Budget hotels Kerala

Population: 33 million
Area: 39,000 sq km
Main Language: Malayalam
Capital: Thiruvananthapuram
Literacy Rate: 91%
Best time to visit: October to March

Kerala is a beautiful state with vast areas of rice fields, mango, cashew and coconut palm trees. It is what a tropical paradise should look like. It is on the west coast of India, extending from south of Mangalore in Karnataka to the southern tip of India. The main tourist attractions are the sandy beaches at Kovalam and Varkala, and the backwater boat rides.

Also popular is the city of Kochi, which has an interesting history, along with a fascinating palace, Kathakali dance, St Francis Church (the oldest church in India) and an old Jewish synagogue. Kerala also has interesting temples, but few allow non-Hindus to enter.

Kerala is slightly smaller than Switzerland and about twice the size of Massachusetts. It was the first place in the free world to elect a communist government (1957), which has been in and out of power ever since.

It is said that Kerala was created by Lord Parasuram, one of the ten incarnations of Lord Vishnu. He threw his battle ax into the sea and the sea receded up to the point where the ax fell, creating the landmass of Kerala. Bali Maharaja is said to have ruled here before Vamana banished him to the lower worlds. The Onam festival relives his reign and remembers when there was prosperity for everyone.

Kerala is one of the most densely populated states in India. Most people are Hindu (60%), 20% are Christian, and 20% Muslim. In 52 AD, St. Thomas the Apostle came to India to Cranganore (now Kodungallur). There is a church at this place said to date from the 4th century AD with carving in a Hindu-style. Syrian Christians have been in Kerala since 190 AD. Kottayam is home to several 16th century Syrian Christian churches. The Christian area of Kerala is mainly located near Kochi and Kottayam. Kerala’s literacy rate (91%) is the highest in India.

The Guruvayur Temple near Thrissur, dedicated to Lord Krishna, is one of the most popular and important temples in India. Also important is the Sri Padmanabhaswami Temple in Thiruvananthapuram. The Janardan Temple in Varkala and the Adi Keshava Temple in Tiruvatar are also significant.

The problem with most of the temples in Kerala is that they will not admit non-Hindus, although they sometimes admit converted Hindus. Some temples require that you wear a dhoti or sari to enter the inner sanctum and view the Deity.

During the Great Elephant March from January 17 to 20, around one hundred decorated elephants march from Thrissur in North Kerala to Thiruvananthapuram in South Kerala via Kochi and Alappuzha. The march ends at Thiruvallan, near Kovalam Beach. During the march, different festivities take place in the towns en route, such as snake boat races and music and dance performances.

Name Changes
Some of the towns in Kerala have recently been renamed.
Old Name
New Name
Trivandrum- Thiruvananthapuram
Cochin - Kochi
Trichur - Thrissur
Alleppey - Alappuzha
Calicut - Kozhikode
Quilon - Kollam
Tellicherry - Thalasseri
Sultan’s Battery - Suthanbatheri
Palghat - Palakkad
Cannanore - Kannur
Changanacherry - Changanassery

History
As early as the 3rd century BC, the Phoenicians, Romans, Chinese, Egyptians, and Babylonians were trading in Kerala. The Apostle St Thomas is believed to have come to Kerala in 52 AD. Jews also came to Kerala to avoid persecution in Palestine.

From the 8th century Arabs were the main traders with Kerala. For centuries the Arabs controlled the shipment of spices to Europe. In 1498 the Portuguese landed in Kerala near Calicut and gained exclusive trading rights. At the beginning of the 17th century the British and Dutch defeated the Portuguese and gained control of the trading. The British took complete control during the 18th century.

The present state of Kerala was created in 1956 when Travancore, Cochin, and Malabar merged and became one state. Travancore and Cochin were princely states ruled by maharajas, and Malabar was formerly a part of Madras State.

Bekal
Phone Code 0499
Bekal is on the coast in the far northwest corner of the state, 50km south of Karnataka. It has a long, palm-lined beach and a large fort above it, built between 1645 and 1660. There are good views from the fort, but there is not much left of it except the outer walls. Few tourists visit because accommodations are limited and the locals use the beach as a toilet.

The only place to stay is the Tourist Bungalow (0499 502) in the fort, which has only two basic rooms for Rs 80/100 per person or Rs 125 for three people. It can be booked in Kasaragode at the Kasaragode District Collector (0499 430-833, 430400).

The Eeyam Lodge (0499 736-343), in the village of Palakunnu, 3km north of the fort, has rooms for Rs 125 to Rs 175.

Fortland Tourist Home (0499 736-600), in the village of Udma, 5km north of the fort, has modern, comfortable rooms for Rs 175/250 to Rs 600 with A/C. It has a restaurant.

Fast trains do not stop in Bekal. There are regular buses to Kasaragode from Bekal.

Kasaragode
Area Code: 0499

Kasaragode is the closest main town to Bekal, 20km south. Mangalore is 47km north. There are several hotels in this town on MG Rd, near the junction with NH 17.

Ceeyal Tourist Home (521-177) has rooms for Rs 150.

Enay Tourist Home (430-177) has rooms for Rs 150/200 and some A/C rooms.

Aliya Lodge (521-324), behind the post office, has rooms for about Rs 100/125.

City Tower Hotel (430-562), near the bus stand on MG Rd, has rooms for Rs 300/400 and A/C rooms for Rs 700.

An express train to Mangalore takes 1½ hours. There are buses to Mangalore (Rs 15).

Cheruthuruthy
Located 30km north of Thrissur in Cheruthuruthy is Kalamandalam, a training school for Kathakali and other Keralan art forms, such as Mohiniattam and Kutiyattam. Foreigners can study Kathakali here. To apply call (04926 2418), or write to Kerala Kalamandalam, Cheruthuruthy, Thrissur District, Kerala 675531.

Visitors are welcome to observe dance practices between 4:30 and 6:30 am, at noon, and from 3:30 to 5:30 pm. Closed on weekends and public holidays, and during April and May.

Tiruvilamala
There are two temples next to one another in Tiruvilamala. One is dedicated to Lord Rama (facing west) and the other to Laksman (facing east). Each has a Deity of Vishnu with four arms. The Deity of Lord Rama is said to be swayambhu, or self-manifested. Tiruvilamala is 29km from Thrissur.

About 3km from the temples is a cave called Punarjanani, said to have been built by Visvakarma on Parasuram’s request. Passing through this cave is said to relieve one from taking one of his destined births. This should be done on the day of the Guruvayur Ekadasi festival (Nov-Dec), because on other days the cave is said to be haunted by ghosts.

Triprayar
There is an important Lord Rama temple here. He holds a conch, chakra (disc), bow, and garland in his hands. It is an architecturally attractive temple with ancient woodcarvings.

On the Ekadasi day in Nov-Dec, there is a major festival wherein Lord Rama is taken on procession with as many as twenty-one elephants. This temple is located about 10km south of Thrissur.

Irinjalakuda
Located in Irinjalakuda, 20km south of Thrissur, is the Kutalmanikyam Temple, which is one of the only temples dedicated to Rama’s brother Bharata. The Deity is a four-armed form of Lord Vishnu. He holds a disc, conch, club, and japa-mala (beads) in his hands. The flower offerings at this temple include lotuses, tulasi, and chetti—no other flowers.

This temple has a large eastern gateway (gopuram). It is possible to see parts of the temple (men must wear a dhoti), but non-Hindus are not permitted in the inner part of the temple.

It is said that a local chieftain named Vakkey Kaimal once had a dream that four Deities had washed up on the beach of the shore nearby. The Deities were found and installed at four temples: Rama at Triprayar, Laksman at Moozhikulam, Bharata at Irinjalakuda, and Satrughna at Payammel. These temples are all close to Thrissur. It is supposed to be especially beneficial to worship at all four temples on the same day.

From Thrissur you can get a bus to Irinjalakuda from the Shakthan Thampuram bus stand. Irinjalakuda is 8km from the Irinjalakuda railway station on the Thrissur-Ernakulam line.
To get to this place by train is inconvenient, as the railway station is 8km east of town.

Kaladi
Area Code: 04857

Adi Sankaracharya was born here on the bank of the Periyar River in 788 AD. Kaladi is 45km northeast of Kochi, 55km southeast of Trichur, and 271km north of Thiruvananthapuram.

Sankaracharya completed his studies of the Vedas at age sixteen. He is said to have diverted the course of the Poorna River one and a half km from his house so that his aged mother could take her daily bath in the river without walking too far. He left this world at age thirty-two after establishing important maths in Sringeri, Dwarka, Joshimath, and Puri.

The Sringeri Math (Mutt) has a small complex of temples. There are two shrines, one in memory of Sri Sankaracharya and Dakshinamurti, and the other dedicated to the goddess Sharada. The Sringeri Math is believed to be located at the place where Sankaracharya’s house was once located. The black pole to the left of the entrance is said to mark the exact place where Sankaracharya was born. Open 5:30 am to 12:30 pm and 3:30 to 8 pm.

There is a memorial marking the place where Sankaracharya’s mother, Aryamba, was cremated. Crocodile Ghat, the bathing ghat outside the temple, is said to be the place where Sankara was caught by a crocodile. He took the opportunity to ask his mother if he could take sannyas (the renounced order). When she said yes, the crocodile released him.

Next to the Sringeri Math is the ancient Sri Krishna Temple, Sankaracharya’s family temple. Open 5 to 8:30 am and 5 to 7:30 pm

The 45m, nine-storey, Sri Adi Sankara Keerthi Sthamba Mandapa has illustrations in it that tell the story of Sankara’s life. As you ascend the winding steps, you will see the framed relief paintings that narrate his story. There are several large statues of Ganapati and Adi Sankara. Open 7 am to 7 pm.

Located nearby is the Manicha-mangalam Temple, 1km north of Kaladi. Two km away is the Velli-manthulli Temple, dedicated to the goddess Durga.

Practicalities
There are guest houses and dharamshalas maintained by the Sringeri Math and Ramakrishna Advaita Ashram. There is also a Government Rest House and a few private lodges.

The nearest airport is in Kochi (48km). The closest railway stations are in Angamali (10km) and Alwaye (23km).

It takes about two hours to get from Trichur to Kaladi by bus. The temples are about two km from the bus stand.

Aranmula
Aranmula is located 9km from Chengannur on the bank of the Pampa River. There is the important Parthasarathi Temple here. This temple is considered to be one of the five most important Krishna temples in Kerala, and it is one of the 108 Divya Desam temples referred to by the Alwars as especially sacred to Vaishnavas. The Deity in the temple is Parthasarathi, a name for Lord Krishna denoting his pastime of driving Arjuna’s chariot during the Kurukshetra battle.

This place is known for the Aranmula Vallamkali (Utthrittathi) Festival, a boating event held on the last day of Onam (Aug-Sept). During this festival, snake boats are rowed for about two hours. The 31m (103 ft) long snake boats have 100 rowers and 25 singers singing Vanchipattu or boat songs. The festival commemorates Krishna’s crossing of the Yamuna River. Krishna is believed to be in all the boats simultaneously. It is not a competitive race, and all the boats arrive at the same time.
Aranmula is about 125 north of Thiruvananthapuram. There are hotels in Alappuzha (Alleppey).

Ambalapuzha
The temple here is considered to be one of the three main Krishna temples in Kerala. The Deity was installed in 1613. This temple is famous for its offerings of palpayasam, milk porridge of exceptional sweetness.

There is a ten-day festival in March-April, during which there are a number of dance performances. Ambalapuzha is located 76km south of Kochi. The nearest rail junction is Tiruvalla Rd. Accommodation is in Alappuzha.

Backwater Cruises
An area known as Kuttanda goes from Kochi in the north to Kollam in the south. This area has connecting waterways made up of rivers, lakes, and canals. Boat cruises pass tropical forests, green paddy fields, coconut groves, islands, and rural villages, and they give a view of rural life not possible to see from the roads. Kettu vallams, traditional Keralan boats pass by, either powered by sails or by a person with a pole. Poles sticking out from the water warn that the water is shallow at that place. Most people really enjoy their cruise.

There are several ways to travel: by tour boat, local ferry, customized kettu vallam, and speedboat. One of the most popular trips goes between Alappuzha and Kollam. Some visitors find the Alappuzha and Kollam trip a bit long. You can either go the entire trip or get off part way. You can then catch a bus back to where you began or bring your things with you and stay at your destination.

The District Tourism Promotion Council (DTPC, government) and ATDC (private) both run cruises departing Alappuzha at 10:30 am and arriving in Kollam (Quilon) at 6:30 pm at a cost of Rs 200. You should arrive at either office before 10 am. The cruise makes several stops along the way. The ATDC cruise is supposed to stop (but doesn’t always) at an 11th century statue of a Buddha, a place to go swimming, a coir village, for lunch (a traditional Keralan meal on a banana leaf), and at the Mata Amritanandamayi Mission Ashram.

Cruises go daily between Alappuzha and Kollam except during the monsoon season (June to Aug). Between June and November the ATDC and DTPC run one boat daily on alternate days; no boat on Sun. During the monsoon season, cruises leave only when four or five people are interested in the trip.

The ATDC arranges shorter trips for Rs 150 per hour for a boat. They also rent out charter boats (Rs 750 a day, max twenty people). The ATDC rents out houseboats with bedrooms, a dining area, and a bathroom for Rs 3500 per day for two people. The DTPC rents houseboats for Rs 3000 per day or Rs 600 per hour.

You can also take one of the local ferries. They are slower and sometimes get very crowded. The Alappuzha to Kottayam ferry is a good trip. You should arrive early to get a seat at the front of the boat where you will have a good view. There are 10 ferries daily from Alappuzha to Kottayam (2½ hr, Rs 15, first at 5 am). From Kottayam to Alappuzha the first ferry starts at 6.30 am. There is one ferry every other day to Kochi (6 hr, noon) and one daily to Kumarakom (2½ hr, 3 pm).

Near Kottayam

Kumarakom
There is a bird sanctuary nearby, next to Vembanad Lake, 16km west of Kottayam. There are many local water birds, and birds migrate here including the Siberian stork, golden-backed woodpecker, and night heron. The best time to visit the park is between November and March. If you come at other times of the year you will most likely not see much. Open daily 10 am to 6 pm. The best time to be in the park is around dawn (you need special permission). This is a pleasant place.

There are regular buses between Kottayam (½ hr) and Kumarakom.

Where to Stay
KTDC Kumarakom Tourist Village (0481 524-2558) has rooms in houseboats for Rs 1400 to Rs 2200. There are also four rooms with bath for Rs 500.
Coconut Lagoon Resort (Casino Group) (0481 524-491; Kochi 0484 668-221; fax 668-001), on the shore of Vembanad Lake, is built in a traditional Keralan style and contains pieces of old Keralan palaces and beautiful carvings. Rooms are $105/115 and luxury rooms are $115/125. It has a pool, is well-managed, and is a very pleasant place to stay. You have to get here by boat.
Taj Garden Retreat (0481 524-371; fax 0481 560-740; Kochi 668-377) has luxury rooms for $100/110. It is a very good place.

Aranmula
Aranmula, 12km from Changanassery, has an ancient temple dedicated to Shri Parthasarathi, which is a name for Krishna meaning “the chariot driver of Arjuna.” During the Onam festival (Aug/Sept) there is a Snakeboat Festival, which is part of the temple rituals, on the River Pampa.

The Vijana Kala Vedi Centre offers courses in Kathakali, Bharata Natyam dancing, Ayurvedic medicine, astrology, music, mural painting, Keralan cooking, Kalaripayat (Keralan martial art), woodcarving, and languages (Sanskrit, Hindi, Malayalam). Visitors are welcome to take whatever courses interest them and to stay as long as they like. Full board and lodging and two courses start at around $200 per week. The price goes down the longer you stay. For information contact: The Director Vijnana Kala Vedi Centre, Tarayil Makku Junction, Aranmula 689533, Kerala.

Kannady metal mirrors, produced by the “lost wax” method, are made here. Such mirrors sell for as much as Rs 100,000. You can get an inexpensive one for as little as Rs 300.

Ettumanur
The Siva temple here has excellent woodcarvings and 16th century murals depicting pastimes of Krishna and pastimes from the Ramayana. The murals are similar to the ones at Mattancherry Palace in Kochi. Ettumanur is 12km north of Kottayam. The form of the deity of Siva in this temple is “Vaddikasula Vada,” or “one who is difficult to please.” He is mainly in an angry mood. There is a 4m (13 ft) mural depicting Lord Siva doing his cosmic tandava dance.

The ten-day Arattu festival in Feb-March hosts many musical performances. On the eighth and tenth day of the festival, the priests bring out statues of elephants that weigh 100kg (210 lb) and are made of solid gold. These elephants were presented by Marthanda Varma, the Maharaja of Travancore, to the temple, in the 18th century. The inner sanctum is not open to non-Hindus, but anyone can view the paintings. There is a fee for those who wish to use a camera.

Munnar
Area Code: 04865

This small hill station (1524m, 5030 ft), 130km from Kochi, is surrounded by some of the nicest mountain scenery in South India. There are beautiful areas in which to walk. In whatever direction you walk from the town, there are good views. Few foreigners come here .
Information
Tourist Information Service (Joseph Lype) has a counter in the bazaar (531-136, near the bus stand, where he provides good information, a good map, and can help with accommodations, tours, etc. He is helpful.

