Top Tourist Attractions in South India
Munnar is a place of peace, beauty and harmony. Incredibly beautiful hill town in the Idukki district is situated at a height of 6000 ft in and is the most preferred summer destination in the state of Kerala. Munnar was an ideal place even during the British period in those colonial days.Munnar is also the apt place for bird watchers as rare species of birds are found easily in the early morning hours. A perfect destination for adventure lovers, honeymooners, wildlife and nature lovers.
Nestled in the green hills is Ooty, the pictorial Queen of Hill Stations, one of the favorite summer retreats of people in South India, which is at an altitude of 2240 m. Orchards of pine, conifers and Eucalyptus trees and wattle lining the landscape denotes this hill station as a unique one and the most attracted one id the tunnel shaped lavender flowers in the sloping mountains.One can watch the nature in best form however they differ in distance, topography and stature. Majestic hills are the fractions of regal Nilgiri range and a congregation for the Easter and Western Ghats.
One of the most popular beach spots which attract the tourists for the pleasant water, awesome houseboats and the palm grooves surrounding area. The pillar is 140 years old and extends into the sea
Alappuzha Beach : - Located 14 Km from Alleppey, this temple is built in the Kerala style of architecture. The palpayasam (milk dessert) offered to the Gods of this temple are famous around the world.
Coorg situated on the Western Ghats of Karnataka in South India is trendy happening as it is close to Karnataka. With its natural splendor and beautiful environment nestled among the lusting greeneries offers luxurious vacation period to its guests and often praised as the 'Scotland of India' and also later known as 'Kashmir of the South' due to the majestic hill station located at an altitude in the range of 3500 ft above sea level.
Coorg is considered as a mind blowing summer retreat for escaping from the hot summer many tourists arrive in Coorg to enjoy the monsoon. For the sport lovers Coorg offers plenty of admiring facilities to the golf lovers with three golf courses. Coorg offers many exciting outdoor activities like angling, trekking and golfing for the travelers.
Pondicherry being the Former capital of French territories was established by Francois Martin in 1674. Enriched with cultural wealth where you can easily witness the dominance of French practices still existing, this place remains a place close to the heart for tourist seeking calmness, cleanliness and heritage.
Apart from the pristine beauty of the city, the other factor which attracts flocks of tourist is the availability of cheap beers and best cuisine giving you the freedom to enjoy.Located in the Old Law building is the Pondicherry Museum consisting of the mesmerizing collections of the art crafts during the French Colonial period displaying Bronze and stone sculptures of the Pallava and Chola periods.
The tip of peninsular where Arabian sea,Indian Ocean and Bay of Bengal meets is where the land of India ends.Welcome to the land of Kanyakumari the unexplored treasures of the state.Plan an amazing trip to Kanyakumari to enjoy the land filled with leisure and entertainment. It never fails to amaze you with Kanyakumari temple the most visited pilgrimage at the seashore, beauty of sunrise and sunset, Thiruvalluvar statue, Vivekananda memorial, distinct beaches and most unexplored places to excite you like Vattakottai, twin beach, Kanyakumari pier and Thirparappu falls which is said the water from falls contains herbal value.
Hampi is a significant religious centre of the Vijayanagara Empire due to the presence of the historic Virupaksha Temple along with many other monuments of the old city. Hampi was the capital of the three generations of Hindu rulers.The massive rock sprinkled mountains and the river that divides the city of Hampi compose strange scenery of this ancient city. The place has many religious, architectural and natural places which make Hampi ideal tourist destination.Krishnadevaraya and Achyuta Raya were the most illustrious rulers. UNESCO has listed the Vittal Temple and other ruins of the town of Hampi as a World Heritage Site. Hampi was pillaged by the Deccan Muslim rulers in 1565 for over a period of 6 months before it was abandoned.
8.Tirupathi
The most popular destination for destination for Hindu pilgrims in India, is Tirupati Temple the site of Shri Venkateshwara Temple situated in Tirumala hills 700m above the town. The temple dates to the 9th century,although it has often been expanded and renovated from the 15th century onwards.
