The places to visit and hotels to stay in Kanyakumari
A travel gouide for those who are planning to visit the southern tip of India - Kanyakumari. Read this to get excited for future travel plan. Know the important places in Kanyakumari and get the addresses and phone numbers of various hotels in kanyakumari.
The southern tip of India - Kanyakumari
Kanyakumari is a town on the southern most tip of the main land of India. During the British rule it was called as "Cape Comorin" and still at some places it is still referred so. It derives it name from the famous Kanyakumari temple. It is probably one of those privileged lands on earth where it is bounded by three water-bodies - Bay of Bengal, Indian Ocean and the Arabian Sea. Moreover, Kanyakumari is one of the few places in the world where one can witness both the sunset and sunrise at the same beach due to the geography. Places to visit in Kanyakumari
Kanyakumari is a place of great natural beauty - from the blue seas to the blue hills of the Western Ghats in the interior. One can find beauty at every part of the city.
Though there are several places of tourist-interest in the town and district, Kanyakumari is especially popular in India for its spectacular and unique sunrise and sunset. People who visit Kanyakumari should never miss the sunrise & sunset. On balmy, full-moon evenings, (locally called Chitra Pournami) one can also see the moon-rise and sunset at the same time - on either side of the horizon.
View of the sea from Vattakottai Fort, near Kanyakumari town. The Kanyakumari Temple, located on the shore, is a Shakti Peetha dedicated to a manifestation of Parvati, the virgin goddess.
The Vivekananda Rock Memorial, built in 1970, has a Dhyana mandapam where Swami Vivekananda is said to have seated in deep meditation. Ferry services are available to reach the memorial.
The Gandhi Memorial has been built on the spot where the urn containing the Mahatma's ashes was kept for public viewing before immersion. The memorial was designed in such a way that on Mahatma Gandhi's birthday, October 2, the first rays of the sun fall on the exact place where his ashes were kept.
There are many more places to visit in and around Kanyakumari. Following are some of them :
St. Francis Xavier's Church, Kottar, Nagercoil - where St.Francis Xavier, the great missionary said mass in the 16th century.
Padmanabhapuram Palace, near Thuckalay.
Ancient Jain temple on hill at Chitharal, near Marthandam.
Mathur Aqueduct, near Thiruvattar, is the longest Aqueduct in South Asia.
Thirparappu waterfalls.
Thengapattinam Estuary
Nagaraja Temple and Suchindrum Temple in Nagercoil.
The Hills from Udayagiri Fort, near Nagercoil.
Jungle stream at Keeriparai, Pechiparai Dam.
Thirparappu Temple, near Thirparappu Waterfalls.
Adhi Kesava Temple at Thiruvattar. The inner temple is believed to be more than 2000 years old.
Hilly ravine-like terrain near the Muttom coast.
Jain Art & Carvings at the hilltop-temple at Chitharal.
Rubber Plantation near Pechiparai.
Maruthuvazhmalai (or medicinal) Hill, near Kanyakumari.
Legend has it that God Hanuman dropped the hill while flying to Lanka to save sita.
Navarathi Mandapam inside Padmanabhapuram Palace.
Lotus Pond on the Nagercoil-Trivandrum highway, near Chunkankadai.
Black sands at a beach near Vattakottai Fort. Vattaparai, near Keeriparai.
Lighthouse at Muttom, which is more than 100 years old.
Fishing villages in Kovalam and Muttom.How to reach Kanyakumari
By air to Kanyakumari:
The nearest international Airport is Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum) of neighboring state Kerala, with direct flights from the Middle East, Singapore, Maldives and Sri Lanka is just 90 km away. From there it takes about two hours by train or bus or taxi. A local flight travel to Thiruvananthapuram is also a viable option, but the ticket prices are slightly higher.
By train to Kanyakumari:
It is very well connected by rail to all major cities in India and from here starts second longest train route in the world, Kanyakumari to Jammu.
By bus to Kanyakumari:
Buses are frequently available from Thiruvananthapuram, the closest major transport hub. Long distance buses are available from Chennai (Madras), Coimbatore, Madurai etc. Note that travelling to Kanyakumari is a bit tiresome via road, as the travel time is about 14-15 hours and the climate is pretty hot (30-35 degrees during summer and 25-30 degrees during winter) through out the year.
