Thiruvananthapuram: Come monsoon, Kerala wears a totally different look. The southern state becomes a tourist hub for rain lovers and offers a lovely tourism experience. As monsoon is a season of regeneration and rejuvenation, you can plan to visit this state during the rainy season. Here is a list of the top 5 places where you must plan to pay a visit this monsoon season with your friends and family.
1. Alleppey
Alappuzha (Alleppey) is referred to as “the Venice of the East.” This gorgeous spot is the heart of Kerala’s backwaters, with a wide network of backwaters and thousands of houseboats, making it one of Alleppey’s most popular tourist sites. The houseboats seen in Alappuzha’s backwaters are a modernised variant of the traditional Kettuvallams. Kettuvallam is a Malayalam word in which ‘Kettu’ refers to living buildings and ‘Vallom’ refers to boats. In the past, kettuvallams, or boats with thatched roofs that cover wooden hulls, were used to transport tonnes of rice and spices, as per a site named Thrillophili.
2. Athirappilly Falls
Athirappilly Falls is known as the “Niagra of India” and is the pride of Kerala. It is Kerala’s largest waterfall, reaching 1000 feet above sea level and spanning 100 metres (330 ft).
The Athirappilly waterfalls flow through the luscious foliage of the Vazhachal forest towards the Arabian Sea, offering a stunning vista of glistening water, emerald forests, and an azure sky, as per Irish Holidays.
3. Wayanad
The city of Wayanad is located near the border of Tamil Nadu and Kerala. Tholpetty is in the north, Muthanga is in the east, Kalpetta is in the south, Mananthvadi is in the north-west, and Sultan Bathery (Sultan Battery) is in the east.
The Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary, located in the east, is a rich, forested area with high elevation sections that is home to animals such as Asiatic elephants, tigers, panthers, and egrets. Beautiful Wayanad sights such as Edakkal Caves, which have outdated petroglyphs dating back to the Neolithic period, may be found in the Ambukuthi Hills to the south, as per Thrillophili.
4. Bekal
Bekal, a little hamlet on Kerala’s eastern coast, is a metaphor for peace. A large keyhole-shaped fort surrounded by the golden expanse of a magnificent beach, swaying palm trees, backwaters, and hill stations, as per a site named Keralatourism.
5. Mararikulam
This seashore village, about 12 kilometres from Alleppey and 60 kilometres from Kochi, is still firmly steeped in Kerala’s fishing tradition. On a normal visit, guests might see local men busy with their fishing nets, ready for their next fishing trip. Women, on the other hand, are typically preoccupied with their domestic responsibilities, as per Ekerala tourism.