TAKE A REPOSE AND UNWIND YOURSELVES, A VAST SEA SHORE IS WAITING FOR YOU!

Recently, I had a visit to Bangalore for an interview. Since I am from the capital city of Kerala, Trivandrum, my journey was awesome and I had some couple of my friends at Bangalore. After the interview, which went smooth, I had a meet up with my friends, sharing some cups of cappuccino. In our conversation, I caught up something that, even though the life in the IT hub of India seems interesting, jolly and enthusiastic, there is a darker side to it. Actually, my friends needed a change and rejuvenation of the mind. What I can suggest is a trip with friends or family, inflicting a feeling of ‘Out of the world’. My friends are actually beach lovers, so I suggested one of the top beach destination in Kerala, lying at my very own homeland, Trivandrum, which is Kovalam. Kovalam is a haven of serenity and the best place to hang out with friends, family or spouse. It is easy to reach from Bangalore as there are flights from Bangalore to Kerala landing at Trivandrum International Airport. A smooth travel can be achieved if tour packages are picked as it would include more places too. I have suggested some of the tour planners like Gogeo holidays where some authentic packages are prevalent to entice the tourists, and they will be giving awesome beach facing resorts for the stay.

 

Kovalam has the power to rejuvenate ourselves as the vibrant beachside is awesome to watch and spend time. Located about 16 kilometres from the city of Trivandrum, the ambience is free from the regular hassle of the city life. Kovalam is an international beach destination as there you can spot too many foreigners. Let us start the discussion of this vibrant piece of the seashore with its natural beauty and surroundings. Kovalam beaches are divided into three namely, Lighthouse, Eve’s beach and Samudra beach. These three beaches are separated by rocky out cuttings. Tourists can visit any of these beaches and bask in the sun. There is provision for the tourists to bask in the sunlight and chairs are provided for the same. Foreigners usually here opt for swimming, sunbathing and surfing. The reason for its placement in the tourist map of travellers across the world is due to the clean and bizarre surroundings, equipped with developed tourism facilities. To unwind yourselves, Kovalam is the best one. I am sure, it will be a perfect escape for my friends in Bangalore city. The climate is somewhat chill in Bangalore and at Kovalam, needed warmth can be provided to the skin. Some of my friends came with their family to Kovalam. A stay on the beach facing resorts is a dream of many, especially honeymoon couples.

Here, the majesty of the Arabian sea can be experienced and the water is clean and pristine, making the swimming extremely joyful to the tourists. When you come with your family, take a swim in the beach as it is the funniest part of Kovalam beach. Surfing is usually done on the beaches and necessary amenities will be provided. Taking into consideration of the safety of the beaches, guards are kept at each point so as to warn the tourists who enter deep into the sea. Eve’s beach is near to the lighthouse beach and since both are separated by a rocky promontory, the beauty of Kovalam will provide more option for the tourists. One can climb over the rock and watch the sea. The cool wind blowing from the sea is truly a rejuvenator. This spot is enjoyed more by the honeymoon couples and also kids love in climbing up the rock. Visit Kovalam with your family and make your children soak in the beach holidays. Owing to the safety and cleanliness, this beach is perfect for a family vacation and thus choosing Kerala family tour packages to Kovalam is the best idea. When visited during festive seasons, Kovalam will dress up in a festive mood and several fests like Village fair, elephant fair, Nishagandhi dance festival and Food festivals will be hosted. These festivals can entice people of every age and walks of life. These festivals are actually showcasing the cultural richness of Kerala and Swati Thirunal Musical festival is a great example.

