Sunday, February 28, 2010

Alappuzha places to visit -how to reach- Alappuzha kerala beaches and Backwaters

Alappuzha is a district of immense and natural beauty with vast network of lakes, lagoons and fresh water rivers crisscrossing it.
Alappuzha is also famous for its boat races, houseboat holidays, beaches, marine products, and coir industry.
Alapuzha borders Arabian Sea on the west.During the past decade Alappuzha has grown in importance as a backwater tourist centre.
Alapuzha is popularly known as the 'Venice of the East' because of the vast network of canals,lakes and lagoons.

HOW TO REACH

BY AIR - The nearest airport is Kochi at a distance of 64 km north.
The Trivandrum airport is located 159 km south of Alappuzha.

BY ROAD - Cities like Cochin, Chennai,Trivandrum, Bangalore and Calicut are well connected to Alappuzha.
National Highway 47 goes through Alappuzha connecting it with almost all the nearby places of South India.

BY WATER -Alapuzha is linked by boat and ferry services through the scenic backwaters to Cochin, Kottayam, Kavalam, Changanassery and Chengannur.
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BEST TIME TO VISIT
The temperature ranges from 22 to 35°C in summer and 20 to 32°C during winters. The best time to visit Alappuzha is during the winter season. The months from August-September and February-March are ideal for a visit to this place.

Alapuzha Places and attractions

Alappuzha Beach
Alapuzha Beach is one of the most popular picnic spots in Alappuzha.Entertainment facilities at the Vijaya beach park add to the attractions of the beach. There is also an old lighthouse which is greatly fascination to visitors.

Punnamada Kayal and Boatraces
Punamada Kayal the must-visit place of Alappuzha where the annual Nehru Trophy boat race takes place.
Alappuzha district witness amny boat races every year.Apart from Nehru Trophy boat race the other famous boat races are the Payippad near Haripad, the Thiruvandoor, Neerettupuram, Karuvatta and Thaikkoottam boat race.The special snake boats that are used for these races are called Chundan vallams.

Backwater Cruise
Alappuzha is famous for Backwater Cruise and has lot of house boats and resorts are available.

Kuttanad
A land of lush paddy fields, Kuttanad is also called the Rice Bowl of Kerala and is one of the few places in the world where farming is done below sea level. The boat trip to Changanacherry passes through this beautiful and fertile region.

Krishnapuram Palace

Krishnapuram Palace built during the reign of the Travancore monarch, Marthanda Varma and displays the typical Kerala architecture-gabled roofs, dormar windows, narrow corridors. The largest mural painting, Gajendra Miksham, is displayed in a museum here.
Krishnapuram Palace is 47 kms from Alappuzha.

Pathiramanal
Pathiramanal is a small island in the Vembanad Lake. The island is accessible only by boat from Kumarakom and Muhamma.The island is a Birdwatcher's paradise. It is home to around 91 local species of birds and 50 migratory birds.

Ambalappuzha Sri Krishna Temple
14 kms from Alapuzha.
Constructed in the typical Kerala architectural style, this temple is famous and renowned for the Palpayasam, the daily offering of sweet milk porridge. The temple's main festival occurs in March/April. It was in this temple that the 16th century poet Kunjan Nambiar staged his first Ottan Thullal, a solo dance performance with high social content.

Arthunkal Church
Arthunkal is a small seaside village, about 8 kilometers west of Cherthala and 22 kilometers north of the Alappuzha town.Arthunkal is one of the most important pilgrimage sites in Kerala. It is considered as a holy land by hundreds of thousands of devotees, of Christian as well as other faith. The annual feast of St. Sebastian is held here in the month of January. The feast of St. Sebastian in Arthunkal is a grand celebration extending for two weeks.

Edathua Church
Edathua Church Situated 24 kms. away from Alappuzha.
Established in 1810, the church is dedicated to St. George. It is believed that prayers and offerings at this church help to heal all mental disorders and other ailments.Edathua Church celebrates its feast during the month of May (5th, 6th, 7th of May) during which pilgrims from all parts of South India, irrespective of caste and creed, visit the church and seek the blessings of the saint.

Chettikulangara Bhagavathy Temple
Chettikulangara Kettukazhcha festival at this temple draws large crowds of devotees.The festival is held in Feb./Mar. and colourful procession is taken out.

Punnapra
A short distance from Alappuzha is Punnapra, a village which has gone down in history as the scene of a bitter and heroic fighting between the communists and Travancore State Police in the Punnapra Vayalar Communist uprising of 1946.
The interpretation of this incident is still debated. These are the memorial of the martyrs located in Alappuzha near Kalarcode.

Mararikulam Beach
12 Kms. from Alappuzha.
Mararikulam houses a quiet beach and has an adjoining fishing village. Pool, tennis, water sports and Ayurvedic treatment facilities are available here.

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Sunday, February 21, 2010

Floating mall on Kerala backwaters-Floating Triveni Super Store at Kuttanadu .

