Home :: Andamans & Nicobar Islands
Andamans & Nicobar Islands
The Andaman’s & Nicobar Islands is an archipoly of about 300 almost virgin islands in the Bay Of Bengal spread over 700 km.The northern tip of the Andaman’s is just 180Km.from Burma and the southern end is memorabilia & exhibity – the jail like most other places close for siesta. The Andaman and Nicobar group of 293 islands in the Bay of Bengal stretch over 700 Km.Port Blair is the capital.
After the Great Rebellion of 1857, a penal settlement for Indian freedom fighters was set up here by the British, and prisoners languished here right upto 1945.The National Flag was first hoisted here in 1943 by the great leader, Subhas Chandra Bose.
WHAT TO SEE:
CELLULAR JAIL:
Used by the British to Keep Indian freedom fighters away from the mainland, a symbol of Indian residence in the face of British imperialism. Now converted into a museum with interests.
BOTANICAL GARDENS:
A garden full of rich flora found on the island & maintained by the Botanical survey of India.
ANTHROPOLIGICAL & MARINE MUSEUM:
The first one is particularly rewarding for its insights into the lifestyle of the various tribes living on the islands. The Marine Museum and the mini-zoo are the other attractions.
BEACHES:
Corbyn’s Cove Beach is an alcove on the Port Blair Island.
EXCURSIONS:
The Jolly Buoy Island is a day’s trip. A ferry cruise through the backwaters fringed with tropical forests. On the islands, find secluded core and spend a lazy day swimming, snorkeling and hunting shells. Take a ride in glass-bottom boats through which the beautiful Andaman cove can be seen. Since you’ll return around tea time, it’s enough to carry just a camper. Similar dips can be taken to the Red Skin, cinque, Neil and Havelock islands.
Cochin
Cochin, a commercial city of the state of Kerala, has one of the best natural harbours in the country. It is set amidst lagoons and backwaters with a romantic backdrop swaying coconut palms.
FORT COCHIN:
This is the old, imperial Cochin with its sea-front bunglows, marvel establishment, markets and old-word charm. The Mattancherry Palace
was built by the Portuguese in 1955, later taken over by the Dutch (and so
called Dutch Palace also) and finally handed over to the local Maharaja who added murals depicting scenes from the Ramayana on the wall of the some rooms. The building is low-slung and with gently sloping red-tiled roofs. Apart from the brightly colored murals there are some elegant ivory palanquins and the howdah, the saddle-seat for riding elephants.
KATHAKALI DANCES:
There are two places to see Kerala’s tradition dance form. At the see-India Foundation on Kalathil Parambil lane on at art Kerala, Kannanthodath Lane, Valanjambalan, both in Ernakulam. The dances date to the early days of temple workshop. The performers dip into an endless supply of story material from the epics, Ramayana and Mahabharata. The dance is extremely difficult and requires complete control over all muscles particularly the facial muscles. As a result, a dancer is trained for over eight years.
EXCURSION:
BACK WATER CRUISE:
A short trip by boat, 2 hours from Cochin, and those two hours will be bliss on the boat meandering through the backwater canals which are tunneled by bent palm trees. On both sides of the canal, People live in perfect harmony with the water.
ALLEPEY:
This town in the centre of boat traffic in Kerala. It is also the place where Keralities hold their snake boat races during the Onam festivals. Close to the huge backwater lagoon, Vembanad Lake, the sleep town with its coir industries and a good beach is a place to relax.
QUILON:
From Allepey to Quilon is Keralas’s best-known backwater cruise. It is a 7 hours trip and enroute the boat call on villages. At Quilon, you have arrived at one of the oldest port in the country and well- known for its Ashtamudi Lake, rimmed with palms and promontories. It was a very important port when the Phoenicians, Greeks, and Romans called here for spices.
KOTTAYAM:
Again a four hour boat ride from Allepey is Kattayam, the literary capital of Kerala. It is also a foothill town at the base of the Nilgiris with coffee, tea and rubber plantations higher up. Old Syrian churches and a completely literate population await you.
STANDARD SIGHTSEEING TOURS:
Full day sightseeing tour of cochin visiting the Dutch Place, Jewish Synagogue, Chinese fishing nets, St. Francis Church and the Santa cruz Church. Also visits the Hill Palace Museum which displays articles of archeological importance.Full day motor launch excursion to Kottayam, a small town surrounded by rubber, tea , coffee, pepper and cardamom plantations.
BOAT CRUISE:
Boat cruise on the backwater which gives an opportunity to behold the great charm of this city that nature has endowed upon.
EXCURSION TO ALLEPPEY:
Full day excursion to Alleppey and Kottayam with Boat Cruise which starts from Alleppey. The backwater cruise takes off through a network of canals with a backdrop of villages and coconut trees on the shores. Colorful snake boat races are held here every August.
Badami
Some of the earliest surviving Hindu structural temple from which temple architecture has developed and blossomed can be seen at the three village of Badami, Aihole and Pattadakal. The great sage, Agastya, is associated with this region, which is rich both in legend and history. It was the Capital of the Chalukya rulers.
