30 Places to Visit in Kanyakumari

OTHER TOURIST PLACES IN INDIA

TOURIST PLACES IN THE WORLD

KANYAKUMARI also spelt as KANNIYAKUMARI is the Southern most tip of Tamil Nadu State in India. This city is also known as ''Cape Comorin''. This region is well known for typical Indian Traditions and Cultures. Kanniyakumari is famous for its presence of many beaches, ancient memorials and religious temples. Visitors to this place enjoy the green meadows, blue water falls and white sands which represent the majestic beauty of nature. This popular tourist place is well known since ''Sangam Period''. This Town is well known for its Art and Religion for centuries during Chola, Chera, Pandya and Nayaks periods. Its difficult to express in words regarding the Architectural beauty of the temples that are located in this area. Even though there are numerous places of tourist interest here, it is very popular in India for its eye catching and unique Sunrise and Sunset. It is one of the famous Pilgrimage Destinations. This was once known as ''The Granary of Travancore'' since it was in Travancore for very long period until its merger with Tamil Nadu in the year 1956. Also Known as ''Alexandria of the East'' this place was the center for Art, Culture, Ancient Civilization, Commerce, Pilgrimage and Trade. ''Cape Comorin'' was the name given by Britishers during their period mainly because they find difficult to pronounce its actual name. Plenty of Festivals and Cultural Shows happens regularly in this cultural town. Being highly religious people, celebrating the religious festivals plays vital role in their life. The four important celebrations are Vaisakha Festival, Car Festival, Float Festival and Kalabham Festival. The others includes Chitra Pournami Festival, Cape Festival, Navrathri.  Celebrations and Holy Festival. Kanakamoolam Fair is a famous fair held every year. 

In India, Kanyakumari is one of the most striking places. Kanyakumari is also referred as ''Cape Comorin''. Life saving Herbs and Medical Plants are available in ''Marunthuvazh Malai'' which is located around 7 Kilometers from Kanyakumari. The ''Dibrugarh and Kanyakumari Vivek Express Train'' travels a distance of 4,273 Kilometers for which it takes around 80 hours. This is the Longest Train Route in India. It uses Diesel Engine as well as an Electric engine. The best time to visit is between October and March. But those who wish to enjoy the water surroundings then between June and September is the right time as it is the monsoon period here. This place is very famous for its sea foods as it is surrounded by Arabian Sea, Bay of Bengal and Indian Ocean. Influence of its neighboring st state Kerala can been seen in their cuisines. Never miss to taste Avial, Erissery, Fish Fry, Maravazhi Kilangu Poriyal, Munthri Kothu, Nendram Chips, Ulli Theyal and Therali. The famous 6 cuisines are Ulunthan Choru or Lentil Rice, Vendhaya Kuzhambu or Fenugreek Stew, Kinnathappam or Plate Cake, Elay Apam, Theeyal or Burnt Dist and Nanjil Fish Curry. This place gives a memorable shopping experience as this place is famous for its Handicraft Products, Sea Shell Items, Decorative Pieces and Dress Materials. Few of the known shopping places are Kamala Stores, Tamil Nadu Shopping Centre, Noor Shopping Centre, Varsha Readymades, Nisha Stores, RSKS Furniture Mart and Sri Kanya Handicrafts. 

How to Reach the Southern Tip of India, Kanyakumari? 

This destination can be easily accessible by Rail, Road and Air. It is well connected with major Cities and States of India. At present there are no Airports in Cape Comorin. The nearest airport is Trivandrum which is approximately 80 Kilometers away from this destination. There are many flights available from Bangalore, Chennai, Mumbai, Kochi, Delhi and Goa to reach Trivandrum. There are several Government and Private Buses available from other parts of India like Trivandrum, Nagarkovil, Tirunelvelli, Tuticorin, Tiruchendur, Madurai and Rameshwaram to reach Cape Comorin. The Railway Station in Kanniyakumari is the Terminal Point of the Southern Railway. It is well connected with various part of India. Trains are available from Trivandrum, Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai by Broad Gauge Railway Network. Direct trains are available for Rameshwaram, New Delhi, Howrah, Jammu, Dibrugarh and many important places. 