The seven “sacred hills” of Tirumala are believed to symbolize the seven – headed serpent God Adisesha on whose coils Vishnu sleeps.The aura that surrounds Lord Venkateswara as the bestowers of boons has made this temple the most visited and the richest in India.
The word Kodaikanal means gift of the forest in local language. Kodaikanal is the most stunning and famous hill station in Tamil Nadu located in the famous Palani Hills in Western Ghats and popularly known as the Princess of hill stations.The thick forest with many varieties of trees, the huge massive rocks in the wilderness and the cascading waterfalls makes it a real gift for the tourists visiting this place. Kodaikanal is situated about 7,200 feet from the sea level the various entertainments available to the tourist is that they can indulge in various activities like cycling, boating, horse riding and trekking.
Considered to be South India’s great temple town, Madurai situated on the river banks of Vaigai river is known for its rich repository of Tamil culture and Heritage.Stunning Meenakshi Amman temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva (Handsome God) and his wife Meenakshi (The fish eyed Goddess) built by the Pandyas remains the most attracted sightseeing by all the tourist. The impressive 12 Gopuras the temple tank surrounded by colonnade and the architecture and design attracts most of the Western tourist.Evening ceremony is one of the special event that takes place in temple each day and thousands of people throng to attend this occasion. Thirumalai Nayak Palace built in 1636 and was partially restored in the 19th century by Lord Napier. This place has influences of the Islamic culture and has a rectangular courtyard called the Swarga Vilasam (Heavenly Pavilion)..
About - Rameshwaram City Guide is the most crucial part of any Hindu religious tour or any other temple tours in India. It is called "Vanarasi" of South India and is part of Char Dham Yatra. Rameswaram is believed to be the place from where, according to Hindu mythology, Rama created the bridge across the sea, to reach Lanka with the help of his Vanar Sena.It is the same place where Rama killed the demon king Ravana who abducted Lord Rama's consort Sita and hence it is a very sacred place for the devotees of Rama.The famous pilgrimage site is always crowded by the Hindu devotees who visit Rameshwaram City Guide in large numbers to offer their prayers to Lord Rama. This place also has one of the Jyotirlingas and that is why it is a sacred place for Shaivites as well. It is packed with a number of temples and Sri Ramanathaswamy Temple is a must visit Rameshwaram Tour place among all of them.
Cochin remains the trading centre for spices and sea foods, has narrows islands and saltwater lagoons of the Arabian Sea. Mattancherry Palace constructed by the Portuguese in the mid 1550’s was later renovated by the Dutch people.Displays the Palanquins and textiles and Kerala’s’ temple art , all painted in red, yellow, black and white warm shades depicting the religious and mythological themes of the episodes of Ramayana.Jewish Synagogue located at the heart of the Jew Town, is one of India’s oldest synagogue. Today as an evidence only dozen of families remain from the Jew Family where the others have moved to Israel. The synagogue treasures the beautiful silver and gold torah scrolls, crafted grass pulpits, oil lamps and crystal chandeliers.
13.Goa
Goa is India’s smallest state and can be divided into the two districts of North and South Goa. Northern Goa is much more developed as a tourist destination with its roots going back to the early 1960’s. It has the widest range of accommodation available and has a greater number of small cheap hotels. Tourists come here enjoy the nightlife and to go shopping at the sprawling Anjuna markets.Calangute is Northern Goa’s most popular beach and was the centre of the hippie scene in the 1960’s and 1970’s. During the day it is busy with sunbathers, hawkers, masseurs, and hair braiders and you will find a good range of accommodation available here.
14.Wayanad
Wayanad is a district in Kerala which is the most popular tourist destination in Kerala. It occupies the border between the neighbouring states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. Wayanad covers an area of about 2132 km ². The temperature ranges between 19 to 32 degree Celsius. Humidity is very high in this region.Wayanad receives the highest annual rainfall in the country. Kalpetta, which is the headquarters of Wayanad is a well-known hill station. This beautiful charming mountainous plateau attracts tourists from all over the world. Wayanad is a land of historical and cultural importance.The Edakkal cave which is the famous tourist spot in Wayanad is known for its cave cravings. These cave cravings are the sign and proof of human existence in Edakkal caves during the Neolithic age. The misty mountains, green valleys, beautiful lakes, and the fresh water springs are the gifts of nature to this charming land.
