About the Enchanting Houseboats of the Backwaters in Kerala

A holiday in the state of Kerala, that too God's own country with lots of greenery through out the year, has become a fashion for the local as well as the foreign tourists. A holiday of cruising in the houseboat through the numerous network of backwater canals have become very popular and loved by one and all.

These houseboats were Kettuvallams of the yesteryears and have become one of the most important attractions and the money earners for Kerala Tourism.
Kettuvallam literally means a bundled boat or a knotted boat, in which jack fruit tree planks were knotted together with coir and shaped in to a boat. These boats were used to carry agricultural produce from one place to another in the interiors  in the absence of roads in the early days. Nowadays these kettuvallams have become houseboats of Kerala for cruising the beautiful, calm, tranquil backwaters of Kerala.

These typical kettuvallams which were used for carrying Cargo from one place to another, were about 20 - 25 meters long and 4-4.5 meters wide.  They could carry loads up to 30 tonnes and that is about 2 or 3 truckloads of cargo.
These kettuvallams were old and traditional carriers which used  to carry goods like rice, coconuts and spices through the  inland waterways in the western lowlands of the state of Kerala. These boats were made of different capacities, shapes and sizes and were just used as inland transport for carrying loads from one village to another, where roads were not available.

Now that the roads and the road transport are available, these boats have become useless and are lying waste. These boats had enough space and facilities for cooking and sleeping for boatmen and their family. The songs they sung during their trips were also very famous as well as their cooking. The recipes and the ingredients they used were simple as they stayed away for a long time from their homes on boats altogether. They had developed their cooking and living by adapting to the conditions inside the boat where they stayed months together at a time.

Classification of Houseboats in Kerala
The Department of Kerala Tourism has brought about a scheme to classify  the houseboats in Kerala just to evaluate the safety and service standards. To sustain the houseboats tourism, the Tourism department has brought about some guidelines on how to to classify them.

These houseboats are classified into three categories namely Gold star, Silver star and Green palm certificates.
Golden star houseboat - AC Deluxe and luxury houseboats
Silver star houseboat - Non AC standard  houseboats
Green Palm Kerala houseboats - Non mechanized Punting / Electric Engine houseboats, those are NON polluting

In no time Alappuzha emerged as the nerve center of the Houseboat industry. The earlier houseboats were pooled together and the present ones came up with fitted engines. These are inboard engines which run on Diesel as fuel.

Facilities in Houseboats in Kerala
Earlier in the houseboats, the rooms available were small and cramped but now in the recent times they have undergone a big change. The small dingy rooms have given way to spacious and luxurious rooms which can match the comforts of a hotel room like air conditioning, attached bath etc.  You can also find big houseboats operating which have several bedrooms and a conference hall having a seating capacity of about 150 persons at a time.

More than 10 houseboats are getting launched every year,  according to Mr Tomy Pulikattil , the Houseboat owners Association Secretary.  The number of tourists always goes beyond the availability of Houseboats in the peak season. The ratings for the houseboats are fixed according to the facilities it can offer and around 25 Golden Star houseboats are there in the backwaters of Kerala.
You can find single to five bed roomed houseboats  and you can choose the one in which you would like to spend your time cruising along the backwaters of Kerala.

To know more contact 
DTPC House boat Pre-paid Counter
For booking houseboats, travellers can make use of the House Boat Pre-paid Counter 'Trusted Service, Trusted Rates' managed by the District Tourism Promotion Council (DTPC).

Contact details
Alappuzha - House boat pre-paid counter
Mobile: 09400051796, 09447483308,
Tel : +91-477-2251796, +91-477-2253308.

You can also book through Coco houseboats 

Best Multi Speciality Hospitals in Kochi , Kerala

Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Centre
Ponekkara, P. O Kochi, Kerala 682 041, India
Phone: 0091 (0) 484 280 1234, 285 1234, 400 1234, 0484 668 1234
Fax: 0091 (0) 484 280 2020
E-mail: hospitaladministration@aims.amrita.edu
Website : http://www.aimshospital.org

Medical Trust Hospital
MG Road, Cochin - 682 016
Kerala, India.
Tel: Hosp: +91 484 2358001 (11 lines)
Public Relations: +91 484 2358035, Fax: +91 484-2358031
E-mail: info@medicaltrusthospital.org
Website : http://www.medicaltrusthospital.com

