From nagercoil take bus 11 or bus 29. Inside the fort walls is the town of the same name. I had hardly set foot inside the fort and i was in front of the palace of the former kings of travancore, who still live in trivandrum. The palace is now a museum and is well worth a visit (you can even see a king’s toilet)! Few tourists, but plenty of guides.
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This and the temple elephants which guard the longest colonnade in india are worth seeing.
Even though the border with sri lanka is still closed, it wasn't peaceful on palk strait. Quite often tamil warriors and refugees cross the straight illegally for around 500rs. On top of that, there are fishermen and smugglers who transport heroin and kerala 'grass' to sri lanka and return with video cassettes and electronic goods. And, in the middle are the navies of india and sri lanka.
As in other holy places, there is a bathing ghat for pilgrims about 200m from the tourist bungalows. Pilgrims pay
On the way to kannakumari is the bus interchange of nagercoil, from where there are good services to madras, trichy and madurai. There is usually a bus every hour from trivandrum to nagercoil, and the trip takes 2 hours. Nagercoil is, comparatively speaking, one of the cleanest small towns with few tourists.
Separated from the mainland by an arm of the sea, this former jumping off place for sri lankan travellers, has apopulation of 30,000 and is, for hindus, one of the most holy places india, on a par with varanasi. The rama temple is the centre of pilgrim worship.
The tower is 38.4m (114 ft) high. It is one of the major fishing centres in the south of the country with much of its catch being exported.
Tower lodge, near tower junction, (not far from the bus terminal) and azad lodge (don't confuse it with the restaurant azad hotel). It was recommended to me that i should go to a small coastal village about half an hour's drive away as it has a beautiful beach.
Tourist information centre
At the railway station is open 7.30am-8pm. On sun and holidays only 8am-2.3opm
Cloak room
At the railway station where you can leave your luggage for a fee
