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Kovalam In Kerala

There is a world famous beach called Kovalam at a distance of just 16kms away from Thiruvananthapuram. The Arabian Sea on the west coast of Kerala settles down here. The beach is part rocky and part sandy. The rocky edges have divided the seaside into three beaches. Kovalam has a shallow bottom with crystal clear water and is quite popular for swimming. During the early seventies many tourists under the influence of the flower power who were in search of seclusion turned up here. The beach became popular bringing upon itself an influx of commercialization. Seeing the rising popularity many set up hotels and restaurants here. This was the beginning of the tourism trade in Kerala.

Kovalam has the distinction to be the first beach of Kerala to be featured on the international tourism map with tourists from all over the world coming down to Kerala to visit Kovalam.

The beach is divided into three parts by rocky formations jutting out to the sea at two places. These three beaches are named as Light House Beach Hawwah Beach Eves Beach and Samudra Beach. The Lighthouse beach and the Hawwah beach are very popular and are crowded with tourists. They are curvy in shape with shallow water extending up to hundred metres. This gives swimmers a natural protection from strong waves and deceptive undercurrents. The water here is blue and clear.

Both these beaches have many hotels and resorts and restaurants. There are all kinds of Handicrafts Textiles and Curio shops here selling all kinds of Jewelry paintings clothes Carpets and other knick knacks sourced from different parts of India. These establishments aim primarily at foreign tourists for business. But the Samudra beach is totally in contrast to these two beaches. It is still undeveloped and not many venture out here. This is a part of a fishing village and is primarily used by the fishermen to venture out to the sea. They make use of the catamarans even now. This happens to be just a few light wood logs tied together. One can spend time here leisurely away from the hustle and bustle of the maddening crowds watching the fishermen haul up their daily catch on the shores.

Kovalam has made its presence felt in the international tourism markets and its popularity has forced charter agencies to invent special packages for Kovalam and Kerala. During the tourist seasons many international charter flights arrive weekly with large number of tourists.

Amenities

Kovalam has rapidly grown in the last few years as tourism has grown by leaps and bounds providing tourists with all kinds of amenities. There are many five star hotels Inns lodges and homesteads here to suit all kinds of budgets. Kovalam has gained popularity as a major destination for health tourism with many of the hotels providing authentic Ayurveda treatments. Lazing in the sun or swimming in the shallow waters are just two of the many options available on the beach for tourists. One can avail of Surfing boards beach umbrellas beach benches etc for a nominal rent. There are lifeguards on the beach and it is safe to swim here. You can even join the local fishermen for a ride on their catamaran for a small fee.

Other Attractions

There is a Lighthouse on a rocky formation on the south of the beach which is open to visitors. Vizhinjam an ancient port which was used by the Dutch and the British is adjacent to the beach at a distance of about 1.5kms. It is a natural port and is now in the process of being developed as the Transshipment Container Terminal. There is an ancient temple here which is cut out from rocks with beautiful rock cut sculptures.

About the Author: Jacob Antony is an eminent analyst and writer in Kerala Travel amp; Kerala Tourism related topics. He has authored many websites on tour guide for Kerala Tourism and Kerala Tour. Find his more Articles at http://www.keralaholidays247.com

Kochi City Of Charm

For a short stretch of land in the country of continental proportion the Malabar Coast presently called Kerala perhaps deserved mention only on the back pages of history. That was not to be. Long before any part of the country came up for reckoning this gorgeously verdant land had already had its tryst with the rest of the world. Its spices particularly pepper also called black gold were what the world was after. And if ever history was made by geography it was indeed here.

For long Calicut now Kozhikode and Muziris now Kodungallur were where mercenary merchants and tricky traders from China in the east of Europe in the west flocked. Till *Cochin emerged some time in the fourteen century more by accident than by design.

A freak flood virtually destroyed Muziris both as a port of call and as a centre for trade and commerce but created a natural harbor in Cochin besides a backwater system and a new land deposit Vypeen Island off the mainland. Soon Cochin rivaled Calicut till then a major spices market thanks to the availability of good quality spices at much lesser cot. Thus began the saga of Cochin.

By comparison Cochin has a shorter history than other ancient places on the Manabar Coast like say Calicut or Muziris or Kollam. It was originally called Balapuri a Sanskrit name meaning a small town . How the name changed to Cochin is shrouded in mystery. There are several theories about the name itself. One is that the place was on the banks of a small river Kochazhi in the local parlance that connected the backwaters and the Arabian Sea. The name Cochin was thus the derivative of Kochazhi.

There is also the story that Chinese traders 14th century named it Cochin after a place with the same name back home. Chroniclers like Nicolo Conti 15th Century Ceason Frederik 16th Century and Fra Paoline 17th Century called it Cochym and Cochin.

Interestingly none of the earlier chroniclers made any reference to Cochin in their otherwise elaborately descriptive narration of their travels on the Malabar Coast. But places like Kollam Poonithura and Calicut figured prominently in their writings. Which gives credence to the theory of Cochin being a laterday city of importance on the Malabar Coast.

It was however a Chinese Ma Huan who made the firstever mention of Cochin. That was in the year of Grace 1409. Ma Huan made as many as seven voyages to the Malabar Coast between 1405 and 1433 in the company of the legendary Chinese sea adventurer Cheng Ho who commandeered the massive fleet of China during the period of the Ming dynasty. According to the Chinese historian Huang Shengtseng Cheng Ho ” was nine feet tall and had a girth of ninety inches “

Cochin by then must have been a happening place. Else Nocilo Conti would not have written that “Chinese was a good place to make money in and Cochin to spend it at”. The other writers were no less fascinated though they were taken up more by the utility of the fine harbor and the moneyspinning spices that the eyecatching sideshows so typical of a port town.

