India Travel
Alappuzha Practicalities in Kerala
The shambolic KSRTC bus stand, on the east of town, is served by half-hourly buses to Kollam, Thiruvananthapuram and Ernakukm; less frequent buses run to Kottayam, Thrissur and Palakkad. The boat jetty is just one minute’s walk west from the bus stand. As the backwaters prevent trains from continuing south beyond Alappuzha, only a few major daily services and a handful of passenger trains depart from the railway station, 3km southwest of the jetty. Among these are the Bokaro/Tata Express #8690 at 6am, the Trivandrum-Mumbai CST Express #6332 at 7.20am and the-Alleppey-Chennai Express #6042 at 3pm; all three stop at Ernakulam Junction before continuing toT hrissur and Palakkad. For points further north along the coast including Mangalore, you should take an early train and change at Ernakulam, as the Alleppey-Cannanore Express #6307, which continues to Kozhikode and Kannur, arrives at those destinations far too late at night. The best train south to Thiruvananthapuram is the Ernakulam-Tnvandrum Express #6341(departs 7.25am); most of the other express trains in this direction leave at inconvenient hours.
Alappuzha has several rival tourist departments. The main ATDC tourist information office (daily 8am-8pm; 0477/243462) is opposite the jetty, next to Canara Bank, and they have a smaller office on the other side of the canal, just off Komala Road. The DTPC office (daily 7.30am-9pm; 0477/251796), at the DTPC jetty, handles hotel bookings for all KTDC and private hotels throughout Kerala and in other parts of south India for the charge of the telephone call and on receipt of one nights room rate. ATDC and DTPC both sell tickets for their ferries, backwater cruises and charter boats (maximum twenty people) - good for group excursions into less visited backwaters. The Government of Kerala’s tourist office, at the DTPC jetty (Mon-Sat Warn—5pm; 0477/260722) is good for travel information. Other ferry and charter organizations include Kerala Backwaters atj Choondapally Buildings, near the Nehru Trophy finishing point (0477/241693), Tour Kerala, Muttal Building, Nehru Trophy Ward (0477/242955) and Alappuzha Tour & Co, Punchiri Building, Jetty Road (0477/242040).
Moneychanging facilities are available at the Bank of India on Mullakal Road and the Indian Bank on Mullakal Road, which accepts Visa and Mastercard as well as currency and travellers’ cheques.The State Bank of India is on Beach Road, and Canara Bank is next to the Zion Food Shop, near the jetty; it accepts travellers’ cheques and Visa, but not currency. For internet access, Seiki internet cafe opposite the Komala Hotel (Rs40/hr) offers by far the fastest service, or try the Zion Food Shop opposite the main jetty (Rs60/hr).
Related Properties from Gurgaon
Kottayam and around Practicalities in Kerala
Kottayam's KSRTC bus stand, 500m south of the centre on TB Road (not to be confused with the private stand for local buses on KK Road, aka Shastri Road), is an important stop on routes to and from major towns in south India. Four of the frequent buses to Kumily/Penyar (3-4hr) each day go on to Madurai, in Tamil Nadu (7hr), and there are regular services to Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam and Ernakulam. The railway station (2km north of the centre) sees a constant flow of traffic between Thiruvananthapuram and points north. Ferries from Alappuzha and elsewhere dock at the weed-clogged jetty,
Travel details for Travel details in Kerala
For details of ferry services on the backwaters - primarily between Alappuzha and Kollam. Trains Kochi/Ernakulam to: Alappuzha (3-5 daily; 1hr 20min): Bangalore (1 daily; 14hr); Chennai (3-5 daily; 12hr45min-14hr40min); Coimbatore (3-4 daily; 4hr 45min-5hr 30min); Delhi (2 daily; 40hr 30min-49tir), Kanniyakumari (2-3 daily; 8hr); Kollam (8-9 daily; 3-4tir|; Kottayam (8-9 daily; 1hr 5min); Kozhikode (6-7.daily; 3hr 20min-6hr 20min); Mumbai (2-3 daily; 28hr 20min 10hr 25min); Palakkad (5-6 daily; 3hr 20mm); Tliiriivananthapuram (9-11 daily; 4hr 20min-5hr): Thrissur (12-14 daily; 1 hr 30min-2hr). Kozhikode to: Kochi (6-7 daily; 4hr 30min-5hr 10min); Mangalore (3-4 daily; 5hr 40min-6hr); Mumbai (2-3 daily; 16hr 20min-23hr); Thiruvananthapuram (4-6
