Kerala – a symphony composed in the strings of beauty and a land endowed with myriad of boons and bounties that bestowed it the glory of being god’s own country. The rural life in Kerala, untouched by the mighty hands of industrialization and much of the repulsive transformation of urban sophistication, offers a paradisal experience to the traveller. The serene backwaters, swaying coconut farms, soothing paddy fields everything makes the village life of Kerala a memorable experience. Far from the tumult and turmoil of the cities these villages usher us into a world were contentment and peace prevail.
The state has an area of 38,863 km2 (15,005 sq mi) and is bordered by Karnataka to the north and northeast, Tamil Nadu to the east and south, and the Arabian Sea on the west. Thiruvananthapuram is the state capital. Kochi and Kozhikode are other major cities. According to a survey by The Economic Times, five out of ten best cities to live in India are located in Kerala. Kerala is a popular destination for its backwaters, beaches, Ayurvedic tourism and tropical greenery.
Kerala has the highest Human Development Index in India, slightly higher than that of most developed countries, but with a much lower per capita income. The state has the highest literacy rate in India with 99 percent. It hopes to be the first e-literate state in India through the state run Akshaya project. The state recently became and is currently the only one to have banking facilities in every village. A survey conducted in 2005 by Transparency International ranked Kerala as the least corrupt state in the country. Kerala is also ranked as India’s cleanest state. Kerala has witnessed significant migration of its people, especially to the Persian Gulf countries during the Kerala Gulf boom and is heavily dependent on remittances from its large Malayali expatriate community.
Kerala is a top tourist destination. National Geographic’s Traveller magazine names Kerala as one of the “ten paradises of the world” and “50 must see destinations of a lifetime”. Travel and Leisure names Kerala as “One of the 100 great trips for the 21st century”. The Kerala Government Tourism Department, a government department in charge of promoting tourism has adopted the slogan God’s Own Country for its campaigns.
When to go?
In Kerala, you will experience three seasons – summer, monsoon and winter.
- March to late May is summer, which is hot.
- Late May to mid October is the rainy season
- Mid of October to late February is winter
Best time to visit Kerala is obviously the winter but if you visit during the monsoon you shall witness the beautiful raindrops. However, do carry umbrella all the time, because the sudden shower might catch you unprepared!
How to get there?
| Bus | Train | Plane |
|---|---|---|
| Both Inter-state Government buses and private buses ply between the neighbouring states of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh. To escape the day heat, the journeys usually, take place in the night. A recommended suggestion would be to travel in the A/c Volvo buses, as those are much superior to the other buses in terms of quality. | Most of the trains in Kerala originate or stop in the railway stations of Thiruvananthapuram or Ernakulam and tickets are booked months in advance. So, it is always a better idea to buy the tickets as early as possible. | There are three airports in Kerala – Kozhikode, Nedumbassery or Kochi/Cochin International Airport and Thiruvananthapuram. All the three airports cater to both domestic and international passengers. |