This ancient temple is the city's main landmark. The temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu. However only Hindus are allowed inside the temple, it is worthwhile to visit.
It is housed in a rambling palace witha cubist pattern of gables. The exterior is of striking red and white. The museum contains a wonderful array of stone sculptures, bronzez and wood carvings, ancient musical instruments and a reconstructed Nair joint family dwelling. There is also a natural history section.
This is one of the best zoos in India set in forrest surroundings. A good round the zoo and the sprawling gardens takes almost half the day of the visitor.
An art gallery situated within the museum complex containing paintings of Raja Ravi Varma and Roerich, art works from Japan, China and Tibet, miniatures from northern India, goldleaf pictures from Tanjore, copies of Ajanta frescoes, works from Java and Bali and contemporary works by local artists.
This beach is one of the best beaches in India. Small palm-fringed bays separated by rocky headlands, pale sands, gentle surf and lush green lawns.
This town is known for the Vishnu shrine dedicated to Lord Janardhana. Varkala is a seaside resort with mineral water springs on the beach.
It is a busy market town surrounded by coco-palm plantations and built around canals. Alleppy is a major centre for backwater cruises. Also the Nehru Cup Boat race - the most colourful snakeboat reace of Kerala is held yearly in August.
Here you find one of the finest wildlife sanctuaries of India. Wildlife such as elephants, tigers, panthers, leopards, Indian bisons, sambhars, spotted deer, common langurs, sloth bears, civets and wild dogs can bee seen in their natural habitat. The motorboat gliding on the placid lake takes one for a breathtakingly close view of the elephant herds. There are also beautiful birds to watch, such as darters, hornbills, grackles, gray jungle fowls, blue-winged parakeets, babblers, bulbuls, herons and egrets.
This is one of India's most interesting cities. It has a natural harbour and is called the Venice of the Orient and the Queen of the Arabian Sea. It is one of the few places in the world where one can see a Jewish synagogue, Portuguese churches, Dutch architecture, mosques, temples and Chinese fishing nets in one city.
The most beautiful island of the Cochin islands, where you can find the Bolgatty palace built by the Dutch
The palace was built by the Portugese and renovated by the Dutch. It now houses one of the finest groups of traditional Indian murals, depicting scenes from the Ramayana and other Puranic legends.
Cochin is a busy port around the year. In the sea of Fort Cochin you can always see merchant ships anchored and awaiting berth. A familiar sight here is the fishermen using nets with Chinese contraptions.
An art gallery situated within the museum complex containing paintings of Raja Ravi Varma and Roerich, art works from Japan, China and Tibet, miniatures from northern India, goldleaf pictures from Tanjore, copies of Ajanta frescoes, works from Java and Bali and contemporary works by local artists.
It is said that this Protestant Church is to be the first church built by Europeans in India.
This small temple town where people possessed by evil spirits throng this temple. The Divine Mother of Chottanikkara (Goddess Rajarajeshwari) is believed to have cured countless men and women - the haunted, the possessed and the mentally afflicted.
This forest temple which is set amidst the exhilarating scenery of the Sabari Hills, is dedicated to Lord Ayyappa known as Dharma Sastha and Harihara Puthra. This temple attracts millions of pilgrims thrice a year. The largest congregation is witnessed on Makara Vilakku in January when one finds the vast multitudes of pilgrims wait to have a glimpse of the spectaculare flash of a strange light called Makara Jyothi appearing at the Deeparadhana on the eastern side.
This place is built around a hillock, crowned by the famous Vadakkunathan (Siva) temple, the oldest in Kerala. In this place the Pooram festival during April and May is a time of incredible splendour. Pyrotechnics and a procession of elephants on the occassion are witnessed by thousands of people.