The Best 30 Places to Visit in Kanyakumari: 

The must see 30 Locations in Kanyakumari or Kanniyakumari are Vivekananda Rock Memorial, Padmanabhapuram Palace, Thiruvalluvar Statue, Bhagavathy Amman Temple, Thanumalayan Temple, Vattakottai Fort, Mathur Aqueduct, Government Museum, Mayapuri Wonder Wax, The Wandering Monk Museum, Swamithope Pathi, Kanyakumari Beach, Mahatma Gandhi Mandapam, Bay Watch Park, Southern Tip of India, Triveni Sangam or Thiriveni Sangamam, Maruthuvazh Malai, View Tower, Aqua World - Fish Exhibition, Beach, Sivan Temple, Vivekananda Pictorial Exhibition, Tsunami Memorial Park, 16 Legged Mandap, Sunset Point Cape Kovalam, Saint Thomas Rock, The Hidden Twin Beach, VK Botanical Garden, Leepuram Beach and Ambala Pathi. 

PADMANABHAPURAM PALACE is owned and maintained by Kerala Government. This Palace was constructed by Iravi Varma Kulasekhara Perumal during 1601 AD and it consists of 108 rooms with distinct style. This palace consists of structures like ''Mantrasala'' - the King's Council Chamber, ''Thai Kottaram'' - the Queen Mother's Palace, ''Nataksala'' - the Performance Hall, ''Thekee Kottaram'' - the Southern Palace and a four storeyed mansion. The curios and interesting objects that are found inside this Padmanabhapuram Palace are a room filled with old Chinese Jars, Gifts, Varieties of weapons including Daggers and Swords, Brass Lamps, Wood Sculptures, Stone Sculptures, Varieties of Furniture's used by the King, Large Mirrors, a Gallery of olden paintings which educates the Travancore History, Wooden Cot that is made of 64 wooden pieces from varieties of medicinal tree trunks and Polished Stone Cot for cool effect. There is a 2 Kilometer stretch underground passage inside this palace. The Dinning Hall can easily accommodate 1000 people at a time. Other place of interests inside are Inner Courtyards, Durbar Hall, Belgium Mirror, Granite Dance Halls, Museum and Black Shinning Floors which is made of egg white, jaggery, lime, charcoal, burnt coconut and river sand. This palace is open from 9.00 AM to 5.00 PM on all days other than Monday's and National Holidays. The ideal time to visit this place is during November till May. We are not supposed to wear Shoes or Slippers inside the palace to maintain the floor polish. You many require a tourist guide to know about this palace in detail. 

VIVEKANANDA MEMORIAL ROCK attracts thousands of tourists every day. This memorial stands between two separated rocks in a distance of 70 Meters. It was built as a monument in the year 1970 to honor Swami Vivekananda who attained Enlightenment in this rock. He sat on this rock the whole night of 5th December 1892. It is also believed that Goddess Kumari performed Austerity on this rock. ''Dhyana Mandapam'' is situated in this place which is also known as ''Meditation Hall'' for the visitors to perform meditation. This memorial contains two main structures namely ''The Vivekananda Mandapam'' and ''The Shripada Mandapam''. Dhyana Mandapam, the meditation Hall has got six adjacent rooms. The Assembly Hall is known as ''Sabha Mandapam'' where ''Pralima Mandapam'' with two rooms (Statue is present in this place), corridor and an open prakaram are situated. Also seen are Mukha Mandapam and Namashtubhyam.  The Square Hall ''Shripada Mandapam'' consists of Garbha Graham, Inner Prakaram, Outer Prakaram and Outer Platform. The footprint of Goddess is seen on the rock and this place is known as ''Sri Padaparai Mandapam''. Ferry service are available to reach Vivekananda Rock Memorial.

The 133 Feet tall stone sculpture ''The THIRUVALLUVAR STATUE'', is a Major Tourist Center. This statue was designed by Indian Sculptor Dr. V Ganapati Sthapati in remembrance of Tamil Poet and Philosopher Thiru Thiruvalluvar who is the author of ''The Tirukkural''. 133 feet high structure resembles the 133 chapters of the Tirukkural. The pedestal of the sculpture is 38 Foot tall as there are 38 Chapters of Virtue. which is the first of the three Kural text books.  The head of the Thiruvalluvar Statue stands 200 Feet above the sea level. This monument is situated on the coastline of Cape Comorin on an Island rock. Boat as well as Ferry Services are available to reach this historical monument.

