Kovalam Beach,Thiruvananthapuram

 Kovalam is a beach town by the Arabian Sea in Thiruvananthapuram city,Kerala,India, located around 16 km from the city center .Kovalam means a grove of coconut trees and true to its name the village offers an endless sight of coconut trees.It is also known as the paradise of the south.Kovalam first received attention when the Regent Maharani Sethu Lakshmi Bayi of Travancore constructed her beach resort,Halcyon Castle,here towards the end of the 1920s. Thereafter the place was brought to the public eye by her nephew the Maharaja of Travancore. The European guests of the then Travancore kingdom discovered the potentiality of Kovalam beach as a tourist destination in the 1930s. However, Kovalam shot into limelight in the early seventies with arrivals of the masses of hippies on their way to Ceylon in the Hippie Trail. This exodus started the transformation of a casual fishing village of Kerala into one of the most important tourist destinations in all India.

Kovalam

   Kovalam has three beaches separated by rocky outcroppings in its 17 km coastline , the three together form the famous crescent of the Kovalam beach.The larger of the beaches is called Light House Beach for its 35 metre high light house which towers over it atop Kurumkal hillock. The second largest one is Hawah Beach named thus for the topless European women who used to throng there. It was the first topless beach in India. However topless bathing is banned now except in private coves owned by resorts. Visitors frequent these two beaches. The northern part of the beach is known as Samudra Beach in tourism parlance. A large promontory separates this part from the southern side. Samudra Beach doesn't have tourists thronging there or hectic business. The local fishermen ply their trade on this part. The sands on the beaches in Kovalam are partially black in colour due to the presence of ilmenite and Monazite. The normal tourist season is from September to May. Ashoka beach is also the part of Kovalam beach.There are a large number of beach resorts in and around Kovalam. The sea port of Vizhinjam is about 3 km away and famous for its special varieties of fish, old Hindu temples, big churches and a mosque. The Proposed International Trans shipment Terminal at Vizhinjam is also close to Kovalam

 Biyyam Kayal ( Lake ), Ponnani,Malappuram

     Biyyam Kayal or Biyyam Lake is a chief attraction in Ponnani in the Malappuram district of Kerala and draws hundreds of travelers every year. It is a green fringed waterway situated in proximity to Ponnani town. What attracts visitors to this lake is the boat race held here annually during Onam season. Visitors can watch this race from pavilions built for spectators. Approximately two dozen country boats participate in the race which truly is a delightful sight.

    Water sports facilities and other entertainment activities are available in Biyyam Kayal to engage the travelers. Visitors can also get a glimpse of the beautiful hanging bridge built across Biyyam Kayal. Comfortable accommodation is available for tourists as there is a rest house equipped with all modern amenities on the banks of the lake. District Tourism Promotion Council (DTPC) has set up water sports facilities as part of developing this lake into a major tourist center.

Thenmala,Eco-Tourism  ,Kollam

Thenmala,Hanging Bridge

Thenmala,Boating

Thenmala,Sliding through rope

Thenmala,Burma bridge

Thenmala,Elevated walkway

Thenmala, Eco-Tourism, Kollam

     It is India's first planned eco-tourism destination, which is gaining popularity due to its unique vistas, bio-diversity and functioning. Situated about 72kms from Thiruvananthapuram, in the District of Kollam, the Thenmala Eco-Tourism shares its resources with the famous Shenduruney Wildlife Sanctuary at the foothills of the Western Ghats.
     The word Thenmala in the local language Malayalam has an interesting meaning. 'Then' means honey and 'Mala' means hill; and they combine to mean 'Honey Hill'. It is believed that the honey collected from this region is of very good quality owing to its unique biological settings. Managed by Thenmala Eco-Tourism Promotional Society, which is an undertaking of the Government of Kerala, Thenmala Eco-tourism is a unique destination from a visitor's point of view. It has equal opportunities for fun, adventure, leisure and for learning the significance and necessity of eco-friendly measures for promoting tourism related activities.

     At Thenmala Eco-Tourism, a visitor is taken care of by its well-trained staff providing guidance and information about the various attractions and facilities, enabling one to move about, explore and experience every bit of this remarkable destination. There are well-placed signboards, direction pointers, and information boards to facilitate one's movement inside the project area. Divided into different zones with a particular theme, the project area currently has three major zones viz. Culture Zone, Leisure Zone and Adventure Zone

Thenmala

     Besides the zone-based activities for a visitor, Thenmala Eco-Tourism also offer other attractions, like an invigorating boat ride in the Shenduruney Wildlife Sanctuary; a visit to the Deer Rehabilitation Centre, where one can have a look at a group of spotted deer, the sambar deer and the barking deer, which have been given protection after straying out from the forests. The project area also has tree top huts and children's eco-park, riverside treks, and battery powered vehicle rides through the forest, enabling one to sight wildlife from a close distance.
     For a visitor to Thenmala Eco-Tourism, some of the nearby attractions are also worth exploring. One may visit the picturesque Palaruvi waterfalls, about 16 km away, on the way to Shenkottah. Thenmala Eco-Tourism is open round the year and there are conducted tours organized by the Kerala Tourism Development Corporation from the Capital City of Thiruvananthapuram and also by the District Tourism Promotion Council of Kollam District.