DTPC Tourist Inforation Center (531516) run tours of the area for Rs 300. Hours: Daily 10 am to 5 pm.

You can change money at the State Bank of India.

The Tata General Hospital is a very good hospital.

Alpha Internet, next to Misha Tourist Home has Internet for Rs 35 per hour.

Eravikulam (Rajamalai) National Park
At Eravikulam National Park (100 sq km), you can see the rare Nilgiri tahr (mountain goat). They have short horns, are brown, and the males have a thick mane. They are usually seen near the entrance. Other wildlife in the park are elephants, gaurs, sambars and the rarely seen tiger. There are great views in the park, but it is tough walking around.

T he entrance to the park is in Vaguvarai, 17km from Munnar. By auto-rickshaw it cost Rs 100 one way or Rs 200 roundtrip. Admission: Foreigners/Indians Rs 60/10

You can go to Anamudi (2695m), the highest mountain in South India.

Top Station
Top Station, 37km from Munnar on the Kerala and Tamil Nadu border, has great views of the Western Ghats. Regular buses go to Top Station (1 hr) from Munnar. A jeep costs Rs 400. The area is known for the Neelakurunji plant, which flowers only once every twelve years. The flower is violet.

Where to Stay and Eat
The Government Guest House (530-385) has really basic rooms for Rs 75.
Sree Narayana Tourist House (530-212; fax: 530312) is one of the best budget places. Rooms are Rs 600/650 and up. Recommended.
Hotel Poopada (530-223: Email: poopada@rediffmail.com) has rooms for Rs 650 to Rs 850. It has a good, economical restaurant. Usually full on weekends.
Hotel Hill View (530-567; fax 530-241), Kannan Devan Hills, has clean rooms with hot water and TV for Rs 800/900 to Rs 1100/1300. Some of the rooms have good views. It is well-managed, friendly, and recommended.
Royal Retreat (530-240; fax 530-440), Kannan Devan Hills, has large nice rooms for Rs 700/800. It is a good choice and has a very good restaurant.
East End (530-451 fax 530-227) has very clean cottages in a garden for Rs 1500/1600. It has a very good restaurant. Recommended.
The Royal Retreat, Hill View and East End all have good restaurants.
Woodlands, in the bazaar, has very good South Indian meals.

Travel
Munnar is 130km east of Kochi and 70km north of Periyar (4½ hr). There are buses to Kochi (4½ hr, 5 daily), Thiruvananthapuram (9 hr, 4 daily), Kumily (4½ hr, 1 daily), Kottayam (5 hr, 5 daily), Palani (5 hr) and Madurai (5 hr, 1 daily).

Near Munnar

Thattekkad Bird Sanctuary
There are woodpeckers, Malabar gray hornbills, Ceylon frogmouths, parakeets, and rose-billed rollers. This sanctuary is located 20km from Kothamangalam on the road between Ernakulam and Munnar. There are basic and mid-range hotels in Kothamangalam and an Inspection Bungalow in Boothathankettu. You can take a boat cruise from Boothathankettu to Thattekkad. Admission Foreigners/Indian Rs 40/10

Hornbill Bungalow (0484 258-8302, has rooms for Rs 400 and dorm beds for Rs 80. This is basically the only place to stay next the Sanctuary.

Parambikulam Wildlife Sanctuary
This sanctuary, covering 285 sq km, is 48km south of Palakkad, bordering the Anamalai Wildlife Sanctuary in Tamil Nadu. In the park there are a few tigers and elephants, crocodiles, sloth bears, gaurs, bison, wild boar, chitals, and sambars. It is open all year, but during the monsoon, from June to August, it is not a good time to visit the park. From Thunakadavu, where the sanctuary headquarters is located, visitors can rent rowboats. There is also a boat cruise from Parambikulam.

There is an Inspection Bungalow (0425 367233) and a tree hut.

At Parambikulam there is a Tamil Nadu government Inspection Bungalow and a PWD Rest House. There is a watchtower in Zungam (5km from Thunakadavu) and one in Anappadi (8km from Thunakadavu).

The sanctuary is approached from Pollachi (40km from Coimbatore and 49km from Palakkadi). Four buses go daily between Pollachi and Parambikulam (2 hr).

Sabarimala
Area Code: 04739

The Ayyappan Temple is located at an elevation of 950m, deep in the forests of the Sahyadri mountain range and 190km north of Thiruvananthapuram. The people dressed in black that you see all over South India are performing austerities before visiting this temple. This temple is dedicated to Dharma Sasta as Ayyappa.

On Makara Vilakku day, over two million people visit this temple. The pilgrim season is from Nov to March. From mid-Nov to the end of December, the temple is opened for 41 days. The temple is open during mid-April, Prathistha day (May-June), and during the Onam festival (Aug-Sept).

Vallikkavu (Amrithapuri)
Located here, 10km north of Kollam on the backwater boat route, is the Ashram of Shri Amritanandamayi (4756 21279, also known as the “Hugging Mama” because she gives every person who attends her meetings a big loving hug. She sometimes spends hours hugging people. When Amritanandamayi is at the ashram there is usually a daily darshan starting at 11 am. There are special Devi Bhava darshans on Thursday and Sunday, which are well attended. Amritanandamayi is often away from the ashram from mid-May to Mid-August and in Nov.

Foreigners are welcome to stay at the ashram. Basic accommodations are available for a donation. There are dorms and some basic private rooms. The food is good. The usually way to get here is on a backwater boat going between Kollam and Alappuzha. You can also take a train or bus to Kayam Kulam and them a bus to Vallikkavu (10 km).

Area of Thiruvananthapuram

Adi Keshava Temple
This temple contains the Deity of Lord Keshava. This Maha-Vishnu Deity, lying on Sesa Naga, is 5.5m (18 ft) long and is viewed from three doors. The Adi Keshava Temple is about 45km southeast of Thiruvananthapuram in the town of Tiruvattar. Few people visit.

The Deity faces west instead of east. The Deity’s left hand faces down, while in most other Maha-Vishnu temples, the Deity’s right hand is down. The temple priest says that Maha-Vishnu is facing west because this Deity is looking at the Deity of Sri Padmanabhaswami in Thiruvananthapuram. It is a large, architecturally interesting temple. Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu found a copy of the Brahma-samhita at this temple. Darshan times are 5 to 8 am, 10 am to noon, and 5 to 8 pm.

Practicalities
This temple is in the town of Tiruvattar, about 45km southeast of Thiruvananthapuram. This is a small town with no overnight facilities.

From Thiruvananthapuram you get here by first taking a bus to the town of Marthandum (35km, 1½ hr, Rs 10). This town can be reached by getting a Nagercoil or Kanyakumari bus. From there you get another bus to Tiruvattar (10km, 20 min, Rs 3). You can also get a bus to here from Nagercoil. The temple is about a ten-minute walk from where the bus lets you off.

Parasuram Temple
Located about halfway between Thiruvananthapuram and Kovalam at the junction of two roads is one of the only Parasuram temples in India.

Padmanabhapuram Palace
A large town wall surrounds this beautiful palace, made of granite and teakwood. Most of the palace dates from the 17th or 18th centuries, but some parts of it are said to date back to the 14th century. The rulers of Travancore, a princely state for over 400 years, ruled from this palace from 1590 to 1790.

Travancore included a good part of present-day Kerala, as well as part of western Tamil Nadu.
The palace contains outstanding woodcarvings, excellent stone sculptures, and fantastic murals. The palace has floral patterns intricately carved on the ceilings and 18th century paintings in the puja (worship) room. These paintings are some of the best in India. If the worship room is closed, ask at the front desk for permission to enter. In Vishnu’s bedroom there are paintings of deities all over the walls. There is a lamp that has been lit continuously since the 18th century.

The palace is open daily except Mon 9 am to 5 pm. Admission Rs 5; camera Rs 5; video Rs 500. It is compulsory to go on a tour with a guide (1 hr).

To take a good picture you need a flash, as many of the rooms are dark. The Museum across from the ticket office has beautiful wooden sculptures and displays copies of the murals in the palace.

The palace is 65km southeast of Thiruvananthapuram, just over the Tamil Nadu border, on the road to Kanyakumari. It can be visited on the way to or from Kanyakumari.
The Kanyakumari tour that departs from Thiruvananthapuram stops here before going on to Kanyakumari. Buses departing from the Thampanur station in Thiruvananthapuram on their way to Nagercoil or Kanyakumari stop here, as do the local buses from Kovalam to Kanyakumari.

Around Kovalam

Vizhinjam (Vilinjam)
Vizhinjam, 3km south of Kovalam, was once the capital of the Ay kingdom, one of the earliest known dynasties in Kerala. The Pandyans kings took over in the 9th century. Important battles were fought between the Cholas and Chers here in the 11th century. Now Vizhinjam is a simple village.

The Tali Siva Temple, in the middle of the village, across from the police station, is a small 8th century rock temple. It has a carved figure of Siva carrying a weapon. It also contains Naga snake statues.

In Kovil Kadu (Forest Temple), near the sea, about ten minutes from the center of the village, there is a small Siva shrine and a renovated shrine dedicated to Goddess Bhagavati. They are believed to date to the 9th century and are most likely the earliest structural temples in Kerala.
Pozhikkara Beach

This beach is located 3km north of Samudra, the north Kovalam beach. It is secluded. There is the peaceful Lagoona Beach Resort (480-049) in the village of Pachalloor, behind the beach, with four rooms that overlook the sea for Rs 3800 with meals. The guest house organizes interesting backwater trips with a good guide. It is best to book in advance.

Pulinkudi
Pulinkudi is 8km south of Kovalam.
Surya Samudra Beach Garden (480-413; fax 481-124) has traditional Keralan cottages, an excellent rock swimming pool, private beaches, and music and dance performances. It has a very good restaurant. Rooms during the high season start at Rs 4000/4500.

Somatheeram Ayurvedic Beach Resort (480-600; fax 463-702), on Somatheeram Beach, offers Ayurvedic medical retreats. During the high season, rooms go for Rs 1500 to Rs 3000.

Peppara Wildlife Sanctuary
This 53 sq km park is the home of elephants, leopards, sambars, lion-tailed macaques, and various birds. The best time to visit is between January and May. There are really good views of the surrounding countryside in the area of the park. The park is about 60km northeast of Thiruvananthapuram.

Accommodations are at the hill station of Ponmudi. The KTDC Ponmudi Guest House (0471 89230) has rooms, cottages, and a dorm. Meals must be ordered in advance.

Four buses go from Thiruvananthapuram to Ponmudi daily, the first at 5.30 am and the last at 3.30 pm.

Pop: 285,000 Area
Phone Code: 0477

Alappuzha used to be a major shipping center. The main reason that tourist come here is to use it as a stopover point on their way to a backwater boat tour to Kollam or Kottayam. Alappuzha is about midway between Kochi (64km) and Kollam (85km). Most tourists stay here only one night because there is little to do in town.

Information
The State government Tourist Information Centre (DTPC) (phone: 225-3308; fax 225-1720) near the KSRTC bus stand, on Boat Jetty Rd, offers backwater cruises. Open Mon to Sat 9:30 am to 7:30 pm. They give Rs 50 off boat trip if you have an international student card.

The Alleppey Tourism Development Cooperative (ATDC) (224-3462; fax 262-262), at Karthika Tourist Home, books backwater cruises with private companies. The staff is helpful. (Open daily 7:30 am to 8:30 pm).

The boat jetty for the backwater cruises is a one-minute walk west of the bus stand.

The backwater cruise is Rs 200 and departs from Alappuzha at 10.30 am.

There is poste restante at the Head Post Office. There are plenty places to access the Internet here.

Money
Indian Overseas Bank changes only American Express and Thomas Cook travelers cheques in US dollars and pounds sterling.

The State Bank of India, a few km from downtown near the beach, also changes money. The Bank of Kindia, Mullackal Rd, exchanges cash and credit cards.

Canan Bank, Boat Jetty Rd, give cash advances on Visa cards.

Nehru Trophy Boat Race
The Nehru Trophy Boat Race takes place on the second Saturday in August each year, in the lake east of town. There can be over thirty boats 60m (200 ft) long with up to 100 rowers and singers on board. The boats are splendidly decorated and have raised backs.

Tickets for seats on the bamboo grandstands along the lake are sold at booths on the way to the race. This is the best viewing area for the race. Tickets range from Rs 10 to Rs 250 for a Tourist Pavilion ticket, which has the best view of the finish line.

An umbrella is necessary because the race takes place during the monsoon and it can start pouring rain at any time. It is a good idea to carry some food and water, as there is little available at the race. Many international tourists attend the event.
The Tourism Snakeboat Race takes place on the third day of the Great Elephant March in mid-January. Boat races also take place in Aranmula and Champakulam on “Moolam” day in June. Champakulam is 16km away by ferry.

Where to Stay—Lower
St George Lodge (225-1620), CCNB Rd, is a basic, popular place with backpackers with rooms for Rs 75/100 and Rs 150/200 with bath. It is a good value. They change money. It is accross from South Canal.
Sheeba Lodge (224-4871), near the Komala Hotel, has basic rooms for Rs 150/200 and also has higher priced rooms for Rs 150.
The popular Komala Hotel (224-3631; fax: 224-3634: Email: komala@alleppey.net), a little north of North Canal, has a selection of rooms with bath for Rs 225/275, triples/quads for Rs 300/425 and comfortable A/C rooms for Rs 750/900. It has a good tandoori restaurant. Recommended.
Kuttanadu Tourist Home (251-354), south of the North Canal, near the bus stand and boat jetty, is large hotel with big rooms for Rs 100/150. It has a rooftop restaurant.
Krishna Bhavan Lodge (60453), opposite the boat jetty, has really basic rooms around a courtyard for Rs 50/60 with common bath and Rs 60/80 with bath.
Nearby is the little better Kadambari Tourist Home (252-210), Mullakal Rd, with rooms for Rs 90/125.
Karthika Tourist Home (223-3543; fax: 223-3543: Email: tharayiltourishome@yahoo.co.in), Zilla Court, SDV Rd, opposite the Jetty on the other side of the canal, has clean, good-size rooms for Rs 425 to 900. It is a good value.

Where to Stay—Middle to Higher
Hotel Raiban (225-1930), south of the South Canal, not far from the railway station, has rooms for Rs 200/275 and Rs 550 with A/C.
Mutteal Holiday Inn (242-955), Nehru Trophy Rd, has rooms.
Tharayil Tourist Home (243-543; fax: same), near the lake on Punnamada Rd, Thathampally, has a nice location on the other side of the canal from the boat jetty and bus station. It is a nice clean, quiet place with A/C rooms.
The popular Alleppey Prince Hotel (224-3752; fax 224-3758; Email: princehotel@satyam.net.in), AS Rd, 3km north of the center of town, has central A/C, a pool, and a very good pool-side restaurant. Large comfortable rooms with cable TV are Rs 1300/1600 and suties for Rs 2200/3000. Rooms should be booked in advance. They arrange luxury backwater trips. An auto-rickshaw to here from the boat jetty costs about Rs 25; a taxi Rs 90.

Where to Eat
The very popular Arun, at the Komala Hotel, Zilla Court Ward, has very good Indian veg and Chinese food. Thalis are Rs 25. The Western food is not as good.
Aryaas, Mullakal Rd & Kollam Rd, is a good economical South Indian place with very good dosas.
Vijaya, Jetty Rd, is a good South Indian veg place.
Indian Coffee House has two branches in Alappuzha, one on Mullakal Rd and the other one is near the hospital. It has cheap meals.
Annapoorna, next to Hotel Raiban on Boat Jett Rd Has good vegetairan food.
Hotel Aryas, Mullakal Rd, has cheap veg meals.
Hotel Raiban has a restaurant.
The A/C Vembanad Restaurant, Alleppey Prince Hotel, is a very good restaurant with a good atmosphere.

Travel

Train The railway station is 4km south of the center of town and three km from the boat jetty. There are trains to Ernakulam (1 to 1½ hr, 57km, 7 daily), Thrissur, Kollam (2 hr), Chennai and Kayankulam.

The Ernakulam-Trivandrum Exp #6341 departs Ernakulam at 6.15 am and arrives in Alappuzha at 7.20 am, which gives plenty of time to get the backwater boat to Kollam. Chennai Alleppey- Chennai Exp #6042 (3 pm, 15 hr); Thiruvananthapuram Ernakulam-Trivandrum Exp #6341 (7.25 am, 3½ hr).

Bus From the KSRTC bus stand at the east end of town buses depart frequently to Thiruvananthapuram (3½ hr), Kottayam (1 hr, nine daily), Ernakulam (1½ hr, Rs 20, every half-hour), and Kollam (3 hr, every half-hour). There are private buses to Coimbatore (5½ hr), Mangalore (10 hr), and Bangalore (12 hr).

Boat Alappuzha is the best place to begin a backwater cruise. The public ferry from Alappuzha to Kollam was not operating at the time of this writing because the canal is blocked near Kollam. There are regular public ferries to Kottayam (2½ hr, 8 daily, Rs 8) and Changanassery (3 hr, 2 daily). Changanassery is 78km north of Kollam and 18km south of Kottayam, on the railway line and main road.

The DTPC office is at the Tourist Reception Center; the ATDC office is on Kamala Rd.