Aster Medcity

Kuttisahib Rd, South Chittoor,
Ernakulam, Kerala 682027
Phone:0484 669 9999
website : http://astermedcity.com/

Lakeshore Hospital
NH-47 Bypass,
Maradu, Nettoor P.O, Kochi - 682040
Kerala, India.
Tel : +91-484-2701032/2701033/2703951
Mobile : +91 99616 30000/+91 99616 40000
Fax : +91-484-2701996
E-mail : info@lakeshorehospital.com
Website : www.lakeshorehospital.com

Mar Augustine Kandathil Memorial Lisie Hospital
Lisie Hospital Rd, Kathrikadavu,
Kaloor, Kochi, Kerala 682017
0484 240 2044 / 240 1006
Email : contact@lisiehospital.org
http://www.lisiehospital.org

Lourdes Hospital
Lourde Hospital Road,
Kochi, Kerala 682012
Tel: +91 484 4123456, 4125555
Fax: +91 484 2393720,
Email: lourdeshospital@vsnl.com
Website : http://www.lourdeshospital.in

Rajagiri Hospital
Chungamvely, Aluva 
Kerala - 683 112, India
Call : +91 6655000
For appointments : 04846655111
Email:mail@rajagirihospital.com
Website : http://www.rajagirihospital.com

Ernakulam Medical Centre
National Highway 47 By Pass,
Punjab National Bank, Palarivattom,
Kochi, Kerala 682028
Tel : +91- 484 - 2907000 or 2807101 or 2807401
For appointments :91- 484 - 2807277 or 2807288
Fax : +91- 484 - 2805011
EMail: mail@emccochin.com

PVS Memorial Hospital
NH Road, Kaloor,
Next to The Gokulam Park,
Cochin, Kerala 682017
Phone:0484 418 2888
Email:info@pvsmemorialhospital.com
Website : http://www.pvsmemorialhospital.com/

KIMS Hospital
Kerala Institute of Medical Sciences
Pathadipalam, Changampuzha Nagar Post,
Edappally, Kochi - 682033
Tel: 0484- 3041000 
Email: info.cok@kimsglobal.com
Website: www.kimskochi.com
    

Carnoustie Beach Resort and Ayurveda Spa, Alappuzha

Carnoustie Beach Resort and Ayurveda Spa is set in about 27 acres of pristine land along the Marari Beach of  Alappuzha in Kerala. The place is located at just about 20 kilometers away from the well known and most loved beache of Kerala, the Alappuzha Backwaters. The resort gives you a rejuvenating experience with luxurious amenities and facilities. There is a fully equipped Ayurveda Spa.
 

Accommodation Facilities at Carnoustie Beach Resort & Ayurveda Spa

About 40 villas  with luxurious 5 star hotel amenities and facilities. The villas are exquisitely decorated and furnished along with private pool / pond and timber laden decks. 

Facilities available are Arya Vaidyasala, Dance and cultural programs, Marari Beach, yoga, surrounding paddy fields,  Music, Backwaters and Houseboat cruises, Fishing, Bicycle rides to know and mingle with the villagesrs / locals , Sailing, jew street in Fort Kochi, Painting classes, Archery Visitng places like Kanichukulangara Temple, Arthungal St Andrews Church, etc.

To know more about visit routes of the Carnoustie Houseboat Rides / Cruises  etc 

Sailing club is available for you to try your hand at Canoeing, Kayaking, go for backwater cruises, sunset cruise or speedboat cruise. 

Ayurveda Treatments at the Carnoustie Resort 

Ayurveda Treatments are available att he Spa for an all-encompassing experience which are designed to nurture the body and the mind of the stress and city life. You can have the expert therapists guide you  and have your rejuvenating journey in the Luxurious villas surrounded by the back waters. 

For the Arya Vaidyasala special Packages 

How to Reach Carnoustie Beach Resort and Ayurveda Spa?

If you are travelling by air, Kochi International Airport is the nearest one and is about 60 kilometers away from the resort.

Thiruvananthapuram International airport is about 165 kilometers away

If you are travelling by rail, Alappuzha is the nearest railway station -and is about 18 kilometers away from the Ayurveda Beach Resort.

 If you are travelling by road  you can travel via  Kochi / Ernakulam. From Kochi, you have to take the National Highway 47 and  drive towards Alappuzha  and take right turn at Marariklam. From the junction the Carnoustie Beach Resort is placed at about 4 kilometers away. 