Official url:www.thenmalaecotourism.com

 Soochippara Waterfalls ,Wayanad

  Soochippara has the popular sentinel rock waterfalls in Wayanad Kalpetta. Soochippara Waterfall situated near Meppadi is one amongst the gorgeous water bodies in Kerala. At Soochippara there are stretches of waterfalls which are at high altitudes ranging from 100 to 300 feet height. At Soochippara the Sentinal Waterfalls is really a great treat to the sightseeing guests. 

    At the Sentinal Rock Waterfalls there is the pool below providing space for water rafting, bathing, swimming, and other recreational activities. At Soochippara the specialties are the tree top huts that provide a unique view of Western Ghats valleys. Apart from these there are sparkling shallow waters and springs.  

Soochippara Waterfalls

  
     Soochippara Waterfalls adds more beauty to Wayanad Kalpetta. In the mother tongue of Kerala, Soochirefers to needle and Para refers to rock. This is the reason behind the naming of the place. The Sentinal Rock Waterfalls are really high ranging up to 300 feet in height. The Sentinal Waterfalls comprises of totally three stretches. These stretches fall into Meenmutty, Kanthanpara, and Soochippara. At the end these stretches combine and reach the Chaliyar River.
      Soochippara is an undiscovered beauty in Wayanad Kalpetta. In order to reach the falls you need to go through the green tea gardens. The nice aroma of tea leaves is present in the atmosphere. After this you need to proceed 2 kilometer down the equatorial forest. There are steep rocks in the area. Soochippara and its surroundings are ideal for holiday homes. In this place the Wayanad real estate is growing fast. Wayanad can aptly be termed as a paradise for nature lovers. Soochippara adds more beauty to the picturesque Wayanad. The Sentinal Rock Waterfalls in Soochippara is a great spot with scenic locations for photographers to explore.

 Teak Museum,Nilambur 

    Teak Museum is located 4 km from Nilambur, a town in the Malappuram district of Kerala, south India. Teak occurs naturally in India with the main teak forests found in Kerala.The museum, a two storey building, is the world's first teak museum and is operated by the Kerala Forest Research Institute. The exhibits include comprehensive information on aspects of the use of teak in their exhibits and articles on the subject. The museum provides extensive information of value historically, artistically and scientifically.

Teak Museum

   The museum was established in 1995 on the campus of the centre of Kerala Forest Research Institute (KFRI) because of the historical significance of teak to the area. The world's first teak plantation was planted in Nilambur in the 1840s by the British.The nearest railway station is in Nilambur, about 3 km from the Teak Museum. The nearest airport is Karipur International Airport, about 36 km from Malappuram.

Kadalundi Bird Sanctuary

Kadalundi Bird Sanctuary is a bird sanctuary located in the border Malappuram district of Kerala. The sanctuary is situated 19 km from Kozhikode and 7 km from Beypore Port. The bird sanctuary is spread over an area of clustered islands, which is surrounded by little hammocks. Kadalundi River flows through this region and joins the Arabian Sea. This place is also popularly known as Kadalundi Nagaram. The main sanctuary hill is based on a height of 200 m above sea level, from where the visitors can enjoy breathtaking views of the river and the Arabian Sea. Kadalundi Bird Sanctuary is famous for its diverse avian fauna, which include as many as hundred varieties of indigenous birds and nearly 60 species of migratory birds.

Kadalundi Bird Sanctuary

Wildlife
Kadalundi Bird Sanctuary provides shelter and ideal conditions to a number of migratory birds. These birds include Terns, Gulls, Herons, Sandpipers and Cormorants, which arrive on this sanctuary in the month of November and return to their respective regions by the end of April. Some other important bird species in the sanctuary are Whimbrels and Brahminy Kites. Apart from birds, there is considerable population of different varieties of fish, mussels and crabs in the sanctuary. The sight of thousands of colorful birds flocking to a region of 2 sq. km offer a rare and captivating moment for the visitors. There are boat facilities available for tourists to enjoy the breathtaking beauty of the lush green plantation and bird population of this sanctuary. These boats provides a great way to see turtles found here. The best season to visit this sanctuary is from December to April, since it is the season for migratory birds to stay in this wildlife sanctuary.