The city of thousand headed 'Anantha' (the holy serpent on which Lord Vishnu reclines) – Trivandrum serves as the gateway to one of the most beautiful Indian states, Kerala. This ancient city is best known for maintaining its age old cultural identity. When it comes to tourist attractions, Thiruvananthapuram or Trivandrum offers a number of museums, palaces, wildlife sanctuaries, beaches, backwater stretches and religious shrines.

The temples here are known worldwide for their excellent architectural patterns as they inflict Dravidian and South Indian architecture. Even the trade tradition of this ancient city dates back to 1000 BC. The local people can be seen busy in growing good quality rubber, tea, cardamom, other spices, rice, tapioca, cashew and coconuts.

Popular Attractions

Thiruvananthapuram, being the capital city of Kerala, is the most frequented city in the state. Being an ancient city, it houses several monuments, temples, museums and sightseeing places. A few of them are:

Temples
Sri Padmanabhaswami Temple is the most important Hindu shrine in Trivandrum. It is so valued because of being one of the 108 sacred Vaishnav shrines in India (dedicated to Lord Vishnu). Apart from that, temples like Aaranmula Parthasarathy Temple (dedicated to Parthasarathi or Lord Krishna) and Sivagiri Temple (founded by the great Hindu reformer and philosopher, Sree Naravana Guru) also draw a huge number of devotees.

Museums
When it comes to preserve the ancient artifacts of various dynasties, Napier Museum tops the chart. It showcases a fine collection of Kerala's bronzes, ornaments and costumes, and a model of 'Tharawad', the traditional Nair family home. Besides this, the Kuthiramalika Palace Museum exhibits a classic specimen of Kerala architecture, situated in 'Kuthiramalika', ancient articles etc. Moreover, the Science & Technology Museum is another interesting place for science students and tourists.

Beaches
To enjoy the perfect blend of sun, sand, surf and seafood, one must visit the Sankhumugham beach and the Kovalam beach. These are quite renowned for relaxing holidays, water sports and authentic seafood.

Festivals
Onam, celebrated in the month of August/September, is the main festival of entire Kerala. This harvest festival is characterized by traditional folk song & dance performances. Apart from that, Christmas is the another festival that wears a colourful look. The locals here are addicted to the music, an they celebrate Classical Music Festival from January 27 to February 3 every year. It is the ideal time to enjoy pure classical music forms such as Carnatic and Hindustani music in Trivandrum.

Shopping
M. G. Road, Chalai, Attukal Shopping Complex, Power House Road, Narmada Shopping Complex and Kedaram are the most frequented places in Trivandrum. These are popular for various souvenirs and other local handicrafts. The local craftsmen of Kerala are expert in making beautiful sculptures and idols, coir products, brass and metal wares, coconut shell crafts, miniature Kathakali masks etc.

Accommodation
Trivandrum, being the capital city, is full of countless hotels ranging from star rated luxurious hotels & resorts to the budget/economy class hotels. A few of these resorts specialize in nature therapy.

How To Reach

By Air: Trivandrum has a full fledged airport that is well connected to all the major cities of India and the neighboring countries like Colombo, Male, Singapore and Arabian Gulf. There are direct flights to Bangalore, Mumbai, Chennai Delhi and various other cities.
By Rail: Trivandrum is connected to all the important cities of India and Kerala by trains. Regular trains are available for cities in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and the states of north India as well.
By Road: This important city is easily accessible by cities like Kollam, Alappuzha, Ernakulam, Trichur, Chennai, Madurai and Pondicherry by road.