Kerala, a state on India’s tropical Malabar Coast, has nearly 600km of Arabian Sea shoreline. The region has been a prominent spice exporter since 3000 BCE. In the 15th century, the spice trade attracted Portuguese traders to Kerala, and paved the way for the European colonisation of India. Kerala has the lowest positive population growth rate in India, highest literacy rate at 93.91% in the 2011 census, the highest life expectancy at 77 years and the highest sex ratio at 1,084 women per 1000 men. It is also known for its palm-lined beaches and its backwaters, a network of canals popular for cruises. Its many upscale seaside resorts include specialists in Ayurvedic treatments. Inland are the Western Ghats, a mountain range whose slopes support tea, coffee and spice plantations as well as abundant native wildlife.
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Kochi – originally known as Cochin, Kochi is a city in southwest India’s coastal Kerala state. It has been a port since 1341, when a flood carved out its harbor and opened it to Arab, Chinese and European merchants. Sites reflecting those influences include Fort Kochi, a settlement with tiled colonial bungalows and diverse houses of worship. Its use of cantilevered Chinese fishing nets dates to the 13th century.
Periyar – or Thekkady is the location of the Periyar National Park, which is an important tourist attraction in the Kerala state of India.
Alleppey – or Alappuzha (as it is called in the local language) is a city on the Laccadive Sea in the southern Indian state of Kerala. It’s best known for houseboat cruises along the rustic Kerala backwaters, a network of tranquil canals and lagoons. Alappuzha Beach is the site of the 19th-century Alappuzha Lighthouse. The city’s Mullakkal Temple features a traditional design. Punnamada Lake’s snake boat races are a well-known annual event.
Kumarakom – Kumarakom is a popular tourism destination located near the city of Kottayam, in Kerala, India, famous for its backwater tourism. It is set in the backdrop of the Vembanad Lake, the largest freshwater lake in the state of Kerala.