Thursday, April 30, 2009

Janardhana Swamy Temple




Sivagiri Mutt




Varkala Tunnels







Varkala Cliff




Various Shades Of Sunset At Varkala




Sunset At Varkala




Attractions At Varkal Beach

Mineral Springs:
The mineral springs near Varkala Beach are considered to have some medicinal properties thus witnessing a large number of people coming all year to drink and bathe in the water from the mineral springs.
Janardhana Swamy Temple:
In the vicinity of Varkala beach there is a 2000-year-old temple named Janardhana Swamy Temple, an architectural wonder built in traditional Kerala style. Dedicated to Lord Vishnu,or Ayyappa it is one of the seven most important Vaishnavite temples in India. The Temple is also known as the Dakshina Kasi or the Varanasi of South. Devotees visit this temple to seek divine blessings. Non-Hindus are not allowed to visit the inner parts of Jaganardhana Swamy Temple.
Sivagiri Mutt:
The Sivagiri Mutt is a Hindu pilgrim center near to Varkala Beach. Sivagiri Mutt founded by the Hindu Philosopher and reformer Sree Narayana guru and his Samadhi here attracts a large number of devotees every year during the end of December. The people belong to all castes and religions are allowed to visit here. Sivagiri Mutt is located on the banks of Trivandrum - Shornur canal about 2.5 km from the Varkala town.
Varkala Tunnels:
The 924 ft underground varkala tunnels built at the British period across the Canal is yet another attractingpoint for its marvelous construction, which stands still as a witness of the forgotten busy trade route of Kerala's commercial past.
City Of Quilon:
The city of Quilon, the gateway of the scenic backwaters, is just 25 kms north of Varkala. Houseboat stay and day cruises in the Backwaters are available at Quilon.
Sunset & Cliff:
The main attraction of the beach is that it provides lovely sunset views over the Arabian Sea. The sunset at Varkala Beach is absolutely astounding with the sun dipping slowly down the horizon and the sky filled with red and orange hues. The beach is surrounded by high rocky cliffs and coconut groves. There are two main cliffs, the North and the South. The cliffs are steep and rugged and are made of red brown stone. Waves crash on the off-shore rocks.The blend of the cliffs, brown sand and the sea makes the beach an outstanding sight. The stone blocks on the beachprotect from erosion and the invasion of the grounds by water.
A nature cure center located near Varakala Beach is another popular attraction that you can visit on Kerala tours The beach offers its visitors a perfect beach holiday plus Ayurvedic treatments, Yoga and meditation courses.

Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Activities On Varkala Beach

Water Sports:
Besides lazing in the sun, you can get into some action and fun at Varkala. You can participate in any of the numerous beach activities offered on the beautiful Indian beaches. Indulge in any of the exciting water sports such as beach volleyball, surfing, parasailing, wind surfing and scuba diving. Swimming can be fun here. But the waves are quite strong and usually break very close to the beach. You can even try your hand at building a sand castle. The local fishermen can arrange Kattmaran cruises, a country raft using for sea fishing, for angling. One can also find Sunrise and Sunset cruises here organized by the fisher folk.
Shopping:
If you are not interested in any water sport, you could go for shopping at any one of the frequently held beach bazaars. These bazaars are always bustling with activity. Vendors in their small stalls selling a wide variety of decorative items, mainly conch shells and beads adds colour to the place. The shops offer the handicraft items varying from arts to dress items and are full of little trinkets and souvenirs that you could take home with you.

Access & Accommodation At Varkala

Hotel Taj Garden Retreat




Accommodation:
Though Varkala is a small tourist destination good accommodation facilities are available. There is a four star hotel own by Taj Group of Hotels and a Government's tourist bungalow. Some small lodging centers and tiny resorts are also there in Varkala those are completely full in the Season time. Home stay facilities are also available.