Kollam (Quilon) and around in Kerala
One of the oldest ports of the Malabar coast, KOLLAM (pronounced "Koillam" and previously known as Quilon), 74km northwest of Thiruvananthapuram and 85km south of Alappuzha, was once at the centre of the international spice trade. The sixteenth-century Portuguese writer Duarte Barbossa described it as a" very great city with a right good haven", which was visited by "Moors, Heathen and Christians in great numbers", and stated that "a great store" of pepper was to be found there. In fact, the port flourished from the very earliest times, trading amicably with the Phoenicians, Arabs, Persians, Greeks, Romans and Chinese. Nowadays, Kollam
Alappuzha in Kerala
Under its former appellation of Alleppey, ALAPPUZHA. roughly midway between Kollam (85km south) and Kochi (64km north), is another romannc and historic name from Kerala's past. It was one of the best-known ports along the Malabar coast, and tourist literature is fond of referring to it as 'Venice oi the East", but while it may be full of interconnecting canals, there the resemblance ends. Alappuzha is a bustling, messy town of ramshackle wood and cor- rugated iron-roofed houses, chiefly significant in the coir industry, which accounts for much of the traffic on its oily green-brown waterways. Despite its insalubrious canals, Alappuzha is
Kottayam and around in Kerala
The busy commercial centre of KOTTAYAM is strategically located between the backwaters to the west and the spice, tea and rubber plantations, forests, and the mountains of the Western Ghats to the east, 76km southeast of Kochi ana 37km northwest of Alappuzha. Most visitors come here on the way somewhere else - foreigners take short backwater trips to Alappuzha or set off to Penyar Wildlife Sanctuary, while Ayappa devotees pass through en route to the tor-est temple at Sabarimala (see p.1335). Kottayam's long history of Syrian Christian settlement is reflected by the presence of two thirteenth-century churches on a hill 5km
Padmanabhapuram Practicalities in Kerala
Frequent buses run to Padmanabhapuram from Thiruvananthapurams Thampanoor station; hop on any service heading south towards Nagercoil or Kanniyakumari and get off at Thakkaly (sometimes written Thuckalai). If you're determined to see Padmanabhapuram. Kanniyakumari and Suchindram in one day. leave the city early to arrive when the palace opens at 9am. Note that two express buses leave Thakkaly at 2,30pm and 3.30pm for Thiruvananthapuram. Another way to see Padmanabhapuram is on KTDC's Kanniyakumari tour which starts at Thiruvananthapuram (Tues-Sun 7.30am-9pm; Rs230) and can be picked up at Kovalam where it stops en route. The area around the bus station, being on
Kollam (Quilon) and around Practicalities In Kerala
The railway station is on the east of town, a three-kilo metre auto-rickshaw ride (Rs 15-20) from the jetty. Numerous daily trains each way run from Ernakulam and Thiruvananthapuram and beyond. On platform 4, the tiny District Tourism Promotion Council (DTPC) tourist information counter (Mon-Sat 9am-l 2.30pm & 1.30-5pm) will book hotels for travellers; you have to pay one night in advance, but the only extra charge is for the phone calls. They also have a tourist office (Mon-Sat 9am-5.30pm; 0474/742558) at the boat jetty (for boat details, see below for boat details), but will only provide details on their
Thiruvananthapuram Information and tours in Kerala
All the tourist offices at the airport are open during flight times. The Government of India's counter (0471/501498) offers general information regarding Kerala and the adjacent states, while the Government of Kerala has two counters, one at the domestic terminal (0471/501085) and the other at the internacion.il terminal (0471/502298), offering Kerala-specific information including, for example, on backwater cruises. The Government of Kerala also has an office in the main block at the Thampanoor bus stand (Mon-Sat 10am-5pm; 0471/327224) which is good for general information and maps and sells tickets for backwater cruises between Kollam and Alappuzha. They have another counter
