Thiruvananthapuram - Capital of Kerala

Thiruvananthapuram, the capital of Kerala, a small state in South-western India is an ideal place for holidaying. Thiruvananthapuram/Trivandrum is a lovely city on the seaside, rich in culture and heritage. The famous Travancore King/Maharajah Sri Marthanda Varma named the city Thiruvananthapuram. “Thiru-anantha-puram” means the abode of the sacred Serpent Anantha. 

Access

The historic city of Thiruvananthapuram built over the seven hills, is accessible by air, rail and road. The airport is about four kilometres from the heart of the city, hence very accessible. The railway situation is situated conveniently next to the transport bus stand, within the city.

Accommodation

You can find lots of hotels, resorts and home stays for people with different budgets. Some of these include Taj Vivanta, The Travancore Heritage Beach, Lake Palace Resort,The Ocean Park Beach Resort,  Muthoot Plaza, Fortune Hotel The South Park, Hotel Saj Lucia, Residency Tower, Mascot Hotel, SP Grand Days, Hotel Pankaj, Hotel Geeth, Hotel Horizon, Navaratna Upendra, Hilton Garden Inn, Hotel Maurya Rajadhani, omasree Homestay, Viswasangeetham Homestay, Leelas Homestay and so on.

Main Attractions

Padmamnabha Swamy Temple and Kuthiramalika

You can start your tour from the Sri Padmanabha Swamy Temple, situated inside a fort. The main idol is Lord Vishnu, a Hindu God reclining under the canopy of Anantha. The sight of the massive black statue encrusted in gold at parts is awesome. There are three gold plated doors – one to view his head resting on his hand, another to see his body and the last one to see his feet. The temple is a marvellous sight, with its seven-floor gopuram and courtyard, enriched by granite pillars, rich carvings and murals. Inside the fort, there are several other temples including the Ananthancadu Temple adjacent to the Sri Padmanabha Swamy Temple. The Kuthiramalika, a beautiful palace is easy to visit as it is situated next to the Sri Padmanabha Swamy Temple. The famous Maharajah Sri Swathi Tirunal used to write his famous classical songs (kritis / keerthanas) in this palace. The palace is impressive, with its many attractive wooden carvings and antiques. The Navarathri Mandapam in the compound is where the Swathi Tirunal Music Festival is conducted usually, during the Pooja / Navarathri Festival. In the same compound there are many other palaces, which are unfortunately not open to the public.  

Padmanabha Swamy Temple 

Museum and Zoo Complex

The Museum and Zoo Complex house several interesting museums as well as zoo in a single compound. You can get admission with a single ticket. It includes the Napier Museum   of arts and crafts, a unique 19th century red-and-black bungalow with its blend of Mughal, Italian, Chinese and Kerala architecture. The Museum has a grand collection of bronze and stone sculptures, jewellery, coins, temple chariot, musical instruments and ivory carvings. The Sri Chithira Art Gallery, famous for paintings of the great world renowned artist of Kerala, Raja Ravi Varma, Russian painter Roerich and many other great artists is a visual delight. The paintings consist of an eclectic collection of different schools pf art like Tanjore, MughBengal, Rajput, Bali and Oriental. For kids, the Natural History Musrum is an interesting [lace. The vast Zoo, one of the best in India, has many animals roaming around in an open habitat. The Reptile Museum houses various snakes and other reptiles. There is also a Botanical park, one of the first in India. It is like a small jungle, but well planned with huge trees and abundant type of plants. In the compound, there is also a Children's Park for kids bored with too much heritage, a 3D theatre, a gazebo, an open air theatre called Nishagandhi, eatery and ice cream parlours. 

Other Tourist Spots

Thiruvananthapuram is an aesthetic delight with its old mansions and other colonial buildings like the University College of Kerala, Sanskrit College of Kerala, Public Library, Victoria Jubilee Hall and the Kerala Senate Hall. Besides, the old traditional houses like (Amma Veedukal (big houses where the female members of the  royal family used to reside) are elegant. The Secretariat built in the Roman style of architecture with a clock at the top tower, houses the Kerala Government's administrative offices. The Kerala Legislative Complex, with its towering dome, beautifully carved galleries teak paneling and ceiling is blended harmoniously with the latest acoustic treatment and highly sophisticated sound systems. There is a huge statue of Gandhiji at the front yard, Thiruvananthapuram is a city of statues, especially that of political, social and cultural leaders.

  
Your itinerary must include the unique Kanakakkunnu Palace, with its beautifully landscaped grounds; At the Shankhumukham Beach, there is a huge statue of a reclining mermaid. Relax in the gazebo with beautiful granite pillars and watch the mesmerising sunset. From the Observatory, located 60 metres above the sea level, get a fabulous view of the city. Other sightseeing spots include the Priyadarshini Planetarium, Chacha Nehru Children’s Museum, with its vast collection of masks, dolls and stamps, the Science and Technology Museum, and the Biotechnology Museum. Happy Land is an Amusement and Water Theme Park, located at Vembayam. At the Indian School of Marital Arts (ISMA) it is fascinating, to see specialised training imparted in Kerala’s marital art “Kalaripayattu” and they offer the traditional treatment “kalarichikitsa” in its famous healing centre. The Vizhinjam Rock Cut Cave, an eighteenth century cave temple of Vinandhara Dakshinamurthi has rock cut sculptures. The Padmanabhapuram Palace, is a beautiful traditional Kerala Palace that boasts of beautiful carved pillars, murals and antiques.

In the Veli Tourist Village, the scenic sight of the Veli Lake meeting the Arabian Sea is fascinating. It has a beautifully landscaped park, inundated with various sculptures, boating facility, a crocodile farm, lion safariand deer park. There is another mini dam called Aruvikkara on the Karamana River Bsnk, which supplies water to the entire  Thiruvananthapuram City. There is also an adjoining garden. Nearby there is a Durga temple, where you can feed fish as "Vazhipadu" or offering. 

At Ponmudi, a hill station, 915 metres above sea level, enjoy a much cooler climate, fabulous greenery, lovely mountain flowers, deer park and silvery springs. Moreover, visit the Peppara Wildlife Sanctuary on the Western Ghats, en route to Ponmudi
. 
Kovalam

One of India's most famous beaches, Kovalam, 16 km from Thiruvananthapuram is absolutely picturesque, with its wide sweep of coastline, ending in two rocky headlands on both sides. The water is mostly placid and hence it is usually safe to swim. Without enjoying a stay at Kovalam, your trip will not be complete. There are many hotels and resorts offering Ayurvedic treatments. At Kovalam you can stay in Uday Samudra, Orion Beach Resort, Taj Green Cove, Somatheeram Ayurvedic Resort, Sagara Beach Resort, Hawah Beach Resort, Little Paradise Apartments, Ganesh House Homestay etc. 

Thiruvananthapuram blessed with its panoramic view of hills, covered by luxuriant greens, beaches, groves of coconut palms, rice fields, temples, churches, mosques and so much more is a breath taking experience.  When you return from Thiruvananthapuram, don’t forget to buy banana chips and the famous tasty sweet “boli” to take home with you. There is also a type of plantain locally called "Kappa Pazham". You can return home with a feeling of a holiday well spent, after experiencing all the local delights.