Munnar - Kerala

Located in “God’s Own Country”, Munnar is a picturesque hill retreat and vacations in this heavenly place would be a welcome break from the usual humdrum of city life. Munnar hill station in Kerala is one of the most sought-after by the tourists who want to experience the sublime exquisiteness of nature. It is an important town of tea estate and the undulating tea gardens seem to captivate the senses. Munnar is at an altitude of about 1, 700 meters above the sea level and is blessed by the undulating terrain of the southern Western Ghats.

It was once upon a time the most favored retreat of the British and is strategically located at the confluence of the three rivers Muthirappuzha, Chandavurai and Kundaly. A trip to Munnar is going to be a satisfying one since it offers many places of interest apart from its unsurpassed natural beauty. The most popular among the tourist attractions in Munnar is the Mattupetty Dam which is one of the most scenic points in the entire region. Watch the actual beauty of Munnar in Pothamedu which is an important plantation hub of this town. For the adventure enthusiasts, Attukal would be an ideal place since it features formidable tracks ideal for trekking and hiking. Some of the other scenic points and attractions of Munnar are Pallivasal, Nyayamakad, Rajamala, Chithirapuram and Echo Point.

The Munnar hill town of Kerala has gained huge importance as a tourist destination and thus there are many accommodations that can be found here. You will find all sorts of hotels here that range from the five stars to the three star categories. The Club Mahindra Lake View Resort is the five star hotels in Munnar. The four star hotels include T&U Leisure Hotel, Tea County Hill Station Resort and Windermere Estate Hotel. The three star categories include Issacs Residency, Munnar Woods Resort, Sterling Resort, The Siena Village and The Tall Trees Hotel.

Munnar can be easily accessed by air, rail and road transport. The nearest airport is in Kochi and the other one is in Madurai which is 142 kms from Munnar. The nearest railway stations are in Kochi and Kottayam and regular train services are available to and from Munnar. The road transport is equally good and you can easily travel to Munnar from the nearby and distant towns of India. The local means of transport such as buses and private cabs are easily available for transportation in and around the city. Add more pleasure to your travel to Munnar by setting out on the exciting excursions to the nearby destinations such as Anayirankal, Top Station, Marayoor, Cheeyappara, Meenuli and Nadukani. The flora and fauna of Munnar is very impressive and diverse and add to the beauty of this town to a significant extent.

[Read Posts...]

Kuttanad - Kerala

There is no recorded history on the origin of this land. But the oral history among local people, transferred from generation to generation is a blend of myths and legends. There is reference to Kuttanad in the epic Mahabharata of ancient India. During their exile, the five Pandava princes are said to have traveled through this land. In those days, Kuttanad was part of a dense forest, later destroyed by a forest fire which is also mentioned in the epic. Thus came the place name Chuttanad or the burnt place. In course of time Chuttanad became Kuttanad. One can still see Kari or coal if we dig deep into the soil of Kuttanad, pointing to the fact that the place was once a forest, destroyed by wild fire. In Kuttanad most of the place names end in Kari. Some familiar place names are Ramankary, Puthukkary, Oorukkary, Mitrakkary, Mampuzhakkary, Kainakari,  Chathurthiakary and Chennamkari.

During the reign of Chera dynasty that ruled over ancient Kerala, Kuttanad attained an important place in history. One of the powerful kings in the dynasty: Cheran Chenguttavan is said to have ruled his vast kingdom from Kuttanad, when it was also a famous centre of Buddhism. There is another version for its place name. The Buddhist centre Buddhanad later became Kuttanad.

Kuttanad has a most prominent place among all tourist destinations in the God’s Own Land. For all discerning travelers with an eye on scenic beauty it is indeed the most sought after tourist destination. Currently some 200,000 tourist are estimated to be heading for Kuttanad annually. More than three quarters of them are of foreign origin.

A boat cruise through the serene backwaters and a short stay in the most colorful villages are among the most exotic experiences that Kuttanad can offer. The boat cruises are routed through the vast expanses of the Vembanad lake and the majestic rivers of Pamba, Achankovil and Meenachil that flow through the region.

The tourist season in Kuttanad runs through the months of October to March. A pleasant climate prevails in Kuttanad throughout this season.

It is the boat cruise that can bring out all the beauty and vivid charm of Kuttanad. One great advantage of the cruise is that one can watch the village life without ever intruding into the privacy of people living there. The palm fringed river banks, the blue serenity of vast expanses of water and the arresting beauty of lush green paddy fields leave an indelible memory with all the tourists coming to Kuttanad. One can spend any amount of time immersed in the most enchanting natural beauty of the region.

[Read Posts...]

Alleppey kerala

Alleppey (Alappuzha) is a District of immense natural beauty in Kerala. Today, Alappuzha has grown in importance as a Backwater Tourist Centre, attracting several thousands of foreign tourists each year.It is also famous for boat races, houseboat holidays, beaches, marine products and coir products. It ia also known as the Venice of The East. For a total Alappuzha experience traverse the canals on small vallams (Boats) or anchor in the middle of the backwater lakes on a Kettuvallam (rice boat converted to cozy house boats) - spend the night under the star lit sky, listening to the splash of water on to the boat.

Pathiramanal 
This Island on the backwaters is a favorite haunt of hundreds of rare migratory birds from different parts of the world. The island lies between Thaneermukkom and Kumarakom, and is accessible only by boat.

R-Block
This area in Kerala is very famous for its backwaters and you can have very beautiful scenes of paddy fields. This is one of the places in the world where farming is done below sea level.This is a popular location in the Kerala tour.

Alleppey Beach
Alappuzha beach is one of the most popular spots in the district of Alappuzha. . The pier, which extends into the sea here, is over 137 years old. There is also an old lighthouse, which is greatly fascinating to the tourists of Kerala.

Krishnapuram Palace
Built by Marthanda Varma, it is at Karthikapally in Kayamkulam and is famous for its mural depicting the story of Gajendramoksham. In this 18-century museum you can see antique sculptures, paintings and bronzes.

Boat Race
Allappuzha Backwater is world famous for its Snake Boat Race. Boat Races usually take place at the time of Onam festival.

Some of the important boat races are:
1. Nehru Trophy Boat Race (2nd Saturday of August)
2. Payippad Jalotsavam (4th Onam Day)
3. Champakulam Moolam Boat Race (July)

[Read Posts...]