Ecotourism is becoming a hit these days and definitely why not?! Travelling to some pristine destination, learning about the exotic biodiversities and encouraging the conservation of nature is worth all the time in the world. After all, it is Mother Nature that protects us and we must make sure to conserve it.
Kerala is rightly called "God's own country" and with its lush greenery spread across the state, it makes one realise about conserving nature and wildlife. In a one-of-its-kind initiative, the hill of Thenmala has been developed into an ecotourism spot in Kerala.
Thenmala is a hill station located in the Kollam district. It is around 22 km from the town of Punalur. As of now, it is one of the mesmerising offbeat tourist places to visit in Kerala. Thenmala is around 70 km from the capital city of Thiruvananthapuram and often serves as one of the weekend getaways from the city.
Aren't you excited to see such a beautiful place? Here is the photo tour of Thenmala in Kerala.
Significance of the Name
In Malayalam, 'Then' means honey and 'Mala' means hill; it is said that the honey collected in this region is very tasty and unique due to its ecosystem.
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One of its Kind
Thenmala is one of the first planned ecotourist destinations in India. It is managed by the Themala Ecotourism Promotional Society, a part of the Government of Kerala.
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Tourist Places in Thenmala
Thenmala tourism is divided into 3 major zones, namely Culture Zone, Leisure Zone and Adventure Zone. Apart from this, Thenmala dam and reservoir, Palaruvi falls, Shenduruny Wildlife Sanctuary and Thenmala bridge are some of the top tourist attractions in this place.
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Thenmala Dam
Thenmala Dam is an irrigation dam that is built across the Kallada river. It is one of the top tourist attractions in Thenmala.
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Palaruvi Waterfalls
Palaruvi falls is one of the beautiful waterfalls that is around 14 km from Thenmala. Palaruvi in Malayalam means 'the stream of milk'; this is one of the beautiful waterfalls in Kerala.
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Thenmala Railway Bridge
Thenmala railway bridge was constructed during the time of British in 1904. Today, this railway line connects Kollam to Punalur. This arch-bridge is one of the major attractions of Thenmala tourism.
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Tourist Zones
The Adventure Zone offers different activities like trekking, mountain biking, etc., whereas the Culture Zone educates you more about the Kerala culture. The Leisure Zone is created for a leisure time, the sway bridge is located in this zone.
PC: Mohanraj Kolathapilly
How to Reach Thenmala
By Bus: There are Government buses from Thiruvananthapuram and Kollam to reach Thenmala.
By Train: Thenmala Railway Station is the nearest station.
By Air: Thiruvananthapuram Airport is the nearest airport to Thenmala.
PC: Kerala Tourism