Trivandrum Tourism And Travel Guide

The state capital of Kerala, Trivandrum has been the seat of the Travancore kingdom for ages and is steeped in historic importance. This along with a captivating scenic backdrop makes for an exciting travel destination. Trivandrum is home to beautiful coastal towns and to hill stations alike. With rich fertile soils, you will find every inch of the land blooming with trees and a wide variety of birds and animals, making tourism in Trivandrum a delight. If you have readied yourself to immerse into this charming city then here's a travel guide to Trivandrum.

Being an important tourist and trade destination, Trivandrum is a fairly well connected city.

By Air:

Trivandrum has its own International airport located within the city. You can avail taxi services from here to get to other parts of the city.

By Rail: 

The city has a number of railway stations but the Trivandrum Central is a major stop in not just the city but the state too. The railway station is very close to the city centre.

By Road:

A huge number of buses run to and from Trivandrum on a daily basis. The buses connect Trivandrum to major south Indian cities via the numerous national highways that run through the state.

Tropical climatic means hot and humid summers, but luckily Trivandrum has beautiful hill stations, beaches and rivers that help endure the heat. The months of October to March are just perfect if you wish to make the most of your stay. During the monsoon season the temperatures fall and the days are quite pleasant. If you enjoy the rains, you will find the city charming during this time.

Trivandrum Zoo:

This is the oldest zoo in Asia, sprawled over 50 acres of forest and known for its conservatory efforts. Come here to discover more than a hundred species of animals, birds and reptiles from all over the world.

Ponmudi: 

A hill station in Western Ghats and a popular tourist destination, Ponmudi, is known for its winding hairpin curves and rivers that flow through the forest routes. Don't miss the Kallar Falls and the Meenmutty Falls, and the many hiking routes that make this a relaxing vacation spot.

Kovalam and Shanghumugham:

Two of Trivandrum’s most popular beaches have different characteristics altogether. Kovalam has gorgeous black sand and is lined with huge rocks with waves breaking on them rhythmically; Shanghumugham on the other hand has beautiful white soil and very calm waters.

Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple:

The Padmanabhaswamy Temple is one of the most visited temples in Trivandrum. The structure of the temple, its beautiful architecture, the nine entrances, murals and paintings and most importantly the Padmatheertham, the sacred water body is quite an experience in divinity.

Trivandrum is a great place to experience the taste of food that comes from all over Kerala; try Puttu (bamboo cake) and Kaddala curry, Appam and chicken stew, Kappa (Tapioca) and fish curry; Kerala Parota and beef fry, and of course the typical Kerala meals with its 20 odd curries and Payasams.  

Challai Market has been around for as long as the Travancore rulers, and is one the primary markets in Trivandrum; here you can buy all sorts of things from your everyday necessities to jewelry, clothes and so on. Besides this there is a huge market in Palayam with numerous shopping complexes.

While shopping here keep your eyes out for the different varieties of banana, and of course the multitude of Malayali snacks like banana chips, achappam, unniappam, etc. Trivandrum is also famous for natural essences, herbal oils and the spices of Kerala.