Geography With the Arabian Sea in the west, the Western Ghats towering 500-2700 m in the east and networked by forty-four rivers, Kerala enjoys diverse geographical features. From tall mountains and deep valleys to endless backwaters and an extensive coastline, Kerala has it all.   Do you wish to add content or help us find mistakes in this web page?  Yes  No NB: You should not submit anything else other than addition / correction of page content. For travel related requirements like accommodation, hotels, tour packages, transportation, info on healthcare and other travel related assistance please click here. History Kerala's history is closely linked with its commerce, which until recent times revolved around its spice trade. Celebrated as the Spice Coast of India, ancient Kerala played host to travellers and traders from across the world including the Greeks, Romans, Arabs, Chinese, Portuguese, Dutch, French and the British. Almost all of them have left their imprint on this land in some form or the other - architecture, cuisine, literature.   Do you wish to add content or help us find mistakes in this web page?  Yes  No NB: You should not submit anything else other than addition / correction of page content. For travel related requirements like accommodation, hotels, tour packages, transportation, info on healthcare and other travel related assistance please click here. At a glance     Kerala, a State in the Republic of India, has 14 districts or administrative divisions. The major cities are Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi and Kozhikode. There are three airports in the state which provide international and domestic connections.Here is some quick information on Kerala which will be useful for travellers visiting the State.            Location : Southwestern tip of India.       Area : 38,863 sq km.       Population : 3,18,41,374 (Census 2011)       Capital : Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum)       Language : Malayalam. English is widely spoken.       Religion : Hinduism, Christianity, Islam       Time : GMT +5:30       Currency : Indian Rupee       Climate : Tropical       Summer : February - May (24 - 34°C)       Monsoon : June - September (20 - 30°C)       Winter : October - January (18 - 28°C)             Districts   Old Name                     Kasaragod           Kannur   Cannanore       Wayanad           Kozhikode   Calicut       Malappuram           Palakkad   Palghat       Thrissur   Trichur       Ernakulam           Idukki           Kottayam           Alappuzha   Alleppey       Pathanamthitta           Kollam   Quilon       Thiruvananthapuram   Trivandrum                             Major Cities               Old Name       Thiruvananthapuram : Trivandrum       Kochi : Cochin       Kozhikode : Calicut                   Accessibility           Thiruvananthapuram International Airport Tel : + 91 471 2501424 Visit Website Domestic flights (direct) : From / To : Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai International flights (direct) : From / To : Colombo, Maldives, Dubai, Sharjah, Bahrain, Doha, Ras-al-Khaimah, Kuwait , Riyadh, Fujairah, Singapore Air India Tel : + 91 471 2310310 Indian Airlines Tel : + 91 471 2318288 Jet Airways Tel : + 91 471 2500710, 2500860 Sri Lankan Airlines Tel : + 91 471 2471810 Gulf Air Tel : + 91 471 2728003, 2501206 Oman Airways Tel : + 91 471 2728950 Kuwait Airways Tel : + 91 471 2720013 Saudi Arabian Airlines Tel : + 91 471 2723141 Qatar Airways Tel : + 91 471 3919091, 3919092 Paramount Tel : + 91 99954 00003 Kingfisher Tel : + 91 471 2508822 Jetlite Tel : + 91 471 4010033 Cochin International Airport (CIAL), Nedumbassery Tel : + 91 484 2610113 Visit Website Domestic flights(direct) : From / To : Mumbai, Chennai, Goa, Agathi, Bangalore International flights(direct) : From / To : Sharjah, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Dhahran, Bahrain, Riyadh, Muscat Air India Tel : + 91 484 2610050 Indian Airlines Tel : + 91 484 2371141 Jet Airways Tel : + 91 484 2610037 Saudi Arabian Airlines Tel : + 91 484 2352689 Singapore Airlines Tel : + 91 484 2358131 Kuwait Airways Tel : + 91 484 2382576 Sri Lankan Airlines Tel : + 91 484 2361263 Emirates Tel : + 91 484 40844444 Qatar Airways (Call centre: 0124 - 4566000) Jetlite Tel : + 91 484 2611340 Air Deccan Tel : + 91 484 2610289 Paramount Tel : + 91 484 2610404 Calicut International Airport, Karipur Tel : +91 483 2710100 Visit Website Domestic flights (direct) : From / To : Mumbai, Chennai, Coimbatore International flights (direct): From / To: Sharjah, Bahrain, Dubai, Doha , Ras-al-Khaimah, Kuwait, Riyadh, Fujairah Air India Tel : + 91 483 2766669 Indian Airlines Tel : + 91 483 276643 Jet Airways Tel : + 91 483 2740052                   Police helpline             While traveling on Highways + 91 98461 00100 While traveling in Trains + 91 98462 00100                   Code of ethics for travellers & tour operators                   Guidelines for Travellers & Tour Operators About the Website Tourist Statistics Acts and Policies                           Do you wish to add content or help us find mistakes in this web page?  Yes  No NB: You should not submit anything else other than addition / correction of page content. For travel related requirements like accommodation, hotels, tour packages, transportation, info on healthcare and other travel related assistance please click here. Bestowed with a pleasant and equable climate throughout the year, Kerala is a tropical land with the coast running down its entire length and the Western Ghats forming a protective barrier against the dry winds from up north. The monsoons (June-September & October-November) and summer (February-May) are the seasons markedly experienced here, while winter is only a slight drop in temperature from the normal range of 28-320C.   