, pepper and rubber plantations

PONMUDI

Ponmudi: An idyllic hill resort with narrow, winding pathways and cool, green, wooden environs, Ponmudi is located 915 metres above sea level. Well known for its beautiful mountain flowers, exotic butterflies, small rivulets and springs, this hill station also has excellent trekking trails.

A mere one and a half hour’s road journey separates the beaches of Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum) from Ponmudi Hills, one of the nest Tourist Spots in Kerala. The name Ponmudi, a hill station so close to the sea, in Malayalam means golden crown. On the way to Ponmudi, the thick tropical forest greets one at the foot of the Ponmudi hill range.
The road passes under a canopy of thickly matted foliage. The forest recedes gradually giving way to neatly clipped tea bushes. As one leaves the city behind, one enters the region of plantations – rubber, pepper, cardamom and tea. The change is abrupt. The tappers can be seen going about briskly gathering the milky fluid from rubber trees collected in coconut shells.
Coconut thatch mats cover almost one half of the road, over which women spread black pepper for drying. One may come across a lone elephant ambling along carrying his mahout atop and his breakfast of coconut thatch in his trunk. Tea estates at Ponmudi are not as big as those in the Munnar hills. Large water sprays shower the gardens.

CLIMATE IN KERALA

The climate is equable and varies little from season to season. The temperature normally ranges between 27�C and 32� C in the plains but drops to about 21� C in the highlands.

Winter - 32 to 20�C. Kerala is strongly buffeted by both the southwest and northeast monsoons. Rainfall in many parts of the state exceeds 118 inches. Best season: October to March.

FESTIVALS OF KERALA

Festivals of Kerala

10-days annual festival in January at Sreekandeswaram Temple, Thiruvananthapuram. In February, is the week-long Nishagandhi dance festival; Pooram festival in Thrissur around April-May, flavored food festival, at the Kanakakunnu Palace grounds, Thiruvananthapuram in May.

Onam Week celebrations, the annual harvest festival of Kerala begins in August and lasts for 10 days. Another important festival is the annual Pongala Utsavam, to which only women are allowed at the Attukal Bhagavathy Temple, Thiruvananthapuram. Therayattam festival is held to propitiate the gods and demons recognized by the pantheon of the Malayalis.

WILD LIFE

Wildlife: 


Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary, Thekkady Rolling hills, tea and cardamom plantations welcome you to Thekkady. One of the largest wildlife reserves in India, the Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary is more popluar as a tiger reserve.

A boat ride on the splendid Periyar lake is the best way to experience the sanctuary.  The greatest attraction here is the herds of wild elephants that come down to the lake to frolic in the waters.
 

Tiger, Sambhar, Bison, Spotted Deer, Leopard, Malabar Flying Squirrel, Stripe-necked Mangoose and so on can also be spotted inthe forest.  Kumily, an important spice trade center, lies in the peiphery of the sanctuary. The Eravikulam National Park, Munnar 17kms. from Munnar, this is home to an assortment of wildlife such as the Nilgiri Tahr, Nilgiri Langur, Sambhar, Gaur and the Lion-tailed Macaque. 

FASHION CAN SAVE WILD ANIMALS

Many people love the luxury of a soft fur coat . But they don't always think where the fur comes from . even to day , when it is against the law to kill protected wild animals , some animals are still hunted for their skins . Tigers ,Leopards others , young seals and alligators are all killed just to give some body a coat , arug ,a pair of shoes or a belt
           
            More and more people are becoming concerned about the killing of thousands of animals for thier fur . some people have spoken and written so strongly on this subject that they  have  influenced fashion a great deal . As a result  , these days fewer people care about the status -value of fur coats . But there are still some people who will wear only real fur . So instead of hunting wild animals , people  have created  special forms where they keep animals  such as mink , whose fur is very expensive .They breed and kill them just for their fur .This still seems cruel to many people . When there are so many others ways of keeping warm , why kill animals at all ? .....

The Marvel Called Kerala…

Wedged between the Western Ghats on the East and the Arabian Sea on the West, the narrow strip of land known as Kerala is a destination of a lifetime.
The timeless beauty of the palm fringed beaches of Kovalam and Varkala, the majesty of the undulating hills of Munnar and Vagamon, the serenity of the pristine backwaters of Kumarakom & Kuttanad and the enchanting woods and forests of Thekkady and Silent Valley will have you bowled over.
That such a small terrain can hold diverse geographical features and cultures is a wonder in itself. 

Kerala, a state situated on the tropical Malabar Coast of southwestern India, is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the country. Named as one of the ten paradises of the world by the National Geographic Traveler, Kerala is famous especially for its ecotourism initiatives. Its unique culture and traditions, coupled with its varied demography, has made Kerala one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world. Growing at a rate of 13.31%, the tourism industry is a major contributor to the state's economy.
Until the early 1980s, Kerala was a relatively unknown destination, with most tourism circuits concentrated around the north of the country. Aggressive marketing campaigns launched by the Kerala Tourism Development Corporation—the government agency that oversees tourism prospects of the state—laid the foundation for the growth of the tourism industry. In the decades that followed, Kerala Tourism was able to transform itself into one of the niche holiday destinations in India. The tag line Kerala- God's Own Country was adopted in its tourism promotions and became a global superbrand. Kerala is regarded as one of the destinations with the highest brand recall. In 2010, Kerala attracted 0.66 million foreign tourist arrivals.

NICE NATURE

Kerala is an established tourist destination for both Indians and non-Indians alike. Kerala is popular for her beaches, backwaters, mountain ranges and wildlife sanctuaries. The city of Kochi ranks first in the total number of international and domestic tourists in Kerala. Other popular attractions in the state include the beaches at Kovalam, Cherai and Varkala; backwater tourism and lake resorts around Vembanad Lake, Kumarakom and Alapuzha; hill stations and resorts at Munnar, Wayanad, Nelliampathi, Vagamon and Ponmudi; and national parks and wildlife sanctuaries at Periyar and Eravikulam National Park. The "backwaters" region—an extensive network of interlocking rivers, lakes, and canals that centre on Alleppey, Kumarakom, and Punnamada—also see heavy tourist traffic. Heritage sites, such as the Padmanabhapuram Palace, Hill Palace, Mattancherry Palace are also visited. The city of Kochi ranks first in the total number of international and domestic tourist arrivals in Kerala.









The state's tourism agenda promotes ecologically sustained tourism, which focuses on the local culture, wilderness adventures, volunteering and personal growth of the local population. Efforts are taken to minimise the adverse effects of traditional tourism on the natural environment, and enhance the cultural integrity of local people.