Vizhinjam

Vizhinjam is next to the famed Kovalam beach and boasts of a beautiful natural harbor and a lighthouse. We climbed to the top of the lighthouse with relative ease. The view from the top is stunning. The pictures here show breathtaking views of Kovalam beach and the mosque near the fishing harbor.

Aruvikkara Dam

Aruvikkara is from where Trivandrum city gets its drinking water. The dam itself is not as imposing as other dams in Kerala, however the rocky river bed downstream and the scenery around is beautiful. The kids loved playing there.

Lots of tourists come here, mainly from within the state. Many people offer rice to the fish in the stream. This is believed to cure one from skin ailments.

Koyikkal Palace

Around 10 km east of Trivandrum, close to Nedumangad town, is the Koyikkal Palace. This building, built in traditional Kerala style, is more than 300 years old and used to be the home of Umayamma Rani of the Venad Royal family who ruled over the place.

This is a two storied building of wood and stone with a traditional Nallukettu in the centre. You can see a picture of the Nallukettu on this blog.

The Koyikkal palace is now a museum managed by the ASI. The friendly staff there surprise you with their alacrity to show you around the place, and in their knowledge of Travancore history.

The museum has many an interesting showpiece, from old weigh scales and weights, to horse carriages used by royalty.

The pictures also show the balcony from where the queen used to talk to her subjects.

Varkala

A 40 minute drive from Trivandrum on NH47 takes you to Varkala, a quaint town that has many a story to tell you on Indian history.

The Anjengo Fort, built by the British East India Company in 1695, served as a garrison for the British. The Fort is remarkably well preserved and has a beautiful garden within its walls.

The Anjengo Lighthouse is close by. A climb to the top is worthwhile and gives you a breathtaking view of the Trivandrum district. You can even see the Technopark in Trivandrum from the Lighthouse.

The pictures here show parts of the Anjengo Fort, the Lighthouse, and the view from the top.

Closer to town is the Varkala Papanasham beach. As the name says the waters here are believed to have the power to wash away your sins.

You can also see the Varkala tunnel, built in 1880, that takes the inland waterway network under the hill connecting south Travancore to the north of Kerala.  This waterway is now in disuse.

Vegaland

Kerala too has its share of Wonderlands where you can go and relive your childhood. These are pictures from our last visit to Vegaland, an amusement park close to Inforpark in Ernakulam.

Neyyar Dam

A 30 km drive from Trivandrum takes you to this virtual paradise... tucked away from the hustle and bustle of the city.

The pictures below show the reservoir of the Neyyar Dam as seen from the Watch Tower.

You can see the Lion Safari Park on the opposite banks.

Padmanabhapuram Palace

Padmanabhapuram Palace, an hour and a half south of Trivandrum in Kerala.


Here you get a glimpse of the glorius past of this land... of skills and technology that have long given way to italian marble and machine made furniture... of a management style that has given way to aimless adherence to pmbok...


Here are some pictures from my last trip to this wonderful place.