Top Places to Visit in Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu
India is one of the most culturally diverse countries in the entire world. Almost every state in India has an identity of its own which can make it feel like you are travelling through multiple countries at once. One of its many illustrious states for tourist attractions is Tamil Nadu. Within this state, the city of Kanyakumari is one of its most famous. Kanyakumari is a coastal city located in the southmost area of the country which has some nice beaches, beautiful sunsets, and historical and religious monuments for you to enjoy with a Tourist Indian e-visa.
Discover the top places to visit in Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu
Vivekananda Rock Memorial
Vivekananda Rock Memorial is one of the most popular places within Kanyakumari due to its historical significance. It is this exact place where Swami Vivekananda is said to have attained enlightenment and where the goddess Parvati in her unmarried avatar Kanyakumari performed tapas to show her devotion to lord Shiva.
Shripada Mandapam, Vivekananda Mandapam, and Dhyana Mandapam are 3 major structures here. These temples are a great place to immerse yourself in the popular Hindu culture of India. The Indian Ocean behind the temple provides a very serene and calm environment, ideal for meditation and introspection.
The memorial is open from between 7 AM to 5 PM and to visit this memorial, you will need to board a short ferry trip to the island where the memorial is located.
Padmanabhapuram Palace
The Padmanabhapuram Palace is one of India's best displays of expert craftsmanship possessed by the mediaeval kingdoms in the past. This palace is Asia's largest wooden palace filled with many beautiful carvings of murals on its walls and floors. The palace these days is maintained by the Kerala Government and has heavy tourist activity for almost the entire year.
All of this combined makes Padmanabhapuram Palace, an excellent choice for those who wish to immerse themselves in the rich culture and history of Kanyakumari. Conveniently, the palace has many restaurants and hotels close by due to its popularity; so, you will always have a resting place nearby.
To reach this place, you will need to take a bus to Thuckalai from Thamapnoor and board an auto to reach the palace. Remember that the palace is open only from 9 AM-4:30 PM.
Thiruvalluvar Statue
Acting as a tribute to the great Tamil poet Thiruvalluvar, this statue is one of the most interesting places to visit in Kanyakumari. The dimensions of this statue have been inspired by the famous Tamil text of Tirukkural, written by Thiruvalluvar himself.
The pedestal on which this statue rests is exactly 38 ft. tall which symbolizes the 38 chapters of virtue within the classical text and the statue itself is 133 ft. tall which symbolizes the overall 133 chapters present in the text. Coupled with the fact that the statue is located in the middle of the sea, it makes for one of the most fascinating places to visit in Kanyakumari.
The statue can be visited between 8 AM to 4 PM and to reach the statue's location, you will need to board a ferry from Vivekananda Puram.
Thanumalayan Temple
This temple is one of the most unique places in the world because it is the only temple that worships the holy trinity in Hindu culture at once. The temple is also known as Sthanumalayan Temple.
The temple complex is also the house of the tallest statue of Lord Hanuman at about 22 feet tall and 4 musical pillars at about 18m in height which make soothing sounds upon being touched. Thanumalayan Temple is a must-visit place in Kanyakumari for anyone who wishes to immerse themselves in one of the most iconic places for Hindu followers.
Thanumalayan Temple is open in 2 shifts with the first one between 4:30 AM to 11:30 AM and 5 PM to 8:30 PM.
Bhagavathy Amman Temple
Bhagavathy Amman Temple is one of the most revered temples in the city of Kanyakumari. The temple is built on one of the 51 Shakti Peethas within the country. Shaktipeethas are locations where the body parts of the goddess Sati fell when her lifeless body was being carried by lord Shiva.
The temple houses a large statue of goddess Kanyakumari which gives the place a very spiritual and calming environment. Legends also claim that lord Parshuram, one of the 10 avatars of lord Vishnu also blessed this temple.
Bhagavathy Amman Temple is open in two shifts with the first one between 4:30 AM to 12:30 AM and the second shift between 4 PM to 8 PM. The temple is only 3 Km away from the center of the city so, walking or taking an auto-rickshaw is ideal to visit this place.
Our Lady of Ransom Church
If you wish to visit one of the most unique churches in the world, Our Lady of Ransom Church is an ideal place for you. The church is famous for having a statue of Mother Mary wearing a saree. The church also has 7 doors which are meant to represent the 7 holy fruits.
The church has beautiful architecture which looks great during the daytime, but also has many lights fit into it which are turned on during the night which makes the church look even better.
If you wish to visit Our Lady of Ransom Church then you can take a taxi to its location.
Triveni Sangam
The name of this place describes it the best as Triveni means three and Sangam means union in the Sanskrit language. This place is the meeting point of 3 water bodies which are the Indian Ocean, the Bay of Bengal, and the Arabian Sea. The waters of this place are considered holy and thus it is recommended that every tourist takes a dip in its holy water.
Coupled with the fact that it provides an excellent view of the Thiruvalluvar Statue and the Vivekananda Rock Memorial and it's beautiful sunset view in the afternoon makes it a very popular choice for honeymoon travels in India.
You can travel to this spot through an auto-rickshaw at any time.
Courtallam Falls
Courtallam Falls is a mesmerizing waterfall of about 160 m in height. This waterfall is a combination of several smaller waterfalls to create one large waterfall. The waterfall is a famous place for movie directors to shoot scenes for their films and has been featured in many of South India's famous movies.
If you wish to witness this amazing waterfall, simply board a bus or taxi to its location.
Thirparappu Falls
Thirparappu Falls is one of the most enjoyable places to visit in Kanyakumari. This place not only houses a 50 m tall waterfall that looks gorgeous but also just below it is a pool that you are allowed to swim in.
The pools are also surrounded by dense forests which make the entire experience very enjoyable. There is also a very popular temple of lord Shiva near the entrance for you to check out. Thirparappu Falls is open to tourists between 7 AM to 6 PM and can be reached via taxi.
Cape Comorin Beach
Cape Comorin Beach is one of the most beautiful places in Kanyakumari. This beach has clear blue skies and also is a meeting point for 3 water bodies which are the Indian Ocean, the Bay of Bengal, and the Arabian Sea.
You can even tell the difference between all three water bodies since all of them have separate shades of color blue and the waters don't mix.
If you wish to reach this place, you can take an auto-rickshaw or taxi between 9 AM to 6 PM.
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