Kerala Tourism: Things to do in Kollam

Kollam is one of Kerala’s most divine destinations. Every inch of it exudes pristine, natural beauty. We discover eight things to do in Kollam that make it a captivating destination.

1.Follow the Light

Thangasseri is a quiet seaside village which is home to many historically invaluable remnants. Here, one can find the remains of an intriguing Portuguese fort and many churches that were built in the 18 century. Also located in Thangasseri is the Thangasseri Lighthouse. The lighthouse stands at a height of almost 150 feet and offers lovely vistas of the surrounding area.

Follow-the-light-Kollam

2.Divine Landscapes

Less than 30 kilometers from Kollam is the important pilgrim center at Sasthamkotta. The town’s Sastha Temple is an ancient temple, which draws people in large numbers. The other reason people find their way towards this hidden gem is because of the natural beauty surrounding it. Here you will find Kerala’s largest freshwater lake, embraced by hills on three sides. The town is connected to Kollam by frequent buses but a more convenient option is hiring a private taxi which can be easily arranged by hosts.

3.Picnic at the Palaruvi

Approximately 75 kilometers from Kollam are the Palaruvi Falls. The majestic falls cascade from a height of over 300 feet. Splashing around in the river is safe and fun for the entire family. The lush woods, surrounding the waterfalls, are a great place to host a picnic. Taking a homemade picnic freshly prepared at your homestay will be a great idea and the homestay owners would be happy to pack you a feast. Undertaking a trek through the woods is a great way to explore the area and to work up an appetite.

4.Holy Holiday

Mayyanad is the most popular tourist destination around Kollam. Just 10 kilometers from the city, Mayyanad is famous for its nine temples and the Sree Sankaracharya shrine. The Subramanya Temple is the most revered holy destination of Mayyanad.

Mayyanad-holy-holiday

5.Family fun

The hub of recreational activities in Kollam is a charming village in Ashramam. Here, one can enjoy many activities offered by the village like its small adventure park, a quaint boat club and a special children’s park. A lot of locals are seen here enjoying the weekends with their family and spending some down time while the kids are happily distracted by the parks.

6.The laidback Backwaters

Almost one-third of Kollam is covered by Lake Ashtamudi, which is named after its eight channels. The lake is known as the doorway to the backwaters. The 16 kilometer long lake is Kerala’s second largest lake and a great alternative to the more congested Lake Vembanad. Other than enjoying cruises and houseboat stays on the Ashtamundi one can also take a four-hour trip to the Munroe island village through Kollam’s canals.

The-Laidback-Backwaters-Kerala

7.Take the scenic way

The most fascinating and unique experience that Kerala has to offer is a cruise on the backwaters. And from Kollam you can take a rare and luxurious cruise to reach the bigger town of Alleppey. This cruise lasts for about eight hours and is the longest cruise you can take on the backwaters.

Backwaters-take-the-scenic-way

8.Dig in

Kerala is known as God’s own country and perhaps its most divine offering is its food. The dishes are at their best when they are made at home with the love and care of a typical Keralite family. The homestays in Kerala ensure you enjoy a culinary experience that no hotel or restaurant could ever match. The recipes, which your homestay hosts would be happy to share with you, are perhaps the best souvenirs to take home.

Kerala-food

Goa Tourism: Things to do in Panjim

Year after year, innumerable tourists descend on the famous little destination called Goa. Yet, every time it manages to offer something new and something unforgettable. Panjim is the capital of the Indian state of Goa. This small and charming the city lies along the left bank of the Mandovi River set up against terraced hillsand red-tiled roofs and a riverside promenade. We investigate the top things to see.

1.Take a dip into history

To date, the mysterious Fontainhas, which is considered Goa’s Latin Quarter and is located in the heart of Panjim remains one of the most charming places to explore. Apart from the vibrant coloured walls and quaint streets there are some delightful hidden surprises. Make sure you have some extra space in the bag to carry some delicious treats home.

Fontainhas in Panjim

2.Holy shrines

The heart of Goa is the Church Square or Municipal Garden which is home to the Portuguese Baroque Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception Church. It was built in 1541 and other tourist attractions of the place are the 16th century Adilshahi Palace, the Mahalaxmi Temple, the Jama Masjid mosque, and the Chapel of St. Sebastian.

The Panjim Church of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception

3.The Carnival

Carnival celebrations in February go through Panaji and then the other parts of Goa. The colourful parade is a huge draw for the city and the area of Panajim.

Goa Carnival

4.Shopping

The 18th June Road is a popular area in the heart of Panajim for shopping.

5.Beaches

Goa is most famous for its beaches. And near Panji the most famous beaches are Miramar, Bambolim and Dona Paula. Dona Paula is the meeting point for two of Goa’s famous rivers, which meet at the Arabian Sea. Miramar Beach is located near Panjim but is very popular and can get over crowded.

Dona Paula

6.Green Goa

Goa has some fantastic villages to explore, provided you are ready to be lost in the luscious Arpora hills. You can plunge you right into the wilderness with local experts and naturalists who give inspiring talks on snakes and the indigenous flora and fauna. Highly recommended for environment enthusiasts.

Explore the villages of Goa

7.Birds of Goa

Many locals have an inherent eye for bird-watching in the hilly terrains of North Goa. For this you can arrange a day tour from Panjim. The Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary is Goa’s important bird sanctuary. It is located in Chorao and is home host to rare and endangered bird species. Bird watching walks are lovely all year round except from May – July when there is a lot of humidity.