There are too many food stalls, multi-cuisine restaurants facing the sea and delicious seafood are served there. If spicy Indian snacks like Panipuri, Bhelpuri, chat masala, chilly filled pineapple and mango pieces with the flavours of juicy items are your tastes, then head for a local stall placed in the beach shores. Coming to the activities that can be done in the Kovalam beaches, water adventures are the prime one. Swimming, surfing are some of the common water adventures and since it is the most sought tourist destination, Ayurveda and health centres are prevailing on the beach shores. Undergo some rejuvenation therapies to calm your mind. I have suggested this to my friends so that the hectic lifestyle of the Bangalore can be dealt with the magic of Ayurveda. Are you a shopping freak? Then the beach facing stalls in Kovalam is all yours. One can buy a handful of handicrafts, clothing, beach wears, hats and antiques with reasonable prices. Lighthouse beach is where a tall lighthouse is placed near to the sea and it has provision to allow visitors to reach up to the top and watch all sides of the Kovalam beach. The rocky promontory between lighthouse beach and eve’s beach is called Edakallu and people love watching the sunset from this rock. Settle in any of the rock formation and watch the biding sun. The changing colour of the sky during twilight is a must to watch.

Nightlife in Kovalam is what everyone should watch. Evenings are meant for blasting in Kovalam and the bars, restaurants are fully awake to serve the same. Live music with delicious eateries are provided by some restaurants and to involve in other social entertainment, several bars are open in the night. With dance, fun and music, enjoy the delicious cuisine under the night sky. The nearby attractions around Kovalam include Karamana stream and the boating there. Reach at Thiruvallam vessel club offering activities like kayaking trips, cruise trips and windsurfing. A trip to Kovalam will family or friends can increase your bonding and is the most suggested place to unwind yourselves. For employees working in a busy metropolitan city in India like Bangalore, can make a travel here. In fact, if I get tensed on some issues, the visit to Kovalam can revive me and give me the strength to counter the issue. Thus, soon give Kovalam an entry to your travel itinerary to Kerala.

 

Pilgrims in Kerala – A Perfect Destination to Witness History

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It is not necessary that one should only travel with your family to visit places of natural beauty and nature driven destinations. I with my whole family went for a religious tour on the 3rd of August. Born Christian; our religious tour including churches like the Santa Cruz Basilica, St. Francis Church, Vimalagiri Church, the Arthunkal Church and the St. George Forane Church. It was a one day tour with some of the elderly members of the family. Kerala is my home land with tourist destinations which could be included in all Popular Kerala holiday packages for family irrespective of the occasion or purpose of the tour. After the breakfast we started our trip on the 3rd of August at around 10 am, to accommodate a number of around 15 members we arranged for a traveller. According to our plans, our first destination was Santa Cruz Basilica; we reached the church after a one hour drive at 11.15.

Santa-Cruz-Basilica-Fort-Kochi

Santa Cruz Basilica is a well-known church all over India; the church placed in fortress Kochi is one of ought to visit vicinity in Kerala. The church is extremely famous for its architectural shape which is a mixture of each Kerala and Portuguese artwork. The church changed into built in 1500 after the advent of the Portuguese missionary to the land with the permission of the then Raja of Kochi. The church now serves as the primary landmark of the area. The church underwent most important renovations to attain the shape and elegance it now contains. After spending 45 min in the church praying and enjoying the architectural beauty of the church we headed to our next destination the St. George Forane Church.

golden curch

We reached this golden church at 12.30, the church located in Edapally is said to be one of the oldest Roman Catholic Church in Kerala. The church was constructed in 594 AD with several renovations done. The golden church has a perfect interior in the European style with the prayer area made in gold and steps in silver. The art works of Jesus and disciples are made in bronze. All these features make the church a unique one. After enjoying the beauty and carvings of the church we headed to visit the Vimalagiri Church in Kottayam with our Kerala family tour packages.

Vimalagiri Church in Kottayam

We reached Kottayam after a travel of around 3 hours. Every time we travel in the traveller we arranged, religious songs were played which eventually killed the vibe in me and made me sleepy, so literally, I was the only person who slept well throughout the journey. On the way to the church, we halted to have our lunch and then continued our journey reaching our destination at 4. The main attraction of the church was the Gothic style architecture with a 172 feet tall tower. These features made the place a best spiritual destination in most famous Kerala Tour Packages from Bangalore. The church is recorded to have the tallest church tower in Kerala.

