Kerala – World Travel

Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary Kerala India Travel

WorldTravelDB.com — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 08:01:06 +0000

If Kerala is ‘God’s Country’, this must be his garden of Eden. Part of a remote forest reserve that spills over into national parks in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, Wayanad lies cocooned in the hills of the Western Ghats. Famed among Keralans for its jaw-dropping beauty, the landscape is a green medley of rice paddies, untouched forests, spice plantations and more rice paddies (the name translates to ‘country of paddy fields’). A convenient stopover point between Bengaluru or Mysore and Kochi, the region gets surprisingly few visitors, though it’s one of the few places you’re almost guaranteed to spot wild elephants. Other wildlife that roam the forests here include sambar and spotted dear, Indian bison, langur monkeys and, drumroll, occasionally tigers.

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Varkala Kerala India Travel

WorldTravelDB.com — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 09:01:15 +0000

The sensational cliffs of Varkala might just be its saving grace, holding back the kind of development that has left nearby Kovalam gasping for air. With a strand of golden beach nuzzling the cliff edge, and more Bob Marley music that you can poke a dreadlocked backpacker at, the vibe here remains faithfully laid-back. Varkala’s beaches are protected by soaring bluffs, while all the on-land action is perched precariously, but beautifully, along the crumbling precipice above. Sure, the number of new hotels is creeping up each year, but it’s still a great place to while away the days, even weeks, with tonnes of sleeping options and some excellent dining spots (with dramatic, cliffside sunsets on the house).

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Thrissur Trichur Kerala India Travel

WorldTravelDB.com — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 09:01:29 +0000

While the rest of Kerala has its fair share of celebrations, Thrissur remains the cultural cherry on the festival cake. With a list of brash festivals as long as a temple elephant’s trunk, the whole region supports multiple institutions that are nursing the dying classical Keralan performing arts back to health. It is a busy, bustling place, home to a community of Nestorian Christians, whose denomination dates back to the 3rd century AD. The popular Sri Krishna Temple (33km northeast of Thrissur) and performing-arts school Kerala Kalamandalam are nearby. Plan to get here during the rambunctious festival season (November to mid-May).

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Thiruvananthapuram Trivandrum Kerala India Travel

WorldTravelDB.com — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 09:01:30 +0000

The unpretentious capital of Kerala, Trivandrum (many people still call it by this colonial name, understandably) rests upon seven low hills. You only have to walk a few metres off the fume-filled racetrack that passes for a main road to appreciate its gentler side, where much of old Kerala’s ambience remains intact. Pagoda-shaped buildings with red-tiled roofs line the narrow, winding lanes, and life slows exponentially the further you walk. For most visitors it’s just a gateway to the golden-sand resorts of nearby Kovalam and Varkala, but there are some great attractions in and around town for visitors with time to wander off the traveller trail.

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Southern Kerala Kerala India Travel

WorldTravelDB.com — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 09:01:01 +0000

Southern Kerala is where you go to cruise the hydro-highways of Kerala’s backwaters. The most popular place to organise such a trip is in Alappuzha (Alleppey) or the tranquil trading town of Kollam (Quilon). The area also includes the golden-sand resorts of Kovalam and Varkala and the city of Kottayam.

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Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary Kerala India Travel

WorldTravelDB.com — Sun, 07 Dec 2008 09:01:02 +0000

Periyar (224571; www.periyartigerreserve.org; Indian/foreigner Rs 25/300; 6am-6pm), South India’s most popular wildlife sanctuary, encompasses 777 sq km, with a 26-sq-km artificial lake created by the British in 1895. It’s home to bison, sambar, wild boar, langur, over 1000 elephants and at least 46 tigers. This is an established tourist spot, and can sometimes feel like Disneyland-in-the-Ghats, but the mountain scenery on the road up, the lake cruise and a jungle walk make for an enjoyable visit. Bring warm and waterproof clothing.

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Northern Kerala Kerala India Travel

WorldTravelDB.com — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 09:01:25 +0000

Northern Kerala is sandwiched between the Arabian Sea and the Western Ghats. It is home to the prosperous trading towns of Kozhikode (Calicut) and Kannur (Cannanore) which is famous for its incredible theyyam possession performances. Animal lovers should head to the beautiful Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary, one of the few places you’re guaranteed to spot an elephant.

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Munnar Kerala India Travel

WorldTravelDB.com — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 08:01:44 +0000

With a Sound-of-Music-in-India backdrop of rolling mountain scenery, craggy peaks, manicured tea estates and crisp mountain air, Munnar really hits the spot after the sticky heat of the lowlands. Once known as the High Range of Travancore, today Munnar is the commercial centre of some of the world’s highest tea-growing estates. But don’t be fooled by the noisy and grubby namesake town of the region; the real attractions lie in the surrounding hills.

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Lakshadweep Kerala India Travel

WorldTravelDB.com — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 08:01:29 +0000

A string of 36 palm-covered coral islands 300km off the coast of Kerala, Lakshadweep is as stunning as it is difficult to get to. Only 10 of the islands are inhabited, mostly with Sunni Muslim fishermen, and foreigners are only allowed to stay on a handful of these. With fishing and coir production the main sources of income, local life on the islands remains highly traditional and a caste system divides the islanders between Koya (land owners), Malmi (sailors) and Melachery (farmers).

The real attraction of the islands lies under the water: the 4200 sq km of pristine archipelago lagoons, unspoiled coral reefs and warm waters are a magnet for flipper-toting travellers and divers alike. Lakshadweep can only be visited on a pre-organised package trip – all listed accommodation prices are for the peak October to May season and include permits and meals.

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Kozhikode Calicut Kerala India Travel

WorldTravelDB.com — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 08:01:35 +0000

Always a prosperous trading town, Calicut was once the capital of the formidable Zamorin dynasty. Vasco da Gama first landed near Calicut in 1498, on his way to snatch a share of the subcontinent for king and country (Portugal that is). These days, trade depends mostly on exporting Indian labour to the Middle East. There’s not a lot for tourists to see, though it’s a good break in the journey and is the jumping-off point for Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary.

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