March 2017 - Best Destinations in the World

Kerala, a minuscule state in the neighborhood of the Indian Ocean, is charming, hypnotic and is blessed with heavenly beauty. The lakes, lagoons, and rivers all set up an unearthly ambiance that stupefies the tourists and honeymooners. The land offers diverse options for every kind of travelers, and the best way to enjoy those is with some fabulous Kerala Tourism Packages, in and around all cities of Kerala. A Trip to Kerala often comprises of a Houseboat ride on the serene backwaters, a visit to Munnar, Visiting some Wildlife sanctuaries, experiencing the beaches, Getting an Ayurveda massages and so on. Are you already bored of hearing all those common and popular destinations?

If you are seeking something new and unique travel experience on your Kerala tour this time, then head out to Kollam with Dream Holidays, who offer ultimate tailor-made packages to make your journeys unique and full of fun and excitement. Kollam- the northern district in Kerala has served as the trading capital in old times. This place is blessed with diverse attractions for tourists- forests, lakes, sea, hills and islands, which makes it a perfect spot for monsoon travel. Kerala is the only state in India, where monsoon happen twice, and it adds a special charm to this wonderful place, and Kollam is no exception. Kollam or Quilon is the land of cashew and amazing backwaters. It has a strong history of commerce and trading and is a perfect gateway to the magnificent backwaters offered by Ashtamudi Lake. This district offers you everything, from getting lost in to the mystery of nature, enjoying the magnificent backwaters, getting into the heart of rural life in Kerala and so much more.

Kollam- Tourist Itineries Information

Zone- North
Language: Malayalam
Area-2,579 sq.km
Nearest Rail Station: Kollam
Nearest Airport: Thiruvananthapuram

What Kollam holds for the Travelers?

Thenmala- India’s first Eco-Tourism Project

Where- 72 km from Trivandrum, Thenmala Village, Kollam(62 km)
Nearest Railway Station: Thenmala
Nearest Airport: Trivandrum

Did you know Thenmala; the first planned Eco-tourism project in India? Well, this place has been heaven for planters for a long time. As the name indicates it is indeed- the Honey hill, offering sweet wonders of nature. This small village, that is located in the foothills of Western Ghats, is popular for its unique panorama, Eco-diversity, and well-maintenance by the government and the people here. You can have organized tour with Kerala holiday packages enjoying the special attractions to see and places to stay in midst of nature. The tea, rubber and other spice plantations, wildlife sanctuary, equal opportunities for fun, adventure and leisure and getting know the Eco-friendly measures of tourism all make it a unique destination for the travelers.

Eco Tourism Center– The Ecotourism center here has three zones

Culture Zone– The major attraction is the musical dancing fountain. You can also try typical Kerala dishes from the restaurants here.
Leisure Zone– The swaying bridge here is the main attraction. But be aware of some unexpected companions here- the monkeys! There is also a Sculpture garden, which has the theme- Man & nature.
Adventure Zone– This is the place for adrenaline junkies. There are options for trekking, elevated walkways, rock climbing and river crossing.

Other Nearby Kerala Attractions

Shendurnery Wildlife sanctuary– This protected are of the Western Ghats is a tropical semi-evergreen heaven which is home to some highly endangered species.
Palaruvi Waterfalls– Literally means a stream of milk, is the 32nd highest fall in India. The journey to reach this location offers you a wonderful trekking experience.
Asia’s First Butterfly safari park– Some of our sweet dreams are filled, with beautiful butterflies, flying all around midst of nature’s magnificence, well you can witness that here. It is Asia’s first Butterfly safari park where you can learn a lot about the life cycle of these species.
Deer Rehabilitation Centre– It is home to spotted deer, sambar deer, and is built within Kallada riverside forest. There is a tree house and a children’s park nearby.
Kannara Bridge – It was the first railway line in Travancore state and is more than a century old, which was built during British reign.

Thangasseri- A Trip Back in Time

Location: 7 Km from Kollam
Nearest Airport: Trivandrum(70 km)
Nearest Rail Station: Kollam(4 km)
By Road: Kollam bus station.

It is one of the proud heritage lands in the state that offers splendid cultural and historical attractions. Located 5 km away from Kollam, this beach used to be busy center during 18th century. You can see old marks of Portuguese and all in the architecture of the churches and forts here which makes the land an interesting spot for the archeologists.

Major attractions

Thangasseri Arch – The entrance to the sleepy village, built by British in 1939.
The Lighthouse- Built in 1902 and is of 144 feets height.
San Thomas Fort- Built by Portuguese in early 1500
Infant Jesus Church- Built way back in 1614 by Dutch
Bishop House

Munroe Island- For Tranquil Backwater Cruises

Where- 27 km from Kollam
Nearest Rail Station- Munore or Mundrothuruthu(3 km), Kollam(27 km)
Nearest Airport- Trivandrum(84 km)

Located around 27 km from Kollam, it is the hidden gem of Kerala backwater tourism. The island is named after Munore, a British resident in back then. This clean, unexplored, is an ideal spot for experience a complete laid-back backwater cruise. You can witness the simple and typical village life in the shore, the place has its pristine beauty and the people here are mostly working in coir industry and fishing. There is a ferry service to this island which is mostly crowded. A backwater cruise here would take you through the sights of mangroves, Chinese fishing nets etc.

