My visit to Kerala- God’s Own Country

                       My visit to Kerala-God’s Own Country

My husband and I visited Kerala in the month of March 2022. Our tour was booked by make my trip. We took a flight from Goa to Kochi, where we stayed there overnight and enjoyed Kerala paratha and chicken gravy. The next day early morning, we left for Munnar by taxi, which was part of the package. We enjoyed the scenic beauty of roads and nature on the way to Munnar.  Private car included for the complete covering sightseeing as per itinerary. Munnar was 135km away from Kochin, and it took us around five hours to reach this beautiful hill station. On the way, we visited Valara waterfall and also enjoyed the refreshments on the way. On the way, one can find a lot of adventurous activities taking place, and you can also participate in a jungle safari, rope climbing, etc. There are a lot of tea and spice shops on the way. We reached Munnar and visited the Tata Museum and enjoyed the beautiful serenity of Munnar, which is famous for its tea plantation. We also visited the Eravikulam National Park to get a view of a variety of flora and fauna. On the way, we took a lot of photos of ourselves with nature. After our visit to the park, we went to the hotel, mountains Hues which is very amazingly located inside nature, offering you the best view of nature and the best services. Later evening we visited the Muttupetty Lake and Dam as well as Echo Point, which is famous for its echo phenomenon. We also visited local shops where there sell local handlooms sarees and bought a few for myself and my family. In the evening returned to the hotel and enjoyed the rest of the evening at leisure and a comfortable overnight at the hotel.

Tea plantations at Munnar

The next morning on the third day, we left for Thekkady, which was at a distance of 110km, and it took around four hours to reach there. Thekkady is synonymous with wildlife and nature treks. We checked in at the hotel and, after breakfast, visited Periyar Lake, a soul-stirring tour. We went for a boat cruise at Periyar Lake and could see fauna and flora. We could see lots of birds visiting the lake and a lot of animals coming to graze and drink water. We could also see elephants and other animals. At Periyar, we enjoyed local Kerala food, which was served on the leaf and included rice, dal, vegetable, pickle, papad, paisam, etc. Later evening we went to watch the Kathakali show and also the elephant ride.

Periyar Lake and boating

On the fourth day, early morning, we left for Kovalam. It was a long journey. We could see a lot of tea plantations on the way. We visited churches, Ganesh idols, etc, on the way. On the way, we visited the world’s largest bird sculpture and, within it, a rock theme park for adventure enthusiasts that today pays tribute to the mythical bird from the Indian epic Ramayana – Jatayu. The Jatayu Adventure Center (Jatayu Earth's Center) is located at Chadayamangalam, which is 50 km from Thiruvananthapuram. It is a unique combination of artistry, mythology, technology, culture, adventure, leisure, and wellness. The virtual reality museum and the theatrical magic that renders the story of Jatayu add to the magic of the destination. The Jatayu Adventure Center offers the largest adventure park within a natural terrain. Paintball, valley crossing, bouldering, zip line, trekking, archery, rappelling, jumaring, and wall climbing are among the myriad activities available here. The climbing activities are designed around the natural rock formations on the hillside. While you are relishing, the adrenaline rush the park offers, make sure you explore the multi cuisines at the food court with a panoramic view and the age-old Siddha Cave Healing Center as well for a complete, wholesome experience. On the way, we enjoyed the special Kerala chicken biryani and pink water along with the chicken cutlets. We passed by Thiruvananthapuram city on the way to Kovalam, which was very clean, with lot of big buildings, IT centres, and institutes, and we also could see lulu mall on the way. We also visited the Sree Padmanabhaswami temple located inside the East Fort in Thiruvananthapuram, the capital city of the State of Kerala in India.  Sree Padmanabha Swamy Temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu. This temple is a blend of the Kerala and Dravidian styles of architecture and is believed to be the world's richest temple. Thiruvananthapuram, the capital city of Kerala, takes its name from the presiding deity of the Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple, who is also known as Anantha (one who reclines on the Serpent Anantha). The word 'Thiruvananthapuram' literally means - the Land of Sree Anantha Padmanabhaswamy. 

Upon arrival to Kovalam, we visited Hawa Beach and lighthouse beach to witness the exquisiteness of these beaches, which are enhanced by the stack of palm grooves. Finally checked in at Aadhisakthi Ayurveda and Leisure village resort and rested. We saw the sunset from the hotel. The next day we visited the Kanyakumari, which is located at the southernmost tip of the Indian peninsula post that heads towards Kumari Amman temple, Vivekananda rock memorial, Gandhi Mandapam, the statue of Thiruvalluvar and three ocean meeting points. After visiting Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu, we came back to Kerala in Kovalam and back to the hotel.

Lighthouse at the Hawa beach

The next day we left for Alleppey after an early breakfast which is known as the Venice of the East. Alleppey is well known for backwaters and houseboats. On reaching, we checked in to Alleppey houseboat and enjoyed a comfortable lunch and dinner. We could also buy our own fish and give it to the cook and could enjoy the local cuisine. One can Unwind and immerse yourself in the backwaters with Alleppey Houseboats, which offer a unique blend of comfort and attractive views. One can Escape to the tranquil beauty of Kerala's backwaters with the Best Houseboats in Alleppey. For lunch, we were served rice, sambar, mixed vegetables Thoran (Carrot, Cabbage, Beans), mezhukupurathy (Long Beans),  fish Fry (Pearl Spot / Seer Fish),  banana Kalan /Beetroot Pachadi, pappadam, salad, pickle, tropical seasonal fruit. 

Boathouse at Alleppey

After one day's stay at the boat house, we finally headed to Kochi, and it was our last day in Kerala. At night we were having a flight back to Goa so we could spend some afternoon time at Kochi. It is part of the Ernakulam in the state and is commonly referred to as Ernakulam. Kochi is the most densely populated city in Kerala. Widely known as the ‘Queen of Arabian Sea’, Kochi/Cochin is a paradise for travelers who come in search of wonders and the financial capital of the city with a booming IT industry and various other trading endeavors as it is one of the chief port cities in the country. This cosmopolitan city has everything that can attract tourists irrespective of the seasons, such as the comforts of a metro city, the amazing beauty of nature, incredible culture, and so on. We visited the Marine Drive when boating and also enjoyed the local icecream known as puttu ice cream. We also went shopping and checked the local gold markets though we did not buy any gold. Later evening we took a flight to Goa. It was a great trip together to Kerala God's own country.