Kerala is a small and beautiful southern state, sandwiched between the Lakshwadeep Sea and the Western Ghats. This small southern state which is known by so many names such as, God's own country, Switzerland of India, the land of coconut and many more, is covered with thick evergreen forest with coconut and palm trees accompanying the roads all along Kerala.

It is bounded by Karnataka in the north, Tamil Nadu in the east, and the Arabian Sea in the west. Thiruvananthapuram is its capital.

Though Kerala is credited for being first in so many things, like it has the highest percentage of educated people, state with highest sex ratio and it will go on and on. But apart from all these it also has made it mark with the exotic beaches dotted with coconut trees. Every district in Kerala has it's own unique culture and characteristics and offers fascinating backwaters if not beaches.

Thiruvananthapuram is known for it's beach- Kovalam, the Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple and various museums and palaces; Alappuzha for it's backwaters, Thrissur, the cultural capital, Kottayam for it's ancient churches, Kozhikode for it's old world charm and the entrancing Ponmudi or Golden valley.

History of Kerala
There is no unanimity among historians about the history of ancient Kerala, since so little written accounts exist. Much of the history is interwoven in myths and conjectures. One such myth centers around the legend of Parasurama.

The Most famous legend associated with Kerala is legend of Parashurama the sixth incarnation of Lord Vishnu , the creator of the world according to Hindu mythology. The story goes like this, Parashurama annihilated 21 Kshatriyas (warriors) and wanted a place to perform his penance. The gods offered to give him a land of his choice. Parashurama hurled his axe over the sea and asked the sea to retreat over the area covered by the axe, the land emerged from those receding water and this how Kerala emerged.

Parashurama converted the Namboodiris, a non brahmin caste and settled them in 64 villages and appointed a king. The ancient city of Cranganore,(Cranganore was a famous port 2000 yr. ago) then called Muzhiris. The decendents of these kings formed the Chera dynasty which ruled for next 200 years. The next come the Perumals, Sea faring kings that controlled the Muzhiris till 200 B.C.

In 1498, Vasco da Gama made his historic landing on the Malabar Coast. In 1723, the East India Company signed a strategic treaty with King Marthanda Varma. For a few decades, Hyder Ali and his son -Tipu sultan proved to be a thorn in the flesh of the British, sweeping down several times into Kerala.

The beaches of Kerala can be just imagined by the fact that, it has a coast of 900 km long lined with sandy beaches, rocky promontories and coconut palms that definitely merit a visit in every tourist itinerary. It boast of host of so many exotic beaches with gentle surf and blue waters.

Kovalam beach
Situated on the Malabar Coast along the Kerala shoreline is a small village of Kovalam. Kovalam means a grove of coconut trees and truly the coconut trees along the beaches gives it a ravishing look. This quiet town of Kovalam came on the tourist map, when its beautiful and secluded beaches were discovered. Today Kovalam has become one of the most popular beach hangouts in India.

The beaches of Kovalam can be divided in three parts. The southern most beach and the most popular among the three, is the Lighthouse Beach. The middle beach is called Hawah. Each morning this beach acts as a base for the local fisherman. Samudra beach is the third beach which is least affected by the changing times.

The Kovalam is a heaven for water sports enthusiast. It is a natural bay ideal for kayaking, swimming, surfing and skiing. One can swim in the shallow blue water and have a sun bath in the exotic tropical sun.

Kumarakom Beaches
The village of Kumarakom is a cluster of little islands on the Vembanad Lake, and this small water world is part of the Kuttanad region. An enchanting backwater destination, Kumarakom offers visitors many other leisure options. Boating and fishing facilities are available at Kumarakom. Holiday packages on the houseboats, traditional Kettuvalloms, are an out-of-this-world experience at Kumarakom.

An unbelievably beautiful paradise of mangrove forests, emerald green paddy fields and coconut groves interspersed with enchanting waterways and canals adorned with while lillies - this is Kumarakom.

Alappuzha Beach
Alappuzha beach is quite a popular hangout and relaxation spot in the district of Alappuzha. The pier, which extends into the sea here, is around 140 years old. Blessed with nature's green beauties such as lagoons, vast lakes and numerous fresh water rivers, Alappuzha is a natural wonderland of Kerala state.

Beypore Beach
Beypore, was one of the prominent ports and fishing harbors of ancient Kerala, when the state was considered to be an important trade and maritime Centre. This ancient port of kerala was a favorite among the West Asian merchants because of its ship building industries. And now it has been developed into a major beach of Kerala with many water sports facilities.

Varkala Beach
Varkala beach is among the most popular beach resorts of Kerala, mainly because of the mineral water springs with medicinal properties that gush out of the high cliffs bordering the beach. This place is also an important Hindu pilgrimage centre. All in all it serves you two purpose.

Fort Kochi Beach
We all have seen beaches dotted with palm trees or may be with coconut trees, but this Kochi Beach has a historic fort in its backdrop which gives truly a unique feeling.