Places to visit in South India

Kerala, the land of green magic, is a narrow, fertile strip on the south-west coast of India, sandwiched between the Lakshadweep Sea and the Western Ghats. The landscape is dominated by rice fields, mango, cashew nut trees and coconut palms. The Western Ghats, with their dense tropical forests, misty peaks, extensive ridges and ravines, have sheltered Kerala from invaders, but at the same time, have encouraged maritime contact with the outside world.

Kerala is full of good things. This small State in the southern tip of the Indian peninsula is an easy winner owning to its great mind-blowing landscape and infinity of intriguing customs, high-intensity cultural life and educated public so often dressed in white. From Kasargode to Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala is choc-a-bloc with places that attract tourists and travelers from all over the world. Undoubtedly, Kerala is fast emerging as the foremost travel and tourism destination in India.

There is no other state in the country that can present so much enthusiasm for life as it is visible in Kerala. Despite high population, the economic condition in Kerala is in much better shape than most of the other Indian states. Basic civic facilities available to the common people are well in place and people know what there rights are.

Cities of Kerala:-Alappuzha, Kochi, Trivandrum, Thrissur, Kannur, Kottayam, Ernakulam, Thekkady.

Tamilnadu is bounded by Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh in the north and Kerala in the west. The eastern and western tips of the Tamilnadu are defined by the Point Calimere and Mudumalai wildlife sanctuaries while the northern extreme is Pulicat lake and the southernmost tip is Kanyakumari, the land's end. Tamil Nadu is principally washed by the Cauvery, originating in Coorg in neighbouring Karnataka. Chennai, the capital of Tamil Nadu is known for its beautiful beach resorts.

Cities of Tamilnadu:-Chennai, Coimbatore, Kanyakumari, Kodaikanal, Madur

Kerala Beaches	Kerala Backwater	Kerala Ayurveda
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ai, Mahabalipuram, Rameshwaram, Trichy ( Tiruchirappalli ), Thanjavur, Ooty ( Udhagamandalam ).

Ooty	Tamilnadu Temples	Festivals of Tamilnadu(Pongal)

Karnataka Karnataka, the "Lofty land" is bounded by Andhra Pradesh in the east, Maharashtra in the north and Tamil Nadu and Kerala in the south. A long coastline hedged by miles and miles of tall, waving, palmgroves frames this pretty land. The majority of the Karnataka state lies on the Deccan Plateau. Bangalore is the state capital.

Karnataka boasts a diverse flora and fauna, which make it a nature tourist's paradise. The state's long and colourful history, and the many forts, temples, mosques, and churches make Karnataka a great place to explore.

Garden city Bangalore, Jog Falls,the beaches of Karwar and Malpe, Golgumbuz in Bijapur, the stone temples of Belur and Halebid, Mysore Palace, the list is endless.

Cities of Karnataka:- Bangalore, Hampi, Hassan, Mangalore, Mysore.

Hampi	Mysore Palace	Somnathpur
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Andhra Pradesh This is a story of an ugly duckling turning into a swan. From one of the poorest and least developed Indian states to a computer-friendly one, it is a miracle of sorts for Andhra Pradesh. Situated south of the Vindhyas, it shares a common history with its neighbours, Maharashtra, Orissa, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. The medieval city of Hyderabad is its capital.

Andhra Pradesh is known for the famous Sri Venkateswara temple at Tirupati, Charminar, Salar Jung Museum, Golconda Fort in Hyderabad and Buddhist viharas at Nagarjunasagar. Also visit the wildlife and bird sanctuaries of Kolleru, Manjira, Kawal and Papikonda. Andhra has a nearly 1000 km-coastline with eight of its 23 districts having direct access to the sea. Famous beaches are Visakhapatnam Bheemunipatnam, Kakinada, Chirala, Kalingapatnam and Mypad.

Cities of Andhra Pradesh:- Guntur, Hyderabad, Kurnool, Nellore, Tirupati, Vijayawada, Visakhapatnam, Warangal.

Charminar	Mecca Masjid	Golconda Fort	Somnathpur
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Pondicherry Legend has it that the great sage Agastya came to Vedapuri, by which name the present Pondicherry was once known, only to worship Vedapuriswara, one of the oldest deities worshipped here. The deity, Lord Shiva, the presiding spirit of Vedapuri, was also known as "Agatiswara" the Lord of Agastya. Pondicherry was traditionally a seat of learning and Vedic culture. Such a tradition must have developed from the presence of a great sage in a remote past, surrounded by seekers and disciples living in his Ashram.

Pondicherry is just a speck on the map of India. Yet, men have been fascinated by this speck from time immemorial. It attracted to its shores the Romans and the Chinese. It saw the advent, rise and fall of Buddhism, the resurgence of Hinduism and the penetration of Christianity and Islam through two millennia.

Pondicherry Church	Chidambaram	Pondicherry Garden
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Andaman & Nicobar Floating in splendid isolation, east of the Indian mainland is the archipelago of 572 emerald islands, islets and rocks known as Andaman & Nicobar Islands. This union territory stretches over a length of more than 700-kms. From north to south with 36 inhabited islands. Once a hill range extending from Burma to Indonesia, these undulating islands are covered with dense forests and endless variety of exotic flora and fauna.

The topography of the islands is hilly and abounds in evergreen forests. The sandy beaches on the edge of meandering coastline are fringed with coconut palms that sway to the rhythm of the sea. The sea around the islands offers excellent scope for adventure water sports. The rare flora and fauna, underwater marine life and corals, crystal clear water and mangrove lined creeks, offer a dream view of the rare gifts of nature.

The clean roads as well as unpolluted fresh air attract any nature lover, who seeks absolute peace and tranquility in the lap of Mother Nature. Adventure tourism like trekking, island camping, snorkeling, scuba diving, etc., are the major attractions here. A visit to these islands is a memorable lifetime experience.

Andaman Beach	Cellular Jail	Church at Ross Island
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Lakshadweep Be warned. There are some thing that are really hard to find in Lakshadweep. Like fast cars, or shrinks, or tranquilizers. They do have all that water though. Bright and clear as liquid glass. Fringed by white stretches of sand where the only throngs you'll ever see are of the sandpipers on the shore. And you could sleep by the seaside with the night sky as your ceiling. Therapy has never felt better.

Geographically similar to that other divers' haunt, Lakshadweep is like Maldives without the crowds. 400 kilometers off the coast of Kerala, this group of 36 coral islands and atolls can be reached by a twenty - hour sea journey from Cochin. Of the ten inhabited islands, only two, Bangaram and Kadmat, are open to foreigners and there are dive centers on both these islands. The langoons are home to a spectacular world of marine life, so unexplored, you may well have a site named after you.

Places to see : Bangaram, Kadmat, Kalpeni, Kavaratti, Minicoy, Agatti.
Islands- Amini, Androth, Bitra & Pitti.

Minicoy Boat Race	Water Sports in Lakshadweep	Beach
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