Kerala is of the most popular tourist areas in Southern India. Based on the Malabar Coast, Kerala presents spectacular diverse landscapes ranging from exquisite beaches, historical towns, and delightful backwaters that offers great trekking territory, wonderful sight-seeing and a perfect base.
Kerala has been defined by National Geographic Magazine as being within the €top ten paradises of the world€ and €50 must see destinations of a lifetime.€ Kerala offers a superb range of different landscapes from its expansive beaches, captivating backwaters, and breath-taking mountain ranges.

As well as indulging and soaking up the unique surroundings, Kerala promotes a wide variety of pursuits for the more active tourist such as beach sport, mountaineering and trekking. For those wanting to really get in touch with the exceptional bird life in this wonderful part of India there is a thriving bird watching contingent. Situated on the south west tip of India, Kerala is found on the Malabar Coast. It sits between the beaches looking out onto the Arabian Sea and the renowned mountainous area of the Western Ghats.

The capital city of Kerala offers something for the explorer. Thiruvananthapuram has come to be known as "God's own capital". Famous for being the evergreen city of India, it is also an historic city offering lots to explore such as the Kuthira Malika Palace. Thiruvananthapuram also boasts a wide variety of activities for all tastes: from Sanghumukham Beach, Napier museum and Zoo, and Agasthyarkoodam peak, to Neyyar Wild life sanctuary Neyyar Dam, and Sree Padmanabha Swamy temple the city is rich in historical and cultural elements.

The beaches are indeed the jewel in the crown of Kerala. Located below spectacular and steep red cliffs, Varkala is perhaps one of the most popular beaches in south west India. To meet the rise in tourist trade new hotels are springing up all over the area but it still has the benefit of being less commercialised than sister beach Kovalam. No wonder it is such a magnet to tourists - enjoy all the delights of the beach ( including dolphins at play) and then relax in one of the cliff top bamboo cafes soaking up the fantastic views and stunning sunsets.

Flowing throughout Kerala is a network of backwaters which reach out to the Arabian Sea. They also create their own little Islands and lagoons and are rich in marine life such as crabs, frogs, mudskippers and Kingfishers. The beauty of the waters is enhanced by the coconut trees and palm trees which stand tall alongside of the backwaters.

The backwaters can be divided into three specific areas. Vembanad backwater is perhaps one of the most accessible of the three and is dotted with numerous islands interconnected by ferries and bridges. Astamudi Lake is located in the district of Kollum and is one of the largest fresh-water lakes in India, with numerous navigable canals and rivers interconnecting almost all regions of south Kerala. The third area is Kannur-Valiyaparambu backwaters which remains the least exploited and still offers a natural beauty amongst its numerous uninhabited islands.