Wednesday, April 16, 2008

Trip to Kerala: Hotels to Stay (Accommodation)

Adoor
Alappuzha
Athirapally
Bekal
Changanassery
Chinnakanal
Ernakulam
Fort Kochi
Guruvayoor
Kadampuzha
Kalpetta
Kanhangad
Kanjirapally
Kannur
Kasaragod
Kollam
Kondotty
Kottakkal
Kottayam
Kovalam
Kozhikode
Kumarakom
Kumily
Malampuzha
Malapuram
Mananthavady
Munnar
Nedumbaserry
Nelliyampathy
others
Ottapalam
Palakkad
Pathanamthitta
Peermede
Sulthan Bathery
Thalassery
Thekkady
Thiruvalla
Thiruvananthapuram
Tholpetty
Thrissur
Varkala
Vythiri
Willingdon Island

Kerala Travel: Guidelines

Money There is no limit to the amount of foreign currency that visitors can bring.
Banks Banks are open for transaction on all days except Sundays and declared holidays.
Best time to visit High season: October to April - Monsoon.Rejuvenation programmes: May to September
Dress wearCotton outfits, hats, sunglasses, sunscreen lotion etc.
Credit cards Main hotels, restaurants and shopping centres honour major credit cards.
Currency Indian Rupee (INR)
Drugs Heavy punishments including imprisonment are imposed for possession of narcotic drugs.
Food All standard restaurants offer a variety of cuisines including Continental, Chinese, Indian and typical Kerala fare.
Emergency numbers Police control room: 100Fire station: 101Ambulance: 101
Time(Hours fast (+), slow (-) on IST)USA: -10.30, Germany: - 4.30, Canada: - 10.30, France: - 4.30, Australia: + 4.30, Spain: -4.30, UAE: - 1.30
Water Eventhough tap water is purified, it is better to drink bottled drinking water or drinking water from houses/restaurants. It is not advisable to drink water from slow moving streams, lakes or dams. Mineral water is available in sealed bottles.
Temple codes Footwear inside the temple and entry into the sanctum sanctorum is banned in all the temples.Other customs and codes of conduct and dress in temples across the state vary from each other.Some temples do not permit entry to non-Hindus, while some do. Shirts for men and pants are banned from some temples and allowed in some others. Where they are banned, men have to be in mundus and women, in saris, half-saris or long skirts.
Nudity Nudity is not allowed in any Kerala beach.SmokingSmoking is banned in public places
Footwear in houses Visitors to most Kerala houses leave their footwear outside before entering the house.
Ayurvedic treatment If you wish to undergo Ayurvedic treatment, it is very important to ensure that you go to an authorised centre.
Demonstrativeness in public Behaviour demonstrating affection in public like hugging or kissing is not an accepted practice in Kerala.
Wildlife sanctuaries To visit a wildlife sanctuary, prior permission has to be taken from the concerned authority of the sanctuary. For further enquiries, contact: The Chief Conservator of Forests, Thiruvananthapuram 695014.Ph: ++ 91-471-2322217

Kerala: Places to see

Seaports:
Major : Kochi
Minor : Beypore (Kozhikode), Alappuzha, Kollam.
Major Beaches:Kovalam, Varkala, Fort Kochi, Kappad and Bekal.
Major Wild Life Sanctuaries:Thekkady (Periyar), Parambikkulam, Wayanad, Silent Valley, Aralm, Peechi-Vazhani, Chimani, Shenduruny, Idukki, Chinnar, Peppara, Neyyar.
Bird Sanctuary:Thattekad, Kumarakom.
Major Hill Stations:Ponmudi, Peerumade, Thekkady, Munnar and Wayanad.
Farm / Cash Crops:Rubber, Coffee, Tea, Spices, Pepper, Cashew, Coconut, Arecanut and rice.
Exports:Marine, Coir, Handicrafts, Spices, Food and other Products.
Major Industries:Tourism, Information Technology, Fertilizer, Oil Refining and Power Generation, Ship Building, Machine Tools, Electronics, Cables, Rubber.

KERALA AT A GLANCE

Location:Southwestern tip of India.
Area:38, 863 sq km.
Population :3,18,38,619
Capital:Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum)
Language:Malayalam;English is widely spoken.
Religion:Hinduism, Christianity, Islam
Time:GMT +5:30
Currency:Indian Rupee
Climate:Tropical
Summer: February - May (24 - 330C)
Monsoon :June - September (22 - 280C)
Winter :October - January (22 - 320C)
Names of Districts
Trivandrum-Thiruvananthapuram
Quilon- Kollam
Alleppey- Alappuzha
Pathanamthitta
Kottayam
Idukki
Ernakulam
Trichur-Thrissur
Palghat-Palakkad
Malappuram
Wayanad
Calicut-Kozhikode
Cannanore-Kannur
Kasaragod

Kerala Tourism: The Official Website of Govt. of Kerala

Kerala : At a Glance
About Kerala
Visa Requirements
Travel Guidelines
Information Offices
District TourismPromotion Councils
Hotels
Homestays
Tour Planner
Message Board
Event Calendar
Event Calendar 2005-2010
Tourism Administrators
Public Information Officer
Awards and Recognitions