Nearest Tourist spots

Athirapalli Waterfalls

Alappuzha Backwaters

Kuttanad paddy fields

Thekkady wildlife Sanctuary

Ambalappuzha Temple

Munnar

St Andrews Basilica

Mannarshala Temple

Fort Kochi

Contact Details of the Carnoustie Beach Resort & Ayurveda Spa

Carnoustie Beach Resort and Ayurveda Spa 

Mararikulam

Chennaaveli, Chethy P O

Alappuzha - 688530

Tel : 0478 2830400

Fax : 0478 283499

www.carnoustieresorts.com

EMail : reservations@carnoustieresorts.com

             ayurveda@carnoustieresorts.com

Bay Island Driftwood Museum in Kerala

Driftwood Museum in Kumarakom is  a museum to display  a very unique collection of drift wood scultures which are of superior quality and artistic value. This driftwood museum is known as Bay Island driftwood museum and is located in one of the villages in the area Kumarakom. You can find a very huge collection of  various shapes and designs of root sculptures. This bay island museum was established in the year 2001 and is the only one such museum inthe whole of India. Now raji Punnoose is the curator and the proprietor of the museum.

Raji Punnoose, who was a school teacher then at the Andaman and Nicobar archipelago , used to pick up pieces of driftwood deposited at the sea shores by the waves of the sea. Most of them were twisted tree trunks, stumps and roots etc . She found that with little hardwork she could change and transform them into scultptures.  Thanks to the area she was in and the turbulent weather of the Bay of Bengal with its cyclones  and storms brought many such things back to the shore.

Some of these pieces were centuries old and had become resilient having drifted across the seas for a long time. What was left of these woods were the sturdiest parts which were cleansed, the dead parts of the wood were removed, scraped and trimmed  to bring the wood to the shape of the sculpture which she had in mind. many of them got shaped as she liked them to be and they closely resembled reptiles, animals, birds and fishes.

Now there are many who like to visit this driftwood museum as they find the exhibits educative and interesting  as well as inculcatesthe qualities of imagination , creativity, originality and an intiative to produce usefiul articles from the waste materials thrown away and seen to be of no use. This driftwood museum encourages one to use imagination and the creativity inside everyone of us  to do and show more and more.

No Entrance  fee is collected. The Museum is closed on Mondays and all the other days are working days.

Timings :
Weekday: 10.00am to 01.00pm, 1.30pm to 6.00pm
Sunday: 12.30pm to 6.00pm

Contact Number of Bay Island Driftwood Museum, Kerala 
Museum: 0481-2525634
Curator: 94474 64296
Residence: 0481-2517530

Ayurveda Centres in Kerala

Amrita School of Ayurveda,
Amritapuri, Clappana P.O,
Vallickavu
Kollam
Kerala- 690525.
Tel: 0476-2899688
Fax: 0476-2899681
E-mail: info@amritahospital.com / billing@ayurveda.amrita.edu

Sudarshanam Netra Chikitsalayam & Ayurveda Panchakarma Centre,
'Anjanam',Thymala, Manjadi po.,
Thiruvalla, Pathanamthitta District
Kerala INDIA- 689 105
Mob : +91 9447163071
Telephone:+ 91 469 2630718, +91 469 3290630
Email: info@netrafoundation.com

Harivihar Ayurvedic Heritage Home
Bilathikulam, Calicut, Kerala
India – PIN – 673006
For Reservations: + 91 98470 7220   
Tel: + 91 98470 72203 / + 91 495 2765865
Mobile: + 91 93886 76054
Email: harivihar@harivihar.com / admin@harivihar.com

The Nattika Beach Ayurveda Resort
Nattika Beach P.O, Nattika,
Thrissur, Pin-680566, Kerala, India.
Tel: +91 487 239 6770 / 240 2770 / 71 / 72
Fax: +91 487 239 6771
Email: reservation@thenattikabeach.com
Website: www.thenattikabeach.com

Ayur Bay Medicus
Nellikunnu Beach, Kovalam South Mulloor P.O
Trivandrum 695521, Kerala, South India.
Tel: +91 471 2483710, 3252129
Fax: +91 471 2480596
e-mail: info@ayurbay.com

Kumarakom Lake Resort
Kumarakom North Post
Kottayam 686 563, Kerala, India.
Tel: 00 91 481 2524900 / 2524501
Fax: 0091 481 2524987
For Reservations - 1800 425 5030 ( Toll Free )
Email: klresort@vsnl.com

Kayaloram Heritage Lake Resort
Avilookunnu Post,, Kayaloram Rd,
Punnamada, Kottankulangara,
Alappuzha, Kerala 688006
Tel: 097475 32240

Guruvayur Temple in Kerala

Guruvayur Sree Krishnan Temple is a Hindu Temple, located in Guruvayur, in Thrissur District of the state of Kerala. This Temple is considered as one of the important Vaishanavite  Temples in India.  This temple is also known as Bhuloka Vaikunta meaning "The Abode of Lord Vishnu on Earth" .

