Kerala Tourism at A Glance
Kerala Backwater Tourism
Stretches of lakes, canals and lagoons lying parallel to the Arabian Sea coast form the scenic backwaters of Kerala. Alappuzha is a popular backwater destination which offers houseboat cruises to get in touch with nature at its finest form. It is also known as the “Venice of the East”. Backwater tourism in Kerala also centres around Kollam and Kumarakom.
The houseboat cruises allow you to catch sight of palm-fringed canals, still lagoons and glimpses of the everyday life of the locals in the countryside. Tourists can get a first-hand experience of the slow-paced life in the remote villages. Boatbuilding, rice farming, prawn breeding, duck rearing, coir and basket making are some of the activities of the rural life that can be witnessed. Cruising in the Kerala boat houses on the pristine waters are remarkable and offer a rejuvenating experience.
Boat races carried out in the festival seasons add to the charm of the place and are a major tourist attraction as well. The Nehru Trophy Boat race held annually at the Punnamada Lake near Alappuzha attracts domestic and foreign tourists in huge numbers.
Kerala Hill Station Tourism
The hill stations at Kerala offer pleasant diversions from the other aspects of Kerala tourism that include wildlife safaris, hiking, biking and hill-climbing tours. The Western Ghats have endowed Kerala with many hill stations that experience a high rate of tourist influx during the summer. The hill stations are surrounded by tropical evergreen, deciduous and semi-deciduous forests, which are home to some of the rare species of flora and fauna. On these hill slopes, one can also take spice plantation tours and check out the cultivated expansive stretches of fragrant spices such as cardamom, pepper and clove. Wayanad, Thekkady, Munnar, and Vagamon are some of the hill stations of Kerala.
Kerala Culture Tourism
Rich cultural heritage permeates through the tropical paradise of Kerala. Be it the splendid festivals, the scrumptious cuisine, the glorious monuments or the dance, music and art forms – all of them form an intrinsic part of Kerala’s culture. Many music and dance forms have originated from Kerala, some of which have been adopted from other cultures and regions over the centuries. Kerala has also witnessed the rise of many writers, philosophers, poets, reformists and social activists throughout its history.
The state is the birthplace of the martial art form of Kalaripayattu and popular performing arts like Kathakali, Mohiniyattam, Thullal, etc. Hence, exploring the arts and watching a Kathakali dance show must be in your to-do list while travelling to Kerala. The different aspects of Kerala culture gradually unfold as one travels through the place.
Bird Watching Tourism
Although there’s no doubt that the scenic beauty of tea plantations, hill stations, beaches, and rivers are the primary source of attraction, many travellers find it fascinating that Kerala is home to many rare species of birds like flamingo and sandgrouse.
With initiatives from the government and the dense forests, Kerala enables you to get exclusive views of rare birds in their natural habitat. Below is a list of popular destinations to help with your bird-watching tour in Kerala.
- Kumarakom – Kumaraom Bird Sanctuary and Backwaters
- Wayanad – Kuruva Island, Tholpetty Wildlife Sanctuary & Muthanga Wildlife Sanctuary
- Munnar – Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary
- Cochin – Thattekad Bird Sanctuary
- Thrissur – Athirapally Waterfalls
- Palakkad – Parambikulam Wildlife Sanctuary
Trekking Tours in Kerala
Gifted with the lush tropical forests, scenic country sides, aromatic spice plantations, green hills and verdant grasslands, Kerala is a trekking and camping paradise. Idukki, Wayanad, Kozhikode, Munnar, Palakkad, and Trivandrum offer some of the popular destinations for camping and trekking in Kerala.
Tourists, who are a bit of adventure seekers, can take up trekking tours through the Anamudi peak, Rajamalai, Chembra peak, Thusharagiri waterfalls and many others. The highest peak of them is the Anamudi peak which lies at an elevation of 8,842 feet above the sea level. With the breath-taking pathways, panoramic views and tropical flora and fauna, a trek to this peak offers a bewitching experience.
Apart from this, tourists can pump their adrenaline by trekking at the Rajamalai while exploring the wildlife. The Rajamalai is a small hill in the Eravikulam National Park. Other spots that offer trekking trails are the paths of Tusharagiri Waterfalls, Kannan Devan Hill, Idukki, Chummar, Chithirapuram, etc.
Winding up
Kerala has always attracted tourists, travellers and nature enthusiasts from across the globe since time immemorial. It has also been listed as among the ‘Ten Paradises of the World’ by the National Geographic’s Traveller magazine. Besides, with the weather, accommodation facilities, destinations, hospitality, tourists often find themselves stuck in situations where they cannot choose which places to visit during their tour.
