Trivandrum Travel

Bounded by the Arabian sea on the West and Tamil Nadu on the East, Thiruvananthapuram (also known as Trivandrum), is the capital of Kerala. Along the Eastern and North Eastern borders of Trivandrum, there are many picnic spots: A long shoreline, internationally renowned beaches, historic monuments, and backwater stretches. The contact of Trivandrum with the outside world dates back to 190 AD when it opened its shores to merchants in search of spices, sandalwood, and ivory. The city also boasts of its association with King Solomon whose ships landed at a port called Ophir. The city is named after the deity that is housed in Sree Anantha Padmanabha swami Temple, one of the major landmarks of the place.

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Tourist Attractions in Trivandrum

Trivandrum, the capital city of Kerala, offers temples, beaches, museums and art galleries for tourists. A sightseeing tour of Trivandrum has a lot to offer. Some of the most seen tourist spots in the city are listed below.

Padmanabha Swamy Temple
The temple is one of the most visited in the city. It is because of its Dravidian styled gopurams and a total of 365 granite pillars which are wonderfully carved. If you are at the Trivandrum railway station, you need to move a little distance to the southwest to get to the temple. The annual temple festivals celebrated here are also quite popular.

Kuthiramalika Palace Museum
The museum stands adjacently to the Padmanabha Swamy Temple. The palace-museum was erected by Maharaja Thirunal Balarama Varma, the King of Travancore. It is located at a distance of 1 km from the Thiruvananthapuram Central railway station.

The Napier Museum
A visit to the Napier Museum means visiting a number of other buildings that flank it. The museum was built by Robert Chisholm. Do remember to visit places like Jawahar Lal Bhavan, Raj Bhavan, Kanakakunnu Palace and the zoo while here.

Veli Tourist Village
For picnic lovers, the Veli Tourist Village is a nice option. With the Veli Lagoon on the one side and the Arabian Sea on the other, the tourist spot also offers a host of activities to do. The picnic spot is located at a distance of 8 km from Trivandrum.

Thiruvallam
If backwaters are on your mind, you will surely not want to miss your visit to Thiruvallam, a popular tourist backwater destination. Book yourself a houseboat cruise and be ready to visit local fishing villages and experience life as it existed 100 years ago. During your cruise, look out for water birds as well.

Popular Shopping Centres in Trivandrum

The main shopping centers in Trivandrum are Pazhavangadi, Puthenchanthai and Cantonment. Here one can get aranmula mirror, gold and silver brocaded fabrics, boxes, buttons and ash trays of steel.

How to Reach Trivandrum (Air/Rail/Road)

The city of Trivandrum has a busy international airport which connects it to major cities including Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Kochi. The Trivandrum Airport serves as the major gateway to the state of Kerala. It is located just outside the city, near the Shankumugham Beach. Around 40 international flights operate from the airport. The railway station at Trivandrum is also very well connected to all the major cities of southern India. NH 47 provides good road connectivity to Trivandrum.

Trivandrum Hotel Information

The Fortune Hotel group and the KTDC Group of Hotels run good hotels here. Besides, there are a number of heritage hotels in Trivandrum as well. You can choose as you please. Most of the popular hotels in Trivandrum are located on the MG Road. There are deluxe hotels, luxury hotels, heritage hotels, budget hotels and tourist lodges along with homestays.

On their tour to Trivandrum, visitors prefer to stay at hotels like -
» Muthoot Plaza
» Travancore Heritage
» Comfort Inn Grand
» Poovar Island Resort
» The Residency Tower
» Mascot Hotel