Shopping in Kerala

Kerala is one of the most romantic destinations in India. Shopping during your trip makes your vacation complete. It is something which makes our mood. Every one has the curiosity to collect different items whenever they move outside their home town. Shopping is the best way to gather the memories of your trip for lifetime. Celebrating Honeymoon in Kerala is the best time to shop with your partner.

Kerala is a good place to shop at a reasonable price. One can purchase several items for their partner, family members, friends, etc.

Things to Buy                          

• Jewellery with different jewellery boxes, gold ornaments
• Food items like sea food, cashew nuts, pickles, banana chips
• Sandalwood oil, sandalwood figurines
• Paintings of raja Ravi Varma, Mural paintings
• Bamboo mat paintings
• Traditional handicrafts and artifacts made of Ivory, Gold, Bell Metal Wood
• Coconut shells

There are many other things like carvings of elephants, coir mats, bags, handloom products, etc which one can buy from Kerala. You can shop from flea markets or from shopping malls in Kerala as it depends upon your choice and budget.

Kerala is famous for its furniture and other decorative items made of rose wood, sandal wood, teak wood and bamboo. You can also buy beautiful flower vases, ornamental plates, miniature boats, Kathakali masks and many more made up of wood.

Kerala is famous for Saris. You can find beautiful sarees with latest designs and beautiful colors. Bargaining is very important while purchasing any thing. So do not hesitate to bargain.

Best Shopping Places in Kerala

• Trivandrum: Handloom products
• Kollam: Cashew Nuts
• Kozhikode, Kasargod and Cochin: Variety of Spices

Best flea Markets in Kerala

• Jew Street, Cochin
• Spice Market, Cochin
• Broadway, Cochin
• Kanhirode Weaving Cooperative, Kannur
• Mitthayi Theruvu, Kozhikode

Book Kerala Travel Packages and we will let you familiar with various shopping places within your budget. Want to experience the rich tradition as well as enjoy the scenic natural beauty of Kerala, then choose one of the tours organized by keralatravelportal.com

Boat Races in Kerala

Kerala is famous for its adventurous water sports like Canoeing, Sailing, Para Sailing, Scuba Diving, Wind Surfing and many more. The boat races in Kerala play an important role in the tradition of folk arts. Every year Kerala boat race event takes place in the month of August or September. These races are held in Alappuzha. Kerala Travel Packages provides some special packages during the occasion of boat races in Kerala.

Boat races represent the unique cultural heritage and traditional inheritance of Kerala. The famous styles of Boats used for racing are Kochu Vallam, Odi Vallam, Churulan Vallam and Iruttukuthy Vallam. Churulan Vallam designed boats are more common in use. These boats are so designed that they resemble like a snake, thus known as Snake Boats.

 

Snake Boats are 30-60 meters in length. The boat can accommodate around 120 boatmen at a time. Kerala boat race is participated and controlled by 4 helmsmen, 25 singers and 125 oarsmen. Few prominent places where boat races take place are Aranmula, Payippad, Neerettupuram, Kumarakam, Karuvatta, Kavanattinkara and Kottayam.

Different Boat Races in Kerala

 

• Nehru Trophy Boat Race: Nehru Trophy Boat Race takes place in Punnamada Backwaters of Alappuzha district on the 2^nd Saturday of August every year.  This boat race is held at the first time to commemorate the visit of the first Prime Minister of India, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, in 1952. Thus the boat race is named on the name of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru as they instituted the trophy for winners. The race begins with performing arts and decorated boats.

• Aranmula Uthrattadi Vallamkali: Aranmula Uthrattadi Vallamkaliis held every year on the eve of Onam. It takes place on the river Pampa near Sree Parthasarathy Temple dedicated to Lord Krishna and Arjuna. It is a two day competition with lots of colorful and energetic performances by most of the children dressed as nymphs & princesses.

• Champakulam Moolam Boat Race: Champakulam Moolam is one of the oldest and popular snake boat races in Kerala. It is organized on the river Pampa, located around 26km from Alappuzha in Kerala. The boat race is organized on the Champakulam Lake on the Malayalam month Mindhunam on Moolam day. The race is held in various stages for different categories of boats.

• Payippad Jalotsavam: Payippad boat race is celebrated on Payippad Lake situated at 35km from Alappuzha. This boat race is enjoyed with the installation of the deity at the Subramanya Swamy Temple, Haripad. Their 100 feet long boat decorated beautifully by local craftsmen attracts more.