Mahabalipuram, being one of the UNESCO World heritage site was developed during the Pallava king Narasimhavarman I, who was also called by his people as “the great wrestler”. A traveler can spot the rock cut caves, monolithic shrines, structural temples and huge bas-reliefs which depicts the masterpiece of the Pallava art.
Visit the shore temple built by Mamalla dedicated to Lord Vishnu while the other two shrines of Lord Shiva was added by Mamalla’s successor Narasimhavarman II.
This temple has survived the ravages of time and erosion. Later visit the five Rathas which depicts the Dravidian culture and style and the epic Mahabharata. The carvings are found outside the temple and the huge ratha among the five is the Dharmaraja Yudistar rath.
Brihadeeswara temple, a 1000 year old temple, which is now a UNESCO world heritage site was dedicated to Shiva, was built by Raja raja Chola I. Carved out of a single block of granite stand the huge Nandi weighing 25 tonnes placed near the sanctum Next destination would be the Royal Palace, which has a lot of historical significance built by Nayaka rulers used as their royal residence and later was remodeled by Marathas.The special significance is that the palace resembles the shape of a flying eagle.
Outside the palace complex is the seven-storeyed observation tower and the durbar hall built in 1684 is a feast to the people who has interest towards the culture. It has lots of paintings and decorated pillars in the walls and the ceilings. Associated to this place are the Raja raja museum and art gallery and Saraswathi Mahal library which have unique collection of antiques, vessels used by the rulers, bronze and copper collection of coins and weapons.
Every tourist knows South India is a land of many seas, rivers, oceans and beaches and the entire South India region can be visited round the year. In a religious country like India, most of the sea beaches or rivers traditionally have temples since ages, mosques and churches since centuries and there are lots of mythological stories related to all these sites.There are many beaches located in South India and each beach has its own speciality that attracts scores of global tourists. Of all the beaches, Paradise Gokarna Beach is somehow little bit different, not because of its story of creation, but mainly for its peculiar large geographical shape that resembles to the ear of a cow.
18.Hyderabad
One of the prime attractions of the tech city Hyderabad is the Charminar. Over the years, Charminar - Hyderabad has earned huge popularity and has become a major landmark of the city. The very name of Hyderabad associates Charminar with it. It stands as structure that tells us about the glory and the rich cultural heritage of the Hyderabad city. You can not imagine Hyderabad without Charminar- it has become an integral part of the city.Charminar in Hyderabad was constructed by the eminent architect named Mohammed Quli Qutub Shah in the year of 1591. This magnificent edifice of granite, lime, mortar or pulverised marble was built as soon as he shifted his capital to this city.
Bangalore is a vibrant cosmopolitan and fifth largest city in India, with the growing population of young IT professionals and formally awarded as the “Garden City”.Visit the Vidhana Soudha, built of granite and porphyry the Secretariat and the State Legislature of Karnataka constructed in 1956. The most notable one is the Rajasthani Jharokhas and the Indo – Saracenic pillars and the wood works inside the place is noteworthy.Next will be the Bangalore Palace built in 1880 modeled on Windsor Castle, with towers and turreted Parapets. Remains one of the famous spot for shooting Indian films. Tipu Sultan Palace stands as a good example for finely embellished balconies, arches and pillars and a replica of Daria Daulat Bagh in Srirangapatna which was once served as the summer retreat of Tipu Sultan.
BR Hills Wildlife Sanctuary is the abbreviation for Biligiriranga Hills. Biligiri is the name of white rock face that constitutes the major part of the hills. BR Hills Wildlife Sanctuary is one of the most beautiful places in Karnataka.This sanctuary is located at the height of 5091 feet and is spread over an area of 540 Sq Km. Under Wildlife Protection Act of 1972 it is a protected reserve and in 2010 it was declared a Tiger Reserve BR Hills Wildlife Sanctuary has majorly scrubs, deciduous forests, riparian and evergreen vegetation, shola forest, grasslands and dense forest vegetation. Apart from this there are around 800 species of plants in this sanctuary.