Access:
By Air: Trivandrum International is the nearest airport to Varkala. Many International Airlines are operating flights to and from here. From Colombo, Gulf sectors, Singapore and Maldives there are direct flights available to Trivandrum. Indian Airlines and Jet Airways are operating domestic flights. There are direct flights to New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Bangalore.
By Rail: Varkala Railway station is the nearest railway station. Trains to various parts of India can be accessiblehere.
By Road: Varkala beach is just 16 kms from the National Highway-47. Government transport buses are plenty from all other parts of Kerala. To reach at Varkala one has to get down at Kallambalam then get auto-rickshaws or local buses.

Thursday, April 23, 2009

Sunset Pictures At Fort Kochi Beach







Sunset At Fort Kochi Beach







Fort Kochi Beach


Location: 12 km from Ernakulam, in the south Indian state of Kerala.
Popular For: Fort Kochi
Highlights: Fort Kochi Beach, Beach Carnival
Best time To Visit: September to May

Cochi or Kochi is a very popular tourist destination and the beauty of the place seems to come from the numerous backwaters and scintillating beauty of the beaches found here. Fort Kochi Beach is one such fascinating beach located in Kochi and this place has been a huge crowd puller for its sheer beauty. Not only the locals but also the tourists from all over the world make it a point to visit this amazingly beautiful beach where the sea shore is kissed by the golden rays of the setting sun thus exuding an aura which charms almost everyone fortunate enough to witness the phenomenon.
If you simply wish to saunter in a peaceful and relaxed manner, no place in the whole of Cochin will provide you a more ideal location than the Fort Kochi beach. Nestled amidst coconut tress, green bushes and softly lashing seawaters, the Fort Kochi beach happens to be the favorite haunt of one and all. Unlike most of the beaches, the topography of the Fort Kochi beach is quite rocky.
Fort Kochi Beach is regarded as one of the most beautiful places in Kerala. It is an ideal picnic spot for people, who come here either alone or in groups. If you have become too bored with the hustle and bustle of the city life, then this beach is the ideal getaway for you. The raw and unused stretch of beach is a loner's delight, where one could swim, play cricket or volley ball and even manage to practice yoga. If you are lucky, you also get sight of a dolphin.

Location & History Of Fort Kochi

The Fort Kochi Beach is 12 km from Ernakulam. An obscure fishing village that became the first European township inIndia, Kochi has an eventful and colourful history. The main attraction on this beach site is the historic Kochi Fort which helps you to get familiar with its eventful colonial history and European regimes who ruled it. The townwas shaped by the Portuguese, the Dutch and later the British. This varied cultural interface injected by them, dominates the Indo-European architecture of the Kochi Fort, located at the Kochi beach Kerala.

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Attractions On Fort Kochi Beach

Fort Kochi Carnival


Fishing Nets At Fort Kochi Beach



Kochi Carnival - One of the major attraction of the Kochi beach, Kerala is the Kochi Carnival on the New Year eve, a colourful festival not to be missed at the beach site.
Fishing Nets - The Fort Kochi Beach is also famous for the fishing nets adorning the landscape and the beach.
Eating Joints - Numerous cozy little restaurants and eating joints dotting the edges of the Fort Cochin beach seem to be quite popular with all tourists here as it provide the perfect option to those who want to grab a quick bite.
Accommodation - Kochi Kerala offers a wide line of accommodation for all the categories of visitors. The town has luxury, deluxe, budget and class hotels for its tourists from all over the world.

