kailas inn

The palace was built by Maharaja Swathi Thirunal Balarama Varma - the King of Travancore, who was a great poet, musician, social reformer and statesman. This rare specimen of workmanship in the traditional Travancore style of architecture has exquisite wood carvings. The museum has a wide range of exhibits representing the erstwhile state of travancore.

Entrance fee:  Adults: Rs. 10, Children: Rs. 3, Foreigners: Rs. 20, Camera permit (outside): Rs. 15, Video: Rs. 500.

Shanghumugham Beach is located 8 km from Thiruvananthapuram and is adjacent to the Trivandrum International Airport and Veli Tourist Village. It is a favourite spot of sunset watchers.

It's a pleasant place to walk or watch the fishermen securing their catch. A large sculpture of a mermaid graces the roadside, an example of the work of the local artist Canai Kunuram. At dusk, during temple festivals, the beach is the site of the ritual bathing of the temple idols.

Kovalam is just 12 kms away from Trivandrum. This unique internationally renowned wonderful beach will get pride of place amongst the loveliest beaches in the world  has been a favourite haunt of tourists since the 1930s. Today Kovalam has become one of the most popular beach hangouts in India. Kovalam means a grove of coconut trees and truly the coconut trees along the beaches gives it a ravishing look.

The palm-fringed bays in secluded coconut groves, promise a relaxed stay. The boundless blue waters of the Arabian Sea and miles of white sands washed away by the surf at the feet of the stalwart palms and the rocky promontories, makes this beach paradise. This marvellous beach is a tourist's dream come true.

Kowdiar Palace

The recently opened Puthen Maliga Palace Museum, adjacent to the temple ,is housed in several wings of the palace of the maharajahs of Travancore.  It's open from 8.30 am to 12.30pm and from 3 to 5.30 pm; entry is Rs.5.

The zoo and a collection of museums are in a park in the north of the city. The museums are open Tuesday to Sunday from 10am to 4.45pm, but not until 1pm on Wednesday. A single Rs.5 entry ticket covers all the museums and is obtainable from the Natural History of Museum.

Housed in a whimsical, decaying, Keralan style  building dating from 1880, the Napier Museum displays an electric  assortment of bronzes , historical and contemporary ornaments , temple carts , ivory carvings and life size figures of Kathakali dancers in full costume.

The Natural History Museum has a rudimentary  ethnographic collection as well as an interesting replica of a Nayar wooden house built in the Keralan style.

The Zoological Gardens are among the best designed in Asia -set among woodland , lakes and well -maintained  lawns - but some of the animal enclosures  (and their inhabitants) are misreble. The zoo is open Tuesday to Saturday from 9am to 5.15pm.

Sri  Chitra Art Gallery

Ponmudi hill resort is cool and quiet. As the hills come awake you can begin a pleasurable exploration of the wooded paths. Trekking is a passion with visitors to Ponmudi. Ponmudi has other surprises too for you.

Orchids, for instance, grow in abundance here. A charming deer park is only 3kms. from Ponmudi. Picnic hampers that the staff at the guest house would be happy to arrange, which you could take down the hill to a picturesque ruined dam site or golden valley which is another pretty scenic spot. Other attractions are Bird watching, Deer park and long, enjoyable walks.

Meenmutty Falls is located 45 km from Trivandrum city. This waterfall is near the Neyyar reservoir area. No transport is available to the falls. The visitor has to walk through dense forest to reach the falls. Kombaikani waterfalls is also near Meenmutti. It is 2 km from the Meenmutti falls. This waterfall is in way of Agastyakoodam. There is a forest rest house near the falls.

You can visit the falls with the permission of Forest Department. A guide should be sent along with you to the falls.

It is located in Pothencode, Thiruvananthapuram District, Kerala. The ashram was founded by Navajyothisree Karunakara Guru and is recognized as a Social and Scientific Research Organization by the Government of India.

The followers of Karunakara Guru have built a beautiful monument called Parnasala in the shape of a blooming lotus in white Makrana marble in the Ashram compound. This unique structure took 10 years for completion. It was inaugurated by the President of

Agasthyakoodam is the second highest peak in Kerala, at a height of 1890mts above sea level and is a part of the Sahyadri range of mountains. It is 60 Kms North East of Trivandrum.The mountain is revered by both Buddhists and Hindus, as it is believed to be the abode of the Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara as well as of the sage Agastya, a disciple of Shiva.

The forests of Agasthyakoodam are rich in rare medicinal herbs and plant, and hued orchids. In 1992, an area covering around 23 sq kms was established as Agasthya Vanam Biological Park.

Padmanabhapuram Palace was once the seat of the rulers of Travancore, a princely state for more than 400 years which included a large part of present day Kerala and the Western coast of Tamil Nadu.

Padmanabhapuram is just inside Tamilnadu , 65km south-east of Thiruvananthapuram. To get there , you can either catch a local bus from Thiruvananthapuram or Kovalam beach or take one of the Kanyakumari tours organised by the KTDC. The palace is closed on Monday.