Excursions around Malakkara.
Kerala is well known as a tourist destination for its beauty, greenery, the clean and unpolluted air, and its peaceful and harmonious environment. There are many easy day excursions to enjoy the beauty of Kerala. These are described below and you may avail of these excursions between treatments provided you have Dr. Hiranandani’s go ahead!
Chengannur 5 kms away, is the nearest small town where basic necessities are available.
It has a railway station where most trains stop, shops, hotels, banks and ATM’s.
It has an ancient Shiva Temple. It also has a Narasimha Swami temple with exquisite woodcarvings about 1200 years old.
Traditional Kerala Ayurvedic massage is available at Pampatheeram on the way to Chengannur by prior appointment.
Mannar 13 kms away, lies between Chengannur and Niranam and has many shops which sell brass items like lamps, statues and curios
Aranmula 4 kms away, has the Parthasarthy Temple which is reputed to be 8000 years old. This temple is built on the site where Ram performed the last rites of Jatayu. A magnificent boat race is held here at the time of Onam (In August/September). It is famous for metal mirrors which are unique to this village. We can arrange for you to visit an artisan to see how these are made. Aranmula also has the Vastu Vidya Gurukulam where you can see traditional mural painters at work and buy their art.
Thiruvilla 14 kms away, is a larger town has 5 malls and big Saree shops. The Sree Vallabha temple here has Kathakali performances every night. Close to Thiruvilla is Niranam where St. Thomas, an Apostle of Christ built his first church in AD 52. The ancient church has now been reconstructed. Worship at this site has been conducted continuously for almost 2000 years.
Alleppy, 42 kms away is an ancient port which was known as the Venice of India for its many canals. It has a public beach which is easily accessible. It is a good place to buy coir mats, uniquely designed umbrellas & hammocks. It is a good place to start a trip on the backwaters.
A trip on the backwaters can be one of the highlights of a trip to Kerala. These are channels both natural & artificial which open to the sea and extend inland allowing direct access by boat to most parts of coastal Kerala. They act as the roads and highways for many hundreds of thousands of people. As many Kerala homes are situated on the backwaters it gives you an inside look into the lives of the people of Kerala. You can take excursions on the backwaters, from Allapuzha or Kottayam (40 kms, about 1 hour away). Excursions on House boats cost between Rs 5000-9000 for a 20 hour stay on the houseboat including meals and Rs 350-400/ hour for a motor boat. These rates may rise during peak tourist season.
Kottayam, 45 kms away (about 75 min journey) is famous for its rubber trade and it’s numerous lakes. The town makes a pleasant outing for a day. It has many shops and resorts. Gold jewelry with exquisite workmanship is available at the numerous gold shops in Kottayam. The Chariyapally & Valiayapalli churches on the way to Kumarakom, dating back to the 16th Century are worth a visit.
Kumarakom, 15 kms from Kottayam situated between the backwaters and Vembanad lake on the outskirts of Kottayam, has a bird sanctuary and many luxurious resorts like Coconut Lagoon, Taj Garden Retreat and Lakeshore resorts. You can take a trip on the backwaters from here.
The Thekkady game sanctuary is about 100 kms (3 hours) away and is usually a good place to see wild elephants, wild boar, sambhar deer, bison, monkeys & birds in their natural habitat in the dry season. If you are really lucky you may even see a tiger here. To take this trip you need to be mobile and physically fit. The nearby town of Kumily is a good place to buy natural unprocessed honey and spices like cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, black pepper & vanilla beans.
Kochi is the nearest city with lots of shopping and sightseeing.
Fort Cochin has the Dutch Palace, Vasco da Gama’s Church, the Jewish synagogue, Chinese fishing nets, seafood, & shopping for souvenirs, antiques and spices in Jew town.
It is 100 kms away and can be visited either as a day trip or over the weekend. It has a museum of Kerala history and the hill palace at Tripunithara. Ernakulam has several new Malls on Marine drive & the Cochin Bypass Road. Shopping is found on M.G. Road and on Broadway. The harbour has boat trips to Fort Cochin & Vypeen Island.
Trivandrum is the state Capital, 120 Kms away and also has much to visit by way of handicrafts, museums, temples, zoos, beaches, etc. The famous Kovalam beach is located just out side Trivandrum (15kms).
Varkala 80 Kms, away has a nice beach with a hot spring located on the beach. This is easily accessible by train.
Athirapally waterfalls 40 kms north of the Cochin Airport is a worthwhile sight specially in the monsoon time when the water rushes over the falls.
