Kerala
We’ve compiled the best of the best in Kerala - browse our top choices for the top things to see or do during your stay.
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1. Kuthiramalika (Puthen Maliga) Palace Museum
The 18th-century Kuthiramalika (Puthen Maliga) Palace Museum, or Horse Palace, built by the king of Travancore, has carved rosewood ceilings and treasures of the royal family, including an ivory throne, weapons, paintings, and gifts from foreign dignitaries. Life-size Kathakali figures stand in the dance room. Carved horses, for which the palace is named, line the eaves of an inner courtyard. Only one-third of the enormous compound is open to visitors; the entrance fee includes a knowledgeable guide. Also note that you must remove your shoes upon entering.
Next to Padmanabhaswamy Temple, Trivandrum, Kerala, 695023, India471-247–3952Sight Details
Rate Includes: Palace: Rs. 20, Tues.–Sun. 8:30–1 and 3–5:30, Closed Mon. -
2. Napier Museum
In an 80-acre park at the north end of M.G. Road are the many attractions of the Museum and Art Gallery Complex. Each part of the complex requires a special ticket. At the Natural History Museum, a musty collection of animal skeletons, dioramas, and stuffed birds, head straight to the second floor to see an interesting model of a traditional nalakettu home (the traditional home of the Nairs, a warrior clan), complete with costumed figurines and a full explanation. The art museum's collection of local arts and crafts—including bronze and stone sculptures, ivory ornaments, and musical instruments—is as noteworthy as the building itself, with its almost Cubist pattern of gables, European-style minarets, and a decorative interior. Built in 1874, it was designed by Robert Chisholm, a specialist in Indo-Saracenic design, and was named after Lord Napier, the governor of Madras. Memorabilia donated by the royal family, including a golden chariot used by the Maharaja of Travancore, is displayed in the tiny Sree Chitra Enclave. On the opposite side of the park, the Sree Chitra Art Gallery has an eclectic collection of paintings, including works of the Rajput, Mogul, and Tanjore schools as well as those of India's most famous oil painter, Raja Ravi Varma; copies of the Ajanta and Sigirya frescoes; and works from China, Japan, Tibet, and Bali, along with canvases by modern Indian painters.
Museum Rd., Trivandrum, Kerala, 695033, India471-231–6275Sight Details
Rate Includes: From Rs. 20, Tues. and Thurs.–Sun. 10–4:45, Wed. 1–5, Closed Mon. -
3. Padmanabhaswamy Temple
The handsome Padmanabhaswamy Temple, dedicated to Vishnu, has a seven-story gopuram (entrance tower) that's as wide as it is tall to accommodate an unusual reclining statue of a very dark-skinned Vishnu (Padmanabha), lying in eternal slumber on a five-headed serpent. The date of its original construction has been placed at 3000 BC; legend has it that it was built by 4,000 masons, 6,000 laborers, and 100 elephants over the course of six months. In the main courtyard there's an intricate granite sculpture, supplemented by more stonework on the nearly 400 pillars supporting the temple corridors. Non-Hindus are not allowed inside the temple or inner sanctum but are welcome to view the impressive structure from the outside. The hours of opening reflect the eccentric uniqueness of this magnificent-looking and much revered house of worship: 3:30 am–4:45 am, 6:30 am–7 am, 8:30 am–10 am, 10:30 am–11:10 am, 11:45 am–noon, 5 pm–6:15 pm, 6:45 pm–7:20 pm, and a viewing of Vishnu can be booked online. You'll have to take off your shoes, photography is prohibited, and women should wear appropriate clothing (i.e., no shorts or sleeveless or revealing tops). Nearby there are little shops selling handicrafts.
Next to Kuthiramalika Palace Museum, Trivandrum, Kerala, 695023, India471-245–0233-officeSight Details
Rate Includes: 3:30–4:45 am, 6:30–7 am, 8:30–10 am, 10:30–11:10 am, 11:45 am–noon, 5–6:15 pm, 6:45–7:20 pm -
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