LANDSCAPE OF KERALA Varied Geography : Beaches , Hills, Forests and Backwaters Distinct Flora : Spice, Tea, Coconut Famous Beaches/Backwaters : Varkala , Kappad , Alappuzha , Kollam Famous Hill Stations/Forests : Munnar , Vythiri , Wayanad , Periyar

Landscape - Go Green With Kerala

Beaches of Kerala

• Climate

Nowhere in India you might find a place which is so much much influenced with its topography, a land whose fortune is decided by the lush green hillls that border its periphery and by the rhapsodic streams that play on the bosom of God's own country. In the case of Kerala, the gift of life is brought annually by the monsoon winds to the 597 km (371 miles) coastal strip of rich tropical land, sandwiched between the Arabian Sea and the wall of mountains known as the Western Ghats. The landscape of Kerala comprises the mountains that are fractured by the 15 km wide Palghat Gap, which run like a lifeline on the palm of Kerala. You can spend your holidays by scaling the highest peak Annamalai (2775 m), located in Devikulam district. Beside there are several other mist-clad hill stations and places of pilgrimage deep inside the wilderness that make for a perfect tourist vacation.

The Administrative Parts

Kerala is made up of three distinct areas. Kerala is a costal land where the North Malabar is dominated by Calicut (Kozhikode) as far as up the coast as Cannanore, Tellicherry and Kasargod with the tiny pocket-handkerchief scape of Mahe nearby (earlier a French possession, now a part of Pondicherry). The interim space is formed by the princely state of Cochin; whereas the third comprises of Travancore, another princely state of historical importance. Thiruvananthapuram, also known as Trivandrum, was the erstwhile capital of Travancore and is the state capital today.

The Roaring Beaches

Tarvel to Kerala to see the long coastal line of Kerala, which is emphatically crowded with palm trees, which swing to the sweep the sea aroma even before it reaches the lungs of the inhabitants. A sliver of sparkling white sand dips into the clear, sapphire sea, where schools of fish breathe through the floating plankton, otters chase their hunt, and dolphins jump again to disappear into the heart of the abyss. Thanks to the long coastline that extends from one end to the other of Kerala, 9 out of its 14 districts have a beach to boast about. Serene, secluded and spellbinding, some of them are among the best in the world - Kappad, Kochi, Varkala. Some of these pristine beaches are fringed with red laterite cliffs which provide an effective podium to view the play of colours during sunset.

Varied Greens of Kerala

On A High Above The Hills

Take up Kerala tourism. Hidden away in the heights of Western Ghats and the Blue Mountains, Kerala houses a number of stress-relieving hill stations. Ranging from the cool plantations of tea and spices to the dense wilderness, they afford a choice of ambience to all its visitors! The mist-clad peaks of this unexplored, and hence incredibly beautiful state, provide an ideal environment for the cultivation of cardamom, cinnamon, tea, coffee, rubber and pepper. Among the highlands, Munnar defenitely stands apart. With its sprawling tea plantations, scenic towns, solitary lanes and various holiday pleasures, Munnar is a favoured tourist destination on the hill tops.

The Deep, Thick Rain Forests

The recorded forest area of Kerala is 11,125.59 sq. km, which covers aprox 28.90% of the topography, even higher than the national average of 19.50. The North Western Ghats Montane Rain Forests are one of two montane rain forest ecoregions (the other is the South Western Ghats Montane Rain Forests along the Western Ghats Mountain Range, renowned for its large number of species dwelling, notably endemics. For instance, about a third of the fauna, almost half of the reptiles, and more than three-fourths of the amphibians known in India have been recorded in the vast strip of rain forest of Periyar Sanctuary. Around 265 species of birds, including migrants can also be seen in the mesmerising greens of Kerala. The coastal land of Kerala is famous for its landscape.

Holiday In Green

So here is Kerala, truly God's own country. The whole landscape invites you, some have words, some with gestures. Hear the calls of the roaring waves. See the coconut trees swaying their palms as a gesture of welcome. Feel the shimmering backwaters retracing their way back before blending with the sea. All are waiting. So plan your next holidays in Kerala, pack your bags and get going to enjoy a wonderful vacation. The general information on the coastal land of Kerala can be gathered on your Kerala tours.