Early British settlers were equally eloquent about the place and people. Charles Allen Lawson an official and a writer to boot for one was ecstatic in his description of Cochin in an otherwise condescending book titled ” British and Native Cochin ” 1861. He wrote about the then prevailing view that ” Cochin is the centre of civilization the modern Cadiz after seeing which nothing remains in the world worth beholding “.

His description of the land was even more laudatory. ” Before us ” he wrote ” is the town embosomed most costly among tulip lettuce and coconut sic trees the venerable Flagstaff Tower and peculiar Church just peeing above the brown tiled roofs of the white and yellow houses. Inland so fas as we can see stretches a beautifully verdant plain occasionally relieved by gentle elevations and woody hills; whilst behind forming a grand termination to so extensive a landscape are the Southern Ghats a noble range of mountains many apparently of great altitude. “

That was Cochin of the late nineteen century. Time of course had taken its toll as much for the good as for the bad. Its now certainly not the verdant land that it was. The tiled roofs are like the lilies in the meadows now few and far between in a landscape dominated by monstrouslooking skyscrapers. And mans hunger for land had flattened much of the ghats.

The transformation was to expected given the influx of men and materials from far and near. But what really turned Cochins fortunes was the port that was virtually exhumed as it were from the waters between the mainland and Mattancherry.

And the man who did the miracle was Robert Bristow a Briton who quite justly and justifiably became a legend in his own lifetime.

While the brain and brawn were that of Bristows the man who thought of the possibility of a port off Cochin was Lord Willinton the then governor of Madras Province and later Indias Viceroy. There are many detractors both foreign and native some of whom even tried to scuttle the project midway through. They didnt succeed thanks to the timely intervention of Willinton. A grateful state and people named the island where the port was built after him.

Cochin has never ceased to grow since then. Every about it has changed; its landscape its skyline its geographical contours its lifestyle et al. Except its oldworld charm. And thats what makes it a city to see. Over to Cochin.
*Cochin is the old name which was later changed to Kochi as part of Indianising the names of the states cities and towns

About the Author: Jacob Antony is an eminent analyst and writer in Kerala Travel amp; Kerala Tourism related topics. He has authored many websites on tour guide for Kerala Tourism and Kerala Tour. Find his more Articles at http://www.keralaholidays247.com

Kerala A Favored Honeymoon Destination Of India

Marriages are made in heaven but honeymoons are celebrated on the earth. If a people think a truly perfect honeymoon destination in India I think Kerala is their destination just right for them. Yes Kerala is a one of the most favored destinations of honeymooning couples or newly wed couples. There is everything in the beautiful state of Kerala honeymooning couples looking for. A romantic honeymoon vacation in Kerala better known as the Gods Own Country provides couples ultimate romantic ambiance to relish for whole life long.

There are myriad picturesque places in Gods Own Country to give amiable ambiance for honeymooners or recently wed couples from all over the world. Superb scenic beauty postcardperfect locations gorgeous hill stations dazzling beaches breathtaking backwaters scenic inland waterways lovely lakes lush landscapes blooming meadows green carpeted locations luxurious houseboats boat cruises chatty waterfalls world class resorts ayurvedic resorts spa centres palm fringed beaches coconut groves etc all are to create romantic and amiable ambiance for honeymooning couples. The reason is clear why newly wed couples from all over the world prefer to celebrate their romantic honeymoon vacation in Kerala Gods Own Country.

Kerala has some of pristine beaches in the world which are the prime attractions of honeymoon in Kerala. Fringed by palm trees and studded with silvery white sands beaches of Kerala provides truly right ambiance for romantic vacation to honeymooning couples. There are lots of recreational activities available on the breathtaking beaches of the state couples love to cherish. Having a leisurely wall on beaches holding hands of each other watching sunset view together over sapphire Arabian Sea playing with sands together water funs playing with waves etc all add strong romance to honeymooning couples. Imagine you are sitting down under palm trees in the lap of your beloved and cool breeze coming through the sea playing with hairs of your beloved truly romantic experience of honeymoon vacation in Gods Own Country. Kovalam Fort Kochi Alleppey Marari Palakkad Fort Bekal Varkala etc are prime beach destinations of the state.

If you think unique honeymoon Kerala offers you golden opportunity for houseboat stay. A wellorganized houseboat cruise gives couples ambiance for romance like no other. Houseboats are well equipped with modern amenities like wellfurnished bed rooms prosperous kitchen dining space etc. Couples love to explore the charm of backwater tourism with houseboat cruise gently sailing over scenic waterways. Watching sunset views of romantic sunset from the deck of houseboat cruise is simply romantic experience.

If you think honeymoon vacation in nature blessed hill stations Kerala has many picturesque hills to fulfill your desire. Munnar Ponmudi and Wayanad are popular hill stations in Kerala and very popular among honeymooning couples. Postcardperfect locations fragrant tea amp; spice gardens rubber plantations meadows of colorful flowers green valleys etc are delights for honeymooning couples. These attractions are enough to steal the hearts of couples. Honeymooning couples love to pose in the green meadows and tea plantations of hills. Due to superb beauty and amiable ambiance Munnar is often referred as the Kashmir of South. To make your honeymoon vacations in hills hill towns of the state have luxury hotels and resorts with modern facilities.

There are several Kerala honeymoon packages available in the market to choose from. You can choose one of Kerala package tours to plan your honeymoon vacation in Kerala Gods Own Country. Kerala beckons you! Happy Honeymoon in Kerala Gods Own Country!

About the Author: Joseph Moore is an eminent analyst and writer in Travel Tourism related topics. He has authored many books on tour guide for Tour Package in Kerala and Honeymoon Package in Kerala. Find more packages at http://www.greenparadize.com/