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Most of India’s finest beaches are in Kerala. For virtually its entire 900 km length, the Kerala coast is lined with sandy beaches, rocky promontories and coconut palms. The palm-lined beaches of Kerala are renowned for the gentle surf and azure blue waters. To this add a delectable seafood cuisine, a smiling sun and friendly people to make an unforgettable holiday. Each year greater numbers of visitors arrive here in search of the tranquil, palm fringed beaches
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| Alappuzha Beach |
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Referred to as the Venice of the East, Alappuzha has always enjoyed a unique place in the maritime history of Kerala. Today, it is famous for its boat races, backwater holidays, beaches, marine products and coir industry. Alappuzha beach is a popular picnic spot. The pier, which extends into the sea here, is over 137 years old. |
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| Cherai |
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The lovely beach bordering the Vypeen Island is ideal for swimming. The sea on the western side and the backwaters on the east give this upcoming tourist destination, a uniqueness which can be found only in Kerala. Thick coconut groves and Chinese fishing nets on the waterfront are added attractions. |
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| Fort Kochi Beach |
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12 kms from Ernakulam city, a leisurely walk through the lanes of the city is the best way to discover historic Fort Kochi. An obscure fishing village that became the first European township in India, kochi has an eventful and colorful history. The town was shaped by the Portuguese, the Dutch and later the British. The results of these cultural interfaces are seen in the remains of the Indo-European architecture here. |
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| Kappad |
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It is one of the most charming of Kerala's beaches. Kappad finds mention in history and geography texts as the gateway to the Malabar coast. Here, 501 years ago, 170 men led by the Portuguese navigator Vasco da Gama (1460-1524) sailed in and stepped into Kerala to create a new chapter in history. The story of a long and tumultuous socio-political relationship between India and Europe. It was the spices and wealth of Malabar that first brought the Arabs, the Phoenicians, |
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| the Greeks, the Romans, the Portuguese, the Dutch and the English to Kerala.Unspoilt and uncrowded, the picturesque backwaters of Kozhikode offers a bewitching experience. |
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| Kovalam |
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Just 16 km from Thiruvananthapuram city, south Kerala.
Best time to visit: September to March, though it is an all year destination.
Kovalam is an internationally renowned beach with three adjacent crescent beaches. It has been a favorite haunt of tourists, especially Europeans, since the 1930s. |
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A massive rocky promontory on the beach has created a beautiful bay of calm waters ideal for sea bathing. The leisure options at this beach are plenty and diverse-sunbathing, swimming, herbal body toning massages, special cultural programs, Catamaran cruising etc.. The tropical sun acts so fast that one can see the faint blush of coppery tan on the skin in a matter of minutes. Life on the beach begins late in the day and carries on well into the night. The beach |
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complex includes a string of budget cottages, Ayurvedic health resorts, convention facilities, shopping zones, swimming pools, Yoga and Ayurvedic massage centers etc...Thiruvananthapuram, the capital city of Kerala, is just 16 km away from Kovalam and getting there is no hassle. But if you are on holiday it is better to stay in Kovalam and visit the city.Thiruvananthapuram has interesting places to see like the Napier Museum, the Sri Chitra Art Gallery, the Padmanabhaswamy Temple, Ponmudi hill station etc…SMSM Institute, a State owned handicrafts emporium, is the ideal place to pick up ethnic curios and other articles. |
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| Kozhikode |
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Kozhikode, the most important region of Malabar in yesteryears, was the capital of the powerful Zamorins and also a prominent trade and commerce center. It was here at Kappad that Vasco Da Gama landed in his search for the spices of the Orient. Today the serene beaches, lush green countryside, historic sites, all combine to make this a popular tourist destination filled with a warm ambience. |
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| Marari Beach (Mararikulam) |
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Right in the heart of the "spice coast" just an hour from Cochin and even less to Alleppey (also Known as Alapuzzha) is the most fabulous stretch of soft sandy beach fringed with palm, an idyllic retreat for those who want to "get away from it all". Marari originates from "mararikulam", one of the local fishing villages, where life still goes on much as it did a hundred years ago, with the men going out to sea each day to earn a living bringing in the daily catch. Completely new to |
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the holiday maker. Marari offers endless miles of superb sand beaches backed by swaying palms, virgin territory where you can experience to local charm and traditional Kerala hospitality at its best. |
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| Varkala |
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51 km north of Thiruvananthapuram city and 37 km south of Kollam, Thiruvananthapuram district, south Kerala.
Attractions : Beach, mineral water springs, the Sivagiri Mutt and a 2000 year old Vishnu temple.
Varkala, a calm and quiet hamlet, lies on the outskirts of Thiruvananthapuram district. It has several places |
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of tourist interests like a beautiful beach, a 2000 year old Vishnu temple and the ashramam- 'Sivagiri Mutt' a little distance from the beach. At the serene Varkala beach is a quiet sea resort rich in mineral water springs. A dip in the holy waters at this beach is believed to purge the body of impurities and the soul of all sins. Hence the name ‘Papanasam beach’. A two thousand year old shrine the Janardhanaswamy Temple stands on the cliffs overlooking the beach, a short distance away. The Sivagiri Mutt, founded by the great Hindu reformer and Philosopher Sree Narayana Guru (1856 - 1928) is also close by. Sree Narayana Guru propagated the ideology:” one caste, one religion and one god”, in a society torn by the taboos of caste system.Varkala offers excellent accommodation facilities for the tourist and is fast becoming a popular health resort with many Ayurvedic massage centers. |
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