Must see places around Trivandrum (Thiruvananthapuram)

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