Bolghotty Palace
A Scenic island near the city of Ernakulam, Bolghatty is 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 a KTDC (Kerala Tourism Development Corporation) hotel.
Bolghatty Palace is on an island, off Cochin in the Arabian Sea. The building was once a Governor's palace for the Dutch and later the home of the British Governors.
The palace is two-storeyed and contains well-decorated bed chambers, a huge lounge wherein historical portraits are displayed. The ferry ride from the mainland Ernakulam to the island is a pleasurable experience. There is a golf course to boot.
Monday, 28 November 2011
THENMALA
THENMALA
Thenmala or the hills that flow with honey is situated about 72 km from Thiruvananthapuram, on the Shencottai Road. Once much sought-after for its honey believed to have medicinal properties, Thenmala is today home to India's first planned eco-tourism project. The nerve-centre of a chain of ten satellite eco-tourism destinations scattered across the hill ranges of Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam and Pathanamthitta districts, Thenmala is spread over acres of evergreen forest.
Ecotourism Activities
The principles of zoning in ecotourism have been adopted here to create various zones, featuring specific familiarisation activities for nature enthusiasts. The Thenmala Ecotourism Facilitation Centre has enough activities to entertain both adults and children.
Culture Zone
* Amphitheatre - For local art forms and other cultural performances.
* Shop Court - Managed by local women self-help groups for selling local forest products, souvenirs, local handicrafts etc.
* Musical Dancing Fountain - A rhythmic ballet of water, sound and light in a natural ambience.
Adventure Zone
(9 am to 5.30 pm on all days)
* Nature Trail - Winding trail through various elevations in the zone.
* Canopy Walkway - Elevated path through a canopy of trees that helps explore the ecosystem and the level changes of the area.
* Lotus Pond - A water body that exhibits various forms of aquatic plants.
* Mountain Biking - A 2 m wide, 1000 m long bike path facilitates mountain biking with various levels of difficulty.
* Recreational Rock Climbing & Rappelling - Rocks of different heights and sizes are equipped with pegs and ropes to facilitate rock climbing and rappelling.
* River Crossing - Ropes are tied at a height across the river for adventurous river crossing activities.
* Hill Thrills - Valley crossing, spider net, shot range, trust fall, pedal boating etc.
* Resting Points - Quiet spots in the wilderness to take a break.
Leisure Zone
(8.30 am to 6.30 pm)
* Pathways - Winding trails leading tourists to various sites.
* Boardwalk - 250 m riverfront built of wooden planks that gives the visitor a close view of the stream below.
* Sway Bridge - An unsupported bridge, made of wooden planks and hung from ropes across the river.
* Sculpture Garden - Based on the theme 'Man and Nature', this garden depicts the relationship between the two in the serene backdrop of the forest.
* Resting Points - Quiet spots in the wilderness to take a break.
* Deep Woods - Soft trekking and biking programme to explore the two patches of Niptica swamp forest (2 to 4 hrs).
* Boating at the Shenduruney Wildlife Sanctuary: Battery-operated vehicles to the boat landing from where begins an exciting boat cruise. Watch wildlife at close quarters and be prepared for surprises.
Deer Rehabilitation Centre
An opportunity to befriend a deer and understand their delicate ecosystem. The deer that stray out from the forest are rehabilitated here. Spotted deer and the sambar are the main inhabitants. The Centre also has a children's eco-park with treetop huts, swings etc.
Other Attractions
Trekking
One to three-day guided trekking tours and bird watching trails in the Shenduruney Wildlife Sanctuary.
Bird Watching Trail: Two-day programme in the Shenduruney Wildlife Sanctuary.
Pilgrimage Tourism: An eco-pilgrimage connecting the three surrounding Ayyappa shrines at Kulathupuzha, Aryankavu and Achankovil can also be arranged from Thenmala.
Environment Education Centre: This Centre facilitates various activities inside the forest area, using the potential features of the site to educate the visitors.
One-day Ecotourism at Palaruvi: The eco-trip to the 300 ft waterfall is managed by the local community.
Ecotourism programmes are also available at the ten satellite spots that fall under a 50 km radius of Thenmala.
In and Around
Hanging Bridge, Punalur (22 km) is en route to Thenmala from Kottarakkara. Achankovil is one of the major temples of Lord Ayyappa and along the way lies the Manalar Falls, a tiny strip of cascading water that is usually visible only after the rains. A little further is the Kumbavurutty Falls, to get to which you need to trek for half a kilometre. This is a nature interaction centre and it even has tree houses for children.