The idol of Lord Guruvayurappan at the Guruvayur Temple  represents a form in which Lord Krishna has four arms, one carrying the conch Pancajanya, second hand  carrying the magical discus with serrated edges Sudarshana Chakra,  the tird Hand carrying the  mace Kaumodaki and  and the fourthhand carrying a lotus  along with a Holy basil garland. This is said to be the form in which Lord Vishnu was shown to Devaki and Vasudeva around the time of birthof Krishna.  The God is known in various names in Kerala namely, Krishna, Kannan, Unnikannan, Unni Krishnan, Bala Krishnan and Guruvayurappan.

The Puja Routine has bee laid down by Adi Sankaracharya  but later rewritten in the Tantric way by Cennas Narayanan Nambudiri from the  hereditary Family of Tantris the ' Cennas Nambudiris'.

Accommodation Facilities available at the Guruvayur Sree Krishnan Temple
The Devaswom provides  facilities for the devotees for a comfortable stay. They can call up and book the rooms in advance by sending the full room rent and the reservation charges  to the administrator of the Guruvayur Devaswom. You can send all the details  for the reservation should be given along with the Demand draft / money order.

1. There is a Satram with 82 rooms available located very close to the East Gopuram with attached bath facilities  and 27 rooms with common bath as well.  There are 4 blocks at the Satram namely, East Block, South Block, Canteen Block and the TC block.

2. There is Kousthubham rest house located very close to the Satram which has A/c and Non A/c rooms and a dormitory  which can hold about 50 persons.
Contact Details
Telephone : 0487 2556537,
Fax: 0487 2554844

3. Panchajanyam Rest house is located on the southern side of the East Gopuram of the Temple. A/c and Non A/c rooms are available.
Contact Details
Phone no: 0487 2556535,
Fax: 04872554844

4. Sree Valsam Guest House  is located byt he southern side of the East Gopuram
Here air consitioned rooms and suitesare available
Contact Phone no: 0487 2556539
Terms for Cancellation online
0 to 7 days  Cancellations are not allowed
Above 7 days Cancellations  are allowed with 10%  of the total amount plus the service charges  deduction.

Thattekkad Bird Sanctuary

Thattekkad Bird Sanctuary also known as Dr Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary is located in the Kothamangalam area of the Ernakulam district in Kerala. The first bird Sanctuary in Kerala has an area of about 25 square kilometers.
The Thattekkad bird Sanctuary is the richest and varied bird habitat in the whole of India according to Dr Salim Ali an ornithologist.

Thattekkad means flat forest and is placed between two tributaries of the longest river in Kerala, the Periyar.  A part of the Sanctuary is known as Cuckoo Paradise, as there are many varieties of Cuckoo like Drongo Cuckoo, Large Hawk Cuckoo, Indian Hawk Cuckoo other than the Indian Cuckoo.

The colourful Indian Pitta, which breeds in the Himalayas,  visits the sanctuary during winters and stays there for about 6 months in a year.
Other birds which are found here are Ceylon frog mouth, Collared scops owl, Cormorants, Indian cuckoo, Jerdon's nightjar, Large-billed leaf-warbler, Orange-headed thrush, Oriental darter, Pompadour green pigeon, Whiskered terns and Yellow-browed bulbuls.


How to reach Thattekkad Bird Sanctuary?
Kochi Nedumbassery international airport is the nearest airport to go to Thattekkad Bird Sanctuary.  The airport is located at about 71 kilometers from it.

Aluva railway station is the nearest and is about 48 kilometers away.
If you are travelling by road the Thattekkad Bird Sanctuary is  about 13 kilometers to the north east of Kothamangalam on the Pooyamkutti Road. 

Pampadum Shola Wildlife Sanctuary

Pampadum Shola Wildlife Sanctuary is located at about 35 kilometers from well known  tourist destination in Kerala, Munnar in the Idukki district.  This is the smallest National Park, declared in the year 2003 and is placed in the south western part of the Western Ghats in Kerala. The National Park has an area of about 11.75 square kilometers only.