• Ochirakali Boat Race: Ochirakali Boat Race is an annual event takes place in Sri Parabrahma temple to show the martial skills of participants.

Kerala boat races make your trip more enjoyable. Thus, plan your Honeymoon in Kerala and enjoy the best boat race.

Houseboat Packages in Kerala

Kerala is famous for its Ayurveda, Beaches, Wildlife, Hill stations, Backwaters, etc. But the most popular is Houseboats in Kerala. Some people wish to spend their whole trip in houseboat depending upon their own choice. These journeys are on hourly cruises or overnight journeys. Places like Alleppey, Kumarakom, Wayanad and Kollam are the most beautiful places to visit on houseboat. Couples comes to celebrate Honeymoon in Kerala spend their time in the most romantic way. Houseboat is the best place for them.

Kerala is famous for its backwaters including lakes, rivers, canals, etc. You can get a wonderful opportunity to explore the beauty of nature. But the best way to complete your trip is to spend some days on Kerala houseboats. We give the same opportunity with some special offers/discounts. You can see flowers, aquatic animals, coconut roves and traditional villages on the shore line. If you are really a nature loving person, we provide you the best you want.

The houseboats are called Kettuvallam i.e. a boat made by tying together pieces of wood. Houseboats are made up of coconut fiber, bamboos, mats, carpets, wooden planks, etc. Not even a single nail is used to construct them. You can get single room, double room,depending upon your requirement. Traditional lanterns are used in place of lights to make your trip more romantic.

 Kerala Travel Packages provide different houseboat packages like:

• Kerala Weekend Package
• Kerala Backwater Cruise Package
• Kerala Weekend Houseboat Package
• Kerala Honeymoon Package
• Kerala Special Package
• Village Backwater Cruise Package
• Classic Kerala Package

Two popular houseboats among the tourists are Kumarakom houseboat and Alleppey houseboat. There are nearly 1000 houseboats in this beautiful state. You can wide your search and then only book your package. You can also get Luxury A/c Houseboats, Deluxe A/c Houseboats & Standard Houseboats depending upon your budget. All the facilities right from air tickets to houseboat booking and car rental are available to make your trip unforgettable. Thus we provide packages of all budgets. It is the most memorable experience for every visitor to take a boat journey on the backwater of Kerala.

Plan Honeymoon in Kerala for Lifetime Memories

Kerala, the most beautiful state, overflow with the beauty of nature that provides opportunity to enjoy holidays to make them memorable for the whole life. It is the perfect destination for honeymoon couples, tourists, nature-lovers and holiday-makers. It is famous for its Waterfalls, Lakes, Beaches, Wildlife Sanctuary, Tea Gardens, Ayurvedic treatments, Valleys, Mountains and many more. The major hill stations of Kerala are Munnar, Alleppey, Thekkady, Kochi, Kumarakom and many more. The rich culture, art, heritage beauty, best accommodation facilities attract the visitors not only from India but from different parts of the world.

Kerala is the best destination for all the newly wedded honeymoon couples. People from different states visit to celebrate their Honeymoon in Kerala. Houseboats are also available to make your trip more romantic. You can also enjoy ayurvedic massages or treatments. It is the perfect holiday destination especially for newly wedded couples who want to need a space and shares their time together. Here, you can visit many beautiful places and make your tour memorable for the life time.

Keralatravelportal.com provides Kerala Travel Packages depending upon your own choice. There are several packages available for Kerala like 2N/3D, 7N/8D, Kerala Honeymoon Deluxe, Hill Safari Tour and many more. We are becoming popular day by day just because we provide tourists lots of options to choose and design their own honeymoon tours to Kerala. Thus, all depends upon your preference like where to go, your budget, when to go. We will provide you the complete package from your arrival to departure including accommodation in the best hotels/resorts, city tour, food, backwaters, sports activities and many more. Best time to visit Kerala is from October to March. At that time we provide you with some good offers & discounts. It is our duty to help you to take right decisions and choose right packages to make your trip unforgettable.