Do you wish to add content or help us find mistakes in this web page?  Yes  No NB: You should not submit anything else other than addition / correction of page content. For travel related requirements like accommodation, hotels, tour packages, transportation, info on healthcare and other travel related assistance please click here. Awards   INTERNATIONAL AWARDS               World Tourism Travel Council Tourism for Tomorrow Awards     One of the three finalists in the Destination Category - Kerala, 2006     ITB Berlin     Das Golden Stadttor Silver Award for Print Campaign, 2012 Das Golden Stadttor Bronze Award for TV Commercial - Your Moment is Waiting, 2011 Das Golden Stadttor Award for the Print campaign, 2007 Das Golden Stadttor Award for Best Commercial, 2006     Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA)     PATA Awards 2011 Gold Award 2010 for Best Website Gold Award 2009 for Marketing "Dream Season in Gods Own Country" Gold Award 2008 for Culture - Utsavam, Kerala Arts Festival Gold Award 2008 for Consumer Travel Brochure - Kerala Tourism Theme Brochure Gold Award 2007 for Culture - Aranmula Cultural Village Gold Award 2007 for Brochure - Destination Brochure Kit Grand Award for Environment - Zero Waste Kovalam, 2006 Gold Award for Ecotourism - Kumbalangi Tourism Village, 2006 Gold Award 2006 for Publication Ayurveda: The Mantra of Niramaya Gold Award for the best E-Newsletter, 2005 Honourable Mention for Culture, 2005 Gold Award for Culture, 2004 Gold Award for Ecotourism, 2004 Gold Award 2004 for the best CD-ROM Ayurveda: The Mantra of Niramaya Gold Award 2003 for the best CD-ROM, Kerala: The Green Symphony Gold Award for Marketing, 2003 Grand Award for Heritage, 2002     Pacific Asia Travel Writers Association (PATWA)     International Award for Leisure Tourism, 2000-2001     UNESCO Asia-Pacific     Heritage Award - Honorable Mention - Arakkal Kettu, Kannur, 2006     New York ad Festivals     Finalist Award - Kerala Tourism - 2005     Prague International Advertising Festival (PIAF)     Bronze for the Print Campaign - Your Moment is Waiting, 2012 Bronze for the TVC- Your Moment is Waiting, 2011     WTM, London     Best Stand Award, 2011     FITUR, Spain     Best International Exhibition stand - Kerala Tourism Pavilion, 2010     Smart Travel Asia 'Best in Travel Poll 2010'     Kerala voted as the best Asian holiday destination, 2010     NATIONAL AWARDS     Government of India     Most innovative use of Information Technology / Best Website, 2011 Best State (3rd Place), 2010 Best Responsible Tourism Initiative- Kumarakom RT project, 2009 Most Innovative use of Information Technology, 2009 Most Innovative Adventure Activity -International Paragliding Championship, 2008 Best Responsible Tourism Project - Better Together- Responsible Tourism Initiative, Kerala, 2008 Best Tourism Film / Audio Visual Presentation 2008 for DVD Rhapsodies from God's Own Country Best Performing Tourism State, 2007 Best Tourism Portal - www.keralatourism.org, 2007 Best Performing Tourism State, 2006 Best Maintained Tourist - Friendly Monument - Sakthan Thampuran Palace 2006 Best Publishing - Mantra of Niramaya & Tourism Handbook, 2006 Most Innovative Use of Information Technology, 2005-06 Best Performing Tourism State, 2005 Best Maintained Tourist - Friendly Monument, 2005 Best Publishing 2004-05 for Book on Ayurveda Best Marketed and Promoted State, 2004 Best Maintained Tourist - Friendly Monument, 2004 Best Innovative Tourism Project, 2004 Best Promotion Literature, 2004 Best Publishing 2003-04 for Book on Panchakarma Best Performing State for 2003, 2001, 2000 and 1999 - Award for Excellence in Tourism. (For rapid growth, development and advancement in the tourism sector) Best Practices by a State Government, 2003 Best Eco-tourism Product, 2003 Best Wildlife Sanctuary, 2003 Most Innovative Use of Information Technology, 2002-03 Most Tourist-friendly International Airport, 2002 Most Eco-friendly Destination, 2002 Best Tourism Film, 2001 Most Innovative Use of Information Technology, 2000-01 Most Innovative Use of Information Technology, 2008-09     Outlook Traveller - TAAI     Favourite Indian State for Travel & Tourism, 2010 Best State that promoted Travel & Tourism, 2000-2001     Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI)     Award for Best Marketing, 2003 Award for Best Use of IT in Tourism, 2004     Galileo - Express Travel & Tourism     Award for the Best State Tourism Board, 2006 Award for the Best State Tourism Board, 2005 Award for the Best State Tourism Board, 2003     Net4 PC World     Award for Best website in the tourism category, 2008     Indian Association of Tour Operators' (IATO)     Award for the Best CDs, 2004     NDTV     Business Leadership Award in Travel Category, 2007 Business Leadership Award in Travel Category, 2006     CNBC Award     Best Tourism Board, 2011 Best Tourism Board, 2009 Best Travel Destination 2009 Best State Tourism Board - Kerala, 2007 Best Travel Destination - Thekkady, 2007     Today's Traveller Platinum Award     Best State Marketing Campaign - Jet2kerala campaign, 2009     Kerala State E-Governance Awards     Best Website, 2008     Travel & Leisure Award     Best Indian State, 2011 Best Green Destination, 2011     Lonely Planet - India Travel Awards     Best Destination for Families, 2012     Times of India     Best Tourism Board, 2012           Do you wish to add content or help us find mistakes in this web page?  Yes  No NB: You should not submit anything else other than addition / correction of page content. For travel related requirements like accommodation, hotels, tour packages, transportation, info on healthcare and other travel related assistance please click here.