Local transport in Kanyakumari:
Auto-rickshaws (tuk tuks) are available, and the state government runs local buses are available and the fares are rock bottom. The auto rickshaws fares are also very reasonable. The town is so small that an enthusiastic tourist may actually walk the entire length and breadth of the town and not shed a drop of sweat. In short, travelling in and around Kanyakumari is not expensive. Accommodation in Kanyakumari
As Kanyakumari is a major tourist attraction and most people in the city live upon tourism industry one can find numerous hotels, residencies etc. in and around Kanyakumari and therefore, staying over is not be a problem.
Here are the major hotels in Kanyakumari :
Hotel Singaar International
Hotel Singaar International is a 3 star hotel in Kanyakumari. The room tariff varies from 3000 - 4000.
Ph : +91 4652247992
Hotel Parvathi Residency
This hotel is situated in Nagercoil town. It has a roof top multicuisine restaurant.
Rooms from non A/c to A/c suite rooms. are available here.
Address:
No : 400, PWD road,
Nagerrcoil, Kanyakumari.
Ph : +91 4652 - 402290,224709,227799
Hotel Parvathi International, Kanyakumari
The room tariff of this hotel ranges from 900 - 1500.
Address:
Hotel Parvathi International
No. 128, Court Road,
Nagercoil _ 629 001,
Ph : +91 98429 25541
Hotel Seaview, Kanyakumari
Hotel Seaview is a luxury hotel in Kanyakumari. This has rooms ranging from standard to deluxe corner sea view rooms.
Address :
East Car Street,
Kanyakumari,
Tamil Nadu - 629 702
Ph: +91 4652 247841
Ashok Hotel
Middle Street,
Kanyakumari,{Cape comorin}
Tamil Nadu - 629 702, India.
Ph : +91 4652 246 895
Cape Hotel, Kanyakumari (TTDC)
Lighthouse and the Beach Road,
Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu, India.
Cape Residency Hotel
Nagarcoil Road, Kanyakumari,
Tamil Nadu - 629 702, India.
Hotel Sangam
Main Road, Kanyakumari,
Tamil Nadu - 629 702, India.
Maadhini Hotel
East Car Street, Kanyakumari,
Tamil Nadu - 629 702, India.
Saagar Hotel
South Car Street, Kanyakumari,
Tamil Nadu - 629 702, India.
TTDC Youth Hostel
Next to Tamilnadu Hotel/Lighthouse,
Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu , India.
Township Lodge
Coe Road, Kanyakumari,
Tamil Nadu - 629 702, India.
Triveni Tourist Home
Main Road, Kanyakumari,
Tamil Nadu - 629 702, India.
Vivekas Tourist Hotel (P) Ltd
5/48 H, Cape Road, Kanyakumari,
Tamil Nadu - 629 702, India.
Vivaldi Tourist Home
4/73, Main Road, Kanyakumari,
Tamil Nadu - 629 702, India.
Vivekanada Kendra Rest House
Vivekanandapuram, Kanyakumari,
Tamil Nadu - 629 702, India.
Hotel Tamilnadu (T.T.D.C)
Kanyakumari,
Tamil Nadu - 629 702, India.
Kerala Guest House
Kanyakumari,
Tamil Nadu - 629 702, India.
Arya Bhavan
1/30, Sannathi Street, Kanyakumari,
Tamil Nadu - 629 702, India.
Hotel Ashoka
2/26 A, Middle East, Kanyakumari,
Tamil Nadu - 629 702, India.
Hotel Ganesh
Near Railway Station, Kanyakumari,
Tamil Nadu - 629 702, India.
Hotel Priya
Main Road, North Kundal, Kanyakumari,
Tamil Nadu - 629 702, India.
Hotel Ram Kumar International
Hotel Safan
Hospital Road, Kanyakumari,
Tamil Nadu - 629 702, India.
Hotel Samuthra
Kanyakumari,
Tamil Nadu - 629 702, India.
Dagar Hotel
South Car Street, Kanyakumari,
Tamil Nadu - 629 702, India.
Shankar Guest House
Main Road, Kanyakumari,
Tamil Nadu - 629 702, India.
Tips for Tourist visiting Kanyakumari
- It's better toavoid road journey to Kanyakumari.
- Don't rely on brokers for accommodation.
- The water is salty in Kanyakumari. So it's better to drink bottle water or carry water when you go.
- Don't forget to buy Star fish shells (for decorating your indoors), sea shells of various sizes, kaleidoscopes, colorful sand packets(not artificially colored), collected from different parts of the beach, used specially for decorating your indoor showcases, are also available.
- You will get things for a better price if you bargain while purchasing.
- Remember there are no international ATMs readily available in the city so do carry enough cash with you.