BHAGAVATHY AMMAN TEMPLE also known as ''DEVI KANYA KUMARI'' in Kanyakumari is a 3000 year old temple. The main deity of this temple is Goddess Kumari Amman. Kumari Amman is one of the forms of Goddess Devi. Devi here is in the form of an Adolescent Girl Child. This Bhagavathy Amman temple is open for devotees from 6.00 AM to 11.00 AM and again from 4.00 PM to 8.00 PM. Important festivals of this temple are Chaitry Pournima Festival, Navarathri Festival, Vaisakha Festival and Kalabham Festival. Ganga Theertham, and shrine of God Kalabhairavar are the other attractions of this pilgrimage place. Ferocious form of Lord Shiva is Lord Kalabhairava. There is a ''Navarathi Mandapam'' where devotees get a chance to display their music talent. 

THANUMALAYAN TEMPLE is also known as ''STHANUMALAYAN TEMPLE'' is an important divine place for Hindus. For both Shaivaites and Vaishnavites, this temple is an important one. This Thanumalayan Temple is famous for its sculptures that was built in the 17th century. Lord Shiva, Lord Vishnu and Lord Brahma are in a single form in this temple and called as ''Sthanumalyam''. White Gopuram consists of 7 Storey and can be seen from long distance. Highlight of this temple is the presence of 18 Feet tall four musical pillars that are carved from a single stone. It can be found in Alankara Mandapam area. When struck these pillars emits sounds of various musical notes. Additional 1035 pillars are found in this place is well known place for performing dance. 22 Feet tall God Anjaneya statue which is craved out of a single granite block is also found inside this temple. It is the tallest statues in India of its type. History behind this Anjaneya statue is that during 1740 this statue was buried inside the temple fearing Tipu Sultan and subsequently they have forgotten. This statue was rediscovered in the year 1930. 13 Feet tall and 21 Feet long Nandi Statue made of Mortar and Lime is one of the highlights of this temple. This Nandhi Statue is one of the biggest statues in India. 

Famous Picnic Spot VATTAKOTTAI FORT or CIRCULAR FORT is a Sea Side Fort situated in the Southern Tip of India. This Fort was built during 18th Century by Travancore King Marthandavarma period. This was considered as a Coastal defense and Barracks during Travancore Kingdom and now is a monument. Vattakottai Fort is made of Granite Blocks. This Fort is rectangular in shape and its area is about 3.5 acres. Enclosed wall of Circular Fort is around 25 feet tall. Wall thickness is 29 feet in the front, 18 feet in the corners and 6 feet at the back. Sadly, today some part of this fort extends in to the sea. It is currently preserved by Archaeological Department of India. 

MATHUR AQUEDUCT or ''MATHOOR HANGING TROUGH'' or ''MATHOOR HANGING BRIDGE'' is an important tourist destination in Kanniyakumari. The length of Mathoor Hanging Bridge is 1240 Feet, width 7.5 Feet and 7 Feet High. There are 28 Pillars in this Bridge with maximum height of 115 Feet. People are allowed to walk on this bridge to see the sea water going through this bridge. Mathur Bridge was constructed by the then Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Shri K Kamaraj in the year 1966. The purpose of this trough is to carry water for irrigation from one hill to another to serve Kalkulam Taluk and Vilavancode Taluk. 

GOVERNMENT MUSEUM in Kanniyakumari is situated on the Beach Road. Ancient Bronzes, Coins, Tribal Objects, Wood Carvings, Zoological and Botanical Specimens are kept on display for the visitors. Whale Bones from Manavalakurichi is also found here. Museum is open for visitors from 10 in the morning till 5.30 in the evening. 

