India - Kerala tourism 13.03.2014

Kerala at a Glance

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  Kerala, God's Own Country

  With the Arabian Sea in the west, the Western Ghats towering 500-2700 m in the east and networked by 44 rivers, Kerala enjoys unique geographical features that have made it one of the most sought after tourist destinations in Asia. An equable climate. A long shoreline with serene beaches. Tranquil stretches of emerald backwaters. Lush hill stations and exotic wildlife. Waterfalls. Sprawling plantations and paddy fields. Ayurvedic health holidays. Enchanting art forms. Magical festivals. Historic and cultural monuments. An exotic cuisine... All of which offer you a unique experience. And what's more, each of these charming destinations is only a two hour drive from the other - a singular advantage no other destination offers.
  Kerala, India's most advanced society: With hundred percent literacy. World-class health care systems. India's lowest infant mortality and highest life expectancy rates. The highest physical quality of life in India. Peaceful and pristine, Kerala is India's cleanest state.
  For administrative purpose, the state of Kerala is divided into fourteen districts. Most of these districts offer all the tourism products typical of the State.

• Districts

  Kasaragod
  Kannur
  Wayanad
  Kozhikode
  Malappuram
  Palakkad
  Thrissur
  Ernakulam
  Idukki
  Kottayam
  Alappuzha
  Pathanamthitta
  Kollam
  Thiruvananthapuram

  Major Cities

  Thiruvananthapuram
  Kollam
  Kochi
  Thrissur
  Kozhikode

• Location

  Kerala is situated on the southwestern coast of India, a country in South Asia. This tropical paradise enjoys a unique topography with Arabian sea, a part of the Indian Ocean on the west and the Western Ghats on the east.
  

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  Geography

  With the Arabian Sea in the west, the Western Ghats towering 500-2700 m in the east and networked by forty-four rivers, Kerala enjoys diverse geographical features. From tall mountains and deep valleys to endless backwaters and an extensive coastline, Kerala has it all.
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  Seasons

  Bestowed with a pleasant and equable climate throughout the year, Kerala is a tropical land with the coast running down its entire length and the Western Ghats forming a protective barrier against the dry winds from up north. The monsoons (June-September & October-November) and summer (February-May) are the seasons markedly experienced here, while winter is only a slight drop in temperature from the normal range of 28-32°C.

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  People and Life

  Kerala is one of India's most progressive states in terms of social welfare and quality of life. The State boasts of one of India's highest literacy rates, highest life expectancy and lowest child mortality rates. The literacy rate for women is one of the highest in all of Asia. Enjoying a unique cosmopolitan viewpoint, the people of Kerala, at all levels of society, have greater access to services and opportunities - as well as a greater say in their governance.
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  History

  Kerala's history is closely linked with its commerce, which until recent times revolved around its spice trade. Celebrated as the Spice Coast of India, ancient Kerala played host to travellers and traders from across the world including the Greeks, Romans, Arabs, Chinese, Portuguese, Dutch, French and the British. Almost all of them have left their imprint on this land in some form or the other - architecture, cuisine, literature.

Accessibility

• Airports

  Thiruvananthapuram International Airport
  Cochin International Airport (CIAL), Nedumbassery
  Calicut International Airport, Karipur

• Visa requirements

  For Visa information please click here

  Police helpline

  While travelling on Highways + 91 98461 00100 While travelling in Trains + 91 98462 00100

  Code of ethics for travellers & tour operators

  Guidelines for Travellers & Tour Operators

• About the Website

  This is the official website of the Department of Tourism, Government of Kerala, and is one of the most popular travel websites in India. The site contains exhaustive information about Kerala, a State popularly known as God's Own Country. The website, which has been online since 1998, is currently available in 18 languages including 7 Indian languages. On an average, the site gets more than 250,000 hits/visits a month. The site is updated as necessary and frequently. The site contains a huge database on Kerala including 3000 videos, thousands of photos and several hundred audio clips.
  

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  The Kerala Tourism website has won several awards. It bagged the prestigious Award of Excellence instituted by the Government of India for the “Most Innovative Use of Information Technology” and “Best Tourism Website Portal” during the years 2000-2001, 2002-2003, 2005-2006 and 2010-11. The Kerala Tourism Website also bagged PC World Magazine’s Net 4 PC World Web Award 2008 for Best Indian Website in the category of Tourism. International recognition to the department's online initiatives came in the form of the Pacific Asia Travel Association's (PATA) Gold Award for the best E- Newsletter during the years of 2005 and 2012. In terms of web traffic, the site also came within the first 10 positions among tourism websites from countries in Asia and the Middle East.