 Pampadum Shola Wildlife Sanctuary is one of the well known Eco Tourism destinations in Kerala. There are many endangered and rare species of birds and animals are protected here. Other than these endangered animals elephant, gaur, leopard, wild boar, sambar and common langur are found here.

Trekkings on Nature trails are arranged here for the tourists. Log cabins are available for accommodations in Kuttikadu and Neduvarpu.

How to reach Pampadum Shola Wildlife Sanctuary?
Cochin international airport at Nedumbassery is the nearest airport and is about 170 kilometers away.
Kochi city is at about 135kilometers,
Kottayam is at 148 kilometers.
Udumalpet in the state of Tamil Nadu is the nearest city located at about 110 kilometers.
Kochi Kodaikanal Highway passes through Pampadum Shola Wildlife Sanctuary.

For more details contact
The wildlife Warden
Munnar PO Idukki
Kerala - 685612
Tel : 04865231587
Mob : 0 9447979093
EMail : ww-munnar@forest.kerala.gov.in

Assistant Wildlife Warden
Shola National Parks Range
Top Station, Ellapetty PO
Vattavada, Idukki, Kerala - 685615

Chimmini Wildlife Sanctuary

Chimmini Wildlife Sanctuary  is situated at the Mukundapuram taluk of Thrissur district,  about 28 kms away from Amballoor village. The  Amballoor Village is about  12 kilometers  away from Thrissur town.  The Wildlife Sanctuary was established in 1984. The area spans  about 85 square  kilometers on the western slopes of Nelliyampathy hills of the Western Ghats in Kerala.

A dam was constructed across the Chimmini river at 75 meters, above the sea level. Due to this, a large section of forest was cleared during 1976-83 period. This sanctuary, consisting of the water shed areas of Kunumali and Mupliyam rivers, is encircled by hills. There are many trekking trails among dense forests, streams and rivers. The forest area has a mix of Ever green, semi evergreen and lush deciduous trees.  The lush surroundings provide an ideal habitat for flowering plants, birds, butterflies and wildlife.
Evergreen Trees like pali, punna, vediplavu, anjili, whitepine, kampakom, white akil, pathiri and nedunar, are seen in the upper part and trees like vetti, thetti, kara, narakom, marotti, mullilam etc are found in the lower parts of the Sanctuary. In the semi evergreen forests   Trees like manja kadambu, ayani, elavu, pongu, white teak, manimaruthu, kanakkaitha and vakkaplavu. Animals like leopard, tiger, elephant, bear, wild pigs, wild bison etc  are found in the forests.

How to Reach Chimmini Wildlife Sanctuary?
 Kochi International airport and Coimbatore Domestic airport in the state of Tamil Nadu are the nearest airports to reach the Chimmini Wildlife Sanctuary. Thrissur is the nearest important railway station. However, tourists can easily reach the sanctuary since almost all the important trains stop at Chalakkudy.
Accommodation facilities near Chimmini Wildlife Sanctuary
There is an inspection bunglow near the dam and some private hotels can also be found at Amballoor.

Contact Details
Divisional Forest Officer,
Chalakkudy Division,
Wildlife Sanctuary Office,
Peechi,
Tel : 0487-269 9017

District Tourist Promotion Council Office ( DTPC )
Thrissur, Tel : 0487-2320800 

Ramakkalmedu

Ramakkalmedu is a hill station in the Idukki district of the Kerala state , located very close to the Tamil Nadu state border. The hill station gives you the best of winds blowing from the Tamil Nadu state.

Places to visit in Ramakkalmedu
Statue of Kuravan and Kurathy located on one of the hills in the hill station is a tourist attraction.
Wind farm has been planned in the area and about 7 of them are already set up. All of them supply wind energy to the Kallar  sub station at about 17 kilometers away. From the hills you can see the wind energy farm.

How to reach Ramakkalmedu
Madurai domestic airport in Tamil Nadu is the nearest one located at about 140 kilometers away.
Kochi Nedumbassery International airport is the next nearest airport in the state of Kerala and is located at about 190 kilometers from Ramakkalmedu hill station.
Changanassery is the nearest railway station and is about 93 kilometers from it.
If you are planning to travel by road, you can get buses both private and state owned from Aluva, Kochi, Kumily, Kottayam and other nearby towns.

