Aruvikkara
Dam (16
km)
This picturesque picnic spot is on the
banks of the Karamana river. Near the Durga Temple
here is a stream
full of fish that fearlessly come close to the shore
to be fed by the visitors.
Kovalam Beach (16km)
This internationally renowned beach resort
has been a favourite haunt of tourists since the 1930s.
Kovalam consists
of three adjacent crescent beaches. The southernmost,
known as the Lighthouse Beach, is the most popular.
Kovalam offers
accommodation options to suit all budgets.
Koyikkal Palace, Nedumangad (18
km)
Located on the way
to the Ponmudi hill station and the Courtallam waterfalls,
this ancient
palace dates back to tkc 1 StK century. Here you can
sec a double storeyed traditional Nalukettu building
with slanting gabled roofs, an inner courtyard
and museums of folklore and numismatics set up by
the Department of Archeology.
The Folklore Museum set
up in 1992 is a treasure house of quaint musical
instruments, occupational implements, household utensils,
models of folk arts etc. Displayed in the Koyikkal
Palace, they focus
attention on the cultural background of the State.
The Numismatics Museum houses
rare and historically valuable coins denoting
the trade relations of the State.
Neyyar
Dam (32 km)
A
popular picnic spot, Neyyar Dam has a watch tower,
crocodile farm, lion safari park and deer park. Boating
facilities are available at the reservoir.
Peppara Wildlife Sanctuary (50
km)
This
sanctuary spread over 53 sq. km on the Western Ghats,
is accessible from
Vithurai, which is on the way to Ponmudi. With its
rich flora and fauna, Peppara, dotted with hillocks,
forests and eucalyptus plantations,
is emerging as a great attraction for wildlife enthusiasts.
Ponmudi
(61 km )
An idyllic hill resort with narrow,winding
pathways and cool, green, wooded environs, Ponmudi
is located 915 metres above sea level. Along with
a variety of beautiful mountain flowers, exotic butterflies,
small rivulets, springs and the deer park nearby,
this hill station also has excellent trekking
trails. Food: KTDC restaurant; the government
guesthouse Accommodation:
Guesthouse: Cottages and rooms Rs. 250 - 600 Dormitory
Rs. 800
SreeMahadeva
Temple
Situated
in Kazhakuttom, this ancient temple is
believed to date back to the 14th century. Another
old temple in the
district is the Mitramandapuram Temple on the outskirts
of the city.
Thiruvallam
(10km)
This
serene backwater stretch, enroute to Kovalam,
is famous for its canoe rides.
Varkala (40
km )
Varkala is a seaside resort and spa. It is
also an important Hindu
centre of pilgrimage. The final resting place of the
great social reformer, Sree Narayana Guru, is near
Varkala, atop
a hill called Sivagiri. High
cliffs with
mineral springs rise
majestically from the coastline. According to a myth,
sage Narada was approached by a group of mendicants
who confessed to
having sinned. Narada threw his valkkalam (cloth made
of the bark of a tree) into the air, and the
place where it landed was subsequently named Varkala.
The mendicants were directed by Narada to offer their
prayers in the newly created place by the seashore.
The place where they prayed for redemption, came to
be known as
the Papanasham Beach (Papanasham means redemption
from sins). The 2000year old Sree Janardhana
Swamy Temple and the Nature Care Centre are the two
main attractions here.
Vizhinjam Rock Cut Cave (17km)
There are rock cutsculptures
of the 18th century in the cave temple at Vizhinjam.
The granite cave here encloses a one-celled shrine
with a loose sculpture of Vinandhara Dakshinamurthi.
The outer wall of the cave depicts half
complete reliefs of the Hindu God Shiva with Goddess
Parvathi.