Private boats can be rented for short or long trips. They are located across the North Canal, opposite the boat jetty. It costs about Rs 500 for a one-way ride to Kottayam. It is best to bargain directly with the boat owner and not someone who walks up to you (a tout). Penguin Tourist Boat Service (61522), Boat Jetty Rd, has a selection of backwater trips from Alappuzha. The DTPC (253-308) and Vembanad Tourist Services (251-395) also hire boats.

Pop: 890,000 Area
Phone Code: 0495

There is not much to see or do in this city.

Kozhikode was a port at least as early at the 7th century for Chinese and Middle Eastern traders. Vasco da Gama, the first European to arrive in India by boat, landed first in Kappad, 16km north of Kozhikode. The Portuguese had regular skirmishes with the local rulers, the Zamorins, for about a century and a half. Eventually the Portuguese were allowed to base their operations here. The British, French, Dutch, Portuguese, and Haider Ali, the ruler of Mysore and his son Tipu Sultan, all competed for Calicut in the 17th and 18th centuries. In 1792, the British took it over.

Orientation
Ansari Park (also known as Mananchira Maidan) is in the center of town. West of the park is the post office, north is the State Bank of India, east is the CSI Church, and south is the KTDC Hotel Malabar Mansion. Bank Rd goes north past the bank. From Bank Rd, Indira Gandhi Rd (Mavoor Rd) goes off to the right. Close to this intersection are the KSRTC bus station, Indian Airlines, shopping facilities, and PL Worldways. The beach is 2km west of the center of town.

Information
The KTDC Tourist Office (721-394), in the Hotel Malabar Mansion, south side of Ansari Park, sells a road map of Kerala for Rs 30, a city map (Rs 5), and brochures (Rs 5). There is a tourist counter at the railway station.

It is not safe to walk alone on the beach, 2km west of town center.

PL Worldways (65121), 3rd Fl, Lakhotia Computer Centre, intersection of Bank Rd and Indira Gandhi Rd (Mavoor Rd), sells international and domestic airline tickets and may be able to help obtain visas for other countries. They can also confirm airline reservations for Rs 100.

National Hospital (66408), Mavoor Rd, near the KSRTC bus station, is the best hospital in town. There is also Baby Memorial Hospital (365-162), RC Rd.

The Post Office is on the west side of Ansari Park. Postal Code 673001.

Money
Banks here generally exchange only cash. The State Bank of India is on Bank Rd. Travelers cheques can be exchanged at some hotels.

PL Worldways (65121), Lakhotia Computer Centre, at the junction of Indira Gandhi Rd (Mavoor Rd) and Bank Rd, exchanges most types of traveler's cheques. Also you can purchase travelers cheques with major credit cards.

What to See
The 14th century Tali Temple has paintings depicting stories from the Vedas. Non-Hindus cannot enter. To get here, take RS Rd until it dead-ends at Francis Rd. Make a left and the temple is on the left.

The popular Music Fountain at Ansari Park dances along to Hindi cinema music for a two-hour show. Shows start at 6:30 pm. Admission Rs 3.

You can walk along the fairly uninteresting beach here, 2km from the center of the city.

Pazhassiraja Museum has bronze statues, old coins, and copies of ancient paintings. The Krishna Menon Museum, next door, contains the personal effects of the former President of Indian. The Art Gallery contains paintings by Raja Ravi Varma and Raja Raja Varma. These places are open daily except Mon 10 am to 5 pm. On Wednesday the Krishna Menon Museum and the Art Gallery open at noon. They are located on East Hill, 5km from Calicut.

At Kappad, 16km from Kozhikode, there is a marker that commemorates Vasco da Gama landing there on May 27, 1498. If the water is not too rough this beach is supposed to be safe to swim at.

Where to Stay—Lower
Lakshmi Bhavan Tourist Home (722-027), GH Rd, has basic rooms for Rs 100/175.
Hotel Sajina (722-975) has basic rooms for Rs 100/150.
Sasthapuri (723-281), Jail Rd, off MM Ali Rd, near the railway station, has good rooms for Rs 150/175. It is a good budget place.
Hotel Asma Tower (272-3560; fax: 272-3568: email: info@asmatower.com), Marvoor Rd, has rooms for Rs 350/450 and Rs 650/800 with A/C. It is a good value.
Metro Tourist Home (766-029), at the junction of Bank and Mavoors Rds, has rooms for Rs 175/225 and A/C rooms with TV for Rs 550.
KTDC Hotel Malabar Mansion (722-391), Mananchira Square, near Ansari Park in the center of town, has modern rooms with bath, TV, and phone for Rs 225/300 and Rs 400/500 for a large A/C room with hot water. It is a good value, but is often booked.
Hotel Diplomat (302-391), Railway Station Rd, near the railway station, has rooms built around a courtyard with bath and hot water for Rs 150/200, deluxe Rs 250 and Rs 350 with A/C.
Heena Palace (673-002), Railway Station Rd, near the railway station, has rooms with bath for Rs 200/250, with Star TV Rs 350 and with AC Rs 550.
Alakapuri (723-451), MM Ali Rd, has rooms for Rs 500. It has a nice garden.

Where to Stay—Middle to High
Paramount Tower (722-651; fax 721-639), Town Hall Rd, has modern rooms for Rs 400/500 and Rs 500/600 with A/C.
Kalpaka Tourist Home (720-222), Town Hall Rd, just south of Ansari Park, has good value rooms with hot water for Rs 250 and A/C rooms for Rs 500/700. It has a South Indian restaurant.
Sea Queen Hotel (366-604; fax 365-854), Beach Rd, near the beach, has clean, comfortable, large rooms for Rs 450/600 and Rs 800/900 with A/C.
Hotel Malabar Palace (272-1511; fax 272-1794), GH Rd, has central A/C and rooms for Rs 1200/1600.
Taj Residency (276-6448; fax 276-6448: email: residency.calicut@tajhotels.com), PT Usha Rd, has rooms starting at $75/80.

Where to Eat
Kalpaka Tourist Home is a vegetarian place that serves a South Indian breakfast, Chinese, Indian and Continental.
Cochin Bakery, across from the State Bank of India, and the A/C Regal Cakes a few shops down, sell good baked goods.
Sana Rice Bowl in Paramount Tower has a lunchtime buffet. Sunset Point in Paramount Tower is a rooftop restaurant, from which there is a great view.
Woodlands vegetarian restaurant, White Lines Building, GH Rd, is one of the best places in town. Thalis (Rs 40)
Alakapuri Guest House, MM Ali Rd. near the railway station, has a very good South Indian restaurant.
Dakshin - The Veg (272-2648, Mavoor (Indira Gandhi) Rd is a good vegetarian place with dishes around Rs 30.

Local Travel
Auto-rickshaw drivers will often use their meters. It cost about Rs 10 to get from the railway station to most hotels and the bus station.

Travel
Air The airport is in Karippur, 23km from Kozhikode. Indian Airlines (766-522) and Air India are on Bank Rd, north of Mavoor Rd. There are flights to Mumbai (three daily), Bangalore (one daily), Goa, Madurai, and Chennai (two daily). Jet Airways flies to Mumbai.

Train The railway station is about 1km south of Ansari Park on Railway Station Rd. There are trains to Ernakulam (4½ hr, 190km), Thiruvananthapuram (10 hr, 415km), Mumbai (36 hr), Mangalore (5 hr), Chennai, Bangalore, and Delhi (40 hr).

Bus From the KSRTC bus stand, Mavoor Rd, buses depart to Bangalore (8 hr, over 10 daily), Mysore (5½ hr, 15 daily), Mangalore (7 hr), Kochi (5½ hr, many buses), Thiruvananthapuram (10 hr, over 10 daily), Ooty, Madurai and Alappuzha (Alleppey).

Private buses depart from the New bus stand. Buses go to Mangalore (6 hr), Mysore (6 hr), Kochi (15 buses daily, 6 am to 11.50 pm, ordinary and express buses), and Devala (near Ooty, 10 hr).

Kochi Pop: 583,000
Phone Code: 0484
Ernakulam Pop: 570,000
Postcode: 682011

The interesting city of Kochi is a scenic place situated on an island. It is the most visited city in Kerala. It has winding narrow streets lined with 500-year-old Portuguese houses. There is a Jewish community, a 16th century synagogue, India’s oldest church, and a palace built by the Portuguese. The palace contains some of the most impressive murals in India. There are also regular performances of traditional Kathakali dance-drama.

Fort Cochin and Mattancherry have a mixture of houses built in the medieval styles of Portugal, Holland, and England, each of whom ruled Cochin for a period of time. Ernakulam is much more modern. Kochi is one of India’s major shipping ports and it also has a major naval base. Dolphins can be seen while crossing the harbor by ferry.

Orientation
This place consists of the southern peninsula of Fort Cochin and Mattancherry, the mainland city of Ernakulam, and the island of Willingdon between the two. There are also the islands of Bolgatty and Gundu in the harbor. North of Fort Cochin is Vypeen Island. All are linked by ferries. There is a bridge from Ernakulam to Willingdon Island, and another from Willingdon Island to the Fort Cochin/Mattancherry peninsula. Most of the historical sites are in Fort Cochin and

Mattancherry, but there are few accommodations or restaurants there. The main railway and bus stations, along with most of the hotels and restaurants, are in Ernakulam on the mainland. The airport and two high-end hotels are on Willingdon Island.

History
Kochi was a simple fishing village until about 1340, when due to its good harbor, it became a wealthy port. Arab, Portuguese, British, Dutch, and Chinese traders all came. The Portuguese established the first European settlement in India in 1500 in Kochi. The first European fort was built in 1503. The Dutch took control of Kochi in 1663. Kochi prospered under the Dutch as they exported spices, coconuts, and coir (coconut fiber). The British took over Kochi in 1795. Kochi has both a Syrian Christian and a Jewish community.

Information
The Kerala Tourist Development Corporation’s Tourist Reception Centre (235-3234), Shanmugham Rd, in Ernakulam, organize harbor cruises and can reserve a room at the Bolgatty Palace Hotel. There is a Kerala Tourism counter at the airport, which is open during flights.

The helpful Government of India Tourist Office (ITDC) (266-8352; fax 668-297), next to the Malabar Hotel on Willingdon Island, can provide maps and brochures.

The private Tourist Desk (371-761), at Ernakulam’s main ferry station, has a good free city map and will book tours. The staff is helpful and informative. Outside the Tourist Desk is a board with a list of the area’s cultural events. Open daily 9 am to 5 pm.

The bi-monthly Hello Cochin and Jaico Time Table have good travel information and include timetables.

The Tourist Police (235-3234) in ernakulam are by the KTDC Tourist Reception Centre.

Medical Trust Hospital (371-852), MG Rd, in Ernakulam, is one of the best hospitals in the area. Gautham Hospital (223-055), in Fort Cochin, can be used in an emergency.

Guided Tours
The KTDC has daily boat tours to places in Kochi harbor—Fort Cochin (includes St Francis Church), Mattancherry Palace, the Jewish Synagogue, Willingdon Island, the Chinese fishing nets, and Bolgatty Island. The tour departs from the Sealord Boat Jetty near the Tourist Reception Centre at 9 am and returns at 12:30 pm. Another tour is held between 2 to 5:30 pm; Rs 50.

The KTDC Sunset Cruise goes from 5:30 to 7 pm for Rs 35. The cruise starts at the Sealord Boat Jetty and picks up more passengers at the Malabar Hotel/Tourist Office Jetty on Willingdon Island. This cruise is often cancelled, so check in advance.

The Tourist Desk (371-761) near the Ernakulam Jetty operates a three-hour backwater cruise which visits villages and coconut plantations. The cruise begins with a 45-minute bus ride (included in the price) to the boat jetty and three hours on the boat (9 am to 2 pm and 2 to 6:30 pm for Rs 250). It is a good cruise. The KTDC also does a similar tour (8:30 am to 2:30 pm for Rs 300).

Money
The best place to change money efficiently is Thomas Cook,(236-9729), MG Rd, near the Air India Building (Mon to Sat 9:30 am to 6 pm).

You can also change money at the State Bank of India in Ernakulam. There is a branch on MG Rd and another opposite the KTDC Tourist Office on Shanmugham Rd.

ANZ Grindlays (361-301), MG Rd, also changes money.

American Express Foreign Exchange (237-5595) is a good place to change money

Post and Email
The GPO (poste restante) is at Fort Cochin. You can also have mail sent to the main post office in Ernakulam on Hospital Rd, near the main boat jetty, as long as it is addressed to that post office.

You can send and receive email at Raiyaan Communication (351-387; fax 380-052; e-mail: raiyaan@giasmd01.vsnl.net.in), at Raiyaan Complex, Padma Junction, MG Rd, Ernakulam.

Webmasters Internet Cafe, Penta Menaka Building, Shanmughaam Rd for good checap Internet. Cafe de Net, Bastion St in Fort Cochin has Internet for Rs 25 per hour.

Visa Extensions
The Commissioner of Police (360-700), north end of Shanmugham Rd, Ernakulam, can extend visas. Extensions can take up to ten days, and you must leave your passport during this time.

Shopping
Bhavi Books, Convent Rd, Ernakulam, is a good book shop. Higginbothams, Chittoor Rd, Ernakulam, at the junction with Hospital Rd, is a decent bookshop.

Idiom, near the synagogue in Mattancherry, has a very good selection of books, both in English and French. Across the street is Incy Bella, which is also a good bookshop.

There are handicraft emporiums on MG Rd, just south of Durbar Hall Rd.

SP & Co, Convent Rd, Ernakulam, is a good camera shop. Krishnan Nair Brothers, Convent Rd, has a good selection of film.

Manua Industries (352-513), Bannerji Rd, Kacheripady Junction, has a good selection of classical musical instruments.

Fort Cochin
Fort Cochin was the first European settlement in India (1500) and the first European fort (1503). The Portuguese Viceroy, Afonso de Albuquerque, built it. The fort no long exists.

St Francis Church (1503) was the first European-built church in India (known as Vasco da Gama Church). Portuguese Franciscan friars built it. Vasco da Gama, the first European to reach India by sailing around Africa, died in 1524 in Kochi. He was buried under the floor of the church, but his remains were transferred to Lisbon fourteen years later. His tombstone is still embedded in the floor.

The church was originally wooden, but in the mid-16th century it was rebuilt in stone. Cochin came under Dutch control in 1663 and the church became a Protestant church in 1779. The walls have Dutch memorials on them. After the British occupied Kochi in 1795, the church became Anglican. The Church of South India now runs it. Open Mon to Fri 9:30 am to 1 pm and 2:30 to 5:30 pm. English services Sun 8 am.

Santa Cruz Basilica This large, interesting church was built in 1902. It has an outstanding pastel-colored interior.

Chinese Fishing Nets Along the northern shore of Fort Cochin are many large Chinese fishing nets. The nets are suspended and are attractive to look at.

Indo-Portuguese Museum, in the Bishop's House has an assortment of Catholic relics with altar pices, special crosses and statues. Admission: Foreigners/Indians Rs 25/10. Hours: Tues-Sun 10:30 to 12:30 pm & 3pm-5pm.

Mattancherry

Mattancherry Palace (Dutch Palace) (222-6095), Boat Jetty Bazaar, was built by the Portuguese in 1557 for Raja Virakeral Varma, the King of Cochin. The Dutch renovated the palace in 1665.

The palace is covered with almost 300 square metres of murals, depicting scenes from the Ramayana, Mahabharata, Krishna’s pastimes, and Puranas. These are some of the most impressive murals in all of India. The central hall on the first floor was the Coronation Hall of the Rajas. The ladies bedchamber downstairs has an interesting painting of Krishna with the cowherd girls. It is often locked and you may have to request that it be opened.

There is a Museum here with weapons, clothes, palanquins, furniture and oil paintings of the Cochin Rajas. Open daily except Fri 10 am to 5 pm; free. Photography is not permitted.

The temple in the palace is dedicated to Bhagavati. The two temples south of the palace are dedicated to Vishnu and Siva, and were built by the Portuguese. Only Hindus can enter these temples.

Jewish Pardesi Synagogue
Pardesi refers to “foreign” or “white”. The original building, constructed in 1568, was destroyed by Portuguese bombardments in 1662. It was rebuilt a year later. There is a 19th century oil burning chandelier made of many different colors of glass, and the synagogue has hand-painted, willow-patterned, blue and white 18th century Cantonese tiles from China. There are copper plates, written in ancient script, granting the village of Anjuvannam (near Kodungallur) to Joseph Rabban, a Jewish merchant, by King Bhaskara Ravi Varrman I (962-1020). Admission; Rs 3. Hours Sun-Fri closed on Jewish holidays 10 am to 12 noon & 3pm-5pm

To view the plates you have to ask the synagogue’s guardians. Near the entrance is a carved Ark house containing the Torah (first five books of the Old Testament). The Ark house has gold crowns on it given by the Maharajas of Cochin and Travancore. There is a stone slab, originally from a synagogue built in Kochangadi in 1344 (it no longer exists) with Hebrew inscriptions written on it on the inner surface of the wall that surrounds the temple.

The people at the synagogue are more than willing to answer any questions about the Jewish community or the temple. The synagogue is open to visitors daily except Saturday and Jewish holidays, 10 am to noon and 3 to 5 pm. Admission Rs 1.

This synagogue is located in an area known as Jew Town. Many shops in the area still have Jewish names. It is said that the Jews in Kerala go back to the 10th century BC.