Kumbhavurutty Waterfalls

Located near Tamil Nadu border, it is a wonderful place to visit during Monsoon. The trek trail to reach the falls is a thrilling experience that offers wonderful, view of the scenery.So, there are lots to see at this amazing place, especially during Monsoon, when its charm adds an ethereal beauty to this place.

We often don’t realize the value of mental health over reaching more and more heights in our career paths. Mental health is always important to develop as a human being. There should be a balance always –between your works and the things you like to do in order to make yourself happy. Having said all this, I am no exception when it comes to getting lost in my work, or to the pressure of day to day life demands. The bills, student loans we all have things to taken care of. But if we don’t make yourself happy by taking care of yourself, whatever we do, there would be always a missing piece left. Being a techie coming from the electronic city of Bangalore, I always had the tendency to get lost in work, forgetting about everything else. And during one of those times, when I realized yeah! No more work, I need a break time, I decided on going for the vacation I was yearning for. Being born and brought up in this urban city I have always had a thing for greenish and remote places, where we can get lost in the lap of nature, enjoying the silent lullaby of nature. And may be such solace journeys may gift you with experience for a lifetime. After taking the first step of traveling-That is deciding to go somewhere, I didn’t even have to think twice, where I want to spend my holidays this year. It was the God’s own favorite land-Yes, Kerala!. I had never been to that place before. The only thing I knew about the place was, the famous celebration of Onam, I used to celebrate with my mallu friends and all the postcard perfect beauty of its destinations. Especially Munnar, Alleppey and all, that I have heard a lot about. So I decided to remove that tag of visiting my dream land-Kerala from my bucket list. When I discussed my plans with many people in my social circle, all of them suggested many way to execute my plan. I got confused and was spoilt for choice. Then I decided to do what most of us do when it comes to the question –what to do to? Yeah, I googled about the best ways to have a wonderful trip to Kerala, and that is how landed on my Kerala Tour Packages for family offered by Gogeo Holidays, one of the well-established tour operators in Kerala. Traveling to Kerala with Gogeo Holidays was one of the most unforgettable experience. When I first landed in Cochin the gateway to Kerala, I felt like I was back in Bangalore, going to my workplace or getting frustrated about the traffic- I didn’t expect a city in Kerala this much busy and vibrant. But as time passed, I get to know the city was nothing like I judged at first glance. Of course was a kaleidoscope of attractions everywhere. Maybe the soon establishing Metro rail owes to the fast development of the city. Anyways, I had a wonderful time visiting some of the true fascinating places there. And I could see Kochi could be really a foreign place in Kerala compared t o other places. Maybe because it has left over marks of Dutch, Portuguese, Chinese etc scattered all around there.
Fort Kochi

It is about 13 km away from the main Ernakulam town and is famous for the Chinese fishing nets, and an exotic beach that attracts travelers all around the year. It has some must seen locations you must pay a visit.
St Francis Church- This ancient Europen Church where Vasco da Gama is said to be buried.
Santa Cruz Basilica – Built by the Portuguese and is till functional

Mattancherry

It is another fascinating place in Kochi and you can see the Portuguese influence here also. Jew Town, palace Museum, Mattancherry Pazhyannur Royal Temple are some attractions here.

Bolgatty Palace
It was built by Dutch and is one of the oldest Dutch existing Dutch palaces other than the one in Holland.

Lulu Shopping mall

Can you believe that it is the India’s largest shopping mall? Owned by EMKE group it is a paradise for shopaholics. And it was fascinating to see some school kids visiting here as their picnic spot.

Marine Drive
Stressed ou of exploring all day around the city? Then head out to marine Drive- this scenic driveway has become the landmark of Cochin. You can see all the faces and colors of the city here. There are private boat cruises starting from here through Cochin harbor.

Hill Palace Museum

Built by the royal family of Cochin, it exhibits the royal crown, paintings, sculptures of the royal family.
As I discovered more and more about the wonderland of Kerala, I realized why it is called the God’s own Country. Anyone who has ever visited here will completely agree to this tagline which is not wrong at all. You know Green is the most comfortable color for your eyes and I had never felt such calmness and peacefulness before. And it Kerala can never be explained in mere words. It should be truly experienced by yourselves. You will never have a dull moment on your holidays in Kerala, especially with the brilliant Kerala Tour Packages, which was the perfect tool that made my trip to this nature’s paradise a memorable one. I never had the rush to follow the itineraries. The packages are more like a guideline to have a truly mesmerizing journey. And the most the attractive thing about the trip was, there was always time for utter relaxation with the comfortable stays I had throughout my journey. I have seen, heard, smelt and explore the true beauty of all the places I visited here. I felt like I was in a foreign state, peoples were all friendly and warm everywhere I went, and indeed highly educated, as it is one of the top literate states in India. So don’t wait your time more, and stop making your mind work like a machine. Explore this amazing land of Kerala, and let your mind calm itself and let it not get bored with the same boring working schedule day by day.

Month: March 2017

Why should you head out to Kollam on this Monsoon?

My First Visit To Nature’s Lullaby Known as Kerala