Beaches of Kerala Tour

Kerela has a 600 km long shoreline dotted with some of the finest, most charming beaches of the world, coconut groves, natural harbors, lagoons and sheltered coves. All of it as peaceful as the rest of the land, washed by the pleasant tropical sun and as pristine as ever. Main beaches of Kerala are :

Kovalam beach : This internationally renowned beach resort of Kerela has been a favorite haunt of tourists since the 1930s. Kovalam consists of three adjacent crescent beaches. The southernmost , known as the Lighthouse beach, is the most popular, Kovalam offers accommodation options to suit all the budgets.

Poovar Beach : Poovar is an unspoilt and unexplored island, envoloped by the most serene backwaters, and opening out to the sea and a dream golden sand beach.

Shanghumugham Beach : This is a favorite haunt of sunset viewers. The beach is adjacent to the Thiruvananthapuram ( Trivandrum ) airport and Veli Tourist Village.

The Varkala Beach : Vakala is a seaside resort and spa, as well as an important Hindu centre of pilgrimage. High cliffs with rich mineral springs rise majestically from the coastline. The 2000 year old Sree Janardhana Swamy Temple and the Nature Care Centre are the two main attractions there.

Alappuzha Beach : This is one of the most popular picnic spots in alappuzha. The pier, which extends into the sea here, is about 140 years old.

Cherai Beach : This lovely beach bordering Vypeen island is ideal for swimming. Dolphins are occassionally seen here.

Fort Kochi Beach : The town was shaped by the Portuguese, the Dutch and later the British.

Kappad : This is the historic beach where Vasco da Gama landed on the 27th of May, 1498 with 170 men in three vessels. The rock studded beach is locally known as Kappakadavu. An interesting feature of the landscape is the sprawing rock that protrudes into the sea. The temple on the rock is believed to be 800 years old.

Suggested tour program for Kerala Beach Holidays

Day 01 : Arrive Kovalam
Arrive international airport
Our representative will meet / assist you at the airport
Transfer to hotel for oernight stay

Day 02 : Kovalam
Breakfast at hotel
Day free for self exploration at beach
Please note, Kovalam is very popular for Yoga, Ayurveda and Spa therapies, you can avail these facilities as options
Overnight at hotel

Day 03 : Excursion to Kanyakumari or Cape Comorin and Suchindrum
Morning after breakfast excursion to Kanyakumari or Cape Comorin is considered the southern tip of India. Off the coast, the waters of the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal swill and merge into the Indian Ocean. The beaches are clean and the waters a clear, frothing blue. Kanyakumari is often set up as a geographical antonym to Kashmir, to suggest the span and variety of the sub continent. For the visitor the experience would be opposite and the pleasure equal. Besides the waters and the coast, Kanyakumari is essentially a temple town. The most prominent temple, the Kumari Amman, is dedicated to the goddess Parvathi as a virgin. It is said to mark the spot where the goddess won the Lord Shiva over with her penance. Its location has given rise to the legend that the goddess protects the country by guarding the southern door to India.

The famous Vivekananda Rock Memorial is built in several architectural styles off the coast on rocks that protrude from the ocean. Built in 1970, it marks the place where Swami Vivekananda meditated and evolved his philosophy. Close to the memorial is Sripada Parai where the footprints of the virgin goddess are supposed to have fallen. Ferry services to the rocks are frequent.

Suchindram, at a distance of 13 km from Kanyakumari. Its temple is dedicated to a deity that is a combination of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva, i.e. the Creator, the Preserver and the Destroyer. It has richly carved gopuram (tower), musical pillars and works of art from various periods.

Back to hotel for overnight at hotel

Day 04 : Kovalam – Trivendrum – Kumarakom (Houseboat via Alleppy)
Morning after breakfast drive to Trivendrum and board houseboat and enjoy your trip through legendary backwaters of Kerala to Alappuzha or Alleppy that is better known as the “Venice of the East”.