It is believed that the first Jewish community was established 30km north of Cochin in 72 AD. Around 500 AD, Jews immigrated in a good number from Iran and Iraq to engage in business and trade. In the 16th century, the Portuguese evicted the Jews and they moved to Cochin, where they were protected by the Raja of Cochin.

Most of the members of the Jewish community either emigrated to Israel in the early 1950s or moved to Mumbai; there are only about twenty members left in Kochi. There is no local rabbi, so the elders are all authorized to carry out religious ceremonies and marriages. There are about 80 Jews in Kerala and about 5,000 in India, most of whom live in Mumbai.

Ernakulam

Parishath Thampuram Museum contains sculptures, 19th century paintings, coins, Mughal paintings, and interesting temple models. It is located in a traditionally designed Keralan building, which was once Durbar Hall. Located on Durbar Hall Rd, the museum is open daily except Mon 10 am to 12:30 pm and 2 to 4:30 pm. Admission free.

Vypeen Island
There are miles of basically empty beaches here. Cherai Beach attracts the most foreigners. There is a lighthouse at Ochanthuruth (open daily 3 to 5 pm) and the early 16th century Palliport Fort (open only on Thurs).

Ferries go between High Court Jetty in Ernakulam to and from Vypeen Island from 5:30 am to 10 pm about every twenty minutes. Ferries also go between Fort Cochin and Vypeen from the ferry landing across from the bus stand.

Dance and Entertainment
At the Cochin Cultural Centre lessons are given in yoga, dance, music, costume making, and other subjects.

At the ENS Kalari Centre (809-810), Kalaripayatu, traditional Keralan martial art is taught. This school is about 9km from the center of the city.

Kathakali Dancing
There are three main places that host performances of Kathakali Dance in Ernakulam. First an explanation of the dances is given explaining the meaning of different facial expressions and hand movements. Then there is a dance performance for about one hour. Admission is usually Rs 50. These performances should be booked in advance, especially during the busy season.

Sree Indian Foundation (369-471), Devan Gurukalam, Kalathiparambil Lane, near the Ernakulam Junction railway station, has an open-air, rooftop performance. P K Devan gives a good explanation of the history of the dance. The makeup application begins at 6 pm and the performance goes from 6:45 to 8 pm. Questions can be asked after the performance.

Cochin Cultural Centre (367-866), Souhardham, Manikath Rd, south of Ernakulam Junction railway station, is an A/C theater which resembles a temple courtyard. Makeup starts at 5:30 pm and the performance is from 6:30 to 8 pm.

Kerala Kathakali Centre, Cochin Aquatic Club, River Rd, Fort Cochin, near the bus stand. Young Kathakali artists do excellent performances here. Putting on makeup starts at 5 pm and the performance is from 6:30 to 7:30pm. Last ferry from Fort Cochin to Ernakulam departs at 9:30 pm.

If the above three places are full you may want to go to the following two places, which are also good.

Art Kerala (336-238), 346 Kannanthodath Lane, Valanjambalam, Ernakulam, has performances at 6 pm.

Kerala Kathakali Kendra (355-003), Bolghatty Palace Hotel on Bolghatty Island, has performances at 6 pm. Makeup at 4 pm.

Near Kochi
The Museum of Kerala History, in Edapally, 10km northeast of Ernakulam, is open daily except Mon 10 am to noon and 2 to 4 pm. Admission Rs 3. Bus #22 goes to Edapally.
Thripunithura

The Hill Palace Museum, in Thripunithura, 12km southeast of Ernakulam, on the way to Chottanikkara, has exhibits of items belonging to the Travancore and Cochin royal families. There are sculptures, weapons, silver filigree jewel boxes, an eighth century Jewish Torah, and many more interesting objects. Open daily except Mon 9 am to 12:30 pm and 2 to 4 pm. Admission Rs 2. Buses #51 or #58 go to Thripunithura.

During the main festival (Oct-Nov) at the Shri Purnatrayisa Temple, classical music and dance and Kathakali dance are performed for several days. Mornings and evenings there are processions of fifteen decorated elephants while drums are beaten in unison. During this time non-Hindu, who are not normally allowed in the temple, can enter.

Phone Code: 0487

Guruvayur is known as the Dwarka of the South and is famous for the Sri Krishna Temple. Guruvayur is 30km west of Thrissur and 80km north of Ernakulam. It is a peaceful city with a spiritual atmosphere.

During the mid-morning hours, wedding ceremonies take place one after another. Couples believe that being married at the Guruvayur Temple is a great blessing.

Sri Krishna Temple (Guruvayurappan Temple)
This is the most important Krishna temple in Kerala and one of the most important and richest temples in all of South India. Lord Krishna is known here as Guruvayurappan. The name of the Deity means the Lord (Appan) of Guru and Vayu. Guruvayur is known as Bhuloka Vaikuntha, “where the spiritual world meets the earth”.

The Deity of Lord Krishna in this temple is said to forgive all sins and grant liberation to his devotees. The Deity is believed to fulfill one’s desires. According to the story about the temple, this Deity is over 5,000 years old.

The Deity of Sri Krishna is made of the rare stone patala anjanam. He has four arms carrying a conch, disc, mace and lotus.

The temple schedule begins at 3 am with nirmalayam darshan (viewing the Deity), followed by abhiseka (bathing the Deity). The 3 am darshan is particularly auspicious. Worship and darshans continue until 10 pm, when the Deity is put to rest for the night. Uchcha Puja takes place at midday. The temple is closed between 1 and 4:30 pm.
Bilvamangala Thakur, the author of Sri Krishna-karnamrita, frequently visited the Guruvayur Temple.

Tulabharam is a common vow in which devotees donate to the Deity a quantity of an article equal in weight to their own bodies. Devotees are weighed on a scale against their choice of items such as silver, bananas, sugar, jaggery, or coconuts. On an average, about 100 tulabharams are offered a day, but on major festival days, the number goes up to over 200.

The proceeds from tulabharams were Rs 2.25 crores ($600,000) in 1990-91.

The temple worship is done by Nambudri Brahmins, who are expected to live within the temple precincts during their term of worship.

This temple has over Rs 45 crores in fixed deposits, three tons of silver articles, 600 kg of gold articles, priceless diamonds, and other jewelry.

Men must wear dhotis (tied-on cloth) and enter the temple bare-chested and women have to wear a sari. Bags are not permitted when entering the temple. Bags can be checked at the cloakroom to the right of the eastern entrance. Only Hindus (Indians) are allowed, but converted Hindus may be able to enter, but it is much more difficult than in the past.

I have been told a few things in references to converted Hindus (foreigners) entering the temples. Someone told me that his brother and him enter the temple with no problem and were treated very nicely and given extra time for darshan. Someone else told me that they were stopped and told they had to first see the temple manager to enter the temple, and since the temple manager wasn’t around at the time he left without entering the temple. In my opinion if you want to enter the temple you should enter through the back entrance where there much less people enter and walk in like you belong there.

The Deity can be viewed from 3 am to 12:30 pm and 4:30 to 10 pm.

Story of the Deity
According to the Narada Purana, this Deity was originally worshiped by Lord Brahma and given to Vasudeva, Krishna’s father. Eventually, the Deity was worshiped by Krishna himself in Dwarka. Lord Krishna later gave the Deity to Uddhava to help relieve his feelings of separation when Krishna was preparing to leave this world.

As the sea began to submerge the city of Dwarka, the Deity was transported by Guru (Brihaspati) and Vayu (the air-god) to the present location. Guru and Vayu were entrusted to find a suitable holy place for the Deity.

They came to Kerala under the direction of Lord Parasuram, who led them to a lake full of lotuses—the present temple tank called Rudra-tirtha. They found Lord Siva (Rudranath) meditating by the lake, at which he had previously enlightened the Pracetas. The Deity was installed there and called Guruvayurappan, or the Lord of Guru and Vayu.

At another time, King Janamejaya, the son of Parikshit Maharaja, contracted leprosy after performing a sacrifice to kill all the snakes on earth, performed to avenge his father’s death. Nothing could cure him, so Dattatreya advised him to worship Sri Krishna at Guruvayur. Janamejaya devotedly did so for four months and was cured.

Deity Procession
Each evening hosts the main event of the day, a Deity procession between 7 and 8 pm. The Deity of Lord Krishna in his four-armed Narayana form sits on his golden throne (thidambu) and rides on top of a gold-bedecked elephant.

Surrounded by priests bearing multicolored umbrellas and varieties of fans, musicians playing drums, cymbals, gongs, and trumpets, and exuberant devotees chanting the Lord’s names, the Deity is taken on a grand procession around the temple compound. The Deity is also brought out on an elephant around 6:30 am.

Temple Dance
In the evening, varieties of classical dance, such as Bharata-natyam and Kathakali, are performed for the public. The dancers combine dance and drama to depict Lord Krishna’s pastimes. Krishnanattam (the dance of Krishna) is a popular dance-drama performance here. Typical dramas are enacted from the 12th century poet Jayadeva Goswami’s Gita Govinda. The dance is performed after the temple closes at night on a stage in the north part of the temple compound. It is completed before the temple opens in the morning at 3 am.

Other Places
The Parthasarathi Temple is dedicated to Lord Krishna as the charioteer of Arjuna. This temple is a few minutes walk from the eastern entrance of the Sri Krishna Temple. The Deity of Parthasarathi is believed to be over 1,000 years old and was discovered in the ruins of the temple in 1972. The former temple had lain in ruins for years. The Deity was reinstalled in a new temple in 1981.

Punnathur Kotta (4km) is an ancient fort housing over forty elephants, all of which belong to the Guruvayur Temple. You have to pay an Rs 25 camera fee to take pictures.

Half a km northeast of the Parthasarathi Temple is a temple dedicated to Venkata-chalapati, also known as Tiruvenkatam of Tirupati.

At Mammiyur, about half a km northwest of Guruvayur is a Siva temple said to be older than the Guruvayur Temple. A half a km north of Mammiyur is a temple dedicated to the Goddess Narayani, who is Vishnu-maya.

There is a pleasant beach 3km away in Chavakkad.

Festivals
The Ekadasi festival, celebrated in the month of Vrischikam (Nov-Dec), during the Mandalam season, is the most important temple festival. The festival starts almost a month in advance with a daily festival of lights (Vilakku). The lights on the Vilakkumatam around the Nalambalam (inner temple area) and the lights of the dipastambhams are lit during this festival. There are regular elephant processions.

The last three days—Navami, Dasami, and Ekadasi—attract the largest crowds. A highlight of the festival is the day when the memorial service of the late Guruvayur Keshavan, who was the head of the elephants, is performed. All forty elephants start at Punnathur and walk to the main temple, stopping at the Parthasarathi Temple on the way. They are then fed a sumptuous feast of bananas, jaggery, sugar, and prasada. On the Ekadasi day there is a grand elephant procession around the temple. As part of the Ekadasi Festival there is an eleven-day Chembai Music Festival in which over 2,000 Carnatic musicians perform.

The ten-day-long Utsavam Festival in Feb-March is an important festival that starts with an elephant race. The elephants race a good distance, starting from Manjulal and ending at the temple. The first five to eight elephants to arrive run into the temple. The elephant that arrives first is given royal treatment. On the tenth night, the Deity of Krishna is taken to the temple tank and bathed there.

Where to Stay
Guruvayur can be a busy place, especially on weekends when most marriages are performed. Instead of staying in Guruvayur overnight, you could stay in Thrissur, which is about an hour away by bus. There are several cheap dharamshalas. It would be a good idea to call and reserve a room in advance, especially if you are coming here during a festival.

Govind Tourist Hotel, North Nada, by the temple tank, has rooms with hot water for Rs 200.
Nandini Tourist Home (556-509), East Nada, has rooms for Rs 200 and A/C rooms for Rs 400.
Hotel Nandanam (556-266), East Nada, has rooms for Rs 200 and A/C rooms for Rs 400.
Poornima Tourist Home (6690), East Nada, has rooms for Rs 250.
RVK Tourist Home (556-204), East Nada, has rooms for Rs 300 and rooms with A/C for Rs 550.
Elite Tourist Home (556-215), East Nadu, is one of the best places in town. It has rooms with bath for Rs 165 and Rs 350 with A/C.
Hotel Vyshakh (556-188), by the temple tank, has good rooms with hot water for Rs 400 and Rs 600 with A/C. It is one of the better places in town.
The two-star modern Hotel Vanamala Kusuman (556-702), South Nada, has rooms for Rs 350/450 and Rs 450/600 with A/C. It has a 3 pm checkout time. It is usually booked months in advance. It has the Vishakham Thali Restaurant.

Most of the eating places I saw in town were vegetarian thali places.

Pop: 43,000, Area
Phone Code: 0472

Varkala is on the seashore about 54km northwest of Thiruvananthapuram and 20km south of Kollam (Quilon). Its beaches are nice and not as crowded as the beaches at Kovalam. Varkala is popular with travelers and backpackers. It has a private, but still fairly crowded small beach, so it is not ideal for someone looking for total seclusion. There is a mineral water spring on the beach. Most people who visit Varkala recommend it.

Pilgrims come to Varkala to see the famous Janardan Swami Temple. The beach here is known as Papa Nashini (“Sin destroyer”) in the Malayalam language. Devotees at the Janardan temple carry the ashes of departed family members and place them in the sea at this place.

Information
The privately run Tourist Helping Centre, Mama House, can provide information about the area, arrange elephant trips, and help with motorbike rentals. The elephant trip goes through the forest 30km away (Rs 900, which includes travel costs and food). They also arrange backwater trips which include lunch for Rs 700.

The Scientific School of Yoga and Massage (695-141) offers a ten-day yoga and massage course taught by an English-speaking doctor. It also has a shop, Prakruthi Sores, that sells Ayurvedic oils, herbs, handmade soaps, and books on yoga and massage. They give a one hour massage using Ayurvedic or Swedish techniques for Rs 200 per hour.

The Progressive Yoga Centre offers a one-week yoga course and a one-week massage course. They give Ayurvedic massages for Rs 200 for an hour.

The Sri Janardan Temple and the beach are a five-minute auto-rickshaw ride from downtown.

The State Bank of Travancore will exchange travelers cheques, but will not exchange cash. The Federal Bank changes money. There is an exchange counter at the Taj Garden Retreat. A good palce to change money is UAE Money Exchange (607378), next to the railway station, Hours Mon-Sat 10am-5:30pm

The Bureau de Change (600713, 602-749), near the temple, changes money and rents taxis (daily 9 am to 9 pm). They do cash advances for credit cards for a 5% comsssion.

Sri Janardan Temple
This famous Vishnu temple is a few km from town, on the edge of a coconut forest near a low cliff overlooking the sea. The temple is about 1km from the ocean. The four-armed Deity of Sri Janardan (Lord Vishnu) stands 1.2m (4 ft) high and wears the dress of a different Vishnu incarnation each day. After mangala-arati (5 am) the doors stay open while the Deity is bathed before the assembled devotees. This large temple is said to be over 2,000 years old.

The famous Papanasam spring rises at the foot of the steps on the north side of the temple. It then flows into the temple tank and flows gently a half km to the sea. The area by the temple is peaceful.

Kathakali Dance
There are Kathakali dance performances at the Devaswom building next to the temple tank. Putting on makeup starts are 5 pm and performances begin at 7 pm on Wed, Fri and Sun during December and January for Rs 75.

Where to Stay
Most of the hotels are on the cliff above the beach. Some people rent basic private houses.

Government Guest House (402-227), near the Taj Hotel, has seven simple, big rooms for Rs 70. This place used to be a summer residence for a maharaja and is a very good value. Best to book in advance.
ITDC Tourist Home is a basic, cheap, clean place.
Green House, on the cliff top, has rooms for Rs 250 to Rs 350.
Hill Top Beach Resort (411-737), north end of the cliff, is a new, clean place overlooking the beach in a quiet location. Rooms are Rs 250 to Rs 350.
Prasanthi Guest House,(608768) north end of the cliff, has nice rooms with common bath for Rs 300 to Rs 500. It is run by the people at the Cafe Italiano.
Hill Palace has basic rooms with common bath for Rs 125 and with bath for Rs 175.
Mamma Hotel, Beach Rd, past the Akshay by the beach, is a converted farmhouse with shared toilets and well water. It is the cheapest place in Varkala.
Directly opposite is the Beach Palace, which has a good location, but is really basic. Rooms are Rs 125/150.
Varkala Marine Palace (603-204), behind the beach, is a recommended middle-class place with modern, comfortable rooms overlooking the beach for Rs 250 to Rs 600. A/C Rooms with a balcony and a sea view are Rs 600. It is a good value. It has a restaurant that overlooks the beach. Good off-season discount.
JA Tourist Home (602-453), in the town of Varkala, has rooms for Rs 100 to Rs 200. It is a good value.
Anandan Tourist Home (602-135), opposite the railway station, has modern rooms for Rs 125/200 and A/C rooms with TV for Rs 400.
Balaji Lodge (402-243) is a basic place with rooms for Rs 125/150, but it is not a good value.