Charming Spots At Kochi

Santa Cruz Basilica


St. Francis Church

Mattancherry Palace ( Dutch Palace):
The palce was built by the Portuguese in 1557 AD and presented to Raja Veera Kerala Varma of Kochi. The palace was renovated in 1663 AD by the Dutch. The palace presents beautiful Murals depicting scenes from the epics, Ramayana and Mahabharata and some of the puranic Hindu legends.
Bolghatty Palace:
A beautiful island close to the city of Ernakulam is Bolghatty, famous for the Bolghatty Palace built by the Dutch in 1744 AD. This palace, once the residence of the British resident of Kochi is now been converted to KTDC (Kerala Tourism Development Corporation) hotel.
Santa Cruz Basilica:
Santa Cruz Basilica is a monumental church dating back to 1558 and has beautiful paintings on the ceiling.
St. Francis Church:
This church was built in 1503 AD by Portuguese Francisan Friars. St. Francis Church is the India's oldest European church. It was restored in 1779 AD by the protestant Dutch, converted to an Anglican Church by the British in 1795, and is presently under the church of South India. Vasco da Gama's remains were buried here in 1524 and later moved to Lisbon, Portugal but his tombstone still remains.
Cherai Beach:
Cherai Beach is a lovely beach bordering Vypeen Island, ideal for swimming. Dolphins are occasionally seen here. A typical Kerala village with paddy fields and coconut groves nearby is an added attraction of this beach.
Oceanic Activities:
Boat cruise, backwater cruise, fishing are some of the activities you can try here.

Access To Fort Kochi Beach

By Air: Kochi International Airport is 20 km from the city centre. The city is well connected with most major cities of the country by air.
By Rail: Kochi has three railway stations, Ernakulam Junction, Ernakulam Town and Cochin Harbour Terminus on Willingdon Island and can be reached from most cities in India.
By Road: Kochi, an important commercial centre of the South India is very well serviced by a network of national and state highways, connecting it to all major centres of the area.
Private/Hired Vehicles: Taxis, city buses and autorickshaws.
Ferries: Ferry service is available for travel between the island towns.
Boat Jetty takes tourists to Fort Kochi after almost every half hour. The cost of the ride is not much though theremight be slight differences in the price ranges where the cost can vary between 1-5 rupees. The boat can carry quite a handful of people and the boats can be hired for ferrying people to other parts of the island.

Saturday, April 18, 2009

Kappad Beach Pictures

The Beach Is Flocked With Tourists & Locals






Rock Studded Beach







Pictures Of Kappad Beach







Sunset At Kappad Beach







Friday, April 17, 2009

Kappad Beach


Location: 16 kms from Kozhikode
Famous For: A solitary pillar commemorating Vasco da Gama's landing, The huge rock, Temple on the rock.
Nearby Attractions: Pookot Lake, Thali Temple
Best Time To Visit: September to February


The Kappad Beach:
This rock studded golden beach is locally known as Kappakadavu beach or the historic and picturesque Kappad beach in Kerala, South India is the perfect place for a private tête-à-tête with nature's magical charms. Scattered with fishing boats and fishing nets, the Kappad beach is a painters delight. This pleasant, calm beach, is studded with rocks and caressed by friendly waves. An intriguing feature of this beach is a sprawling rock that protrudes into the sea and has a temple on it. The temple is believed to be 800 years old. Kappad Beach is at a small walk on the Korapuzha River, and even after 500 years, it remains untouched and unruffled, making it one of the most serene and peaceful Beaches in Kerala, South India.
Revel with nature in its glorious beauty that engulfs you into a clean and pure world that infuses joy and serenity into your system. Take a boat ride, swim to your hearts content, play beach games or just lie down on the soft sands of the Kappad beach in Kerala, South India. A heady cocktail of history and beauty makes this beach an unconventional beach resort. The stoic sand and the waves exchange the story of a cobwebbed past stagnating in the cellars of time.
This little sea faring town is no less than a haven to the tourists visiting it. The best route to Kappad is along the backwaters. Unspoilt and uncrowded, the scenic backwaters of Kozhikode offer a bewitching experience. A ride down the backwaters through the Korappuzha River brings you to the beach.

Historical Significance Of Kappad Beach

Located 16 kms from the main town of Kozhikhode, the Kappad Beach is one of the most Charming Beaches of Kerala, also popular for its historic significance. After travelling around the coast of Africa by ship, Vasco da Gama, the Portuguese explorer landed on Kappad Beach on 27th May 1498. He landed with 170 men in 3 vessels after undergoing many weeks of travelling. A solitary pillar commemorates the event with the inscription, "Vasco da Gama landed here,Kappakadavu, in the year 1498". This opened up sea route for trade between Europe and India and Malabar soon became the gateway of east.

Pookot Lake




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