You can observe coconut trees, coconut water, fresh sea-food, forts & temples, regional dances, specialized ayurvedic treatments which brings you back in kerala over & over again. There are large numbers of places to visit in Kerala. Some of the popular destinations to make Kerala special for honeymoon couples are:

•    Munnar: Surrounded by green hills, famous for its tea gardens and spice plantations.
•    Alleppey: Famous for Beautiful lakes, houseboats, backwaters.
•    Thekkady: Famous for animals, birds and different species of plants& beautiful flowers. Thus make this place more romantic for nature loving couples.
•    Kochi: Famous for old monuments, churches and beaches like Cherai Beach, St Francis Church, Kochi Beach, Dutch Palace, etc.
•    Kumarakom: Known for backwaters and exotic bird sanctuary.

Kerala is also famous for its art. Kathakali-the world famous dance performed in kerala. It is the mixture of dance, drama and music as Katha means Story and Kala means Dance. Houseboat cruise in Kerala takes visitors to villages; full greenery can be seen within the water, makes the scene more romantic. It will be an amazing experience for the couples. Thus, there are so many things to explore and admire in Kerala. Keralatravelportal.com wishes that your honeymoon comes to an end with sweet, lifetime memories.

Munnar is the Best Hill Station to Attract Visitors

Kerala is one of the most beautiful tourist destinations in India. It is popularly famous for its hill stations, wildlife, ayurveda, etc. There are large numbers of Hill Stations in Kerala.  But one of the best hill stations in Kerala is Munnar. It is situated in Idukki district situated in the eastern parts of Kerala. It is well connected to all the cities in Kerala. It is known as the “Mini Kashmir of South”. It is becoming the dream honeymoon destination for the newly wedded couples. To spend time in Munnar is a lifetime experience.

Munnar is situated at the confluence of three mountain streams – Mudrapuzha, Nallathani & Kundala. Munnar is an ideal destination for mountain biking, trekking tea growing hills, waterfalls, etc. It is famous for its tea and coffee plantations.  It is also rich in coffee and cardamom plantations. There are about 30 tea plantations in or outside Munnar. You can directly see the manufacturing and packing of the tea. It just looks like that a wide green carpet is spreading all over Munnar.

Munnar is famous for Neelakurinji, a famous flower, looks like it covers the mountains of Munnar with attractive carpet of purple and it blooms for the 12 months i.e. for the whole year.

Places to Visit in Munnar:

• Echo Point: It is 15 km from Munnar. It is the best place for tourism & trekking. The best part is your voice comes back after echoing. Thus, the natural echo phenomenon takes place here.
• Eravikulam National Park: It is located on Rajamalai Mountains at distance of about 15 Km from Munnar. It is a place to enjoy wildlife in Kerala. The main attraction of this park is Nilgiri Tahr.
• Tata Tea Museum: It is located 2km from Munnar. Tata Tea has opened the tea museum at Munnar where one can come across with different varieties of tea. You can also see the various stages of the processing tea.
• Mattupetty:  It is located 13 km from Munnar at a height of 1700 m. The main attraction of Mattupetty is its beautiful lake along with the Mattupetty Dam. Speed Boat Ride is also available.
• Anamudi: It is the highest peak in South India situated along the Western Ghats, Idukki District of Kerala State. You can find Nilgiri languors, leopards, tigers, and macaques. Boating facilities are also available there.

Other than the above places, there are large numbers of tourist places in Munnar. Foreign travelers visit specially to watch the natural beauty of Kerala. The weather is pleasant throughout the year. This makes Kerala to visit more.

Keralatravelportal provides you the opportunity to book  Kerala Tour Packages depending on your choice to make your trip memorable. They book your weekend for different places of Munnar We provide you the best hotels & resorts. You will find resorts, discount hotels, car rentals, cheap airfares and lots of more. Trip to Munnar is becoming more & more popular as  Keralatravelportal provides flexibility to design their own tour.

Wildlife in Kerala

In the Kerala Travel Packages.Kerala is home to a rich wildlife. There are many rare animals, bird and marine life that are present in Kerala, also known as Gods own country. Most of this wildlife is confined to wildlife sanctuaries. These sanctuaries provide refuge to different forms of wildlife in Kerala and also give tourists an opportunity to explore the beauty in its natural surroundings. Besides the beautiful beaches, hill stations and backwaters of Kerala, the wildlife sanctuaries are also one of the major tourist attractions of Kerala.