Where to Stay—Middle to Higher
Akshay Beach Resort (602-668), Beach Rd, has good clean rooms that are a bit small for Rs 150 with common bath, Rs 300 with bath and A/C rooms for Rs 600. It is a good middle-class place, just 200m from the beach.
Clafouti (601-414; fax 600-494), at the north end of the cliff is good new budget place with rooms for Rs 550. Recommended.
Eden Garden (603-910; fax 481-004; Email: edengarden2000@hotmail.com) has rooms for Rs 550 to Rs 850. It has a scenic location.
The new Panchavadi Beach Resort (602-157), Beach Rd, has rooms with hot water for Rs 500 and Rs 850 for a deluxe room.
Udatha Cliff Hostel (3298), on the clifftop, has comfortable rooms with common bath for Rs 500 and rooms with bath on the top floor for Rs 800. A room downstairs is Rs 250. It has a restaurant.
The new Sea Pearl Chalets (660-105,605875; fax 605-049; Email: seapearlvarkala@hotmail.com) has rooms for Rs 800 and a room overlooking the beach is Rs 1200.
Preethi (600-942) is a new place with clean rooms for Rs 600, a room with hot water and a balcony Rs 800 and a cottage is Rs 1500.
Taj Varkala Garden Retreat (603-000; fax 602-296; Email: retreat.varkala@tajhotels.com), 500m from the beach, is the best place in town. It has an excellent view, a restaurant, a pool, health club, tennis courts, and a landscaped garden with palm trees overlooking the beach. A/C rooms are $125/135 and $150/170 from the middle of December to the end of February.

Where to Eat
Shri Padman, next to the temple tank, is a popular place, despite its appearance. It has good, cheap, veg food.
The Oottupura Vegetarian Restaurant is a vegetarian place located near the Helipad.
JA Tourist Hotel has a good rooftop restaurant serving Western food, including pasta, pizza, and bread.
Café Italiano, Prasanthi Guest House, has good pizza, spaghetti, and bread.
Anandan Tourist Home, opposite the railway station, has a restaurant.
Mama Chompos Pizzeria, Beach Rd, has good pizza, pasta, and bread. Recommended.

Travel
Train Varkala is a 50-minute train ride northwest of Thiruvananthapuram (41km). It is then a 2km ride (Rs 15) to the village from the station. A rickshaw to the beach costs Rs 30 and a taxi Rs 50.

There are eight trains a day to Thiruvananthapuram and two trains a day to Kanyakumari (11.10 am and 2.05 pm). There are also trains to Kollam (1 hr), Ernakulam (4 hr), Kottayam (2 hr), Madurai (8 hr), Mumbai (46 hr), Bangalore (18 hr) and Mangalore.

Bus and Taxi There are regular buses to Varkala from Thiruvananthapuram’s Thampa­noor Bus Stand (1½ hr). From Varkala there are buses to Kovalam, Alappuzha and Kollam (40 min).
A taxi from Thiruvananthapuram to Varkala is about Rs 300.

Pop: 380,000 Area
Phone Code: 0474

Kollam (pronounced Koillam) is one of the oldest ports on the Kerala coast and was once a major center for the international spice trade. Trade of spices from this city goes back many centuries with the Romans, Greeks, Phoenicians, Arabs and Chinese. Kollam is 75km northwest of Thiruvananthapuram and 85km south of Alappuzha.

The main reason why most people come here is to go on a backwater trip en route to or from Alappuzha. Most travelers stay only overnight as there is little to see in the town.

A Boat Race is held on 19 January each year at the same time as the Great Elephant March (17-20 January).

Information
The Tourist Information Counter (72558) on Platform 4 of the railway station is efficient. They can book hotels in other cities and you pay them for one night in advance plus the cost of the phone call (Mon to Sat 9 am to 12:30 pm and 1:30 to 5 pm). There is also a counter at the bus stand.

Bank of Baroda changes travelers cheques. UAE Money Exchange (275-1240), Bishop Jerome Nagar Complex (Hours Mon-Sat 10 am to 5 pm, Sun 10 am to 1 pm)

The bus stand and the boat jetty are close to one another and to Ashtamudi Lake. The train station is on the other side of town and it cost about Rs 15 to go from the train station to the boat jetty.

The Yatri Nivas speedboat can be hired for Rs 300 to ride around the waterways near Kollam.

PL Worldways (741-096; fax 744-823), near the post office, changes money (Mon to Sat 9 am to 5:30 pm, Sun 9 am to 1 pm).

DTPC tourist office changes money efficiently and has internet facilities. Net 4 You (74126), in the Jerone Nagar Complex has internet facilities. CYber Zone (276-6170) is a good place for Internet (Rs 20 per hr). Hours: 10 am to 9 pm

Backwater Cruises
The District Tourism Promotion Council (DTPC, government) and ATDC (private) both run cruises departing Kollam at 10:30 am and arriving in Alappuzha at 6:30 pm. (Rs 200). The cruise makes several stops along the way. See Backwater Section for more information.

For information about DTPC Government boat tours they can be contacted at (0474 274-5625, 750-170, bus stand office: 274-5625; email: dtpcqln@md3.vsnl.net.in; Web site: www.dtcp-quilontourism.com. Hours: 9am-5pmThe boat tour can be arranged at the DTPC Tourist Information Centre at the Kollam bus station (274-5625), the DTPC counter at the Kollam railway station, and at the DTPC Tourist Information Centre at Papanasam Beach in Varkala. The boat tour departs at 10.30 am but you have to report to the DTPC Tourist Information Centre inside the KSRTC Bus station before 10 am.

What to See
The Shrine of Our Lady of Velamkanni, near the KSRTC bus stand, is an interesting church. There are Chinese fishing nets on Ashtamudi Lake.

Where to Stay—Lower
There are Retiring Rooms at the railway station.
The Government Guest House (Tourist Bungalow) (274-36220), 3km north of the city center, is an old, majestic British home with nice gardens on the bank of Ashtamudi Lake. It has a large empty ballroom, huge balconies and a small pool. It is poorly maintained. Rooms with antique furniture are Rs 250/6300. It is a great value and is recommended, but it can be hard to find a rickshaw back to town and it is usually full.

Lakshmi Tourist Home (274-1067), off Main Rd, is a really basic place with rooms with bath for Rs 12/175.
Iswarya Lodge (77801), Main Rd, has rooms for Rs 125/175.
The popular Hotel Karthika (25-1821), Chinnakada, has rooms with bath built around a courtyard for Rs 200/350 and A/C rooms are Rs 00.
Hotel Rail View (76918), opposite the railway station, has rooms for Rs 90/125.
Mahalakshmi Lodge (79440), across from the KSRTC bus station, has really basic rooms with common bath for Rs 65/90.

Where to Stay—Middle
The KTDC Yatri Nivas (274-5538; fax; 231-4406), across from the boat jetty, next to Ashtamudi Lake, has modern rooms for Rs 150/200 to Rs 350/400 and Rs 700 for an A/C room. It is well located next to the river and has a nice lawn. Some rooms have balconies overlooking the river. You can phone from the boat jetty and they will often pick you up in their speedboat. It is a good value.
Hotel Shah International (742-362; fax 75368) has good rooms for Rs 200/300 and Rs 400/450 with A/C. It is nicely located.
Hotel Sea Bee (744-696; fax 744-158), Jetty Rd, has decent rooms for Rs 200/250 and with Rs 600. Exchange facilities.
Jaladarshini (203-414), Thevally, 2km west of downtown, has comfortable rooms for Rs 400/500. It is located next to a peaceful lake. It has a good restaurant.
Hotel Sudarsan (274-4322; fax 274-0480; Email: comfort@md4.vsnl.net.in), close to the boat jetty, has rooms with TV for Rs 475/600 and Rs 700/850 with A/C. It has two good restaurants. It is a good value, but the rooms in front can be noisy.
Palm Lagoon (451-014; fax 523-974), on the bank of the Ashtamudi Lake 17km from Kollam, has rooms for Rs 1700 and Rs 2400 with food. If it is booked at the DTPC you get a 10% discount. You can get here by the KTDC boat (Rs 300).

Where to Eat
Cashews are grown in the area.
Hotel Guru Prasad, Main Rd, serves inexpensive vegetarian meals for Rs 15.
Sree Suprabatham Restaurant, near the clock tower, is a South Indian restaurant.
Indian Coffee House, just off the Main Rd, has South Indian and Western food.
Mahalakshmi Lodge has a good vegetarian restaurant.
Iswarya Lodge has a good vegetarian restaurant.
The Sudarsan Hotel has a good vegetarian meal restaurant and an A/C individual preparation restaurant. They have good breakfasts.
Supreme Bakers, just off the Main Rd, has cakes and breads.
Jala Subhiksa, next to the boat jetty, is a converted, attractive, Keralan rice barge docked at a ferry pier. It is an interesting place to eat.

Travel
Train The railway station is on the east side of town, 3km from the boat jetty. There are several trains to Ernakulam (4 hr, 159km) and Thiruvananthapuram (2 hr) via Varkala. To get to Varkala it is easier to take a train than a bus as most trains heading south stop there.

Bangalore Kanniyakumari-Bangalore Exp #6525 (10.55 am, 18 hr); Chennai Trivandrum-Chennai Mail #6320 (3.25 pm, 20 hr); Madurai Quilon Exp (12.30 pm, 10 hr); Thiruvananthapuram Chennai-Trivandrum Mail #6319 (10.15 am, 1¾ hr).

Bus Buses regularly depart south to Thiruvananthapuram (1½ hr) and Varkala (1 hr, 10 daily) and north to Kochi (3½ hr) via Alappuzha (2 hr, every half-hour). Seats on express buses can be reserved in advance.

Boat See Backwater section for more information. The daily (during the season) DTPC and ATDC tourist boat to Alappuzha starts by bus at the KSRTC bus station because the canal is blocked about half an hour north of Kollam. The bus goes to Panmana, a half-hour away. The boat cruise can be booked at many of the hotels in town.

You can take a public ferry across Ashtamudi Lake to Guhanandapuram (1 hr) and Muthiraparam (2½ hr). Because of canal blockage, the public ferry from Kollam to Alappuzha was not operating as of this writing.

Pop: 180,000
Phone Code: 0481

Kottayam was a major settlement for the Syrian Christian community. Most tourists come here as a stopover on their way to somewhere else. They may be taking a short backwater trip to or from Alappuzha, or be going to or from Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary. Devotees of Ayappa Swami may pass through on their way to the temple in Sabarimala.
The backwater trip between Alappuzha and Kottayam (2½ hr) is a good, much shorter alternative to the Kollam to Alappuzha trip.

Information
There is tourist information available at the KTDC Hotel Aiswarya and at the Tourist Information Office, Central Junction.

The Bank of India and the Hotel Anjali change money (not all TCs). At Canara Bank, KK Rd you can get Visa cash advances. ATM at Global Trust, Shastri Rd takes Visa cards.

Intimacy Cyber Cruise (280-2008), KK Rd fo Internet atr Rs 30 per hr and Zoom Communications (256-5618), Azad Lane for Rs 30 per hr.

Syrian Christian Churches & Temple
There are two interesting 13th century churches 4km northwest of the center of town on a hill. In the Valliapalli (big) St. Mary’s Church (1550), there are two 8th century Nestorian stone crosses, one with Pahlavi inscriptions on it and the other with Syriac. The two crosses are on either side of the elegantly decorated altar. These crosses are possibly the earliest example of Christianity in India. The Guest-book dating back to the 1890s includes such visitors as the British Viceroy and the Ethiopian King Halie Selassie (1956).

The interior of the Cheriapalli (small) St. Mary’s Orthodox Church has 400-year-old vegetable dye paintings on the ceilings and walls. If the doors are locked, you can get the key at the church office (open 9 am to 1 pm and 2 to 5 pm).

The Thirunakkara Siva Temple, in the center of town, does not allow non-Hindus to enter.

Local Travel
An auto-rickshaw costs about Rs 15 from the center of town to the railway station, KSRTC bus stand, or the boat jetty. An auto-rickshaw from the railway station to the boat jetty costs about Rs 15.

Where to Stay
Kaycees Lodge (563-440), YMCA Rd, has good clean rooms with bath for Rs 110/160.
Hotel Ambassador (256-3293), KK Rd, has rooms for Rs 200/260 and Rs 300 with A/C. It is a good value.
Green Park (563-331), Kurian Uthup Rd, Nagampadam, near the railway station, is a modern place that has decent rooms for Rs 400/500 and Rs 600/700 with A/C.
Homestead Hotel (256-0467), KK Rd, 1km from the railway station, has good clean rooms for Rs 350/500 and with A/C for Rs 900. It has a vegetarian restaurant. It is a good value.
KTDC Hotel Aiswarya (581-440), off Temple Rd, in the center of town, has poorly maintained rooms for Rs 250/300 to Rs 500/600 and Rs 700/850 with A/C.
Hotel Aida (256-8391; fax 256-8399), MC Rd, has clean rooms for Rs 500/800 and Rs 600/900 with A/C. They have a restaurant and do foreign exchange. It is a pleasant place.
Hotel Nisha Continental (563-984), Sastri Rd, has rooms for Rs 250/350 and Rs 600 with A/C. It has a restaurant with Keralan meals.
Anjali Hotel (Casino Group) (563-661; fax 563-669), KK Rd, 3km from the railway station, has comfortable central A/C rooms for Rs 800/1100 to Rs 1250/1700. It has several restaurants. Recommended.
Vembanad Lake Resort (236-0866; fax 236-0866: Email: ktm_vembanad@sancharnet.com), 2km south of city center, is located in a nice place with a pleasant garden next to a lake. It is a modern place that has large rooms for Rs 700 and Rs 950 with A/C.

Where to Eat
Black Stone is a good vegetarian place.
Indian Coffee House is on TB Rd.
Thali Restaurant, Homestead Hotel, KK Rd, has good thalis for Rs 50.
There are good restaurants in the Anjali Hotel.
Vembanad Lake Resort has a good evening meal in their restaurant, which is on a kettu-vallam (Keralan rice barge).

Travel
Train There are express trains going to and from Thiruvananthapuram (100km), Kollam (165km), and Ernakulam (65km).

Bus The KSRTC bus stand is half a km south of the town center on TB Rd. The private bus stand is in the center of town near the railway station. There are regular express buses to Ernakulam (Kochi), Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, and Madurai (7 hr, 3 daily).

There is one direct bus to Thekkadi in the morning for Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary (4 hr). You can also take a bus to Kumily (2 hr) and another bus from there to Thekkadi. You can also take a taxi to Thekkadi for Rs 1000.

Boat Ferries to Alappuzha depart from the boat jetty, 2km south of town. About 10 boats go daily to Alappuzha (2½ hr), the first at 6.30 am. It is an interesting trip. You can also rent your own boat to Alappuzha (Rs 500 to Rs 600).

Pop: 3,000
Phone Code: 0471

Kovalam, 17km south of Thiruvananthapuram, has a beautiful, clean beach. November through January is the high season, and the area is especially busy during the Christmas holiday. Kovalam is popular with package tours and families. You can get good Ayurvedic massages and oil baths here

There are three stretches of beach, but two main areas. Most of the foreigner’s stay on Lighthouse Beach, which is more developed. There are some vendors on the beach, but they are not too pushy.
The climate is hot here all year round. The best and coolest time to come is between December and March. It starts to get very hot in April. Between April and October the waves can rise to 6m (20 ft) high, and swimming can be dangerous because of the undertow.

There is almost nothing to do at night, except to eat in a restaurant or see a video. If you are young and single and are interested in meeting people you most likely will prefer to go to Goa (especially if you are interested in the party scene), Varkala or Gokarna (if you want a nice secluded beach). I consider Kovalam a conservative beach.

Orientation
There are three beaches extending over a 4km stretch. The southern one is known as Lighthouse Beach and is the most crowded. This is where most of the cheaper hotels are located. It takes about five minutes to walk from one end of the beach to the other.

The middle beach, Hawah, is just north (actually connected to) of Lighthouse Beach. There are several hotels along this beach. The north beach, Samudra, is not yet developed and only has cottages. The Ashok Resort is between the middle beach and the north beach. Kovalam village goes along the main road and has some small bookshops, a post office, and other shops.

Information
The KTDC Tourist Office (480-085) near the Ashok Hotel can supply a map of Kovalam, can arrange for a Kollam-Alappuzha backwater ticket (Rs 150), and can book hotels. Open during the season daily 10 am to 5 pm; off-season Mon to Sat 10 am to 5 pm.

There are many people giving massages here. You can get a good Ayurvedic massage (Rs 150 per hour) at the Seaweed Hotel. The man is professional. There is a women masseuse at (Rs 150 per hour) Wilson’s Tourist Home.
United Arts and Books, up the road from the Hotel Sea Rock, have a decent selection of books.

The lighthouse can be visited from 2 to 4 pm daily.
Boogie boards and surfboards can be rented on the beach for Rs 30 per hour.

The tailor at Wilson’s Tourist Home is good.
Upasana Hospital, near the Ashok Hotel gate, has an English-speaking doctor.

Money, Post and Internet
You can change travelers cheques at the Central Bank of India at the Ashok Radisson Beach Resort (Mon to Fri 10.30 am to 2 pm, Sat 10.30 am to noon). Pournami, a shop on the road to Kovalam Junction, a ten-minute walk from the bus stand, changes money (9 am to 6.30 pm). You can also change money at Wilson’s Tourist Home and the Hotel Neptune at the bank rate.

The Post Office is in Kovalam village. Poste restante that is sent to Kovalam may end up in Thiruvananthapuram. Postal code: 695527.
Pournami (48147) has e-mail and internet facilities.

