An ancient town located on a hilltop bordered by the western ghats on the east and the thrilling Vembanad Lake on the west, Kottayam is a culturally rich and naturally enchanting destination. Apart from nature's bounty, the town has many laurels to its name. It is a proud town to achieve 100% literacy in India for the first time. Also being the land of several publishing houses and print media, Kottayam is also tagged as the 'Akshara Nagari' meaning 'City of letters'.
The city is also a significant commercial hub for spices and crops especially rubber. One will see acres of a well-kept plantation of rubber all across the town. Other than its commercial importance, Kottayam is also dotted with a plethora of ancient and fascinating shrines all narrating a story of their own. With mesmerizing landscape and verdant fields are sure to lure you back to this place.
A paradise for bird watchers, Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary or Vembanad Bird Sanctuary is situated on the banks of Lake Vembanad in kavanar River basin. The place is spread across a huge area of 14 acres providing a natural habitat to about 91 species of local birds and 50 species of migratory birds.
The Vaikom Mahadeva Temple is a temple for the Hindu god Shiva in Vaikom, Kerala. The temple, along with Ettumanoor Siva Temple, Kaduthuruthy Thaliyil Mahadeva Temple is considered a powerful trisome. The belief is that if a devotee worships at these three temples before 'Ucha pooja', all the wishes are fulfilled.
Located at a distance of about 10 kms from Kottayam in Kumarakom, Ettumanoor Mahadeva Temple is a revered holy place of the Hindus. Dedicated to Lord Shiva, the shrine is popular for its spectacular murals, beautiful frescos and excellent wood carvings made in the 16th century, which are borrowed from the classic epics of Ramayana, Mahabharata and Puranas.
Mary's Church located at Bharananganam is a must-visit Christian pilgrim center in Kerala. It is the place where the mortal remains of the famous St. Alphonsa hold. The church is also known as Anakkallu Palli which is situated on the banks of the gorgeous Meenachil River.
Erumely, also spelt "Erumeli" is a panchayat in the southeast part of Kottayam district in Kerala state, India. Erumely is situated 49 km east of Kottayam town and 133 km North of capital city Trivandrum. ... A new airport has been proposed in Erumeli. The village is nourished by Manimala River.
Vagamon is a hill station located in Kottayam- Idukki border of Kerala. It has a cool climate with the temperature between 10-23°C during a summer midday. It is situated 1,100 metres above sea level. Vagamon is a tiny plantation township in Central Travancore, Vagamon has an overtone of green.