Some of the unique wild animals and species that are present in Kerala are leopards, elephants, Nilgiri Tahr, tigers, deer, lion-tailed macaque, monkeys, civet cats, squirrels including the Malabar giant squirrel. Besdides the wild animals one can also see different varieties of birds like woodpeckers, Malabar cormorants, darters, hornbills, kingfishers, plovers, and brahminy. While visiting Kerala one is likely to spot many species of butterflies and moths, especially along backwaters of Kerala.

Source:http://kerala.thecolorsofindia.com/wildlife/index.html

Kerala Special Food

The Kerala is known as the “Land of Spices”. Even the Kerala cuisine is known for its spicy and hot foods. Traditionally, in Kerala food is served on a banana leaf. Kerala Foods One has to take food with right hand. Almost every dish prepared in Kerala has coconut and spices to flavour the local cuisine giving it a sharp pungency that is heightened with the use of tamarind, while coconut gives it its richness, absorbing some of the tongue-teasing, pepper-hot flavours.

There is no doubt that Kerala has several culinary traditions, both region and religion specific, but there are two things that gives Kerala cuisine an edge over others; its repertoire and undoubtedly coconut. A great emphasis is laid on the ingredients used, the vessels it is cooked in and bizarrely, the nature of fire used. The beauty of the Malayali food is that, it offers a true taste of nature, a perfect amalgamation of the real with the imagined.

Kuttanad is known as the “Rice Bowl of India”, and thus the staple food of the Kerala is rice. Having a large Christian population, pancakes are also an important part of the meals cooked for festivities. The food in North of Kerala could vary from that of South in style and ingredient of cooking. In addition, many communities in the state have their traditional cuisines.

The cuisines of Kerala reflect the culinary expertise of the people. Generally, the Kerala cuisines are hot and spicy, fresh, aromatic and flavored. As Kerala is a rice producing state, Keralites thrive mostly on fish-and rice. Some of the most common ingredients of Kerala traditional food are Coconut, Chilly; Curry leaf, Mustard seed, Tamarind and Asafoetida.

Kerala Specialities

Listed are the specialties that I had enjoyed while on my travel to Kerala.

Backwaters and Houseboat Stay
Kerala backwater tours is one of the most preferred tour packages for Kerala tours and travel. Perhaps the most suitable way to explore the beauty of breathtaking backwaters in Kerala boat house which takes you to the totally different world where you will find serene and sheer ambiance for your holidays. At backwater destinations in Kerala, house boats are available on hire and its cost depends on facilities available on them.

Beaches with Calm Waters
Anguilla Beaches are among the most beautiful in the Caribbean. Anguilla Island is in the Caribbean and despite of its size has such a big heart that it is always ready to welcome and pamper its visitors like no other destination. They are more than 30 stunningly sandy-white shores, it’s the right place to unwind and spend Your best beaches Kerala vacations full of sea and sand pleasures.

Kerala food, Puttu and Kadla and Appam and Veg stew
Appam is one the traditional dishes of Kerala. Appam is often served with kadala (kala chana) curry, vegetable stew or coconut milk. For Christmas I made appam with kadala curry which is one of my favorites. The proportions vary from household to household. Appam was usally served for breakfast.

Kathakali Show
Introduction to Kathakali,’Katha’ means story and ‘Kali’ means dance. As the name suggests Kathakali is a beautiful amalgamation of dance and drama. More precisely, Kathakali is a harmonious blend of five forms of art namely, Sahithyam (literature), Sangeetham (music), Chithram (painting), Natyam (acting) and Nritham (dance). ‘Total Theatre’ is the word often used to describe this highly evolved art. Kathakali dance drama can also be described as a visual art because performers do not say any dialogues in this. Rather they are mime. Communication is made effective through the remarkable use of gestures and mudras. This also lends Kathakali its universal appeal. People of varied tastes all over the world appreciate and admire the beauty of this distinguished art. Another distinct feature of Kathakali is its elaborate costume and make-up. It is a magical sight to watch Kathakali artistes performing in their traditional attire. Their larger than life form transport the audience to a make believe wonderland.

Ayurvedic Massage Treatment
Ayurveda is all about the science of holistic healing and it involves a complete plan to achieve the perfect health for all individuals. Despite the fact that it originated thousands of years ago, Ayurveda is equally pertinent in the current scientific world. And Kerala has played a vital role in keeping the magic of Ayurveda alive. Ayurvedic health packages are an integral part of tourist activities carried out in the state. Another aspect about the important role of Ayurveda in Kerala is that Kerala’s fair climate and richness in resources make it the perfect destination for a soothing Ayurvedic massage and other traditional actions here.