Another unique attraction attracts tourists to backwaters of Kuttanadu area of Alappuzha district.
A floating shopping mall on backwaters is catching the attention of tourists.
The Kerala government owned Consumerfed has started the Floating Triveni Super Store.
The media reports that the floating Triveni Super Store, which sells everything a home needs including refrigerators and TV sets at subsidized rates, is the brainchild of state Cooperative Minister G. Sudhakaran.
The mall is open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. For safety reasons, only 20 people are allowed on board at a time.
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The mall was designed by the University of Cochin's naval department. It was built at a dock in Kochi at a cost of Rs.50 lakh.Media reports that the mall has average daily sales of Rs.60,000
This is a unique venture and let us hope that Consumerfed will soon start many such floating malls in Kerala.
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http://kerala.skoool.in - Skoool Kerala from Intel® and IT@School Project of Government of Kerala.

Another wonderful initiative from Government of Kerala and Intel® corporation to help the students to learn more about Science and Mathematics.
Kerala becomes the first state in India to deploy Skoool content in all schools.Skoool Kerala is an Intel® driven initiative that brings you highly innovative, interactive and exciting learning resources via cutting edge technologies and devices.
Read:IT@School :Kerala government high schools to get l...
Kerala government in collaboration with Intel launched regional version of the Skoool Learning and Teaching Technologies educational website  to help teachers and students learn key concepts in mathematics and science.
The website (http://kerala.skoool.in/) can be accessed free on the Internet.
This is another unique initiative from IT@School Project of the General Education Department of Kerala government.The site provides resources in English and Malayalam to enhance their understanding of mathematics and science subjects.
Visit and utilize the unique techniques and resources available http://kerala.skoool.in/.

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Thursday, February 4, 2010

Thekkady Resorts-Thekkady Hotels list- Thekkady-Kerala Tourism-Thekkady Wild Corridor

Thekkady Luxury Hotels and Resorts as well as budget Hotels and Resorts available in Thakkady and nearest places like Kumali.
Thekkady is in Idukki district of Kerala.Thekkady is one of the finest wildlife reserves in India.Thekkady is the location of the Periyar National Park, one of the most important tourist attraction in the Kerala.The wonderful artificial lake formed by the Mullaperiyar Dam built across the Periyar river adds to the charm of Thekkady and the Periyar National Park.Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary spreads across 777 sq.km, of which 360 sq.km is thick evergreen forest.

Read: Thekkady Kerala-Thekkady map - places-Munnar to Th...

There are plenty of good hotels and resorts especially jungle resorts in and around Thekkady.Please see below a list of hotels and resorts.The list may not be complete or information may not be accurate.

Tourist Accommodation Facilities. The price/tariff shown below may not be accurate and will change based on season.

5 star

The Elephant Court
Thekkady
Price starts from 7000 to 33000

4 star

Lake Palace (KTDC)
Thekkady
Prices starts from 10,000 to 25,000

Tuskar Trails
Club Mahindra Resorts
Amalambika Road,
Thekkady
Prices starts from INR 5143

Spice village
Thekkady
Price ranges from 14516 to 21505

Muthoot Cardamom County
Thekkady
Tariff ranges from 9500 to 15500

Carmelia Haven The Plantation Resort
Thekkady
Prices starts from Rs.2875 to 12999

Shalimar Spice Garden Resort
Murikkady
Kumily
Tariff starts from 7500 to 15000


Taj Garden Retreat
Thekkady
Tariff starts from 3800

3 stars

Ambady
Thekkady
Tariff range:from INR:1350

Aranya Nivas (KTDC)
www.ktdc.com/AranyaNivas.htm

Tarf ranges from 3,500 -8,000


The Wilder Nest
Thekkadi
Price stars from 2420

Green Woods Resort
K.K .Road, Kumily
Prices from INR 3300

Thekkady Wild Corridor
Murikkady,
Kumily
Tariff starts from INR 4675

Silver Crest
Thekkady
Price ranges from 1800-2500

Mundax Homestay Retreat,
Thekkady
Prices starts from INR 4950


Hotel Mount Sinai ,
Thekkady

Thri Sangu
Kuttikkanam
Price starts from 1881

Team Eletaria Resort,
Vandenmedu
Thekkady
Prices starts from INR 3450

Wild Side Villa
Amalambika Road,
Near Taj Retreat
Thekkady
Tariff ranges from INR 900

Hotel Treetop
Kumily
Tariff starts from INR:3000

Periyar House (KTDC)
Tariff ranges from 1,095 to 4,380


2 stars
Michael's Inn
Kumily
Accommodation Available from INR:1500

Woodlands Prime Castle
Kumily
Tariff starts from Rs:650

Lakeshore INN Hotel
Kumali
Accommodation Available from INR:2200

Hotel Sithara International
Thekkady
Tariff from INR:1200

Kumily Gate
Kumily
Accommodation Available from INR:1200

Hotel Regent Tower
Thekkady
Price starts from INR:500


Others

Highrange Residency
Tariff ranges from :600-1500

Lake queen
Tariff ranges from 350-700

Mukkumckal Tourist Home
Tariff ranges from 100-1250

Revathy International
Price ranges from 300-700

Tebernacle Tourist Home
Price ranges from 350-900

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Best Places In Kerala :Kerala Tour and Tourism -Best Of Kerala

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