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Back from Kerala, India - God's Own Country


We just came back from a beautiful vacation from India. Kerala, a state in India, is also dubbed "God's Own Country". It is rich in greenery, abundant in water bodies. Kerala should be on any tourist's list immediately after Tajmahal, Agra (although, be advised that Agra is North India and Kerala is on the extreme south). The weather was generally pleasant (Jan - Mar is considered the *season* for tourism here)
We landed in Thiruvananthapuram, aka Trivandrum, Trichy. It's the capital city of Kerala. It is accessible by air, train (and also sea). It is said to have some really nice beaches – one is - Varkala Beach (we were unable to go for lack of time). Can also be used as a crashing pad.

The crown jewel tourist spot near Trichy is a hill station called Ponmudi. The best experience would be to spend a night in the KTDC resort 2 KM from the summit. The sunrise and the sunset from the resort is awe inspiring. The summit is not open for either so, the resort is the best choice.
Atop PonmudiSunset from KTDC GuesthouseWay to Ponmudi parkSunrise..

Kollam, is on the way to Ponmudi. Right at the beginning of It's a small water body with thick lush greenery. Although this does not qualify as a tourist spot, it's a good picnic spot.. Rest here, hike a little and enjoy the sounds of nature for a few minutes before you head out to ponmudi.
KollamKollam

Palaruvi Waterfall (means a stream of milk) is about 70 Km from Kollam. Although it is no Niagara, it's a good spot to spend time on a hot day. There is a (safe and) shallow pool at the foot of the 300 ft. high, low volume water fall,  where *Gentlemen and Male Youth* are allowed in. Women and kids have a smaller pool in the rocks few feet below, which is not as exciting as the main pool. If you are short of time, Skip this and spend more time in the next stop.
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Alleppey, aka Allaphuzha locally, is known for its back water stretches. May be this should take most of your time plan. Here are available boat resorts with fully furnished bed rooms, open deck with a TV and even a personal chef. These boats can be rented like hotel rooms - nightly.  Honeymooners find this the best place to be. For people with less time, "Shikaar" boat  are available for rent hourly. Although it wont have the amenities of the larger boat, These boats have access to local *water* streets. These are slow moving, and more peaceful.  With green fields on both sides, it's picturesque going around.
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This time, this was it. Munnar, another hill station in Kerala, is also another famous honey moon spot. May be next time, we will visit Munnar.
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