People often wonder how they can go on a fulfilling tour without having to spend too much. Travelling is in fact a need as taking occasional short brakes is a way of recharging oneself. But many times, the cost of travel become a problem and when finally people succeed in finding a less expensive place to go, it may not be actually worth going. From my experience of travelling, the best answer in such cases is to tour Kerala. A Kerala tour package generally, comes with a budget price and will present you with an unforgettable experience. When I say Kerala I am sure the first picture that comes to your mind would be that of a multitude of coconut trees. It’s indeed true but Kerala is much more than that. Kerala has so many well-known tourist places and a wealth of unknown and untouched spots too.
The most popular tourist spots in Kerala are the hill station of Munnar, Kovalam and Varkala beach, backwaters of Alleppey and Ashtamudi and Chembra peak of Wayanad. The hill station of Munnar is so beautiful with its green velvety hills resulting in lovely valleys and meadows, fresh streams and rich wildlife. Tata tea museum is another tourist attraction of Munnar where the process of making tea is explained by its staff in detail. It’s a very interactive place so that you can clarify your doubts about tea making too. In addition, there are Tata tea’s outlets available in the tea museum where you can buy various types of tea such as white tea, rose tea, masala tea etc. Kovalam and Varkala are two major beach destinations in Kerala. You may find it a bit touristy but yet exciting. These beaches are so pleasing to the eyes with sparkling silver waters fringed with lush green coconut trees and are great for surfing and swimming. The moderate climate of Kerala also makes it a great place to visit. There are a lot of sunbeds and beach umbrellas available where you can leisurely lie down and get sun-kissed. Chembra peak in Wayanad is a wonder itself as nobody knows how nature was able to carve a perfectly heart-shaped pond in its valley. The pond is cloud studded with crystal clear water where you can catch a glimpse of you just as in a mirror. Wayanad however, is not only famous for its Chembra peak. There are also a few other tourist attractions in Wayanad. Pookot lake in Wayanad is a natural freshwater lake where self-paddling boating facility is available. Banasura Sagar Dam is the biggest earth dam in India and the second biggest in Asia. Undisturbed and housed among the mighty mountains, the view is an ultimate thing of beauty to the eye. Either you can walk all the way up or take the jeep service to reach the top of it. Muthanga wildlife sanctuary is yet another tourist spot in Wayanad which is very close to the Karnataka border and if you are lucky you will spot some wild animals.
I think it would be a great idea to explore some of the not-so-popular scenic places too. Some tour operators like Dream Holidays allows you to customize your tour package according to your requirements. Coupling your tour package with some of the less popular spots will unquestionably enable you to enjoy a unique experience. I will list down some of the secluded and untouched mind-blowing tourist spots and you can choose among them which are the ones you would like to pay a visit :
Vagamon Hills
Vagamon is a hill station in Kerala which is just 100 km from Kochi. Pine forest of Vagamon is a famous picnic spot where you can sit beneath the pine trees with your family or friends and enjoy some home-cooked food. Thangalpara is also very famous in Vagamon and it would be very exciting to climb it following the yellow arrows given en route. However, when you reach its top, the satisfaction you experience would be beyond words. Maramala waterfall is also a precious asset of Vagamon which cascades from a height of 60 meters amid dense rubber plantations. Nevertheless, Vagamon is also suitable for the adrenaline junkies who look forward to indulging in some adventure activities such as ballooning and paragliding.
Ramakalmedu
Ramakalmedu is a beautiful state in Kerala, very close to Munnar. It is a very secluded place that you get to enjoy some time in the lap of nature. The giant stone statue of a man and woman is the highlight of the place. Nearby that exists a mandapam made of granite too. However, nobody knows who built it and for what purpose and this mystery adds a distinct charm to it. However, the strong winds that blow through the hills are what makes it the most desirable. You could also spot some windmills over the hills.
Ponmudi
Ponmudi is a hill station of the Western Ghats which is roughly 60 km from Thiruvananthapuram. It’s to be noted that the most famous beach of Kerala, Kovalam beach and Ponmudi are close to the city of Thiruvananthapuram and hence you can visit one after the other. However, before writing about Ponmudi, I will describe Kallar, which is a spectacular place en route Ponmudi. There are two major must-visit spots here and they are the Golden valley and Meenmutty waterfalls. It is also a great place for bird watchers.
On reaching Ponmudi, you will definitely appreciate its uniqueness and beauty. The thick vegetation, chirping of birds, enthusiastically flowing streams – all together, make the day of any travel bug. Tea gardens of Ponmudi are not functional today, but they do represents that bygone era and oozes out that historical charm.
Valiyaparamba
Valiyaparamba is already nicknamed as the unexplored backwaters of Kerala. Valiyaparamba is actually an island with backwaters on one side and beach on the other. It would be an awesome experience to see and experience the two wonders of nature at the same time. Also, the place is very sparsely populated and therefore it presents you with a charming solitude. Valiyaparamba is in fact, the best place to enjoy some quiet time with nature.
Silent valley
Silent valley is located in the Palakkad district of Kerala. It’s actually a national park and the evergreen forest is absolutely beautiful. The dense forest will undoubtedly make you awestruck. The climate is also cool and crisp and allows you to spend as much time there without getting tired. The national park is also home to some of the endangered species like Lion-tailed macaque and Nilgiri langurs.
In fact, it’s observed recently that most of the Kerala tour packages are booked from Delhi. This is because Delhi is the capital city of India and number of flights operate between Delhi and all the other states of India and other countries of the world. Once you reach Delhi, Kerala is only a matter of three hours via air. So, starting your tour from Delhi will be a convenient option for you especially if you are coming from a distant state or country.