BADAMI:
A noted Chalukya Capital (540-757 AD.), Badami has remarkable temples,
both structural and rock-cut. Completed during the reign of Mangales (598-610 AD.), are the four cave temple that is the best of the place. One of the caves is Jain and the other Hindu. The Caves have an entrance porch supported by pillars, a hall with columns and a shrine for the deity, mostly Shiva. The Badami fort is higher up the hill and encloses granaries, treasury, watchtowers and many temples.
AIHOLE:
The capital of the chalukya kings between the 6th and 8th centuries, Aihole has the first structural temples in India. The oldest of these is the MELGUIT temple built in the Dravidian style and dedicated to Mahavira, the founder of Jainism. The Durga temple and the Lad Khan are also impressive and show the tremendous progress made in architecture during the two centuries. The brilliant ruins of the forts and palaces buttress the magnificence.
PATTADAKAL:
Just 15 km from Aihole is another temple town, Pattadakal the site where Chalukya kings were crowned. Of a later vintage than Aihole, the work on the temple walls are more developed than Aihole, remarkable example is Galagomatha which shows Shiva in various actions. At the Kashi Visheshvara temple, Shiva’s mount, Nandi stand waiting for his master. The Mallikarjuna and the Virupksha temples is also eye catching.
EXCURSION:
HAMPI:
The ruins of the Vijay Nagar empire (1336 to 1565 A.D. ) offer a look into the might of this once powering dynasty which ruled the entire Deccan plateau from the Arabian sea to the bay of Bengal. Vimpakasha temple elaborately carved gateways which pre-date the temple dedicated to Shiva. The Vittala temple has 56 beautifully sculpted columns with mythological beasts and other animals. Also check out the palace ruins.
BIJAPUR
The kingdom that brought to an end to the Vijayanagar Empire. It was ruled by the Adil Shah Kings (1489-1685). When they were not on the campaign trail, the Adil Shah kings put all their energies to Turkish style building. There are over 50 mosques, 20 tombs and close to 20 palaces. The best view of this Istanbul-like setting of turrets and domes can be seeb from the Gauder Buruj, a watch tower built by general Haiderkhan. You can see the 10 km long fort ramparts which enclosed the city. On the far end of the town you can see the most remarkable monument of Bijapur the GOL GOMBAZ – the tomb of Mohammed Adil Shah. At night the mausoleum is illuminated in almost magical hues. Also see the Jamma Masjid, the Ibrahim Rauza-or garden the Gagan Mahal and Mecca Masjid and the Citadel-the city centre where the royals lived. The Malik-e- Haider is one of the world’s largest bell metal guns and the Asar Mahal had been built as a hall of justice.
STANDRARD SIGHTSEEING TOURS:
AIHOLE:
Aihole is the cradle of stone temple architecture of the southern Dravida School. The oldest temple, Lad Khan goes back to the 5th century AD. There are 70 temples in this group. The Durga temple is noted for its sculpture. The Meguti temple is built of 630 small stone blocks. The Ravanaphadi Cave has some beautiful Carving.
BADAMI:
Badami is also known as Vatapi rich with Hindu and Jain temples carved out of sand stone hills. The caved temple date back to the 6th century. Of these three are Hindu and one Jain. Sculptured out of solid rock they are adorned with Carvings. Fort, on top of a hill enclosed large granaries, treasury & a watch tower. The famed Malegitti Shivalaya temple set on the summit of a hill is built of stones joined without mortar.
Ooty
All over India the British located idyllic spots for hill resort so as to get away from the heat of the plains in summer. In the south, in the Nilgiris or Blue Mountains (which get their name from the blue haze which envelops them), they selected three spots, Ooty, Coonoor and Katagiri. Of these three, Ooty with its beautiful garden, wooden rolling hills, pine and eucalyptus forests and cool climate has earned the name, Queen of Hill Stations.
The Nilgiri are known for their tea and coffee Plantations and for the
eucalyptus oil used as a base for medicines for coughs and colds. There are
many ancient tribal people here, the Badagas and Todas amongst others, whose talents have helped to developed to develop Ooty.Visitor should not miss the train journey on the hill railway from Mettupalayam to Ooty.
EXCURSION:
MADUMALAI-BANDIPUR:
These are adjoining reserve forest in the border of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka of which the Mudumalai is an elephant sanctuary in Tamil Nadu, Bandipur is a tiger reserve 14 km away, where you could see Black Panther, sloth bears and deer. The kaihatty waterfall will fall enroute.
COONOOR:
18 km away is another old British hill station but smaller and quieter. In Coonoor, see Sim’s Park which has many species of rare roses and a 180 year old ecalyplines. In the third week of May, there is a fruit fair where farmers from around the area come to display their produce.
KOTAGIRI:
Another small hill station and this completes the Nilgiri triad, Kotagiri is even quitter than Coonoor. Places of interest are the Kodanad View Point and Park.
COIMBATORE:
Actually, the entry point for Ooty and a vibrant industrial city that makes engineering equipment and textiles. The city has an airport where you could land and go on by road or still better by a narrow gauge train to Ooty.
STANDARD SIGHTSEEING TOURS:
Half day sightseeing tour visiting the botanical garden established in 1847. They have a large variety of exotic and colorful plants. Also visit the Ooty lake where boating is a favorite pastime and Daddabetta Peak, the highest point in the Nilgiri mountain (2623 meters high).
Reservation Form
