Kerala Tourism - Travel to Kerala
Kerala is a state in Southern India, famous for its culture, spices, beaches and backwaters. It is also one of the most literate and prosperous states in India. Keralalites call their state "God's own country" and it is blessed with tropical forests, a fertile coastal plain, fishing, tourism and a relatively stable political situation.
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Cities in Kerala
- Kottayam
- Thiruvananthapuram also known as Trivandrum
- Kochi also known as Cochin
- Alappuzha also known as Alleppey
- Kozhikode also know as Calicut
Other destinations - Travel to Kerala
- Kovalam Beach -- a popular beach near Trivandrum
- Papanasam Beach -- also near Trivandrum, with a 2000-year-old temple
- Munnar -- A hill station near Kochi with tea plantations
- Vythiri -- A hill station in the northeast corner of the state
- Kerala backwaters -- A must-experience.
Get into Kerala
Travel to Kerala By Plane
There are three airports in Kerala. The airports at Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram are international airports, while the one at Kozhikode is linked nationally. The international airports have several carriers operating from Singapore, Colombo, Male, Muscat, Bahrain, Kuwait, Abu Dhabi and Dubai. More details can be found at http://www.kerala.cc/keralaairports/
Travel to Kerala By Train
Indian Railway operates several trains into and from (and within) Kerala. Trains into Kerala start from all the neighbouring states like Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, etc.
Travel to Kerala By Bus
Inter-state private and government buses operates between neighbouring states. Usually the journey is performed in the night so that you can escape the heat of the day. Even though the government buses are cheaper, the private buses are less taxing for your body! You can't see much of Kerala if you are lying down with a sprained and aching back, can you? Check to make sure that the bus looks good and has adequate suspension.
Get around in Kerala
Trains, buses and taxis provide the easiest way to get around Kerala. Trains are good for long distance travel, say from the north to the south.Taxis are good but expensive way to get around for short distances. Do negotiate the price before your get into the taxi.
Buses are good for very short travel. Both government and private buses travel between and within cities. Buses within cities are very crowded and if you travel on them, please take care of your belongings (wallet, passport) as pickpockets are not rare.
Auto-rickshaws are another convenient mode of transport for very short travel - not too expensive and fast. By law the auto driver has to start a meter for every journey. However this is rarely done. The best way not to get tricked would be to ask a helpful samaritan how much it would cost to your destination and check it up with your driver before you get into the auto.
Kerala Talk
The people of Kerala speak Malayalam (its a palindrome when written in English). However, most of the people speak and understand English, though speaking slowly increases the rate of being understood. The bus routes and other important signs are written in English.
