subject: Must see places around Trivandrum (Thiruvananthapuram) [print this page] Must see places around Trivandrum (Thiruvananthapuram)
Sree Padmanabha Swamy Temple: The Sree Padmanabha Swamy temple in Trivandrum, India is one of the most fascinating landmarks in the city. Adorned with highly intricate carvings and beautiful mural paintings, the temple stands out as a marvelous example of the Dravidian style of architecture.
The Government Art Museum: The Government Art Museum or the Napier Museum is a magnificent specimen of architectural excellence. The museum's architecture showcases a wonderful combination of the traditional Kerala style as well as the Chinese and Mughal influences.
Sree Chithra Art Gallary: The gallery hosts a rich collection of paintings by some of the world famous artists such as Raja Ravi Varma and Roerich. It also has copies of paintings from the Ajanta, Rajput, Mughal and Tanjore Schools as well as a few works from countries such as China, Japan, Tibet and Bali.
The Zoo: It has got the reputation as one of the best maintained zoos in the whole of Asia.
The Observatory: The Observatory, assumed to be one of the oldest in India, is located 60m above sea level on a hill near the Museum.
Shanghumugham Beach: The Shanghumugham Beach is a popular Trivandrum beach located near the airport. Some of the facilities provided at the beach include an indoor recreation club, children's traffic training park and a star shaped restaurant.
Neyyar Dam: Neyyar Dam is a beautiful picnic spot and dam site. Facilities have been provided for boating at the reservoir. A lion safari park and a crocodile farm are the other major attractions.
Aruvikkara: Aruvikkara is a place gifted with serene, picturesque beauty. You can come across an ancient temple devoted to Goddess Durga on the banks of the river.
Ponmudi: Located 54km from Thiruvananthapuram, Ponmudi is an ideal hill resort that offers an enchanting retreat for tourists.
Padmanabhapuram Palace: Once the capital of the erstwhile State of Travancore, the Padmanabhapuram palace is well-known for the 17th and 18th century murals.
Kuthira Malika (Palace Museum): The Kuthira Malika palace is known for the intricate wood carvings done in the traditional Travancore style. The museum also displays numerous painting collections of the royal family.