Arthunkal Church in Alleppey

Our next plan was to visit the Arthunkal Church in Alleppey. The church built with an elegant architectural style is a feast for the eyes of the pilgrims. I have been to this church before during the yearly feast which is held in the mid-January.the feast was attended by thousands of devotees and tourist from different parts of the world visit the place to enjoy the feast with cultural rituals of the church. Our next destination to visit was the St. Francis Church.

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The St. Francis Church is located in Kochi and we decided to visit the church on our way back to home. the St. Francis Church positioned in Kochi is one of the oldest Europeans churches in India that bears the unseen witness of the colonisation of the Europeans in India the church built in the sixteenth century was made with timber that’s now renovated and constructed with stone masonry. The first Portuguese to tour in India the Vasco Da Gama was earlier buried in this church and later turned into transferred to Lisbon in Portugal. We reached the church at 6 and enjoyed the elegant touch of the European style. The church had a great interior with a mix of cultures. After the visits to different Christian pilgrims, we stopped to have some tea. The main difficulty I faced was an unorganised pattern of visits during the trip. It is always the best to let the organisers like the Gogeo holidays plan the travelling in a well-organised manner. After all the tiring travelling and visit to the pilgrims, we reached our homes at around 7 pm.

Kottakkavu_Mar_Thoma_Pilgrim_Church_founded_by_St._Thomas

Kerala is land with an availability of innumerable herbal treasures in the form of the wooded area, waterfalls, natural heritages and locations of ancient relevance. Other than best Kerala Tour Packages for Family with tourist destinations of natural elements, the land is a well known religious centre. The land had a populace in which majority of them are Christians. The ancient Kerala has a number of conventional and ancient church buildings which are now the primary vacationer appeal for travellers from a different a part of the world. The domination of Christianity inside the kingdom with numerous church buildings, the vicinity will become a widely recognized Christian pilgrim centre. To understand the ancient aspects of the land a visit to these historical churches is a must. These are some of the renowned Christian pilgrim centres in Kerala that one should include in their Kerala trips to know more about the history and ancient architecture of the land. Tour organisers like Gogeo holidays offer the best experiences in the land of pilgrim centres in the most affordable rates with all the places of your interest. People from all over the world visit the places without any religious discrimination. Natives from all cast and religion visit these pilgrim centres to seek blessings. The Arthunkal Church in Alleppey is also a destination included in some Kerala honeymoon packages due to its location which is near the Alleppey backwaters. A visit to this church during your honeymoon trip will fill the trip with great blessings that would strengthen the bonds between the couples.

 

Travel Tips for Visiting Gods own country | Gogeo Holidays

 

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Kerala is a beholding exciting tourist attraction and an alluring tourist spot in South India. Kerala holiday packages for family presents the every travel enthusiasts an opportunity to enjoy a kaleidoscope of travel experiences.  And the best way to enjoy the charming wildlife, exotic hill stations and major attractions of this vibrant state is to travel with some trusted tour operators like Gogeo Holidays, who will take you the best of this real paradise on earth. There are various interesting tour packages that cover major destinations like Munnar, Thekkady, and Alleppey in different duration.  When you travel to Kerala, you will be visiting temples and religious places, wildlife sanctuaries, or you might want to go and have a quick dip in the rivers, lakes, and beaches, or take some rejuvenating ayurvedic treatments and there are so many things to explore. And there are certain etiquettes to follow, and some things you should know as a foreigner while traveling to this vibrant state, so that you won’t feel out of place. Here are some useful tips for tourists.

Planning to Have a Religious Exploration?

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  • If you are planning to visit some cultural important and religious places during your Kerala trip keep In mind these things.
  • Most temples have some code of conduct.
  • Entry to Sanctum sanctorum or holy of holies is banned. This place is inevitable private and only priests are allowed inside.
  • In all the temples, using footwear inside is not allowed.
  • You cannot wear shirts and pants inside in most temples, men have to wear dhoti and women ethnic wears in most worship places
  • Some temples do not permit entry to Non-Hindus

Is photographing Places and People are Ok?

