We all know Kanyakumari is a great place famous for its Suchindrum and Bhagawathi Amman Temples. Of course, there are a few other famous temples, including the Adi Keshava Perumal Temple in Thiruvattaru and the Nagaraja Temple in Nagercoil. But did you know there are so many things you can do in Kanyakumari besides going temple hopping?
Explore The City’s Waterfalls
Kanyakumari is at the tail end of the Western Ghats and is blessed with abundant nature on the one side and the vast Indian Ocean on the other three sides. If you need a break from temple hopping, how about going on a picnic at one of the many quiet waterfalls? These places are magical and hardly crowded, except for the locals who come here during vacation. Some of the famous waterfalls include Olakaruvi, Kalikesam, Vattaparai, Kuttiyar, Karavilai, and Karumparai. Ammachiyarcoil near Eathamozhi is also a picturesque place. And so is the Kumarakoil Mini Falls in Kumarakoil. But most of these places fall under the forest reserve, and you may need special permission from the forest department. Also, these are seasonal waterfalls and not perennial. You must inquire earlier if there’s water or if there’s not too much water and it is safe to swim. This is where we come into the scene. When booking accommodation in Kanyakumari, we suggest you call us to check if it’s possible to visit these waterfalls.
Enjoy The City’s Cuisine
Kanyakumari was part of the Travancore Kingdom until Independence. Our culture is a blend of Tamil Nadu and Kerala influences and pervades everything, including our food choices. For instance, we are the only district in Tamil Nadu where a vegetarian sadya includes around a minimum of 5 (could go up to 13) side dishes called kichadi or pachadi, depending on the base ingredient, besides avial, thoran, olan, pappadam and upperi. The curries start from parippu or dal, sambhar, followed by puzhiseri. Next follows at least five different types of payasam. And to wash it all down, the final course is completed with rice and rasam or sambharam or spicy buttermilk.
But we’re not only famous for our vegetarian food. Our non-vegetarian food is equally diverse, ranging from parotta and pathiri to biryani and kothu parotta. Side dishes range from chicken or mutton ularthiyadhu, beef roast and chicken 65 with chicken chops. If you’re in one of the many parotta stalls, don’t forget to ask for pichipota chicken. You cannot visit Kanyakumari and miss out on our fish meals. If you’re thirsty, don’t go for carbonated drinks. Instead, grab a nannari sarbath, a local drink made using nannari syrup (an Ayurvedic herb) and lemon. Or, nongu (ice apple) sarbath is equally tasty. We’re the land of bananas, with over 200 different varieties available in Kanyakumari alone.
Enjoy Some Spice Shopping
You cannot miss some of the spice stalls on the Kanyakumari Beach. Many of these spices, like pepper, clove, and nutmeg, are sourced locally. In fact, the district’s cloves have a GI tag and account for over 65% of the country’s clove production. The Kanyakumari clove variety was introduced as early as the 1800s by the East India Company. In fact, you can even arrange a trip to the Maramalai, Vellimalai, and Mahendragiri areas to learn how cloves are cultivated. However, these areas are part of the Veerapuli Reserve Forest and cannot be explored without prior permission from the Forest Department.
Enjoy The City’s Beaches
With a seashore on three sides of the district, it’s unsurprising that Kanyakumari has some of the best beaches in India. While Kanyakumari Beach is crowded and surrounded by the tourist crowd, we suggest you move a little ahead and explore the Twin Beach near Kanyakumari. The place is only 2 km from Kanyakumari and is one of the least explored places in the district. But you’ll find plenty of locals, especially during weekends and holidays. Some of the other beaches with picturesque views include Lemur Beach, Chothavilai, Thengaipattinam Beach, Muttom, Sanguthurai, Vattakotai, and Paraikal Beach. You can also book a resort at the Paraikal Beach.
Visit us if you are looking for the Best Hotels in Kanyakumari that provide five-star comfort.
