Nestled between the Western Ghats in the east and the Arabian Sea to the west, the south Indian state of Kerala is set in a unique geographical set up. A patchwork of 44 rivers has created has created an ideal environment for a prospering civilization and a great tourist attraction in Asia. With its tropical climes, long, sandy and peaceful beaches and the fairy tale ambience of the backwater network connecting exotic natural destinations has attracted hordes of travelers for years. The many cultural icons of Kerala like the quaint villages, Ayurvedic spas, colorful festivals, and a rich ancient, historical and spiritual heritage make it irresistible.     

Area

Occupying almost 38,863 square kilometers of the Southwestern corner of India; Kerala amounts to about 1.27% of the Indian mainland.

Climate

Travel Formalities

A Visa is mandatory for foreign guests and the same can be obtained from their respective country’s Consulate or Embassy. It is advisable to have travel insurance and have passport on at all times.    

Language

The local language is Malayalam, English also fluent all over Kerala.

Major Cities

Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi (Ernakulam) and Kozhikode (Calicut)     

Communications

Kerala is connected to rest of India and the world with a well developed telecommunication systems, with phones, faxes and internet.        

Health Centers

There are good health care facilities in all parts of Kerala.

Time

Kerala is in the IST zone i.e. +5:30 hours GMT or - 4:30 hours from the Australian Standard Time and +10:30 hours from the American Standard Time.

Currency

The Indian Rupee (INR) is the standard currency in Kerala. All the major credit cards are accepted in most cities and tourist spots.     

Access

Airways

The cities of Thiruvananthapuram (formerly Trivandrum), Kochi (Cochin) and Kozhikode (formerly Calicut) host international airports and are connected directly to international hubs like Dubai, Singapore, Kuwait, Abu Dhabi, Daharan, Doha, Colombo, Muscat, Riyadh, Bahrain and Maldives.

Railways

All the cities and towns of Kerala are well connected to the rest of Indian states with multiple routes.

Food

The standard Kerala cuisine is available all over the state. Many multi-cuisine restaurants catering to the international taste buds with cuisines like Chinese and Continental are available in the major cities and popular tourist spots.

Clothing

The climate of Kerala is that of the typical tropics. The temperatures are high all year round with a high level of humidity due to its proximity to the ocean and the heavily forested Western Ghats. Light cotton clothes are recommended and if the trip includes the hill stations light woolens can be carried too.

In addition to Kerala’s star status among the Asian tourist destinations, these are some facts about the sate that will genuinely impress anyone:

• The only Indian state with 100% literacy
• Leading producer of Science and technology experts in India
• Longest average life, lowest number of infant deaths and the highest Physical Life Quality Index in India
• Most communally harmonious state in India
• The most environmentally clean and conscious state of India