Trivandrum is the coastal capital city of Kerala state and is nestled on 7 undulating hills lush with greenery, rivers and lakes. It’s bounded by the Western Ghats on one side and by the Arabian Sea on the other and brimming with numerous popular beaches in between. Trivandrum is also a popular tourist’s haven, having an unending array of tourism spots to visit. Here are a few choice ones:
KUTHIRAMALIKA PALACE MUSEUM
The palace is a beautiful work of art and adorned with 122 wooden horse sculptures on the outside. It houses the paraphernalia of the royal family, including the royal jewelry, the armory, various metal sculptures and even a majestic throne.
SREE PADMANABHASWAMY TEMPLE
The richest temple in the world, this is a star attraction in Trivandrum. It is dedicated to Lord Vishnu whose gold-covered idol can be seen in a reclining pose through three doors. The temple is also famous for its huge Gopuram and rich Dravidian-style architecture.
VELI TOURIST VILLAGE
This popular tourism spot lies where the Veli Lake drains into the Arabian Sea. Aside from boating activities, there is a floating restaurant, a floating bridge, sprawling manicured gardens, kid’s parks and the beach to enjoy here.
LIGHTHOUSE BEACH
This is the largest beach in Kovalam and popular with the tourists. There are a host of seafood restaurants and hotels lining the seafront. A lighthouse here enables you to enjoy panoramic views of the vast ocean too.
NAPIER MUSEUM
Sporting a gothic roof, this Indo-Saracenic style of building was established in 1855. It hosts an amazing coin collection, ancient musical instruments, stone, metal and wooden sculptures and numerous other mesmerizing items of interest.
SREE CHITRA ART GALLERY
This is a popular destination and part of the complex housing the zoological garden, the botanical garden, Napier museum, and the Natural History Museum. Its home to many beautiful Tanjore, Mughal, Rajasthani, Balinese and Russian paintings. This is aside from the vast collection of Raja Ravi Varma paintings.
NEYYAR DAM
Established in 1958, the dam has a scenic lake with the backdrop of the majestic Western Ghats. It is adjacent to a wildlife sanctuary, a Lion Safari park, a Crocodile Rehabilitation Center, an Aquarium, viewing decks, etc, and offers guided trekking opportunities for the more adventurous ones.
Aside from these, there are numerous other places to visit in and around Trivandrum. You could stay over at leisure hotels such as the Raviz Kovalam at the Kovalam beach and get royally pampered too! It’s just half an hour’s drive from the city and the airport.