Moving on from Kochi/ErakuEam in Kerala
For an overview of travel services to and from Kochi/Ernakulam, see Travel Details on p.1378. By air The new international airport (0484/610050, 610115. or 610116) at Nedumbassery near Alwaye (aka Alua), 26km to the north of Ernakulam, has been designed to attract international flights especially from the Gulf. Jet Airways has two flights a day to Mumbai, and Indian Airlines operates daily flights to Mumbai, Bangalore, Delhi, and Thiruvananthapuram. Indian Airlines flies six days a week to Chennai, and twice weekly to Goa, Coimbatore, Hyderabad and Calicut. If you want to fly to the Lakshadweep Islands, contact Casino Hotel, Willingdon Island f-
Around Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala
Although for virtually its entire 550-kilometre length the Keralan coast is lined with sandy beaches, rocky promontories and coconut palms, Kovalam is one of the only places where swimming in the sea is not considered eccentric by locals, and which offers accommodation to suit all budgets. When it gets too hot at sea level, Ponmudi, a bus ride away in the Cardamom hills through forest, spice and tea plantations, makes a refreshing break. Another easy excursion from Thiruvananthapuram is its predecessor as capital of Travancore, Padrnanabhapuram, site of a magniScent palace.
Thiruvananthapuram The City in Kerala
The historical and spiritual heart of Thiruvananthapuram is in the Fort area at the southern end of MG Road, which encloses the Shri Padmanabhaswamy Vishnu temple. Following MG Road north leads you through the main shopping district, which is busy all day, and especially choked when one of the frequent, but generally orderly, political demonstrations converges on the grail" colonial Secretariat building halfway alone. The whole centre can be explored easily on foot, though you might be glad of a rickshaw ride (Rsl 5-20) back from the museums and parks, close to the top end of the road.
Ponmudi Practicalities in Kerala
Four daily buses run from Thiruvananthapuram to Ponmudi, via Vithura; the first is at 5.30am and the last at 10.15am.There are many more buses back trom Ponmudi to Thiruvanathapuram, starting at 6am until 6.30pm. The nearest tourist office is currently in Thiruvananthapuram, where information on Ponmudi is readily available, although a snazzy new tourist information office should be open in Ponmudi by 2002. The Government Guest House (0472/890230) has 24 rooms, and seven cottages, all with hot water. The simple and inexpensive but delicious meals have to be ordered a couple of hours in advance, otherwise the cold drinks and snacks
Aranmula in Kerala
The village of ARANMULA is another appealing day-trip - so long as you start early - from Kottayam, 30km south of the town and 10km beyond Chengannur. Its ancient temple is dedicated to Parthasarathy, which was the name under which Krishna acted as Arjuna's charioteer during the bloody Kurekshetra war recorded in the Mahabharata, and the guise in which he expounded the Bhagavad Gita. Each year towards the end of the Onam festival (Aug/Sept), when a Snakeboat Regatta is celebrated as part of the temple rituals, crowds line the banks of the River Panipa to cheer on the thrusting longboats
Varkalanorthwest in Kerala
Long known to Keralans as a place of pilgrimage, VARKALA, 54km northwest of Thiruvananthapuram and 20km southeast of Kollam, is drawing more and more foreign visitors, who see the beautiful beach and cliffs 1500m beyond the village as a quiet, unspoiled alternative to Kovalam. Centred on a clifftop row of budget guesthouses and palm-thatch cafes, the tourist scene has so far been relatively low-key despite the arrival of the Taj Group's luxury resort and the occasional package tour group. Varkala is developing, albeit slowly, so enjoy it while you can; this tranquil spot could well go the same way as
Kuttanda: the backwaters of Kerala Routes and practicalities in Kerala