A white peacock in Goa

8.The Mystifying Island

From Panjim you can access Old Goa, which has always been rather elusive to the tourists who throng the popular beaches up North. We suggest you do not miss a tour to the mystifying island of Divar. The island can be reached by regular ferries from Old Goa. An old white church, flanked by Banyan trees, stands atop a hill, visible from all points below. The sleepy island has stretches of fields and hardly any inhabitation. Great for a long drive and a quick break for a cold beer in local cafes.

9.Brown Town

From Panjim take a drive to Bicholim, a pottery town and an untouched destination. It is fascinating to see the mud covered town, still preserving the old art of clay and porcelain.

10.Serene Sands

Having heard of only the popular beaches of Goa, many miss many secret pristine beaches. A forty minute drive north of Arpora will lead you to beautiful lesser known beaches called Ashwem, Mandrem and Morjim. Carefully tucked away from the busy clamour of hotels and guest houses, spend some quiet time in the few tasteful shacks at the far end of these un-commercial beaches.

Mandrem beach

11.Test your luck

As you walk out of this faraway world, you can visit one of the only casinos in India. This can be done deep in the Mandovi waters, which provides the casino an off shore status thus making it legal.

Strike it lucky

PRACTICAL INFORMATION: Panjim Goa

• Season – November till April is the most pleasant to visit.
• Single/ Female Travelers – Though largely safe to travel alone, single or female travelers should bear in mind that it is good to avoid late nights.
• Connectivity – Well connected by flights, trains and buses to major metros and towns of tourists’ interests like Hampi.

Largest earthen dam in the world

The Hirakud Dam built on the Mahanadi River in Orissa is the world’s largest earthen dam and the longest dam in India . It was built in 1956 and its total length is 25.8km. It also forms the biggest artificial lake in Asia, with a shoreline of over 639 km.

Hirakud-Dam

The dam is 15 kilometers from Sambalpur and was the first large scale, multipurpose river valley project in India after 1947. It was built to control the problem of flooding in Orissa and over 22,000 families were displaced during its making.

The dam provides an ideal home for rare species of flora and fauna. Its reservoir receives up to 25 species of migratory birds during winter. The Debrigarh wildlife sanctuary is located here.

The India Coffee House

The quick in and out espresso bar of Europe has yet to make its way to India, where people still like to spend hours over a cup of coffee. Chains of coffee shops have mushroomed all over the country. In fact, an urban neighbourhood is likely to have more than a dozen of such swanky outlets. The oldest name in the business, however, is a far cry from the modern-day cappuccino-selling shops.

The India Coffee House chain, founded more than 70 years ago, has a presence in all major cities and many small towns. There are close to 400 such outlets, with Kerala notching up the highest number with more than 50. Orderlies with cummerbunds and pointed turbans can be found in many of the Coffee House branches. The coffee menu is usually restricted to hot coffee (black or with milk), cold coffee (without ice-cream), tea, milk and a handful of sherbets and milk shakes. The accompaniments are what contribute to the high footfall, despite the fact that some of the outlets are in need of a makeover. Plates of mutton samosas, biryani, cutlets, omelettes, paranthas, dosas and pakoras fly off the counter as quickly as the coffee served in modest white cups and saucers.

The-India-Coffee-House

The most legendary India Coffee House branch is the one opposite Presidency College in Kolkata. This is where film-makers, politicians, poets, writers and statesmen spend hours over coffee, making it the hotbed of intellectualism. They say that many a revolution was born, many a script written, many a deal struck and many a love affair blossomed over a cup at the ‘Coffee House on College Street’.

Coffee-Cup

Breakfast in the south of India,usually idlis, upma, idiappam and suchlike, is incomplete without the signature filter coffee, served in stainless tumblers. Be it the legendary MTR (Mavalli Tiffin Room) chain in Bangalore or the popular Murugan’s Idli Shop in Chennai’s T. Nagar, the filter coffee served is a mix of dark roasted coffee beans and chicory. Filter coffee mixes as well as the coffee maker, a set of two tumblers,are good souvenirs from a holiday in the south.

Traditional-Coffee-Cups-Maharashtra

The moment a train enters the south, you will see vendors selling tea are far outnumbered from those with coffee. The coffee available on railway platforms is usually served in a small paper cup. The vendor almost always sprinkles coffee powder on the top, giving you as authentic a taste you can ask for Rs. 10 or even less. In some cases, you will find a vendor selling ‘chaffee’ a mix of coffee and tea.

WHILE ON THE MOVE….

Here’s a pick of good places to go for coffee, conversation and more:

• India Coffee House on Shimla’s Mall. Also try the mutton dosa.
• Devraj Coffee Corner, the only German bakery in Rishikesh. Have coffee with the brown bread and yak cheese.
• Brown Bread Bakery in Varanasi, which is a great place to catch up with fellow travellers.
• Matteo, Bangalore’s hottest new cafe.
• Auroville Bakery in Pondicherry, which is also much known for its cakes and croissants.
• Lila Cafe on Baga beach in Goa, also famous for the pumpernickel bread and apple pie.

COFFEE CARDAMOM KULFI RECIPE

Try this delicious coffee based recipe for an alternative but very popular way to get your coffee fix!

Ingredients:

Servings: 5

8 cups milk

3 tbsp sugar

12 cardamom pods

6 tbsp brewed espresso

Method

Heat the milk in a heavy-bottomed pan. When it reached boiling point, reduce to low heat and stir occasionally for 20 minutes.

Crush the cardamom and add to the milk. Simmer for 60 minutes (or untill the time the milk reduces to two cups). Pour the milk into a bowl, add espresso and sugar, and stir. Leave it to cool down.

Churn the mixture in an ice-cream maker until thick. Put  the mixture into five kulfi moulds and refrigerate.

Add slivered almonds and a few strands of saffron before serving.

Swaad with Sharmaji