- Best time
- October to February
- Nearest airport
- Trivandrum International (about 7 km)
- Nearest railway station
- Thiruvananthapuram Central
- Known for
- Padmanabhaswamy Temple, palace museums, Kovalam
- Ideal time needed
- 2 to 3 days
A short history
Trivandrum was part of the kingdom of Travancore. Marthanda Varma expanded the kingdom in the 18th century, defeated the Dutch at the Battle of Colachel in 1741 and dedicated his realm to Sri Padmanabha, the city's presiding deity; later rulers called themselves the god's servants. The royal family also patronised the arts, and composer-king Swathi Thirunal and the poet Kumaran Asan are among the city's famous names.
What to see
Give yourself two or three days to cover the city and nearby trips:
- Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple: the great Vishnu temple at the heart of the old city; strict dress code for entry.
- Kuthiramalika (Puthenmalika) Palace Museum: a wooden Travancore palace with carved horses along its eaves.
- Napier Museum and the zoo: Indo-Saracenic museum buildings set in large, green grounds.
- Kovalam Beach: the city's best-known beach, about 16 km away.
- Veli Tourist Village: a lagoon park with boating.
- Ponmudi: a hill station for cooler air and views.
- Varkala: clifftop beach and the Janardhana Swamy Temple.
- Neyyar Dam and Wildlife Sanctuary, and the Agasthyakoodam trek for serious walkers.
Shopping
Chalai Market is good for brass, wooden and coir handicrafts; Connemara Market for spices; Balaramapuram for handloom Kerala saris and mundu; and the government emporium for souvenirs and paintings at fixed prices.
Best time and tips
October to February is the most pleasant season. The monsoon months are humid and wet but are traditionally considered good for Ayurvedic treatment. Carry an ID, sunscreen, light cotton clothes and an umbrella, and follow temple dress codes: at Padmanabhaswamy, men wear a mundu and go bare-chested, and women wear a sari or a mundu over their clothes.
How to reach
Trivandrum International Airport is about 7 km from the city centre, and Thiruvananthapuram Central railway station has trains from Chennai, Bengaluru, Madurai and across the country. State and private buses run from Kochi, Alleppey, Madurai, Chennai and Bangalore. We can plan a South Kerala tour with Trivandrum, Kovalam, Varkala and Kanyakumari.
Places to see in Trivandrum
SightTrivandrumTrivandrumAttukal Bhagavathy TempleAttukal Bhagavathy Temple in Thiruvananthapuram: the Kannaki legend, the Attukal Pongala festival, timings, dress code and access.
KeralaRead guide →
SightTrivandrumTrivandrumNapier MuseumNapier Museum, Thiruvananthapuram: a colourful 19th-century Indo-Saracenic building holding Kerala bronzes, temple carvings, murals and old artefacts.
KeralaRead guide →
SightTrivandrumTrivandrumSree Padmanabhaswamy TempleSree Padmanabhaswamy Temple, Thiruvananthapuram: Vishnu reclining on Anantha, Kerala-Dravidian architecture, dress code and visiting tips.
KeralaRead guide →
SightTrivandrumTrivandrumSree Padmanabhaswamy TempleSree Padmanabhaswamy Temple, Thiruvananthapuram: the reclining Vishnu, darshan timings, strict dress code, festivals and nearby sights.
Best: Late November to FebruaryRead guide →
SightTrivandrumTrivandrumThiruvallam Parasurama TempleThiruvallam Parasurama Temple on the Karamana river: Kerala's only Parasurama shrine, famed for Karkidaka Vavu ancestor rites.
Best: October to FebruaryRead guide →
SightTrivandrumTrivandrumThiruvananthapuram ZooThiruvananthapuram Zoo, founded in 1859: tigers, lions, rhinos, a reptile house and Western Ghats species, plus timings and best season.
Best: October to MarchRead guide →Also nearby
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