Travel Agencies
Aries Travel, with an office in Kovalam and Thiruvananthapuram, is an established travel agency.

Western Travels (481-334; fax 481-429), next to the bus stand, sells plane tickets, confirms plane reservations, and arranges train and bus tickets (Rs 50 service charge). They hire out taxis and send and receive faxes. They allow callbacks for Rs 5 a minute and book sight-seeing tours to Thiruvananthapuram and Kanyakumari.

Visit India (481-069), Lighthouse Rd, is a good travel agency.

WARNING! The local water can be very bad, as there are many pit toilets leaking into the well water. It is advisable to drink only bottled water.
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CAUTION! Swimming in the ocean here can be dangerous and many people drown. The lifeguards mark different areas of the sea as

DANGEROUS. They are not kidding. If the current catches someone, it pulls them both down and out.

It is a good idea to swim with another person. Most people should not swim past where they can touch the ground. If you are caught in an undertow, do not try to fight it. Immediately call for help (don’t be proud), try to swim sideways out of the rip tide, and use the incoming waves to return to shore. Remember that good swimmers are more likely to drown in the sea than bad swimmers (they take more chances). I have a Red Cross Senior Life Saving Certificate and I almost drowned myself.

The lifeguards have an ingenious system for saving people. A few men stay on the beach while one man swims out with a rope to the person caught in an undertow. When he reaches the victim, he hands the person the rope and the men on shore pull them both in.

You also have to be careful of the jellyfish. The small orange jellyfish are dangerous, and the purple ones are harmless.

Where to Stay
Prices for hotels vary according to the season. December and January are the peak months, and November and February are also busy. The price of a room in March can be half the price of the same room in January. You can sometimes get a lower rate if you stay for a long time. As you get further from the beach, room prices usually drop or you get a better room for the same price as a room on the beach.

There are cottages along the beach for rent at cheap rates—starting at Rs 30 per day. The prices vary according to the season and the naïveté of the customer. It is best to inspect a few places before you choose one.

Where to Stay—Lower
Eden Seaside Resort (481-749), Lighthouse Rd, like many of the places, is willing to charge about half their normal day rate if you stay for a month. Fairly basic double rooms are Rs 600 in the high season and Rs 300 in the low.
Nearby, Hotel Thiruvathira (480-787), Lighthouse Rd, has ground floor doubles for Rs 500 and upstairs rooms with a balcony for Rs 700. Low season prices are Rs 250 and Rs 350.
Apsara Guest House is a fairly good place.
Surya Tourist Home (481-012), a little back from the beach, is a cheap place that has rooms with common bath for Rs 150 and Rs 200 with bath in the low season and Rs 200 and Rs 300 during the high season.
Sandy Beach Resort (480-012) has renovated rooms for Rs 650 (Rs 450 in low season).
Thiruvonam Hotel (480-661), on the beach, has good double rooms for Rs 500 to Rs 650.
Sergeant Guest House, inland from Lighthouse Beach, is a popular place managed by an interesting retired sergeant.
Hotel Jeevan House (480-662) has rooms for Rs 300 to Rs 1400. During the low season rooms are Rs 150 to Rs 500.
Green Valley (480-636) and Silent Valley Hotels (480-636), back from the beach next to some rice fields, has good clean rooms for Rs 650 (Rs 350 in low season).
Sabeeh Bhavan (480-140), near Sea Rock Rd, has four rooms in a house for Rs 150 (Rs 75 in low-season).
Blue Sea (480-401; fax 480-490), is a nice Kerala style house with a garden. It is a good value. The rooftop rooms have a good view.
Royal Retreat (481-080), Light House Beach, is a good budget place with rooms for Rs 300.
Pappukutty Beach Resort (480-235; fax 480-234; email: natraj@kelnetxlweb.com) has cottages with hot water ranging from Rs 300 to Rs 900.

Where to Stay—Middle
Rockholm Hotel (480-306; fax 480-607), Lighthouse Rd, is a very nice, recommended place beside the lighthouse. It has a good view of the sea. In the busy season rooms are Rs 1250/1400. 25% off-season discount. The rooms on the roof can get very hot during the day.
Sea Weed Hotel (480-391; fax 480-806) is a nice place with clean rooms downstairs for Rs 600/700 and rooms upstairs with a view of the sea for Rs 1000/1200. There is a man here who gives good professional Ayurvedic massages. Recommended.
Varmas Beach Resort (480-478) is another really good place with balconies overlooking a cove. It has modern, well-furnished rooms for Rs 1400 and Rs 1750 with A/C. During the low season, rooms are Rs 750.
Hotel Samudra Tara (54653) is also a good place with rooms for Rs 700 up to Rs 900 for a room with a balcony on the sea.
Moonlight Tourist Home (480-375; 481-078), set back from the beach, has large, modern, clean rooms for Rs 700 to Rs 1000 (low season) and Rs 1200 to Rs 1700 (high season).
The popular Hotel Sea Rock (480-422; fax 480-722), right on Hawah beach, has sea-facing rooms with balconies for Rs 1250 (high season) and Rs 650 for a room in the back. In the low season the same rooms are Rs 400 and Rs 300. It is one of the best places on the beach.
The new Golden Sands (481-077) has spacious, comfortable rooms for Rs 850 and Rs 450 during the low season.
Hotel Orion (480-999), well located overlooking Lighthouse Beach, has rooms for Rs 700/1400 and a suite with A/C and a fridge for Rs 2200 during the high season. During the low seasons rates are Rs 600 and Rs 1000.
Hotel Parklane (480-058), back from the beach, has comfortable, clean rooms, some with balconies, for Rs 900 (includes breakfast). During the low season rooms are Rs 450.
Even further back from the beach is Raja Hotel (480-355), with rooms facing the sea for Rs 1000 (Rs 500 low-season). It has a vegetarian restaurant.
Wilson Tourist Home (480-051), back from the beach, has clean rooms for Rs 450 to Rs 1500. During the off-season rooms go down to Rs 200 to Rs 500. It is a friendly, well-managed place.
Paradise Rock (480-658), Lighthouse Rd, has large, nice, clean rooms overlooking the beach.
Neptune (480-622), back from Lighthouse Beach, has rooms for Rs 500 to Rs 1000. The rooms are half this price during the low season. There are Kathakali dances at this hotel.
The popular Moonlight Tourist Home (480-375) has large, clean rooms, some with small balconies for Rs 1000 (Rs 500 low-season) and Rs 1500 with A/C.
Hotel Thushara (481-693: fax same) has nicely built, comfortable cottages and rooms for Rs 1000 (Rs 450 in low-season).
Nearby, the new Royal Retreat has comfortable A/C cottages for Rs 1100 (Rs 600 in low-season).

Where to Stay—Higher
Hotel Palmshore (480-494; fax 480-495), south of the lighthouse, overlooks a private cove in a peaceful location. It has comfortable rooms for $65 and with A/C $75 during the Dec-Jan peak time. The rest of the high-season rooms are $50 and $60 with A/C. The price drops to $30 and $35 during the low season.
Ashok Beach Resort (480-101; fax 481-522) is a luxurious place with an excellent location. It has a pool, a bookshop, tennis courts, and a Yoga and Health Center that offers Ayurvedic oil massages and baths. Rooms are $130/150 and suites are $175 up to $400 in the high season. They accept most major credit cards.
Swagath Holiday Resorts (481-148; fax 330-990), above the beach overlooking the lighthouse, has comfortable rooms for Rs 1500 to Rs 2000 and Rs 1800 to Rs 2600 with A/C and Rs 4000 for an A/C suite. It does not have a pool. It has a good restaurant. Rooms with a view of the lighthouse get hit by a brilliant light all night.
Hotel Sea Face (418-835; fax 481-320), on Hawah Beach, is a new modern place that has rooms with TV for Rs 2400 and with A/C for Rs 2800. Deluxe rooms are Rs 3500 and suites are Rs 5000. Between June and October there is a 25% discount. The pool overlooks the sea.
KTDC Hotel Samudra (480-089, 480-413; fax 480-242), 2km north of the main beach, by itself, has A/C doubles for Rs 1500/2500 (Rs 1800 during the low-season). It is close to the beach in a pleasant secluded location, and the best rooms have a view of the sea.
Palmanova (480-494; fax 480-495), Lighthouse Rd, has comfortable rooms with a good view from their own terraces for Rs 1800. Palm trees surround it.

Where to Eat
There are many places along the beach. Many places show nightly movies.
Sanatana’s has a good sound system.
Serenity, south end of the beach, and the nearby Shiva’s Moon, serve good Western breakfasts.
Garzia makes fresh pasta.
Classic is a popular place with budget travelers.
Hotel Appu, a good distance from the beach, has good, cheap Indian food, and is popular with the locals.
Pizzeria Italian and Indian Restaurant, Light House Rd, is a good place with Italian food including pizza, lasagna with cheese and tomato sauce and grilled eggplant with cheese. It is medium priced.
Lonely Planet vegetarian restaurant is in a peaceful location back from the beach. It is a good place for South Indian, Western, and inexpensive thalis. Recommended.
German Bakery sells baked goods, muesli, pasta, and breads.
Hotel Sunshine serves good, cheap thalis (Rs 20).
Rockholm Hotel has a good restaurant with a view of the sea.
Hotel Seaweed has a popular rooftop restaurant.
The Sea Rock Hotel restaurant has a view of the sea.
Ashok Beach Resort and the Swagath Holiday Resorts have good restaurants.

Entertainment
Many restaurants along the beach show nightly movies. During the high season there are often Kathakali dance performances at the Hotel Ashok on Saturday and Sunday evenings.
The Neptune Hotel hosts a Kathakali dance troupe three nights a week.

Travel
Air The closest airport is in Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum), a half-hour from Kovalam.

Bus The bus stand is located just outside the gate of the Ashok Hotel, next to Kovalam Beach. Getting to Kovalam usually means first passing through Thiruvananthapuram. From Thiruvananthapuram, buses (Rs 4) depart every 40 minutes from the Fort Bus Depot on MG Rd, opposite the Hotel Luciya Continental (bus #9D or #111).

There are direct buses to Kanyakumari (2 hr, four buses daily), Ernakulam, Kochi, Varkala, Padmanabhapuram, Nagercoil, and Kollam. There is a morning bus to Thekkady in the Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary. The 7 am bus to Kollam gets you there in time to catch the backwater boat to Alappuzha.

If you are going to Madurai, you can take a bus to Nagercoil (2 hr) and from there, one of the regular buses to Madurai.

Taxi and Rickshaw A shared taxi from Thiruvananthapuram to here is Rs 20 per person. An auto-rickshaw to or from Thiruvananthapuram is Rs 60 to Rs 80. If you are willing to wait, you can sometimes get an auto-rickshaw to Thiruvananthapuram at a cheaper rate if the driver wants to return to Thiruvananthapuram. A taxi from Thiruvananthapuram to Kovalam costs Rs 150 to Rs 200. A prepaid taxi from Thiruvananthapuram airport to Kovalam is Rs 200. It is usually better to arrive at the lighthouse (Vizhinjam) end of the beach because there are not many touts in that area and that is where most of the hotels are located.

Pop: 860,000 Area
Phone Code: 0471

Thiruvananthapuram is the capital of Kerala. The city derives its name from Thiru-anantha-puram—the city, or puram, of Ananta, the sacred serpent. Lord Padmanabha (Lord Vishnu) reclines on Ananta here in the famous Sri Padmanabhaswami Temple. The city is situated on seven small hills and is spread out over a large area. Thiruvananthapuram was made the capital of Travancore State by Dharma Raja two centuries ago.

Many foreign tourists come to this city on their way to the beach town of Kovalam, which is 18km away.

Orientation
Thiruvananthapuram is spread out over a fairly large area. The most important places are on or just off MG Road, which runs north–south through the center of town. The museums and zoo are on Museum Road, just off North MG Road. The Indian Airlines office and the Mascot Hotel are on north MG Road.

The railway station and bus station, in the southern part of town, are a few blocks east of MG Road, on Central Station Rd (also called Station or Subramaniam Rd), across the street from one another. A few minutes walk from the railway station is Manjalikulam Rd, where several budget hotels are located.

The Padmanabhaswami Temple is in the southern, old part of the city, south of the railway station. Not far from the temple on MG Road is the local bus stand, from which buses depart to Kovalam.
You can get a good city map from Pai and Company Bookshop on MG Road.

Information
The Tourist Information Center (232-1132), Museum Rd, is off the north end of MG Rd, across the street from the museum entrance. They have good literature on Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka and can provide information on Keralan festivals. Tours are not arranged here, but at the office next to the Chaithram Hotel. Open daily 10 am to 5 pm.

The KDTC Tourist Reception Center (223-30031), on Station Rd in front of the Chaithram Hotel, near the railway station, organizes tours. Open Mon to Sat 6:30 am to 9:30 pm. There is also a KDTC Tourist counter at the long-distance bus stand. Open Mon to Sat 10 am to 4:45 pm. There is a helpful Tourist Office at the airport.

The British Library (68716), YMCA, near the Secretariat, has British newspapers and magazines.

Cosmopolitan Hospital (448-182), in the northwest section of town, is a good hospital.

Tours
KTDC Tourism offers different tours at their office by the Chaithram Hotel. The Thiruvananthapuram tour (Rs 70, 8 am to 7 pm) goes to Sri Padmanabhaswami Temple, the Science and Technology Museum, the zoo, Veli Lagoon, Shanghmugham Beach, and Kovalam Beach.

The Tourist Reception Centre organizes a four-hour Backwater Tour.

The Kanyakumari Tour departs at 7:30 am and returns at 9 pm. It goes to Kovalam, Padmanabhapuram Palace (closed Mon), Suchindram Temple, and Kanyakumari (Rs 150). You can be picked up in Kovalam at 8:30 am, but they will not drop you off there. This tour is popular, so should be booked a few days in advance.

There is a Sabarimala Tour (Ayyappa Temple) departing the last day of the Malayalam month as well as every day during Mandala Puja and the Makaravilakku season. It departs at 9:30 pm and returns at 8:30 pm the next day.

Post and Internet
The GPO is down a side street off MG Road, in the Vanchiyur area, by the Sri Padmanabhaswami Temple. It is open from 8 am to 8 pm and has a poste restante downstairs. There is a tailor who can seal your package for you across the street.Poste restante sent to Kovalam may end up here.

Internet connection here are less expensive than other area of India as a cleass. NN Computers and Communication Centre (321-311), on MG Rd, near the Hotel Regency has email facilities. Email facilities at the Hotel Chaithram.

Chem Saft Cyber Cafe, Press Road has cheap internet.

Money
Wall Street Finances, behind the Luciya Continental Hotel in East Fort (Mon to Sat 10 am to 6 pm) changes money efficiently.

State Bank of India on MG Road, near the Secretariat, and the Central Bank of India branch in the Chaithram Hotel, Station Rd, change money. The Andhra Bank, a block south of the Secretariat on MG Rd, is fairly efficient at changing money and also gives credit card advances.

The Thomas Cook office is at Tour India (phone & fax: 331-407), MG Rd. The American Express office is at The Great Indian Tour Company (233-1422; fax 330-579), Mullassery Tavern, Vanross Junction.

Canara Bank TT Forex (233-2127), Niranjan towerss, Vellayambalam is connected to American Expressand are helpful.

Visa Extensions
You can apply for a visa extension at the Foreigners’ Registration Office, Commissioner of Police on Residency Rd. They do not normally extend a tourist visa, but only student and entry visas. The extension takes three days to a week. Open Mon to Sat 10 am to 5 pm.

Travel Agencies and Car Rental
Travel Destination (330-702; fax 331-346), Chaithram Hotel, Central Station Rd, near the long-distance bus station, books and confirms airline tickets and reserves trains. A (67183; fax 331-704), MGirtravel Enterprises India Limited Rd. near the intersection with Museum Rd, is a good place to purchase airline tickets. They will also confirm tickets, help with visas, and exchange money. Aries Travels, Ayswarya Building, Press Rd, is a reliable place to arrange tours to the Maldives. Chalukya (444-618), Vadayakadu, Kunnukzhy, arranges high-end tours and treks to village areas.

To hire a car, there is Inter-Car (67964), Ayswarya Building, Press Rd; Travel India (78208), Convent Rd; Best Travel’s (62616), Pandit’s Building, Palayam; Natraj Travels (63064), Thampanoor; or Jolly Tours (72001), MG Rd, which is very good.

Bookshops
Higginbothams Bookshop and Pai & Co on MG Road are decent bookshops but carry limited stock. Continental Books, MG Rd. just north of Station Rd, has a decent selection of books. Morning Star Books in the Chaithram Hotel, Station Rd, has books about India and Southeast Asia and some maps. There is also DC Bookshop, Statue Junction, opposite the Secretariat, that has a good selection of books to chose from..

Shopping
The Kairali Government Emporium, opposite the Secretariat on MG Road, and SMSM Handicrafts Emporium, behind the Secretariat, are both good shops. Chalai Bazaar by the railway station is a good place to shop.

The Central Handicrafts Emporium has a good selection of items. Khadi Gramodyog, MG Rd, north of Station Rd, sells handloom cloth. Gram Sree sells village handicrafts.

Natesan Antique Arts, MG Rd, north of Station Rd, sells temple woodcarvings, paintings, and other items. Their prices are high, but so is their quality.