The most enticing thing about taking pictures is that they let us capture the moment and cherish the memories for long. And who won’t feel to stop and take some snaps when they visit a green paradise like Kerala? When you travel with Kerala Tour packages from Bangalore and other major cities in India, you might not know about whether you would seek permission or not while taking photographs. In most of the places except some wildlife sanctuaries or hydel tourist spots taking photographs are absolutely fine.

  • Photographing tourist places is ok
  • If you want to take snaps of religious institutions do ask permission beforehand.
  • Most Kerala it doesn’t mind being photographed, still, it is better to ask first
  • If you want to photograph ceremonies and older people, do ask permission

Some Culinary Tips.

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Kerala cuisine is something that should not be missed on your Kerala trip. This typical south Indian delicacies will be a treat for your taste buds. Kerala offers some best healthy breakfasts in the entire world. When you go out to explore some culinary delicacies during your amazing Kerala tour packages, keep in mind this useful tips.

  • Most standard restaurants offer both domestic as well as international cuisines including continental, Chinese, Indian and typical Kerala delicacies.
  • Tipping is normal, 10% is the standard, but it is not necessary either
  • When you visit some waterfalls, lakes or canals, it is advisable to not drink water from those.
  • Typical Kerala foods are less spicy and contain a lot of coconut flavor.
  • When you go out to try local delicacies or street food, do not get fooled, ask for the rates and menu beforehand.

Do’s and Don’ts in the Jungle

wildlife safari in india

Kerala is blessed with a unique geography as well as an amazing wildlife in most prominent hill stations. Most of these wildlife sanctuaries offer a unique picnic spot also.In these places you can witness some amazing flora and fauna, have splendid boating experiences midst of vibrant wildlife and so much more during your trip with family holiday packages kerala. Here are some useful tips for your jungle safaris.

  • To visit a wildlife sanctuary you have to take prior permission with concerned authority
  • When you travel with some reputed travel agents like Gogeo Holidays, they will arrange for all these necessary permissions for you.
  • Follow some jungle codes to not spoil the nature’s beauty and do not disturb the wildlife
  • Dress right, wear dresses that cover well for not come in contact with insects or get some allergy
  • Blend the colors with nature, and avoid bold colors, the animals might get disturbed
  • Stay calm and quiet and enjoy the nature
  • Stick to your group and pack light
  • Carry sunhats, sunglasses, and sunscreen and cover foot with comfortable shoes with socks.
  • Do not try to feed the jungle animals
  • Do not mess the natural environment and don’t litter your garbage here and there
  • Do not be ignorant, stay alerted and vigilant
  • Do not observe the animals too close or try to be friendly with them
  • Avoid loud talks and keep in low tones
  • It is better to not bring infants to jungle
  • Keep the flash mode off while photographing the wild animals
  • It is advisable to not use your cell phones inside jungle

Want to swim in Rivers, lakes, and beaches?

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Kerala is blessed with pristine seashores, and the sleeping lagoon that sure to take anyone’s breath away. So when you have the urge to get a quick dip in waters, keep in mind these useful tips

  • Normally swimming in rivers, lakes are allowed, but it is advisable to ask permission from the authorities beforehand.
  • Some beaches do not promote swimming in certain weather conditions or situations, so seek the permission from the guides.
  • Acceptable swimwear would be shorts fro men and swimsuits for women.
  • Nudity is considered to be offensive in Kerala
  • When you swim in the beaches, to avoid a riptide swim parallel to shore
  • It is advisable to not drink pool water and hold the nose before jumping into the water

Traveling to Kerala can be a whole thrilling experience and can become an unforgettable experience for anyone is you keep these certain guidelines in your mind.  If you are traveling with some idea Tour packages, then there would be proper assistance and guidance of expert professionals to guide your wonderful Kerala Holiday Packages properly.  So before getting ready to go and pack your bags keep in minds some travel tips to avoid getting in trouble.