Backwaters are an amazing phenomenon of Kerala - a necklace of lagoons lakes, canals and rivers that run through the length of this beautiful land. In fact much of Kerala's uniqueness lies in its backwaters - found nowhere else in the world.Visit to the backwater destinations of Kumarakom, Kollam and Kozhikode can be a most rewarding experience. The lagoons at these destinations with their spectacular view and fringed by coconut trees have been featured in travel books all over the world. No journey to the backwaters is complete without a stay on board a "Kettuvallam" or a houseboat which takes you on a journey through the length and breadth of the lagoons and waterways"

Arrive Kumarakom and transfer to hotel for overnight stay

Day 05 : Kumarakom
Breakfast at hotel
Day free for relaxation
Overnight at hotel

Day 06 : Kumarakom – Periyar
Morning after breakfast drive to Periyar. On arrival check in to hotel
PM : Visit at Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary one of India's biggest wildlife sanctuaries covering 777 sq. Km (300 Sq. miles) is a Tiger Reserve. Its centrepiece, the man-made Periyar Lake at the height of 2000 ft. covers 26 sq. km, running through the forests of the Western Ghats in Kerala, discover the park, animals found here include elephant, sambar, gaur and wild animals found here include elephant, gaur and wild boars and birds like ibis and grey heron. The visit is done in a boat to view animals with a bit of extra luck we may be able to see the rare tiger as well. Later in the evening take a spice plantation tour to see crops of cardamom, cinnamon, pepper, coffee, tea estates etc. on your way back to the hotel, you could stop at the local market and pick up some fragrant spices. Overnight at hotel

Day 07 : Periyar - Munnar
Breakfast at hotel
Morning drive to Munnar Hill Station; literally meaning three rivers, is situated on the confluence of three rivers. The average altitude is over 4000 feet above sea level. This quiet little tea town boasts of many colonial bungalows, tea factories, wild life sanctuaries and many lakes. Among the exotic floral found in the forests and grasslands here is the Neelakurinji. This flower, which bathes the hills in blue, once in every twelve years (The next bloom is expected in 2006 A.D only). The interesting places are Eravikulam National Park, Devikulam, Anamudi etc.
Overnight at hotel

Day 08 : Munnar - Cochin
Morning after drive to Cochin
On arrival transfer to hotel
Later start sightseeing of Cochin or Kochi, the palm-green commercial town of Kerala and the city consist of the mainland Ernakulam, Willingdon Island, Mattancherry, Fort Cochin, Vypeen Island and Bolghatty Island. Ernakulam is the modern city where shopping market, basaar etc are located. From time immemorial, Arab, Chinese, Dutch and British and Portuguese seafarers followed the sea route to Kochi and left their impression on the town. The Chinese fishing nets swaying in the breeze over backwaters, the Jewish Synagogue, Dutch Palace, Portuguese architecture, Boghatty Palace in Kochi enrich the heritage of Kerala.

The main tourist attractions of Cochin are Mattancherry Palace, also known as Dutch Palace, built the Portuguese and presented to the Raja of Kochi in 1555 AD. Its interiors are decorated with murals from the Ramayana and there are some lively displays of royal costumes and palanquins. (Timings. 1000 hrs to 17.00 hrs. Closed on Fridays and national holidays). Jewish Synagogue: in Mattancherry Synagogue is built in 1568 AD. The Great Scrolls of the Old Testment, the copper plates in which the grants of privilege made by the Cochin rulers were recorded and the exquisite Chinese hand-painted tiles are of interest Timing: 1000 hrs to 1200 hrs and 1500 hrs to 1700 hrs. Closed on Sundays and Jewish Holidays. ST. Francis Church: Fort Kochi the Protestant church was originally built by the Portuguese in 1510 AD and is believed to be the oldest church built by the Europeans in India. Sant Cruz Baslica Church: For Kochi The Roman Catholic Church situated close to St. Francis Church and is worth visiting. Some beautiful paintings can be seen here. Chinese Fishing Nets: Fort Kochi The Chinese Fishing net that line the sea-front and exhibit a mechanical method of catching fish by local fishermen in Fort Kochi. Said to have been brought from China by traders of Kubalai Khan's Court, they are used at high tide. Bolghatty Palace: Bolghatty Palace is situated in Boghatty Island a narrow palmfringed Island easily accessible from the. mainland. The Palace was built by the Dutch in 1744. Overnight at hotel