Shravanabelgola - Karnataka

Shravanabelgola is a city located in Hassan District in Karnataka state. Shravanabelgola is a extraordinary Jain Pilgrimage site spreads over two hills, several tanks and village. Its highlight is the main temple crowning Indragiri Hill. Inside its precincts stands a 57-foot monolithic statue of Gommata. With long arms and legs entwined with creepers, he is wonderfully serene and oblivious to the crowds of prostrate pilgrims below. Sculptures of Jain Tirthankaras (prophets) and Yaksas (demigods), as well as 9th to 19th century reliefs carved into boulders, continue on Ghandragiri, the samll hill to the north.

How to reach:

Shravanabelgola is 158 kms away from Bangalore, 89 kms away from Mysore and 364 kms from hubli. State buses are available from Bangalore and Mysore.

Hassan is the nearest railway station and Bangalore is the nearest Airport for Shravanbelgola

Pondicherry (Puducherry) - India

The most famous of France's four trading posts in India was, until recently, a sleepy backwater with little evidence of its former status. The opening of a new coastal highway has new reduced the bus journey from Chennai to less than 4 hours and, inevitably, the number of visitors is growing.

Established in the early 18th century and with short interludes of Dutch and British control, it finally entered independent India in 1954. It still has some ornate Catholic churches. It has a grid layout, split north-south by a canal that once divided the French quater, from the Indian quater inland.

Goubert Salai is the main beach promenade, dominated at its northern end by a gigantic statue of Gandhiji (Father of Nation). Some of other tourist spots in Pondicherry are Auroville, Museum, Sri Aurobindo Ashram.

Auroville is the one of the fascinating tourist spot and its 6 kms far away from Pondicherry. Followers are international, with a high proportion of Indians, Americans, Europeans, Russians, and Japanese. Auroville Products, such as fine paper and silk, are sold all over India.

Sri Aurobindo Ashram is located in rue de la Marine, nearby Gandhi beach. Its a memorial place of Swamy Aravinder. Its open daily morning 8-12, and afternoon 2-6, admission is free.

Pondicherry Museum with artifacts from Pondicherry's original prehistoric settlement and Pallava, Chola and Vijayanagar sculptures, alongside French bourgeois furniture and other items.

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Thekkady (Periyar National Park) - Kerala

At the southern end of the Western Ghats on the Kerala - Tamilnadu border lies a 280 square feet stretch of water whose thickly forested banks are reputed to be among the best in India for wildlife. Elephants, Langurs, Wild Boar, Bison, Sloth Bear, Sambar Dear, Porcupines, Flying Squirrels, Leopards and the increasingly elusive tiger all inhabit the depths of this 297 square mile sanctuary, and herons, egrets, darters, kingfishers, and the great malabar grey hornbill are among the 260 or so bird species sighted. Apart from this, the sanctuary is stunningly beautiful and its best accommodations (former royal hunting lodges) occupy prime lakeside spots with lovely misty early morning views.

Season:

Periyar's high season is December through March, but accommodations fill up at any weekend or public holiday, making reservations essential. it is not worth visiting during and just after the monsoon, when lakeside sightings become rare as the wildlife has no need of water from the lake, and the humidity also encourages leeches.

Route and Accommodations:

The nearest access town is Kumily, which has good connections with Kottayam, in the Keralan backwaters, and Madurai. Between Kumily and Thekkady, where budget and mid-range accommodations are concentrated , seemingly endless plantations of cardamom, pepper, coffee, bananas, and tapioca eventually give way to evergreen and semi-deciduous forest, typical of this altitude. Thekkady is located about 257 kms from Trivendrum, 114 kms from Madurai Airport, 185 kms from Cochin International Airport. A better bet is to hire a guide and trek through the sorrounding forest or, better still, stay overnight in one of the viewing towers run by the Forest Department in Thekkady.

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Kumarakom - Kerala

Kumarakom is one of the tourist spot of Kerala state. It is located in Kottayam District. It is a cluster of little island in Vembanad Lake in Kerala. Kumarakom has variety of Flora and Fauna. Here, Kumarakom Birds Sanctuary is one of the noted Birds Sanctuary in Kerala. There are many species migratory birds visit here. This sanctuary extends in 14 acres. The Vembanad Lake is one of the largest backwater in Kerala.

