A lovely hill station packed with tea, coffee, rubber, eucalyptus, cardamom plantations, Peerumedu is a dream destination with misty green mountains waiting to be explored.  Peerumedu is one of the most sought out hill stations after Munnar in Kerala.  The most famous attractions here are the Kuttikanam, Vagamon and the Thrissanku Hills. It is an ideal place for trekking, camping and other adventure activities. There are several popular Ayurvedic health centres in and around Peerumedu.

Cochin airport is the nearest one to Peerumedu while Kottayam is the nearest Railway station. Well maintained roads passes through this hill station. There are several resorts and hotels in Peerumedu.

Sabarimala temple in Pathanamthitta, Kerala is one of the famous pilgrim centres of Hindus. But the temple is open to all people irrespective of cast, creed and community. The temple is located on top of a hill and houses lord Ayyappa.

The myth behind the temple is King Rajasekara( father of the lord) wanted to build a temple in the lord’s memory and lord aimed an arrow which fell at a place called Sabari, where in Sri Rama’s era a Sanyasini called Sabari observed Dhavam. Lord Ayyappa asked the King to build the temple in that place and disappeared.

The devotees who want to see the Lord go through a 41 day penance refraining from physical pleasures, meat and liquor before undertaking the journey through the forested mountain chanting “Samiye, Saranam Ayappa”. Women of age 10- 50 are not allowed to enter the shrine.

The nearest airport is Cochin International airport and Thiruvananthapuram International airport. The closest railway station is Pathanamthitta railway station is Chenganoor railway station which is 12 Kms away. The shrine is also connected by roads from different places of Kerala, but only till its basement. there are hotels in Pathanamthita and places near by Sabarimala.

Kumily is the Kerala’s spice garden in higher altitude. It is a hill station that can take your breath away. It’s filled with long strip of mountains as far as sight could sojourn  filled with carpet green tea plantations and small waterfalls Kumily is in the border of Kerala and Tamil Nadu hence it is a mixed bawl. It has the better part of both the worlds. Kumily can be very exciting and adventurous. Since it is famous for its spice trade, there will be lively markets in the town selling spices, handicrafts, sandalwoods, etc. trekking and camping are good way to enjoy the beauty of Kumily. The famous Thekkady and Munnar are very close to Kumily. Pandikuzhi and Chellarkovil are some famous attractions here.

Madurai, Chennai and Cochin Airports are options to try if looking for air transport to reach Kumily. Kottayam railway station is the nearest station to kumily. There are public and private buses connecting Kumily with other parts of Kerala. Accommodation is also available for all range of customers.

Kuttanad in Alappuzha is called the rice bowl of Kerala. It is one of the few places in the world where farming is done below sea level. Kuttanad stretches for about 75 kilometers. It is located between the sea and the hills. It comprises of a network of rivers, lakes and canals. The land is famous for its paddy fields and greenery all over.

Inland waterways which flow above land level is an interesting feature of Kuttanad. Apart from paddy fields, the place is also famous for coconuts, bananas and yam.

A boat ride along the backwaters of Kuttanad is a perfect holiday activity. The ride will definitely offer a view of coconut fields, paddy fields and Chinese fishing nets. One can also get a glimpse of people extracting toddy from coconut trees.

The nearest airport to reach Kuttanad is Cochin international airport and the nearest railway stations are Allepey  and Ernakulam railway station, Beautiful resorts awaits you in Alappuzha.

Padmanabha swami temple is a splendid example of south Indian architecture. The temple has a massive seven story Gopuram. The temple is dedicated to lord Vishnu- the preserver of the universe according to Hinduism. The deity in the temple is massive and measures 18 feet in length. The idol depicts lord Vishnu sleeping on Anantha, the serpent lord.

The temple is strict with its rules. The entry is allowed only to Hindus. The devotees should also follow a dress code. Men are allowed to wear only white dhoti and women only traditional wear. The temple is one of the 108 shrines sacred to Vaishnavas. Arattu festival is famous here with a grand procession, music and thousands of devotees. The temple is decorated beautifully during the festival. Grand feasts are prepared as a part of the festival.