Accommodation
Tented and dormitory accommodation by Thenmala Ecotourism Promotion Society, Green Valley and the Lake View Ayurvedic Resort offers excellent accommodation facilities.
Accessing Thenmala
Location:
Air: The nearest airport is Thiruvananthapuram International Airport, about 80 km away.
Rail: Thenmala runs on metre gauge. The nearest broad gauge station is Kollam, about 66 km away.
Road: Equidistant from Thiruvananthapuram and Kollam, Thenmala is a two-hour drive from both cities. There are regular buses from Kollam, Kottarakkara and Punalur.
Altitude: 1,640 ft above sea level.
Snuggled in the foothills of the Western Ghats in east Kollam District, adjacent to the Shenduruney Wildlife Sanctuary, Thenmala is 72 km north of Thiruvananthapuram. A short distance from Courtallam Falls in Tamil Nadu, this ecotourism destination lies on the northernmost end of Agasthyamalai Biosphere Reserve.
For enquiries and bookings, contact:
Thenmala Ecotourism Promotion Society, Ph: 0475-2344800, 0471-2329770
District Tourist Promotion Council Office, Kollam, Ph: 0474-2750170
www.thenmalaecotourism.com info@thenmalaecotourism.com
Thenmala or the hills that flow with honey is situated about 72 km from Thiruvananthapuram, on the Shencottai Road. Once much sought-after for its honey believed to have medicinal properties, Thenmala is today home to India's first planned eco-tourism project. The nerve-centre of a chain of ten satellite eco-tourism destinations scattered across the hill ranges of Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam and Pathanamthitta districts, Thenmala is spread over acres of evergreen forest.
Ecotourism Activities
The principles of zoning in ecotourism have been adopted here to create various zones, featuring specific familiarisation activities for nature enthusiasts. The Thenmala Ecotourism Facilitation Centre has enough activities to entertain both adults and children.
Culture Zone
* Amphitheatre - For local art forms and other cultural performances.
* Shop Court - Managed by local women self-help groups for selling local forest products, souvenirs, local handicrafts etc.
* Musical Dancing Fountain - A rhythmic ballet of water, sound and light in a natural ambience.
Adventure Zone
(9 am to 5.30 pm on all days)
* Nature Trail - Winding trail through various elevations in the zone.
* Canopy Walkway - Elevated path through a canopy of trees that helps explore the ecosystem and the level changes of the area.
* Lotus Pond - A water body that exhibits various forms of aquatic plants.
* Mountain Biking - A 2 m wide, 1000 m long bike path facilitates mountain biking with various levels of difficulty.
* Recreational Rock Climbing & Rappelling - Rocks of different heights and sizes are equipped with pegs and ropes to facilitate rock climbing and rappelling.
* River Crossing - Ropes are tied at a height across the river for adventurous river crossing activities.
* Hill Thrills - Valley crossing, spider net, shot range, trust fall, pedal boating etc.
* Resting Points - Quiet spots in the wilderness to take a break.
Leisure Zone
(8.30 am to 6.30 pm)
* Pathways - Winding trails leading tourists to various sites.
* Boardwalk - 250 m riverfront built of wooden planks that gives the visitor a close view of the stream below.
* Sway Bridge - An unsupported bridge, made of wooden planks and hung from ropes across the river.
* Sculpture Garden - Based on the theme 'Man and Nature', this garden depicts the relationship between the two in the serene backdrop of the forest.
* Resting Points - Quiet spots in the wilderness to take a break.
* Deep Woods - Soft trekking and biking programme to explore the two patches of Niptica swamp forest (2 to 4 hrs).
* Boating at the Shenduruney Wildlife Sanctuary: Battery-operated vehicles to the boat landing from where begins an exciting boat cruise. Watch wildlife at close quarters and be prepared for surprises.
Deer Rehabilitation Centre
An opportunity to befriend a deer and understand their delicate ecosystem. The deer that stray out from the forest are rehabilitated here. Spotted deer and the sambar are the main inhabitants. The Centre also has a children's eco-park with treetop huts, swings etc.
Other Attractions
Trekking
One to three-day guided trekking tours and bird watching trails in the Shenduruney Wildlife Sanctuary.
Bird Watching Trail: Two-day programme in the Shenduruney Wildlife Sanctuary.
Pilgrimage Tourism: An eco-pilgrimage connecting the three surrounding Ayyappa shrines at Kulathupuzha, Aryankavu and Achankovil can also be arranged from Thenmala.
Environment Education Centre: This Centre facilitates various activities inside the forest area, using the potential features of the site to educate the visitors.