For more details call
DTPC Information centre
Munnar
Phone - 04865 231516

Accommodations in and around Ramakkalmedu 
Wind Haven Resort
Ramakkal
Website : windhavenresort.com
Phone : 04868 221319
Mob : 0 9747110319
E Mail : guest@windhavenresort.com/ windhavenresort@gmail.com

Punarjani Resorts
Ramakkal, Kallar
website : www.punarjaniresorts.com
Mob : 0 9605767201 / 9605767202
E Mail : sales@punarjaniresorts.com

Silent Valley Wildlife Sanctuary

Silent Valley National Park is located in the Nilgiri International Biosphere Reserve of the Nilgiri Hills of the Palakkad District and is the largest national park in Kerala. Silent Valley Ntional Park is contiguous with the proposed Karimpuzha National Park (225 km2) to the north and Mukurthi National Park (78.46 km2) to the north-east. Silent Valley National Park is a part of the sub cluster of the Western Ghats World Heritage Site, recognised by UNESCO.

The local name for the area is Sairandharivanam meaning the forest of Sairandhari that is Draupadi wife of the Pandavas in Mahabharatha. It is said that they lived in this area during their one year exile period.

Here mainly lion-tailed macaques, one of thee endangered species of Primates, are being protected
You can find teak, rosewood, amla, bamboo and semal in these forests as well as tropical hill forests, temperate forests and grasslands.

How to Reach Silent Valley Wildlife Sanctuary?
By Air:
You can reach Coimbatore Airport from the cities of Chennai, Mumbai, Kozhikode, and Madurai easily. The airport of Coimbatore is about 155 kilometers away from the Silent valley. You can take Transport Buses, Cabs and Private vehicles to Silent Valley from there.

By Rail:
Olavakode / Palakkad railway station is the closest alternative which is 75 kms from the Silent Valley National Park.

Hill Stations of Kerala

Hill stations in Kerala all along the Western ghats are the other great tourist attractions next to its criss crossing network of Backwaters. The hill stations in Kerala offers a salubrious climate during summers and winters along with a beautiful rainy season. Numerous small and big waterfalls, beautiful landscapes, rolling tea plantations and streams running through them are enchanting to watch.

Here I am giving you a list of hill stations in Kerala in each and every district lying by the side of the western ghats.
 
Ernakulam District
Ayyampuzha
Kodanad
Kuttampuzha
Malayattoor
Thattekkad

Idukki District
Devikulm
Munnar
Mattupetty
Chinnakanal
Ramakkalmedu
Nedumkandam
Udumbanchola
Painavu
Kumily
Thekkady
Kuttikanam
Peermade
Vagamon

Kannur District
Aralam
Pazhassi
Iritty

Kasaragod district
Rajapuram
Ranipuram
Kottancheri Hills

Kollam District
Aryankavu
Kulathupuzha
Thenmala

Kozhikode District
Kodencheri
Peruvannamuzhi
Thamarassery
Thiruvembadi
Thusharagiri
Vellarimala Near Thiruvambady

Kottayam District
Mundakayam
Poonjar

Malappuram district
Nilambur

Palakkad district
Agali
Nelliampathy Hills

Pathanamthitta District
Charalkunnu near Kozhencherry
Chittar
Gavi near Sabarimala
Maniyar near Sabarimala
Moozhiyar Near Sabarimala
Seethathode near Sabarimala

Thiruvananthapuram district
Ponmudi
Vithura

Thrissur district
Athirapally
Malakkappara
Poringalkuthu
Vazhachal
Vettilappara

Wayanad District
Kalpetta
Lakkidi
Mananthavady
Muthanga
Sulthan Bathery
Tirunelli
Vythiri

About Kerala

 
Kerala is one of the 28 states in India which is placed on the Malabar coast of the South west India. Kerala was formed on the 1st of November 1956 when all the Malayalam speaking regions were put together. Kerala is bordered by Karnataka in the north and northeast, Tamil Nadu in the east and south and the Arabian sea on the west. Thiruvananthapuram, earlier known as Trivandrum is the capital city of the state Kerala. Kochi / Cochin and Kozhikode / Calicut are the other important cities in Kerala state.

Kerala's western coastal area is flat and is criss crossed by a network of brackish canals, estuaries, lakes, streams and rivers. The area is known as the Backwaters of Kerala, lake Vembanad being the most important one of all. There are 44 rivers in Kerala the most important of them are The Periyar, The Bharathapuzha, The Pamba, The Chaliyar, Kadalundipuzhathe valapattanam and the Achankovil. Most of the rivers in Kerala are monsoon fed and due to all these conditions Kuttanad is always under water as most parts of it is below sea level.