Sri Padmanabhaswami Temple
This is an important and ancient Vishnu temple, believed to have been rebuilt by Marthanda Varma in 1733 AD. The temple is on an elevated part of the city, and its eastern tower (built in 1566) is seven-storeys high (30m). The temple is a blend of local Keralan style and Dravidian architecture. It is intricately carved in granite.

The main Deity in this temple is Lord Padmanabha, who reclines on Ananta, the thousand-headed serpent. He is 5.5m (18 ft) long, and is one of the largest Vishnu Deities in India. He was originally formed from an iluppa tree, but was later replaced with 12,000 shalagram-shilas, carried on elephant back from the River Gandaki in Nepal. The Deity reclines in a large, dimly-lit room. Devotees view him through three large doors, one revealing his feet, another his midsection (with Brahma on the lotus), and the third his chest and head.

It took seven months for 4,000 stonecutters, 8,000 workers, and a hundred elephants to build the Sreebalipura, the rectangular corridor surrounding the temple. There are 324 pillars in the temple corridor. It is 150m long on one side, 105m long on the other, and 7.5m (25 ft) wide.

After conquering the local area in 1729, Marthanda Varma, ruler of Travancore, came to the temple and offered all his possessions—his scepter, his sword, his army, and his people—to Lord Padmanabha. He symbolically placed the royal sword on the altar steps. He then received the sword back and ruled the state as “Padmanabha dasa,” servant of Lord Padmanabha. He ordained that his successors would do likewise.

The processional Deity of Lord Vishnu is taken at 4 pm on his daily procession around the temple grounds. There are several other deities in the temple including Sita, Rama, Hanuman, Krishna, and Yoga Narasimha.

The temple tank, Padma Teertham, is located just outside the main eastern entrance of the temple.
Only Hindus are allowed in the temple, but converted Hindus may also be permitted. Men must wear a dhoti and remove their shirts; women must wear saris. Entrance fee Rs 5. From MG Rd a large yellow gate marks the entrance to the temple.

The Padmanabha Swami Temple darshan times are 4.15 to 5 am, 6.45 to 7.30 am, 8.30 to 10.30 am, 11.30 to 11.45 am, and 5.15 to 7.30 pm.

Festivals
There are two main annual temple festivals, one in March-April (Meenam), and the other in Oct-Nov (Thulam). The Utsavam Festival is a ten-day festival. On each of the ten days there are festivities inside the temple (Hindus only).

During the Arat Festival, the last day of the Utsavam festival, the Sri Padmanabha processional Deity is brought around the temple and then carried in grand procession to Shangumugham Beach to be bathed. The procession is led by the Maharaja of Travancore and his five, gold-clothed elephants. The Maharaja, who walks the entire way, wears a simple white dhoti and goes bare-chested. Before the procession begins, there is a twenty-one-gun salute. The procession leaves the temple accompanied by music at 5 pm and arrives at the beach about an hour later. After the ceremonies at the beach, the Deity returns to the temple by about 9 pm. The day ends with a fireworks display.

Martial Arts Gyms
There is a martial arts gym near the red brick CVN Kalari Sangam close to the temple. You can view the students practicing Kalarippayat fighting. Foreigners can also take lessons. They also provide traditional Ayurvedic massage and have a good Ayurvedic doctor.

At PS Balachandran Nair Kalari martial arts gym (65140), in the eastern part of the city, Kalariyil, Cotton Hill, students are trained both in unarmed and armed combat in Kalarippayat, the traditional Keralan technique. Visitors can view classes with permission (daily 6 to 8 am and 6 to 7 pm). The school has short courses in Kalarippayat and foreigners are permitted to attend.

Museum, Gallery, Zoo and Public Gardens
These places are all in the park at the north end of the city, on Museum Rd; a few minutes walk east of MG Rd. The Napier Museum displays a fine collection of 400 bronze deities. It’s worth seeing. There is a 9th century Deity of Lord Vishnu with inlaid crystal eyes, a 17th century bronze Vishnu and Garuda, and a wooden sculpture of Narasimha.

There are also elaborately carved wooden temple carts (ratha), 15th century Keralan woodcarvings, 12th century Chola, and 14th century Vijayanagar bronze deities, a wooden model of the Guruvayur temple, detailed ivory pieces, and gold necklaces. It has interesting architecture in the “Indo-Saracenic” style, with stained-glass windows and a wooden ceiling. Open daily except Mon 9 am to 5 pm; on Wed 1 to 5 pm.

The architecturally interesting Shri Chitra Art Gallery has paintings of the Rajput, Mughal, and Tanjore schools. There are also modern Indian paintings, especially ones painted by Ravi Varma (1848-1906), and Chinese, Japanese, Tibetan, and Balinese paintings. There are copies of the Ajanta frescoes.

The National History Museum has a collection of stuffed animals and dolls wearing traditional costumes. You get a ticket for all three places at the National History Museum for Rs 5.
Also in the park are a good Zoo and a Botanical Garden. The zoo is open 9 am to 5 pm daily except Monday. Admission Rs 5, camera Rs 5. Tickets sold at the Shri Chitra Art Galley.

Puthen Malika Palace (Horse Palace)
This was the palace of Prince Swati Tirunal, and is located just 100m southeast of the Padmanabhaswami Temple. The museum received the name “Horse Palace” because it contains 122 wooden pillars carved in the shape of galloping horses. It is an interesting example of Keralan architecture. The Puthen Malika Palace is also known as the Kuthira Malika Palace.

The museum contains weapons, paintings of the Rajas and Ranis of Travancore, a solid crystal throne, full-sized Kathakali figures, and items from Italy, China, and other places belonging to the Maharajas. It also has excellent murals. Open daily except Mon 8:30 am to 12:30 pm and 2 to 5:30 pm. Admission Rs 20; no cameras.

During the Musical Festival (Feb-March), which is held on the palace lawn, classical music is performed in memory of Prince Swati Tirunal’s love for music. He was a famous musician and composer.

Other Places
Chachu Nehru Children’s Museum, in the east part of the city in an area called Thycaud, has over 2,000 dolls, stamps, and ritual masks. Open Mon to Fri 10am to 5pm.

The Science and Technology Museum, Museum Rd, has science exhibits. Open daily except Mon 10 am to 5 pm. Admission Rs 1.

Margi
This is a school that often gives free Kathakali dance-drama and Kutiyattum (Keralan martial art) performances in the evening. You may also be able to watch a class. It is located west of the Padmana-bhaswami Temple, near Fort High School (%434-066). The school can also provide information about performances. Free performances take place at the Nishagandhi Auditorium from Sept to March on Sat at 6:45 pm.

Where to Stay
The hotels here fill up by later in the day, so it may be difficult to find a room by late afternoon. Besides staying in town, you can also stay at the beach in Kovalam (18km).

Where to Stay—Lower
Most of the inexpensive places are near the railway and bus stations, on or close to Station Rd. Most of the hotels on Station Rd are not very good and are especially noisy. A better area is along Manjalikulam Rd, which heads north off Station Rd and is a five-minute walk from the station. This road is lined with hotels for about 1km, from low-end to good mid-range hotels. It is a quiet street.

Sundar Tourist Home (233-0532) has rooms with common bath for Rs 100/135 and Rs 175/2500 with bath.
Nalanda Tourist Home (471-864), MG Rd, has rooms for Rs 100/140. The rooms on the street side are noisy, but the back rooms are not so bad. It is close to the local bus stand (for Kovalam).
Pravin (233-0753), Manjalikulam Rd, has quiet rooms with clean bathrooms and big windows for Rs 175/300. TV in lobby.
Bhaskara Bhavan Tourist Paradise (79662) isn’t really a paradise, but the rooms are clean and cheap at Rs 75/125; some rooms go for Rs 100.
Sivada Tourist Home (330-320) is a good place with clean, well-maintained rooms for Rs 100/150 and Rs 250/350 with A/C. It is built around a nice courtyard.
Manacaud (327-578), Manjalikulam Rd, has large, clean rooms with bath for Rs 125/250.
Hotel Ammu, nearby, has rooms for Rs 200/250 and Rs 500 with A/C.
Hotel Kyvalya is a good place. It has double rooms with bath for Rs 350.
Taurus Lodge (247-7071: fax: 233-1704), off Statue Road, is a good place with clean rooms for Rs 250 to Rs 350. Some rooms are better than others. Well-managed and helpful. The owner is full of interesting information.
Omkara Lodge (245-1803), MG Rd, has really basic rooms for Rs 150/200.
Hotel Safari (477-202; fax 450541), MG Rd, has large rooms with bathtubs and hot water for Rs 225/325 and a room with A/C is Rs 500. It has a restaurant with a view of the city.
YWCA (247-7308), MG Rd, Spencer Junction, has clean modern double rooms for Rs 400 and with A/C for Rs 800. It is a friendly good place. It is very popular, so it must be booked in advance.
Yatri Niwas (63711), Thycaud, is very cheap, basic and popular.

Where to Stay—Middle
The well-managed Hotel Regency (233-1541; fax 233-1690; Email: hotelregency@satyam.net.in), Man­jali­kulam Rd, has clean, comfortable rooms with TV and hot water for Rs 300/450 and Rs 600/700 with A/C. It is a good value.
Hotel Highland (333-200), Manja­likulam Rd, is a tall building that can be seen from the railway station. It has comfortable, clean rooms for Rs 250/350 and Rs 550/650 with A/C. The staff here is helpful and friendly.
Hotel Amritha (323-091; fax 324-977), Thycaud, half a km from the railway station, has rooms for Rs 250/400 and Rs 500/675 with A/C.
Hotel Horizon (66888; fax 446-859), Aristo Rd, has comfortable rooms for Rs 550/700 and Rs 950/1100 with A/C. 24-hour checkout. It is a good value.
Residency (233-1661; fax 233-1311), Press Rd, has clean, modern rooms for Rs 550/700 and Rs 1000/1250 with A/C. It is a good value. Rooms have a phone and TV.
The modern KTDC Chaithram Hotel (233-0977; fax 233-1446' Email: chaithra@md3.vsnl.net.in), Central Station Rd, next to the KSRTC long-distance bus station, has good-size clean rooms for Rs 650/750 to Rs 1050/1250 with A/C. It is conveniently located by the bus and train station. It has exchange facilities, a veg restaurant, beauty parlor, bookshop and a travel agency.
Wild Palms (247-1175; fax: 246-1971; Email: wildpalm@md3.vsnl.net.in) is clean, pleasant guesthouse with large rooms for Rs 800/950 to Rs 1600. Has a pleasant atmosphere.
Thamburu International (321-881), opposite the railway station, has comfortable rooms for Rs 700/750 and Rs 850/950 with A/C. It is a good value.
Hotel Navaratna (331-784), YMCA Rd, near Manjalikulam Rd, has modern rooms with TV for Rs 300/450 and Rs 550/750 with A/C.
The two-star Jas Hotel (324-682; fax 324-443), Aristo Junction, has rooms with TV for Rs 600/700 and Rs 900/1000 with A/C. It is a good value and is in a quiet place on a hill.

Where to Stay—High
Hotel Pankaj (246-4645; fax: 246-5020; Email: hotelpankaj@sanchamet.in), MG Rd, opposite the Secretariat, is a well-maintained comfortable place with central A/C rooms with TV for Rs 1600/2000. Exchange facilities. It has a restaurant on the top floor with good views, which has buffet lunches.
KTDC Mascot Hotel, Museum Road, is a three-star hotel which is located about 3km north of the Padmanabhaswami Temple. Rooms with hot water, A/C and a TV are Rs 1200/1400 and suites are Rs 2500 plus 20% luxury tax. It has a pool. Best to see a few rooms before choosing one. Recommended.
The three-star Hotel Luciya Continental (463-443; fax 463-347), East Fort near the Sri Padmanabhaswami Temple, is a good, modern place with rooms for Rs 1895/2350 up to Rs 5500 for a suite. Centrally air-conditioned, pool, and bookshop.
The four-star South Park (233-3333; fax 233-1861; Email: mail@thesouthpark.com), MG Road, is a Welcomgroup modern hotel with comfortable A/C rooms for Rs $60/70 up to Rs $120 for a suite. It has a good restaurant and coffee shop.
The well-managed Hotel Fort Manor (462-222; fax 460-560), Power House Junction, half a km south of the railway station, has clean large rooms (some with good views) with A/C for Rs 1250/1550. You can eat on the roof, from where there are good views of the city. It has a small gym.
Horizon (326-888; fax 324-444), Aristo Rd, a 10-minute taxi ride north of the railway station, has good value rooms. 24-hour checkout.

Where to Eat
Hotel Arulakam, across the street and two blocks down from the railway station, has a vegetarian restaurant.
Arul Jyothi, opposite the Secretariat on MG Road, is a fairly good, cheap South Indian place.
Sri Ram Sweet Stall, on MG Rd near the Hotel Pankaj, is a good, cheap place.
Ananda Bhavan Restaurant, further north, is a basic South Indian meal place with a big selection of sweets.
The A/C Azad Restaurant, MG Rd, south of the railway station, is a good value.
Nearby, Rangoli, MG Rd, is a clean A/C place serving Indian and Chinese food.
Hotel City Tower, MG Rd, is a popular lunch place.
Vinayak Vegetarian Restaurant, Dharmalayam Rd, near Manjalikulam Rd, serves Keralan food.
Ananda Jyoti, Manjalikulam Rd, serves cheap Indian food.
Hotel Arroya, Station Rd, has good, cheap South Indian food.
There is an Indian Coffee House on Central Station Rd and one at Spencer Junction, MG Rd.
Prime Square, junction of Manjalikulam Rd and Central Station Rd, is a popular place with an ice cream place.
City Queen Restaurant, in the Highlands Hotel, Manjalikulam Rd, has good Chinese, Indian and Western food.
The KTDC Chaithram has two good restaurants. One is pure-veg and the other one is a Mughal-style North Indian place.
Sandhya Restaurant, on the 5th floor of the Pankaj Hotel, has good views of the city. The lunch buffet is a good value.
The Regency Hotel and Fort Manor Hotel have top-floor restaurants.
South Park Hotel serves good lunch and dinner buffets.
The Promenade in the Mascot Hotel, Museum Rd, has snacks and ice cream.
Hotel Pankaj has a restaurant on the top floor with good views and buffet lunches.
Snoozer’s Ice Cream, off Manjalikulam Rd, near Residency Towers, has ice cream, milkshakes and other goodies.

Local Travel
The rickshaw drivers are usually willing to use the meter. To get from the train station to the museum is about Rs 20.

Travel
Air There are flights to Bangalore (4 weekly, $150), Chennai (daily, $225), Delhi (daily, $325), Male (daily, $125) and Mumbai (3 daily, $225).

From Thiruvananthapuram, Air India flies to the Gulf. Some of those flights continue on to Europe and New York. Gulf Air flies to London and New York. There are daily Indian Air and Air Lanka flights to Colombo ($80), Sri Lanka. Indian Airlines and Air Maldives have daily flights to Male.

Airlines offices: Indian Airline (316-870), Mascot Junction; Air India (231-0310), Museum Rd, Velayambalam Circle; Air Maldives (246-1315), MG Rd; British Airways (326-604), Niranjan Towers; Jet Airways (322-329), Akshay Towers, Shastamangalam Junction; Gulf Air (232-7514) KP Elankath Rd, Vellayambalam; Kuwait Airways (232-1668), Panavila Junction; and Air Lanka (247-1815), Geethanjali Building, Vazhuthacaud.

The airport is near the beach, 6km from town. If you arrive on an international flight, you can change money at the bank before going through customs. It gives a good exchange rate. Local bus #14 goes downtown. A prepaid taxi costs Rs 125 to Rs 150 to the city and Rs 280 to Rs 350 to Kovalam.

Airtravel Enterprises (232-7627; fax 233-1704; Email: atetrv@md2.vsnl.net.in), New Corporation Building, MG Rd, Palayam, can book flights on most of the airlines.

Train The reservation office (64585) is on the first floor of the ticket office building (open Mon to Sat 8 am to 8 pm, Sun 8 am to 2 pm). Foreign tourist booking is handled at counter 8, the Chief Reservations Supervisor’s office, at the top of the stairs. They have a generous tourist quota.
It is best to book your train as far in advance as possible as it can sometimes be difficult to get a train out of Thiruvananthapuram. Trains to the larger cities can be booked a month in advance.
There are direct trains to Mangalore, Ernakulam (5 hr), Kanyakumari (2 hr), and many other places. There are about seven trains a day to Thrissur (8 hr). The train to Madurai departs about 7 pm and arrives in Madurai at 4 am. There are 12 trains daily to Kollam (1½ to 2½ hr, 65 km) via Varkala (50 min). Around ten trains a day go to Kochi.

Bangalore Kanyakumari-Bangalore Exp #6525 (9.20 am, 19 hr); Chennai Thiruvananthapuram-Chennai Mail #6320 (2 pm, 17 hr); Delhi Kerala Exp #2625 (11 am, 54 hr), Himsagar Exp #6017 (3.15 pm, Fri only); Goa (Margao) Rajdhani Exp #2431 (7.15 pm, 12 hr; Sun, Mon), Rajkot Exp #6334 (1.30 pm, 21 hr; Fri), Gandidham Exp #6336 (3.30 pm, 21 hr; Sat) Mumbai

Kanniyakumari-Mumbai Exp #1082 (7.15 pm, 45 hr). Mangalore Malabar Exp #6329 (5.40 pm, 16 hr), Thiruvananthapuram-Mangalore Exp (6 am, 15 hr).