One-day Ecotourism at Palaruvi: The eco-trip to the 300 ft waterfall is managed by the local community.
Ecotourism programmes are also available at the ten satellite spots that fall under a 50 km radius of Thenmala.
In and Around
Hanging Bridge, Punalur (22 km) is en route to Thenmala from Kottarakkara. Achankovil is one of the major temples of Lord Ayyappa and along the way lies the Manalar Falls, a tiny strip of cascading water that is usually visible only after the rains. A little further is the Kumbavurutty Falls, to get to which you need to trek for half a kilometre. This is a nature interaction centre and it even has tree houses for children.
Accommodation
Tented and dormitory accommodation by Thenmala Ecotourism Promotion Society, Green Valley and the Lake View Ayurvedic Resort offers excellent accommodation facilities.
Accessing Thenmala
Location:
Air: The nearest airport is Thiruvananthapuram International Airport, about 80 km away.
Rail: Thenmala runs on metre gauge. The nearest broad gauge station is Kollam, about 66 km away.
Road: Equidistant from Thiruvananthapuram and Kollam, Thenmala is a two-hour drive from both cities. There are regular buses from Kollam, Kottarakkara and Punalur.
Altitude: 1,640 ft above sea level.
Snuggled in the foothills of the Western Ghats in east Kollam District, adjacent to the Shenduruney Wildlife Sanctuary, Thenmala is 72 km north of Thiruvananthapuram. A short distance from Courtallam Falls in Tamil Nadu, this ecotourism destination lies on the northernmost end of Agasthyamalai Biosphere Reserve.
For enquiries and bookings, contact:
Thenmala Ecotourism Promotion Society, Ph: 0475-2344800, 0471-2329770
District Tourist Promotion Council Office, Kollam, Ph: 0474-2750170
www.thenmalaecotourism.com info@thenmalaecotourism.com
PALARUVI
Palaruvi
A beautiful water fall in southern kerala
Besides bathing in the delightful waterfall, trekking is the main activity at Palaruvi which attracts a lot of tourists.
Best time to visit
November and Decmber
How to reach ?
4 km walking distance from Aryankavu junction(On Kollam Chenkotta road)
From kollam town - kottarakkara - punalur - thenmala 77 km
From Trivandrum - nedumngad - thenmala - chenkotta 100 km
Air: Nearest airport is Thiruvananthapuram ( 95 km).
Rail: Nearest railway station is Kollam (broad gauge) and Aryankavu (metre gauge).
Phone numbers
Palaruvi vanasamrakshana samithi - 0475 2211200
DFO Achankovil - 0475 2342315
Divisional Forest Office, Thenmala, Ph: 0475-2344521
District Tourism Promotion Council Office, Kollam, Ph: 0474-2750170
Where to stay ?
KTDC Aaraam - Palaruvi - 0475 2211600
Forest Rest House Achankovil - 04752342315
A beautiful water fall in southern kerala
Besides bathing in the delightful waterfall, trekking is the main activity at Palaruvi which attracts a lot of tourists.
Best time to visit
November and Decmber
How to reach ?
4 km walking distance from Aryankavu junction(On Kollam Chenkotta road)
From kollam town - kottarakkara - punalur - thenmala 77 km
From Trivandrum - nedumngad - thenmala - chenkotta 100 km
Air: Nearest airport is Thiruvananthapuram ( 95 km).
Rail: Nearest railway station is Kollam (broad gauge) and Aryankavu (metre gauge).
Phone numbers
Palaruvi vanasamrakshana samithi - 0475 2211200
DFO Achankovil - 0475 2342315
Divisional Forest Office, Thenmala, Ph: 0475-2344521
District Tourism Promotion Council Office, Kollam, Ph: 0474-2750170
Where to stay ?
KTDC Aaraam - Palaruvi - 0475 2211600
Forest Rest House Achankovil - 04752342315
VAZHACHAL WATERFALLS
Vazhachal Waterfalls
The Vazhachal waterfall is a scenic and popular waterfall on the edge of the Sholayar forest range in Kerala. The Vazhachal is part of the Chalakkudy River. Its cool, misty waters cascading down with the backdrop of thick green forest and rocky terrain are a scintillating experience for visitors.
How to reach there ?
From chalakkudy - 30 km on Chalakkudy anamala road.
Railway - Chalakkudy 30 km,Aluva 64 km
entrnace -8 AM to 6 PM
Where to stay ?