Districts of Kerala
Kerala state has 14 districts namely Kasaragod, Kannur, Wayanad, Kozhikode, Palakkad, Thrisur, Ernakulam, Kottayam, Alappuzha, Pathanamthitta, Kollam and Thiruvananthapuram.

How to reach Kerala?
Two National Highways run through the state of Kerala, namely, NH47 and NH 17. NH 17 connects Edappalli to Panvel in Maharashtra, while NH 47 is from Salem to Kanyakumari in the state of Tamil Nadu but passing through most of the southern districts of Kerala.

The other National Highways running through Kerala are;
NH 49 from Kochi to Dhanushkoti,
NH 208 from Kollam to Thirumangalam,
NH 212 from Kozhikode to Mysore,
NH 213 Kozhikode to Palakkad,
NH 220 from Kollam to Theni.

By Air
Kerala has three international airports namely Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi and Kozhikode. All of these airports are easily accessible through Road and Rail.

By Rail
The railway network in the state is controlled by three divisions of Southern Railway, namely, Thiruvananthapuram Railway Division, Palakkad Railway Division and Madurai Railway Division. Thiruvananthapuram Central is the busiest railway station in the state and second busiest in the Southern Railway Zone after Chennai Central.

Kerala's major railway stations are Kannur, Kozhikode, Tirur, Shornur Junction, Palakkad Junction, Thrissur, Angamaly For Kalady, Ernakulam Town, Ernakulam Junction, Alappuzha, Kottayam, Tiruvalla, Chengannur, Kayamkulam Junction, Kollam Junction and Thiruvananthapuram Central.

By Boats
Kerala has Inland Water transport with its numerous backwaters. The transport is mainly country craft and passenger vessels. There are 67 navigable rivers in Kerala and the total length is about 1687 kilometers.
There is a National Highway no 3 which is a 203 kilometer canal runs between Kollam and Kottapuram.

Tourist Destinations in Kerala

1. Silent Valley National Park

2. Anamudi Shola NationalPark

3. Eravikulam National Park

4. Mathikettan Shola  National Park

5. Pampadam Shola National Park

6. Periyar National Park

7. Neyyar Wildlife Sanctuary

8. Peechi-Vazhani Wildlife Sanctuary

9. Wynad Wildlife Sanctuary

10. Parambikulam Wildlife Sanctuary

11. Idukki Wildlife Sanctuary

12. Peppara Wildlife Sanctuary

13. Thattekkad Bird Sanctuary 

14. Chimmini Wildlife Sanctuary

15. Shenduruney Wildlife Sanctuary

16. Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary

17. Aralam WildlifeSanctuary

18. Mangalavanam Bird Sanctuary

19. Kurinjimala Wildlife Sanctuary

20. Ranipuram Wildlife Sanctuary

Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary

Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary is located in the rain shadow region in the eastern slope of Western Ghats, adjoining the state of Tamil Nadu. The Sanctuary is known for its biodiversity and the rich ethnic cultural heritage.

The Chinnar wildlife Sanctuary has a variety of endangered animals such as grizzled giant squirrel, star tortoise, tufted grey langur, gaur, spotted deer, slender loris, wild elephant, crocodile, tiger, leopard and many a birds, insects and abig repository of medicinal plants.

Facilities available for tourists at the Sanctuary
An Interpretation Centre at Karimutty in Kerala,
two eco shops, one each at Chinnar check post and Aalampetty,
an amenity centre, inspection bunglow, dormitory and cafeteria at Chinnar check post are there to cater to the needs of tourists and visitors who cometo visit the Chinnar wildlife sanctuary.

Guided trekking tours are available to the dry deciduous forests and through the riparian forest along the Chinnar river. You can also visit the archaeological remnants, the dolmens, and the sandal forests.

Contact for more details
The Wildlife Warden
Munnar PO, Idukki Dist.
Kerala - 685 612
Tel: 91-4865-231587
E-mail: enpmunnar@gmail.com

For enquiries and reservations
Forest Information Centre
Wildlife Warden’s Office,
Munnar PO, Idukki Dist.
Kerala- 685 612
Tel: 91-4865-231587
Mob. 91 8301024187, 91 8547603199