MAYAPURI is the 3D Interactive Art Museum and Wax Gallery. This Park was started in the year 2005. The attractions in Mayapuri are Wax Museum, 3D Paintings, 9D Theatre and VR Adventure. Mayapuri Wax Museum is located near Railway Station and it is one of the best Museums in India. Wax statues of Amitabh Bachan, Dr. Manmohan Singh, Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam, Barack Obama, Bill Clinton, Michael Jackson, Einstein, Jackie Chan, Superstar Rajinikanth among others are seen. Visitors get chances to take photographs with their favourite heroes. It also helps the children visiting this museum, to know about the personalities found here. The paintings displayed in painting hall appears three dimensional  

MAHATMA GANDHI MEMORIAL MANDAPAM is a historical richness of India. Construction of Gandhi Memorial was completed in 1956. The height of this mandapam is 79 feet which symbolically indicates the age of Gandhi ji. There is a library containing books, magazines, pamphlets and other literature's. This library is open on all Friday's and Saturday's. This memorial is open for visitors every day from 7.00 AM to 7.00 PM. From Railway Station Gandhi Memorial is just 1.3 Kilometers away. 

The first Water Theme Amusement Park in Kanyakumari is ''THE BAYWATCH''. This fun filled entertainment park is open from 9.AM to 3.00 PM. There are several rides for Kids, Youngsters and Adults. This place is famous for adventurous rides. 9 Water Rides are Wave Pool, MPWPS, Milky Way, Aqua Shuttle, Multiple Splash, Crazy Cruise, Triveni Water Falls, Rain Ramba and Side Winder. Flying Elephants, Swing Chair, Tea Cups, Bumping Cars, Family Train, Bowling Net, Friz Bee, Mystery World and Bull are the 9 Dry Rides available in this Amusement Park. The Bay Watch team are providing services like Assistance for Accommodation, Travel Assistance, Changing Room, Restaurant, Clinic, Rest Room, Wheel Chairs, Ice Cream Parlors, Fast Food Stalls and Parking Area for the visitors. 

TRIVENI SANGAMAM is one of the beautiful locations in Kanniyakumari where Nature is at its best. It is the place where the Bay of Bengal, the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean merges. Viewing Sunset and Sunrise from this place will cherish in your memory forever. 

OUR LADY OF RANSOM CHURCH is one of the Catholic Churches. It was founded in the year 1914 and this church was built in Gothic Revival Architectural Style. Statue of Mother Mary brought from Italy can be seen while entering the church. On the Main Altar, paintings of four disciples of Jesus as well as Bible new testament writers namely Mark, Matthew, Luke and John can be seen. Big statue of Mother Mary can be seen in the middle of the Main Altar. 

THE WANDERING MONK MUSEUM is a fascinating museum where one can know about the traces of Swami Vivekananda. Between 1888 and 1893 Swami Vivekananda, a monk, was wandering around all parts of India. Exhibition is all about His sayings ''Arise'' and ''Awake''. 

VIEW TOWER AND TELESCOPE HOUSE is one of the best ever locations to see the Panoramic Landscape of the City. The Beaches, Greeneries and Shores spread across the city looks like a manicured carpets from this view point. Major tourist attractions can also be seen from this place. 

TSUNAMI MEMORIAL PARK is located near Bhagavathy Amman Temple. In December 2004, this city faced a nightmare "Tsunami", which even shocked the entire world. Almost over 10700 people lost their lives in the giant waves of the tsunami. Shri B Kanagaraj Cangan constructed The Kanyakumari Tsunami Memorial Monument in memory of those who lost their lives. The 16 Feet Blue colored statue is made of steel and it resembles a giant wave in one hand and the other hand holds a lamp. 

THE FISH MUSEUM is one of the interesting place to know about the life of marine animals. Rare fishes like Piranha, Arowana, Lion Fish and Stingray can also be seen in the Fish Museum. 

GRAMODAYA PARK is located in Vivekananda Kendra. Motto of this park is to guide the people towards rightful living. 

The must visit SUNSET POINT in Kanyakumari attracts thousands of visitors every month. The Sunset Point is located at Indian Peninsula's Southern Most Tip. On full moon day, one can see the Moon Rise and the Sun Set at the same time in the evening.

OTHER TOURIST PLACES IN INDIA

TOURIST PLACES IN THE WORLD