Taxi fares Rs 10.50-12/Km For Local Travel.
Taxi fares Rs 11-14/Km For travel to cochin, Kumarakom,airport etc
Chengannur 5 kms away, is the nearest small town where basic necessities are available.
It has a railway station where most trains stop, shops, hotels, banks and ATM’s.
It has an ancient Shiva Temple. It also has a Narasimha Swami temple with exquisite woodcarvings about 1200 years old.
Traditional Kerala Ayurvedic massage is available at Pampatheeram on the way to Chengannur by prior appointment.
Mannar 13 kms away, lies between Chengannur and Niranam and has many shops which sell brass items like lamps, statues and curios
Aranmula 4 kms away, has the Parthasarthy Temple which is reputed to be 8000 years old. This temple is built on the site where Ram performed the last rites of Jatayu. A magnificent boat race is held here at the time of Onam (In August/September). It is famous for metal mirrors which are unique to this village. We can arrange for you to visit an artisan to see how these are made. Aranmula also has the Vastu Vidya Gurukulam where you can see traditional mural painters at work and buy their art.
Thiruvilla 14 kms away, is a larger town has 5 malls and big Saree shops. The Sree Vallabha temple here has Kathakali performances every night. Close to Thiruvilla is Niranam where St. Thomas, an Apostle of Christ built his first church in AD 52. The ancient church has now been reconstructed. Worship at this site has been conducted continuously for almost 2000 years.
Alleppy, 42 kms away is an ancient port which was known as the Venice of India for its many canals. It has a public beach which is easily accessible. It is a good place to buy coir mats, uniquely designed umbrellas & hammocks. It is a good place to start a trip on the backwaters.
A trip on the backwaters can be one of the highlights of a trip to Kerala. These are channels both natural & artificial which open to the sea and extend inland allowing direct access by boat to most parts of coastal Kerala. They act as the roads and highways for many hundreds of thousands of people. As many Kerala homes are situated on the backwaters it gives you an inside look into the lives of the people of Kerala. You can take excursions on the backwaters, from Allapuzha or Kottayam (40 kms, about 1 hour away). Excursions on House boats cost between Rs 5000-9000 for a 20 hour stay on the houseboat including meals and Rs 350-400/ hour for a motor boat. These rates may rise during peak tourist season.
Kottayam, 45 kms away (about 75 min journey) is famous for its rubber trade and it’s numerous lakes. The town makes a pleasant outing for a day. It has many shops and resorts. Gold jewelry with exquisite workmanship is available at the numerous gold shops in Kottayam. The Chariyapally & Valiayapalli churches on the way to Kumarakom, dating back to the 16th Century are worth a visit.
Kumarakom, 15 kms from Kottayam situated between the backwaters and Vembanad lake on the outskirts of Kottayam, has a bird sanctuary and many luxurious resorts like Coconut Lagoon, Taj Garden Retreat and Lakeshore resorts. You can take a trip on the backwaters from here.
The Thekkady game sanctuary is about 100 kms (3 hours) away and is usually a good place to see wild elephants, wild boar, sambhar deer, bison, monkeys & birds in their natural habitat in the dry season. If you are really lucky you may even see a tiger here. To take this trip you need to be mobile and physically fit. The nearby town of Kumily is a good place to buy natural unprocessed honey and spices like cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, black pepper & vanilla beans.
Kochi is the nearest city with lots of shopping and sightseeing.
Fort Cochin has the Dutch Palace, Vasco da Gama’s Church, the Jewish synagogue, Chinese fishing nets, seafood, & shopping for souvenirs, antiques and spices in Jew town.
It is 100 kms away and can be visited either as a day trip or over the weekend. It has a museum of Kerala history and the hill palace at Tripunithara. Ernakulam has several new Malls on Marine drive & the Cochin Bypass Road. Shopping is found on M.G. Road and on Broadway. The harbour has boat trips to Fort Cochin & Vypeen Island.
Trivandrum is the state Capital, 120 Kms away and also has much to visit by way of handicrafts, museums, temples, zoos, beaches, etc. The famous Kovalam beach is located just out side Trivandrum (15kms).
Varkala 80 Kms, away has a nice beach with a hot spring located on the beach. This is easily accessible by train.
Athirapally waterfalls 40 kms north of the Cochin Airport is a worthwhile sight specially in the monsoon time when the water rushes over the falls.
Taxi fares Rs 10.50-12/Km For Local Travel.
Taxi fares Rs 11-14/Km For travel to cochin, Kumarakom,airport etc