Kalaripayattu, Martial Art Display
There are many different styles of Kalarippayattu. If one looks at the way attacks and defences are performed, one can distinguish three main schools of thought: the northern styles, the central styles, and the southern styles.The best introduction to the differences between these styles is the book of Luijendijk. Luijendijk uses photographs to show several Kalarippayattu exercises and their applications.

Hillstations of Munnar
Munnar, a luxury hill station in Kerala, south India, India, and a luxury travel tour to Kerala would showcase the beauty and the romantic charm of Munnar, a luxury hill station in India, located in Kerala, south India, India. A luxury travel tour to Kerala would showcase the vast swathes of spice plantations on the hilly slopes of Munnar, located in Kerala, south India, India.

Wildlife Sanctuary of Thekkady
The pride of Kerela and a testimony to nature’s splendour and human innovation, the Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary is situated on the banks of the Periyar lake – an artificial lake, at Thekkady.   Here the high ranges of the Western Ghats are clothed in dense evergreen, moist deciduous forests and savannah grass lands.   Below this thick green canopy roam herds of elephants, sambars, tigers, gaurs, lion tailed macaques and Nilgiri langurs.

Spices of Kerela
Spices are defined as “a strongly flavored or aromatic substance of vegetable origin, obtained from tropical plants, commonly used as a condiment”. In ancient times, spices were as precious as gold; and as significant as medicines, preservatives and perfumes. India – the land of spices plays a significant role in the global spices market. No country in the world produces as many kinds of spices as India with quality spices come from Kerala, an Indian state. At present, India produces around 2.75 million tones of different spices valued at approximately 4.2 billion US $, and holds the premier position in the world spices market.

Kerala Backwaters

Relax your soul in Kerela Backwaters

Chhai Chhaph Chhai Chhaph – Hear the soothing sound of water rippling alongside your houseboat, as you drift on a Kerala backwaters. Feel completely relaxed as you enter a world of serenity and natural beauty in Kerala. See the green countryside, swaying palm trees, emerald rice fields and children waving from the banks of the backwaters of Kerala, India, as you sail on traditional Ketuvalloms or houseboats, on a Kerala backwater.

The Kerala Backwaters are a network of interconnected canals, rivers, lakes and inlets, a labyrinthine system formed by more than 900 km of waterways, and sometimes compared to the American Bayou. In the midst of this landscape there are a number of towns and cities, which serve as the starting and end points of backwater cruises. National Waterway Number from Kollam to Kottapuram covers a distance of 205 km and runs almost parallel to the coast line of southern Kerala facilitating both cargo movement and backwater tourism.

Kerala backwater tour is one of the most preferred tour packages for Kerala tours and travel. Perhaps the most suitable way to explore the beauty of breathtaking backwaters is Kerala boat house which takes you to the totally different world where you will find serene and sheer ambiance for your holidays. At backwater tourist destinations in Kerala, house boats are available on hire and its cost depends on facilities available on them.

Kerala Ayurveda

Ayurveda is a science of life’ the most ancient and traditional science on one of the most modern systems, Ayurveda is a Sanskrit word, derived from two roots: ayur, which means life, and veda, which mean knowledge. It is fair to say that Ayurveda is the science of life. People everywhere are realizing the importance and benefits of taking personal responsibility for one’s own well being, making Ayurveda the perfect system of health knowledge for today’s world. Ayurveda is a science in the sense that it is a complete system. It is a qualitative, holistic science of health and longevity, a philosophy and system of healing the whole person, body and mind.

The location of Kerala is in the South Western tip of India. The state has a tropical type of climate and covers a total area of about 38, 863 square km. It is well-known as God’s own country which is surrounded by the Eastern Ghats in the East and the Arabian Sea in the West and has a network of 44 rivers, lakes, and estuaries basically popular as backwaters, which drains into the Arabian Sea.

It has got a long shoreline with serene beaches which attract the tourists from all across the globe. Besides these, it is also well known for its age-old Ayurvedic therapy. Ayurveda in Kerala is indeed gaining momentum worldwide for its holistic effect on the body and mind. Even the government supports this and also by word of mouth about healing.