Bus Long-distance buses depart from the Central Bus Station (KSRTC Thampanoor bus terminal), opposite the railway station. For short to medium trips, the buses are usually quicker than the trains. For lengthier trips, such as to Chennai, it is best to take a train.

Buses go to Kochi (5 hr), Chennai (17 hr, 4 daily), Madurai (7 hr, 10 daily), Bangalore (18 hr), and Kanyakumari via Nagercoil (2 hr, 12 daily).

About ten buses go daily to Madurai, some on the way to Chennai. You may be told that you cannot buy a ticket until a half-hour before departure. The problem is that some of the buses also go to Chennai, and you can purchase a ticket for Chennai hours in advance. Therefore, when you return, you will find the bus full. I saw this happen on two separate occasions. A good alternative is to take a bus to Nagercoil, about two hours away, and then get one of the many Nagercoil to Madurai buses from there. It took me seven hours to make the trip, the same amount of time it would have taken me to go from Thiruvananthapuram to Madurai directly. If you are staying in Kovalam, you do not necessarily have to come to Thiruvananthapuram to get to Madurai. You may be able to take a bus directly to Nagercoil and save time and trouble.

Transportation to Kovalam
There are many buses going to Kovalam Beach daily. You take bus #111 at the Fort Bus Stand, 100m south of the local bus stand on MG Rd, by the Hotel Luciya (Rs 4). At first the bus is usually very crowded, but it empties out quickly. If there is a long queue (line) to purchase a ticket, you can get a boy to wait in line for you for a few rupees.
You can get a shared taxi to Kovalam for Rs 20 per seat from the bus stand. An auto-rickshaw costs Rs 70 to go to the lighthouse end of the beach.

Phone Code: 04869

Periyar, about halfway between Kochi and Madurai, is a pleasant place to take a break and to view the wildlife, take a cruise on the lake, and to walk through the jungle. The 775 square km park is home to about thirty-five tigers and leopards, but they are rarely seen. The park is mainly known for its elephants. It has a 26 square km artificial lake, constructed by the British in 1895 to supply water to Madurai. Other wildlife are antelopes, sambars, wild boar, bison, Malabar flying squirrels, langur monkeys, many species of birds (over 200 varieties), and butterflies (over 100 different species). The park is located at an altitude of from 750m to 1500m above sea level. The park is mainly covered with evergreen and semi-evergreen trees. Over 250,000 people visit each year.

From the ruined Mangaladevi Temple, 13km from Kumily, there are good views of the surrounding area. It takes three to four hours to go there and back by jeep.

Information
The Sanctuary is just south of Kumily, a town on the border of Kerala and Tamil Nadu. Thekkady, inside the park where the KTDC hotels and the boat jetty are located, is 4km from Kumily. Periyar is used to refer to the entire park and Thekkady is the populated area. To refer to the park people may say Periyar, Kumily, or Thekkady—all in reference to the park.

There is a Wildlife Information Centre (322028) in Thekkady near the boat jetty, and a tourist office in Kumily. Entry fee for foreigners is Rs 60 for the first visit and Rs 10 for each additional visit. Entry fee for Indians is Rs 5It is a good idea to have warm clothing and rain gear, as it often rains in the afternoon. Best to avoid holidays and weekends. Daytrippers usually come on weekends and their noise often frightens the animals away.



The State Bank of Travancore exchanges money (Mon to Fri 10 am to 5 pm, Sat 10 am to noon). Some hotels change money.

Park Visit
Most people take a boat ride on the lake. There are five boats a day departing at 7, 9:30 and 11:30 am, and 2 and 4 pm. You have the best chance to see wildlife on the first (7 am) and last boats (4 pm). The normal park boat costs Rs 25 on the lower deck and Rs 50 on the upper deck. The upper deck, which is much better for viewing, is usually booked by tour groups. To get a seat on the upper deck, plan on arriving half an hour early and hope for a no-show. A little baksheesh to the boatman may also help.

You have a much better chance to see wildlife if you rent your own boat. The smaller the group the better. It costs Rs 500 for a boat ride with up to 12 people.

There is a daily three-hour jungle walk departing at 7:30 am (Rs 20). To walk further into the sanctuary, guides (Rs 100 per 3 hr) can be arranged at the Wildlife Information Centre. Visitors are not allowed to walk in the park without a guide. It is not a good idea to walk around the park during or immediately after the monsoon, because there are leeches everywhere.

It is possible to spend a night in one of the observation towers or resthouses. Observation towers cost Rs 175 a night plus extra for the boat ride there. You have to bring your own food and water. Resthouses cost Rs 300 a night; meals Rs 60. These places have to be booked weeks in advance.

The best time to visit the park is between September and May. From March to May, it can be very hot, but you are more likely to see a better selection of wildlife during this time because the animals’ usual water supply dries up and they are forced to use the lake.

Elephant rides are Rs 50 for thirty minutes for two people.

Where to Stay and Eat
Inside the Park There are three KTDC hotels in the park. These should be booked in advance at any KTDC tourist office or hotel, especially if you plan to stay on a weekend.

The popular Periyar House (322026; fax 322526; Email: periyar@sancharnet.in) has clean, comfortable rooms ranging from Rs 900 to Rs 1600. Price includes breakfast and dinner. Ask for a room with a view of the lake. It is in a pleasant location.
Aranya Nivas (322023; 322282; Email: aranyanivas@vsnl.com) has comfortable rooms for Rs 2700/4200 and Rs 1400/2400 for an A/C suite. There are good discounts in the low-season. It has a garden, TV lounge, exchange facilities, and a free morning and evening boat trip. The restaurant is very good and they normally have a Rs 300 dinner buffet.
Lake Palace (322023; fax 322282; Email: aranyanivas@vsnl.com reserve at Aranya Nivas), the former hunting lodge of the Maharaja, has six luxury suites for Rs 6200/7300, which includes meals and boating. Reception is at the Aranya Nivas. It is a quiet and real pleasant place. You must arrive at the Thekkady boat jetty by 4 pm to catch the last boat to the hotel. There are nice views. This place should definitely be booked in advance.
There are Forest Department Rest Houses in the park at Edappalayam (5km from Kumily), Manakavala (8km), and Mullakkudy (39km). You can inquire about vacancies at the Wildlife Information Centre. The rest houses are Rs 250/350. You have to bring your own food, but there is a keeper who will cook meals for you.
The Forest Department Watchtowers (Rs 125), overlooking the waterholes in the buffer zone, are booked at the Visitor Information Centre. They are the best place from which to view wildlife. You have to bring your own food and bedding. You have to get the 4 pm boat and then walk from there. A guide is helpful, as some places can be hard to find. If is has been raining, the leeches will be vicious.

Outside the Park
Lake Queen Hotel (322-084) has rooms for Rs 150/200 to Rs 250/450. See a few rooms, as some are better than others. It has a restaurant.
Woodland Tourist Bhavan has fairly basic double rooms for Rs 125 to Rs 200. They also have dorm beds.
Rolex Lodge (322081: Email: rextouris@ua.net), on the road to the park, has very basic rooms with bath for Rs 250 to Rs 950.
Claus Garden Home, five minutes from the Kumily bus stand, has rooms for Rs 200/250. It is a friendly place.
Muckumkal Tourist Home (322-070), near the Kumily bus stand, has rooms for Rs 150/200 and A/C rooms for Rs 500. It has a veg restaurant.
Hotel Regent Tower (322570; Email: regenttower@hotmail.com), near the bus stand, is a new place with clean rooms with bath and hot water for Rs 350 to 500.
Hotel Ambadi (322-193) has pleasant cottages for Rs 600 and rooms for Rs 1100. It has a good restaurant. It is a good value.
The Casino Group’s Spice Village (322314/5; fax 322317; Email: casino@vsnl.com) has luxury cottages for $125/135. It has a pleasant garden, a pool, and a very good restaurant. It is well-managed and is a recommended relaxing place. Hava a good lunch and dinner buffet for rs 450

The popular Coffee Inn (322963; Email: coffeeinn@satyam.net.in) is a nice huts in Rs 300 and cottage with for Rs 600. Some of he rooms are bomboo huts on stilts and rooms with bath in cottages.
It is an outdoor cafe with a good range of Western food. They have homemade brown bread. It also has budget rooms with common bath.

Travel
There is a bus every 15 minutes between Kumily and Thekaddy (4km) for Rs 3. Auto-rickshaws cost Rs 40. You can rent a bicycle at the KTDC Periyar House and Aranya Nivas. You can also rent a bike in Kumily. It is a nice shady walk to the lake from Kumily.

Buses from Periyar begin at the Aranya Nivas Hotel in Thekkady and then stop at the Kumily bus stand. There are buses to Ernakulam, Madurai, and Kottayam (4 hr, 110km, Rs 25). Express buses to Ernakulam (four daily, Rs 50) take six hours.

There are buses to Thiruvananthapuram (8 hr, two direct, Rs 65), Kovalam (9 hr, one daily), Munnar (4½ hr, one daily), and Kodaikanal (6½ hr, one daily) in Tamil Nadu.

There are KTDC tours to here that come from both Thiruvananthapuram and Kochi. These tours are extremely rushed and practically useless

Pop: 275,000 Area
Phone Code: 0487

Situated 74km north of Ernakulam, Thrissur was once the capital of Cochin State. There are some interesting temples in the towns in the area.

The Pooram Festival in April-May is one of the biggest events in India, with a thirty-elephant procession and fireworks. There is also an elephant festival in January. You can receive information about this festival at any Kerala

Orientation
Thrissur is the closest main city to the Guruvayur Temple. It is possible to stay overnight in a hotel here and make a day trip to Guruvayur, about an hour away.

In August-September there is the Onam Festival to welcome Maharaja Bali back from exile. There are spectacular elephant processions and fireworks during this festival. On the second and most important day of the festival, Thiruonam, there are exceptional festivities.

The point of orientation is the Round, a road subdivided into North, South, East, and West. It goes around the Maidan (park) surrounding the Vadakkunnathan Temple. The railway station is 1km southwest of Round South. The KSRTC long-distance bus stand and many of the hotels are in this area, near the railway station.

Information

There is a KTDC Tourist Office on Palace Rd, opposite the Town Hall, and there is another branch at the KTDC Yatri Niwas (27383), Stadium Rd.

The State Bank of India, opposite the Para­mek­kavu Temple, Round East, changes dollars and sterling, but not travelers cheques. The Bank of Travancore, next to the Paramekkavu Temple, changes only American Express travelers cheques. HDFC Bank, Palace Road, has an ATM. Canara Bank, Round South) does cash advances on Visa cards. UAT Money Exchange (244-5668), near the Casino Hotel, is a good place to change money.

The GPO is off TB Road, in the southern part of town, near the Casino Hotel.

Current Books, MG Rd, has a decent selection of books.

Vadakkunnathanan Temple
This temple is in the park, right in the center of the city. It is one of the largest temples in Kerala and has excellent carved woodwork. On the walls there are excellent murals of the Mahabharata and of Lord Vishnu reclining on Ananta.

It has three main shrines. One is dedicated to Vadakkunnathan (Lord Siva) and another to Sankara Narayana (Vishnu). South of these two shrines is a shrine dedicated to Lord Rama. Vadakkunnathan (Ten-Kailasanath) is a Maha-linga that is covered with offerings of hundreds-of-years-old ghee (clarified butter). The linga cannot be seen because the traditional abhisheka (bathing) with cow ghee over centuries has formed a 3m (10 ft) mound around the linga. This covering even makes it difficult for the priest to walk around the inner sanctum. The shrine dedicated to Sankara Narayana has beautiful paintings of the Mahabharata. There is also a Deity of Krishna in the temple and a Ganesh deity between the two northern altars.

The famous kuttambalam, or theater hall, is on the left of the entrance. Non-Hindus are not permitted in the temple except during the Pooram festival, when the restrictions are lifted. Open 4 to 10:30 am and 4 to 8:30 pm.

Pooram Festival
The major festival of the year is the xe "Pooram Festival" Pooram Festival held in April-May. This festival is celebrated in the Thekkinkadu Maidan, where the Vadakkunnathan Temple is located. It is celebrated by thousands of enthusiastic people. During this festival, deities from nine surrounding temples are brought to the Vadakkunnathan Temple. Several other temples in town also celebrate this festival, but it is particularly observed by the Paramekkavu and Thiruvambadi Temples. The main festivities take place from about noon to 5 pm and after 9 pm.

On the last day of the festival, a procession is held with thirty elaborately decorated elephants arriving at the Vadakkunnathan Temple. The festival contingents from two temples have a competition to decide who has the best-decorated elephants and who can put on the best show of outstanding drumming. At the end, there is a large fireworks display.

Temples in the Area
The Thiruvambadi Temple is a Krishna temple in the middle of town.

There is an important temple dedicated to Lord Rama, the Tiruvilamala Temple, 30km from Thrissur at Triprayar. It has excellent sculptures and woodcarvings. The Kutalmanikyam Temple, dedicated to Rama’s brother Bharata, is located at Irinjalakuda, 21km from Thrissur.

Other Places
The Archaeological Museum, Museum Rd, has a small but good collection of stone carvings, Gandharan pieces, temple models, and copies of the Mattancherry Murals (daily except Mon 10 am to 5 pm).

There is a Zoo (daily except Mon).

The Syrian Christian Lourdes Cathedral and Puttanpalli Church are large, impressive churches.

Where to Stay—Lower
Many of the hotels are booked months in advance for the Pooram festival.
The cheaper places are close to the bus station and railway station.
Chandy’s Tourist Home (421-167), Station Rd, has rooms with common bath for Rs 100 and Rs 125/250 with bath.
Jaya Lodge (242-3258) on Kurrupam Rd has rooms for Rs 100 to Rs 350.
Pathan’s Lodging (435-620, 425-621; fax 423-374), Chembottil Lane, off Round South, is a budget place in the center of town with a vegetarian restaurant. Rooms are Rs 150/250 and Rs 300 with TV.
Ramanilayam Guest House (233-2016), junction of Museum and Palace Roads, is a good place with rooms for Rs 275 to Rs 600. It is a good value and is often full.

Where to Stay—Middle
Alukkas Tourist Home (24067; fax 24073), Railway Station Rd, has clean rooms for Rs 150/300 and Rs 500 for an A/C room.
KTDC Yatri Niwas (332-333), Stadium Road, in a secluded area, has clean rooms for Rs 200/250 and Rs 400/450 with A/C.
Hotel Luciya Palace (242-4731; fax: 242-7290), Marar Rd, has recently renovated rooms for Rs 600/700 and 950/10000 with A/C. It is a good place.
Manapuram Hotel (425-891), Kurup-pam, a few minutes from the railway and KSRTC bus stations, is a new well-managed place with good, modern rooms for Rs 450. It has a vegetarian restaurant.
Hotel Elite (pronounced Ee-light) International (242-1033; fax 244-2057), 22 Chembottil Lane, off Round South, is centrally located and has rooms for Rs 350/500 and Rs 850 with A/C. Some rooms overlook the park where the Vadakkunnathan Temple is located.
The best hotel in town is the Casino Hotel (242-4699; fax 244-2037; email: trc-casino@sancharnet.in), TB Rd, about a five minute auto-rickshaw ride from the railway station and bus station. There are rooms here for Rs 600/700 and Rs 850/1000 with A/C. It has a bookshop.

Where to Eat
Hotel Bharath, next to the Hotel Elite, on Chembottil Lane, off Round South,`is a very good, clean, vegetarian South Indian place. Recommended. Has very good butter nans, kofta malai and veg fried rice and is very reasonably priced.
The Manapuram Hotel, near the KSRTC bus stand, has a vegetarian restaurant.
In the Pathan Hotel, junction of Round South and Chembottil Lane, there is a good A/C vegetarian restaurant. Above it is the Ming Palace, a Chinese restaurant.
There are several Indian Coffee House restaurants in Thrissur. There is one near the railway station and one on Round South.

Travel
Train There are about seven trains daily to Thiruvananthapuram (8 hr). There are also direct trains to Kochi/Ernakulam (2½ hr, 5 daily, 75km south), Kozhikode (120km north), Bangalore, Hyderabad, Mumbai, New Delhi, Chennai (12 hr, 2 daily), Calcutta, Trichy, and Varanasi. The daily Chennai Exp #6042 (6.40 pm) takes 11½ hours to reach Chennai.

Bus There are three bus stands—the KSRTC long-distance bus stand by the railway station, the North (Priya Darshini) bus stand, north of the center of town, and Sakthan Thampuran (local) bus stand, which is two km south of the center of town. KSRTC has frequent buses to major towns in Kerala. There are express buses to Thiruvananthapuram (every half-hour, Rs 85). There are also direct buses to Chennai (13 hr), Bangalore (10 hr), Coimbatore, Madurai and Palani.

Taking a bus is the best way to get to and from Mysore (8 hr). There is a morning bus from Mysore (8 hr) that goes via Guruvayur. Frequent buses to Irinjalakuda depart from the Shakthan Thampuran bus stand, Pattalam Rd, 2km from Round South.

About five buses go each hour to Guruvayur (1 hr, 29km) that depart from near the railway station and several other places in the city. This is a much better way to go than taking a train. Sphere: Related Content