Rainforest - 04802769062
RivrokVillas - 2769140
Pookkadans Residency - 2724012
Hillview Resort - 2769192
The Vazhachal waterfall is a scenic and popular waterfall on the edge of the Sholayar forest range in Kerala. The Vazhachal is part of the Chalakkudy River. Its cool, misty waters cascading down with the backdrop of thick green forest and rocky terrain are a scintillating experience for visitors.
From chalakkudy - 30 km on Chalakkudy anamala road.
Railway - Chalakkudy 30 km,Aluva 64 km
entrnace -8 AM to 6 PM
Where to stay ?
Rainforest - 04802769062
RivrokVillas - 2769140
Pookkadans Residency - 2724012
Hillview Resort - 2769192
ATHIRAPPILLY WATERFALLS
ATHIRAPPILLY
Athirappally Waterfalls is located 78 kms from Kochi (Cochin), located at the entrance to Sholayar ranges, this waterfall is a popular picnic spot.Athirappally Falls is about 80 feet high.
Athirappally Waterfalls is located 78 kms from Kochi (Cochin), located at the entrance to Sholayar ranges, this waterfall is a popular picnic spot.Athirappally Falls is about 80 feet high.
NILAMBUR TEAK MUSEUM
NILAMBUR TEAK MUSEUM
The well-known Teak Museum is located at Nilambur in the Malappuram district of Kerala. Regarded as the first of its kind in the world and the only one in India; it is a house to the treasures of historical, aesthetic and scientific aspects of Teak.
The museum was established on the campus of the sub-centre of Kerala Forest Research Institute (KFRI) in 1995. The museum was established here owing to the historical significance of the region. The world's first Teak (Tectona grandis) plantation was raised in Nilambur way back in the 1840s in order to ensure a steady supply of Teak timber to the British.
Getting there:
Nearest railway station: Nilambur, about 3 km from the Teak Museum.
Nearest airport: Karipur International Airport, about 36 km from Malappuram.
The well-known Teak Museum is located at Nilambur in the Malappuram district of Kerala. Regarded as the first of its kind in the world and the only one in India; it is a house to the treasures of historical, aesthetic and scientific aspects of Teak.
The museum was established on the campus of the sub-centre of Kerala Forest Research Institute (KFRI) in 1995. The museum was established here owing to the historical significance of the region. The world's first Teak (Tectona grandis) plantation was raised in Nilambur way back in the 1840s in order to ensure a steady supply of Teak timber to the British.
Getting there:
Nearest railway station: Nilambur, about 3 km from the Teak Museum.
Nearest airport: Karipur International Airport, about 36 km from Malappuram.
MEENMUTTY WATERFALLS
MEENMUTTY WATERFALLS
Meenmutty Falls is located 29 km from Kalpetta in Wayanad District in the state of Kerala, India. It is a three-tiered waterfall with a height of 300 metres.[1] Meenmutty Falls, the largest and most spectacular waterfall in the Wayanad District, is a 2 km hike though the jungle from the main Ooty Road.[2] It is Kerala's second largest waterfall and the one most unspoiled in its natural setting. Each of its three tiers requires a separate hike through a moist, deciduous forest. The path is quiet dangerous and tiresome, but the waterfalls are worth it.
How to reach ?
This waterfall lies approximately 12 km east of Meppadi and is around 500 metres deep. The Tourism Information Centre located at this site provides trekking and hiking equipment. It is easily accessible by road from Meppadi Bus Station and Sulthan Bathery Bus Station.
Where to stay ?
Hotel new Paris -Meppadi 282489
soochippara holidayresort- 9947474888
Aaranyakam Homestay -280261
Meenmutty heights - 9349892255
Meenmutty Falls is located 29 km from Kalpetta in Wayanad District in the state of Kerala, India. It is a three-tiered waterfall with a height of 300 metres.[1] Meenmutty Falls, the largest and most spectacular waterfall in the Wayanad District, is a 2 km hike though the jungle from the main Ooty Road.[2] It is Kerala's second largest waterfall and the one most unspoiled in its natural setting. Each of its three tiers requires a separate hike through a moist, deciduous forest. The path is quiet dangerous and tiresome, but the waterfalls are worth it.
How to reach ?
This waterfall lies approximately 12 km east of Meppadi and is around 500 metres deep. The Tourism Information Centre located at this site provides trekking and hiking equipment. It is easily accessible by road from Meppadi Bus Station and Sulthan Bathery Bus Station.
Where to stay ?
Hotel new Paris -Meppadi 282489
soochippara holidayresort- 9947474888
Aaranyakam Homestay -280261
Meenmutty heights - 9349892255
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