Fishing and Tourism are the major agriculture in Kumarakom. Fruits like banana, mango, jack fruit, aathaycka and pineapple are also cultivating here.

Another famous thing in Kumarakom is Houseboats. Tourists from all over the world, are coming to Kumarakam and staying in Houseboat for a day/week in rental basis. Boat races will be conducted here during the time of Onam festival.

How to reach?

From all over India, airline facilities are available in daily basis. By flight, we can reach upto Cochin airport, then we have to go by roadways.

Trivandrum to Kumarakom - 190 kms

Cochim to Kumarakom - 70 kms

Allappey to Kumarakom - 35 kms

Munnar to Kumarakom - 160 kms

Thekkady to Kumarakom - 122 kms

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Yercaud Hills - Tamilnadu

Yercaud is one of the hill region of Tamilnadu. And it is also called "Poor Man's Ooty". The meaning of Yercaud in Tamil is "Yeri means Lake and Kaadu mean Forest". The feet of Yercaud is 1500 from the sea level. The Yercaud hill is in Salem District. One of loveliest spot in that hill is Yercaud Lake. The Lake is surrounded by lush green forest and the lake is used for boating by the tourist from all over India. The summer festival is held in this lake every year in the month of May.

Tourist Spot in Yercaud:

Yercaud Lake

Anna Park

Lady's and Gent's Seat

Killiyur Falls

Shervaoyan Temple

Pagoda Point

The Grange

Bear's Cave

Wild life like beer, bison, ant eater, foxes, rabbits, mangoose, squirrels, sparrows, buibuls and snakes are living there.

Jack fruits, Guava, Orange, Tea, black Pepper are the main crops of Yercaud hill.

Yercaud has developed into major trekking destination in this region. A lot of treks are available there.

Its around 350 kms far away from Chennai to reach Yercaud, from Salem its around 33 kms far away. The nearest airport for Yercaud Hills is Trichy airport. The nearest Railways station to the destination is Salem.

For more details about Yercaud and its tourism, visit http://www.yercaud.com/

Kolli Hills (Kolli Malai) - Tamilnadu

Kolli Hills (Kolli Malai) is a small hill region which is located in central part of Tamilnadu. The is around 1000 to 1300 feet high from sea level. Its around 70 hair pin bends to reach the top of the hill. Kolli Hills is a part of Eastern Ghats, and it runs mostly parallel to east coast. These mountain sometime known as Mountains of Death. This hill has very adventurous and shocking history.

Two view points are located in Kolli Hills, one is nearby Seekuparai and another one is in Selur Nadu. These are being developed by Tamilnadu Government to encourage Tourism. This mountain is also a site of pilgrimage, due to Arapaleeswarar Temple which is believed to have a secret path to Shiva Temple which located in Rasipuram. There are three reserved forest which is in control by Tamilnadu Government.

The mountains are covered with evergreen forest, but nowadays it has been cleared for farming. The main cultivation of Kolli hills are Coffee, Tea, Jack Fruit, Pine Apple and Black Pepper.

This hill is also one of the growing tourist spot in Tamilnadu. For this, several lodges and resorts are available there. One of the famous resort is Nallathambi Resort which has been operating for mare than 15 years.

To know more about Kolli Hills details, visit http://www.kollihillresorts.weebly.com/

Kutralam (Courtallam) Waterfalls - Tamilnadu

Kutralam waterfalls is in Tirunelveli Dist., Tamilnadu. Here water is falling with various herbs, so it has medicine qualities, and it is called "Spa of South India". There is also a belief that the mentally ill gets cured after taking bath here. It is located at an elevation of about 550 feet in Western Ghats and it attracts the tourist from all over India.

While we take bath, the force of the waterfalls touches our body then we will feel relax and tension free. Actually, Kutralam has nine waterfalls. They are Peraruvi (Main falls), Chitra Aruvi, Shenbagadevi Falls, Thenaruvi (Honey Falls), Aintharuvi (Five Falls), Old Courtallam falls, New Falls, Pazhathotta Aruvi and Puli Aruvi (Tiger Falls).

The season in Kutralam is June to September every month. Kutralam is 640 kms far away from Chennai, 115 kms from Trivandrum (Thiruvananthapuram), 137 kms from Kanyakumari, 40kms from Tirunelveli. The nearest airport for Kutralam is Tuticorin and the nearest railway station is Tenkasi.

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