The nearest airport is Trivandrum international airport. The nearest railhead is Trivandrum railway station. The temple is also well connected through roads and is easily accessible from any part of Kerala and reasonable accomodation facilities are available for all kinds of tourists.

If you are a banker in Kerala then you certainly have a reason to cheer. According to a report by State Level Bankers Committee (SLBC), the deposits made by non-resident Indians (NRIs) in Kerala banks have touched nearly Rs. 38,000 crores from Rs. 29,889 crores in the recently ended financial year (March 31, 2009).

The total deposits made in all these banks have increased from Rs. 105,488 crore in March, 08 to Rs. 130,350 in March, 09. The biggest gainer has been the State Bank of India group, with their profit percentage getting a steep 42.62 percent hike; with total investment from NRIs being Rs, 15,779 crore. Private sector banks came second with deposits of Rs. 10,316 crore. Other nationalised banks shared the rest of the profit pie with an accumulation sum of Rs.10, 249 crore. According to the committee, earlier in March, 07, total NRI deposits touched Rs. 33,000 crore mark, but fell by Rs. 4000 crore in the next fiscal year.

Currently, there are more than 2,000,000 Malayalees settled outside India, with the majority being in the Middle East. While there has been a constant migration of its population elsewhere, God’s own country continues to attract tourists – both Indian and foreign – in large numbers. Widely regarded as one of the loveliest places on earth, Kerala is blessed with an evergreen topography fed with bountiful rain. A coastline on one side and the Western Ghats on the other, the state is every tourists’ delight.

The heartening last word is that whether it is people leaving the state or others visiting it, Kerala stands to gain. The forex reserves and the revenue from tourism are proof that the situation is clearly win-win.

The Malabar Coast, in historical contexts, refers to India’s southwest coast, lying on the narrow coastal plain of Karnataka and Kerala states between the Western Ghats range and Arabian Sea. India’s southeast coast is called the Coromandel coast.

The Malabar Coast features a number of historic port cities, notably Kozhikode (Calicut), Cochin and Quilon, which have served as centers of the Indian Ocean trade for centuries.

The coast consists of a continuous belt of sand dunes. Behind this are many lagoons paralleling the coast and linked by canals to form inland waterways, much used by small boats.

The Good Shepherd church was built in 1882 in the Italian style and was renovated in 1964. The Good Shepherd fest, the annual celebration at the church is conducted with great devotion and festivity. Christians from nearby districts visit this famous church on the fest days.

The fest is celebrated across ten days and ends at Sunday of the liturgical year. Various religious rites are carried out during the festival days. On the last Saturday of the fest, the image of Christ is taken out in a large colorful procession. A solemn high mass, sermons, Eucharistic processions and benediction mark the final day.

Devotees from all over the state attend the special rites and prayers are offered as part of the commemorative fest of the saint.

Nehru Trophy Boat Race, held every year during August, is one of the most important boat races in Kerala. It is an annual event conducted on the second Saturday of August every year, in the afternoon.

The main event consists of a stiff competition between the magnificent snake boats known as ‘chundanvallams’ for the desirable trophy. These boats stretch about 100 feet in length, with a raised stem. The race commences with a ceremonial water procession comprising of floats and a variety of craft.

The Sree Krishna Temple is located at the central place of Guruvayoor in Trichur district. The temple is most worshiped and praised in poetry, literature and songs. The god of the temple is Lord Vishnu in the Krishna avatara.

The idol of Lord Vishnu is of a rare stone called Patala Anjanam, which is considered to have powers. Lord Vishnu is depicted as standing and holding a Shank (conch), Chakra.

The temple itself is a structural wonder and engineering excellence, unparalleled in its unique Kerala style of architecture. There are hundreds of legends, stories and testimonials about Guruvayoorappan. The sculpture of Garuda and the statue of the legendary majestic elephant Guruvayoor Kesavan are also seen in township.

Devotees from all over the state, from neighboring states and abroad throng the temple with great devotion.