There are numerous backwater routes to choose from, on vessels ranging from local ferries, through chauffeur-driven speedboats offered by the KTDC, to customized kettu vallam and rice boat cruises. The most popular excursion is the full-day journey between Kollam and Alappuzha; you can cover part or all of the route in a day, returning to your original point of departure by bus during the evening, or, more comfortably, staying the night at either end. All sorts of private hustlers offer their services, but the basic choice lies between boats run by the Alieppey Tourism Development Co-op (ATDC) and the District
Practicalities of Kanniyakumari in Central Tamil Nadu
Trains from Thiruvananthapuram, New Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore and even Jammu - at 86hr, the longest rail journey in India - stop at the railway station in the north of town, 2km from the scafront. From Madurai, the best service is the #6721 Tutkorin Express, which leaves Madurai Junction at 12.30am, and arrives at 6.15am the following morning, just in time for sunrise. You can leave luggage in the generator room behind the ticket office for Rs5 per item. The new and well-organized Tluruvalluvar bus stand, near the lighthouse west of town, is served by regular buses from Thiruvananthapuram, Kovalam, Madurai, Rameshwaram
Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala
Kerala's capital, the coastal city of THIRUVANANTHAPURAM (still widely and more commonly known as Trivandrum), is set on seven low hills, 87km from the southern tip of India. Despite its administrative importance -demonstrated by wide roads, multistorey office blocks and gleaming white colonial buildings — it's a decidedly easy-going city, with an attractive mixture of narrow backstreets, traditional red-tiled gabled houses and acres of palm trees and parks breaking up the bustle of its modern concrete centre. Although it has few monuments as such,Thiruvananthapuram is an ideal first stop in the state, as a window on Keralan culture. The oldest most
Kovalam and around south from Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala
The coastal village of KOVALAM may lie just 10km south from Thiruvananthapuram, but as Kerala's most developed beach resort it's becoming ever more distanced from the rest of the state. Each year greater numbers of Western visitors - budget travellers and jet-setters alike - arrive in search of sun, sea and palm-fringed beaches. For many travellers it has become, with Goa and Mamallapuram, the third essential stop on a triangular tour of tropical south Indian "paradises" - or indeed just another leg of the trail along the coasts of South Asia. Europeans have been visiting Kovalam since the 1930s, but not
Ponmudi and Peppara Wildlife Sanctuary in Kerala
In the tea-growing region of the Cardamom (or Ponmudi) hills, about 60km northeast of Thiruvananthapuram and 77km from Kovalam. at an altitude of 1066m, is the hill station of PONMUDI. It is not a town, or even a village, but merely some accommodation along a ridge, commanding breathtaking views out across the range as far as the sea. The main reason anyone comes up here is that it serves as the only practical base for visits to the 53 square kilometres of forest set aside as Peppara Wildlife Sanctuary, which protects elephants, sambar, lion-tailed macaques, leopard, and assorted birds. Although Peppara
The Details of Kerala
A sliver of dense greenery sandwiched between the Arabian Sea and the forested Western Ghat mountains, the state of KERALA runs down the southwest coast of India, around 550km long and 120km wide at its broadest poin:. It is blessed with unique geographical and cultural features and the overpowering tropical landscape, with 41 rivers and countless waterways, fed by two annual monsoons, intoxicates every newcomer. Equally, Kerala's arcane rituals and spectacular festivals Stimulate even the most jaded imagination, continuing centuries of tradition that has never strayed far from the realms of magic. Travellers weary of daunting metropolises will find that Kerala's