Places to visit nearby destination - Trivandrum
Aruvippuram Aruvippuram is located at about 24 km from the city of
Kollam. The major attraction out here is the Shiva temple
that attracts a large number of devotees during the Shivratri
festival. A small waterfall makes it an attractive picnic
spot.
Kanyakumari
 Located at a distance of about 87 kilometres from Thiruvananthapuram,
Kanyakumari is the southernmost part of the Indian mainland.
The place is the meeting point of the Indian Ocean, the
Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea. Kanyakumari has great
religious significance for the Hindus. The place is dedicated
to the Goddess Devi Kanya, believed to be an incarnation
of Parvati, Lord Shiva’s wife. Pilgrims come here to visit
the temple and bathe in the waters here, as they are considered
sacred.
One of the major tourist attractions at Kanyakumari is the
Vivekananda Memorial. The memorial is built about 400 metres
offshore. It was here that Swami Vivekananda meditated in
1892 before embarking on a journey to usher in the religious
reforms throughout the country. The mandapam built here
in his memory reflects the architectural styles from all
over the country.
Kovalam
 Sixteen kilometres away from Thiruvananthapuram lies Kovalam,
an internationally renowned beach. The beach has been a
favourite haunt of tourists, especially Europeans, since
the 1930s. A visit to the beach provides you with plenty
of leisure options. You can go for sunbathing, swimming
and herbal body toning massages. Special cultural programmes
are also organised here.
Kovalam has been developed as an integrated seaside resort
by the India Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC). The
beach complex includes the Ashoka Beach Resort (owned by
ITDC), low-budget cottages, Ayurvedic health centres, shopping
zones, and swimming pools.
Neyyar Dam
Located at about 32 km from Thiruvananthapuram, the Neyyar
Dam is a popular picnic spot with a lake and a dam. You
can enjoy boating in the lake that has been formed by the
dam across the Neyyar River. Apart from boating, you can
also take a trip to the Neyyar Wildlife Sanctuary. The wild
species in the sanctuary include elephants, wild buffaloes,
wild boar, porcupines, tigers and a variety of snakes. There
is also a crocodile breeding centre and a lion safari park
at the dam site.
Padmanabhapuram Palace
Padmanabhapuram Palace, 64 km from Thiruvananthapuram, is
a magnificent wooden palace of the 16th century. This old
palace of the erstwhile rulers of the State of Travancore
(1550 to 1750 AD) is a fine specimen of Kerala’s indigenous
style of architecture. It has rosewood-ceiling carvings
in floral patterns, windows laid with jewel-coloured mica
and floors finished to high polish with a special compound
of crushed shell, coconuts, egg white and the juices of
the local plants. Some of the interesting items housed here
are the musical bow in mahogany, royal chairs with Chinese
carvings, secret underground passages, the King’s bedroom
with a four-poster medicinal bed, mural paintings, pictures
of Lord Krishna, hanging brass lanterns lit continuously
since the 18th century, hanging cage through which eagles
tore criminals to death, open-air swimming bath, granite
dance hall, Saraswati temple, Belgian mirrors and an outer
cyclopean stone wall fitted together without mortar.
The palace, though situated in Kanyakumari district of Tamil
Nadu, comes under the purview of the Government of Kerala.
Ponmudi
Ponmudi is an enchanting hill resort situated at about
61 km from Thiruvananthapuram city. The resort offers you
excellent opportunities for trekking. You can also visit
the deer park that is just 3 km from the resort. Golden
Valley, which lies on the way to Ponmudi, is an ideal place
for bathing in the cool, clear mountain stream that splashes
down the rocks. You can also find natural springs, flowering
trees and orchids quite in abundance here.
Varkala
 Located at 51 km north of Thiruvananthapuram city, Varkala
is a calm and quiet hamlet that has several places of tourist
interests. There is a tranquil sea resort, rich in mineral
water springs, at the Varkala beach. A dip in the waters
here is believed to purge the body of impurities and the
soul of all sins. Overlooking the beach from the cliffs
is Janardhanaswamy Temple, a two-thousand-year old shrine.
The Sivagiri Mutt, founded by the great Hindu reformer and
philosopher Sri Narayana Guru (1856-1928) is also close
by.
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