Kerala is truly the undiscovered India. It is God's own country and an enchantingly beautiful, emerald-green sliver of land. It is a tropical paradise far from the tourist trial at the southwestern peninsular tip, sandwiched between the tall mountains and the deep sea. Kerala is a long stretch of enchanting greenery. The tall exotic coconut palm dominates the landscape.

There is a persistent legend which says that Parasuram, the 6th incarnation of Lord Vishnu, the preserver of the Hindu Trinity, stood on a high place in the mountains, threw an axe far in to the sea, and commanded the sea to retreat. And the land that emerged all from the waters became Kerala, the land of plenty and prosperity.

Kerala is a 560-km long narrow stretch of land. At the widest, Kerala is a mere 120-km from the sea to the mountains. Gracing one side of Kerala, are the lofty mountains ranging high to kiss the sky. And on the other side the land is washed by the blue Arabian Sea waters. The land is covered with dense tropical forest, fertile plains, beautiful beaches, cliffs, rocky coasts, an intricate maze of backwaters, still bays and an astounding 44 glimmering rivers. Kerala's exotic spices have lured foreigners to her coast from time immemorial.

Kerala is an enchantingly beautiful , emerald green land, flanked by the Western Ghats on one side, the Arabian Sea on the other, and strewn with rivers, lagoons, backwaters and rich vegetation in between.

For tourist, Kerala offers Nature on a platter. Sandy beaches of Kovalam, blue Lagoons at Veli, Hill stations at Ponmudi and Munnar, backwaters of Kollam and Alappuzha, greenland plantations in the highranges, wildlife, high mountain peaks, picturesque valleys, magnificent forts and intricately decorated temples Whatever one can ask for.

Tourist Attractions

Backwaters - Kerala's backwaters and lagoons stretch over 1900 km. Kerala lives along these backwaters. They snake over the state physique, bestowing paddy fields with good harvests, and provide the whole village with drinking water and other facilities. The backwaters refer to the large inland lakes of Kerala. Today these backwaters act as vital water ways for the transport of people and produce. They are often the only link between remote, isolated villages and crowded town pockets. It's an incredible experience to float on these soothing waters in a country craft to absorb this unusual representation of Kerala.

Hill Stations - When the heat is on the plains, and the time to get away from the crowd, came for a rendezvous with nature. Inhale the bracing mountain air, relax in peace, stroll down winding paths, marvel at the beautiful views, enjoy the profusion of flowers in bloom. Kerala's exotic appeal is centered in the highland area of the Western Ghats. Rising to an average height of 1520 m, it houses rich flora and fauna.

Beaches -Beaches, touristy and unexplored , galore along the 600 km Kerala coast . A bunch of them have historical significance too. Kodungalore coast near Kochi had been where St.Thomas, the Apostle of Christ and first missionary in Indian coast, landed. Vasco De Gama, the first European voyager, stranded at Kappad near Calicut heralding the European invasion.

Wildlife -Befriend an Elephant Shake hands Discover the elephant's point of view . Feast your eyes on the most exotic of wildlife. And realize that there's much more to life when a deer stops to look at you. When a monkey decides to renew acquaintance. When a blue-winged Parakeet sings for you.

Waterfalls - A picturesque spot adjacent to thick green forest land, Vazhachal is just 90 kilometers from Cochin. The gliding Vazhachal waterfall is a part of the Chalakudy river.

Tourist Destinations

Thiruvananthapuram , also known as Trivandrum , was the erstwhile capital of Travancore and is the State Capital today. The sprawling city is built on seven hills. The word Thiruvananthapuram means 'the place of the sacred serpent' takes its name from the idol of God Vishnu in the city's magnificent Padmanabhaswamy temple as he reclines on the world - supporting serpent, 'Anantha' or 'Adisesha'.

Kollam (earlier Quilon), 72 km off Thiruvananthapuram, is a trade-nerve in Southern Kerala. Its trading-tradition dates back to early centuries when Chinese, Greeks, Arabs and Romans haunted the shore for ship-loading Kerala spices and produces. Today Kollam is the major cashew trading and processing centre in the country. Also a hub of marine industry.

Kottayam is the largest rubber producer in Kerala. A stop-over for Sabarimala pilgrims, Kottayam is also know as a gateway of Highranges. The city, spread over hills, is basking in the reflected glory of Kumarakam, a tourist hub and bird sanctuary in the district. The lakeshore city is on the 'backwater' circuit. Several publishing houses are headquartered here.

'Idukki' is supposed derived from 'Idukku' means a narrow gauge. Man, animals and plants live in perfect harmony in this unspoiled natural queen of Kerala. The district is a sierra of domineering Western Ghats with altitude from 2500 to 6700 ft. The highest peak in Kerala, Anamudi, and a dozen peaks stand sentinels to Idukki, the spice kingdom of the state. The district has a forest of 260907 hector, largest area in the district. Several rivers, as Pampa and Manimala, originate from Idukki hills before meandering through the plainlands.

Palakkad, due to its geographical position has strategic role in the Kerala life. Before the commissioning of Konkan Railway along the Western coast, Palakkad was the gateway to Kerala from the country elsewhere. The 32 to 40 km gap in the 960km Western Ghats functions as an inlet for northeast monsoon and dry winds. N H 47, major artillery of Kerala, passes through this Ghat section.

Kozhikode (earlier Calicut, anglicized form of Kalikut) means Koyil (Palace) Kodu (fortified). The historical town was the seat of Zamorins. When Vasco De Gama, the navigator from Lisbon landed at Kappad near Kozhikode, the city was the first in the country to receive a force from a Western country.

Wayanad derived from ‘Wayalnadu' means land of paddy fields. The picturesque plateau, having the largest concentration of tribal population in the state, was once known as Africa in Kerala. Kalpetta, the only municipal town in the district, is district headquarters.

Kasargode , is the only Kerala district that grows tobacco. It is also the largest producer of arecanut. Before the formation of Kerala, a section of the district was with South Canara of Karnataka.