Dotting the southern coastline is the land of intrinsic natural beauty. Alappuzha, known as Alleppey is the hub of Kerala’s backwaters, taking credit to a vast network of canals and lagoons. It is famous for its soothing houseboat in Alleppey cruises on the rustic backwaters. This honeymoon getaway gets the title ‘Venice of the East’ due to the many shopping stalls lining the streets with the river and canal backdrop. Be sure to attend the annual Snake Boat Race, a thrilling experience. The city is well known for its beaches, temples, criss crossed rivers and ayurvedic wellness centres. The houseboats coupled with the tropical villages makes the place worth a visit.

The most sought after tourist destination in South India is the mystic town of Munnar. The name comes from the confluence of the 3 rivers in the Western Ghats range. It is an exquisite hill station favoured by globe trotters due to its never ending tea plantations and cool climate. The picture perfect town in God’s Own Country gives tranquility with its aromatic plantations and peaceful ambience. The sprawling natural resort has gushing falls, rolling hills and pristine valleys, with soothing greenery and picnic spots. It is a haven for shopaholics with rich spices and souvenirs. This blissful location has everything to keep you entertained.

Search for the French flavours in India will take you to this beautiful city of Puducherry, locally known as Pondicherry. The old French territory holds the impact of colonisation with beautiful French architectures and delicious food. Pondicherry boasts of tremendous scenic beauty, portrayed by mesmerising and impressive beaches. The older part of Pondicherry is a intense contrast to the common South Indian culture and gives you different feel than the surrounding South Indian cities. This tiny French part of Pondicherry is crafted with small houses, hotels, cafes, street-side shops selling an alternate world of French to the Indians.

Popularly known as the ‘Scotland of India’, Coorg is one of the most quaint hill stations in Karnataka. Also known as Kodagu, this hill station near Bangalore lure tourists all over the globe. The nearest city to Coorg is Mysore and the base station is Madikeri. Although the weather in Coorg remains pleasant throughout the year, October-June is the best time to visit Coorg. Being the largest producer of coffee in India, rich aroma of coffee will surely engulf your senses. From cultural sites to beautiful landscapes, there are dozens of places to visit in Coorg. It includes Namdroling Monastery, Nagarhole National Park, Golden Temple and many more. River rafting, angling and trekking are some of the many, offered activities in Coorg. This bird watching paradise is a must visit for all nature buffs and the perfect relaxation getaway for the weekend.

Ooty, also called Udhagamandalam, is a small hill town located 80 km north of Coimbatore, at an altitude of 2240 meters above sea level. It is situated on Nilgiri Hills, it is the most popular hill station in South India with picturesque landscapes, babbling streams and tea plantations. The fir, pine and eucalyptus vegetation and the scenic beauty not only enchants you but also offers solitude. Being a weekend gateway since the colonial era, it is well connected by all kinds of transport. It has a subtropical highland climate which keeps the weather pleasant. The area is a blend of colonial charm and traditional culture with landscaped vistas, a true paradise on Earth.

Wayanad, the green paradise is nestled among the mountains of the Western Ghats, forming the border world of the greener part of Kerala. Clean and pristine, enchanting and hypnotizing, this land is filled with history and culture. Wayanad was formed by carving out areas from Kozhikode and Kannur districts. Wayanad has the highest number of tribals in Kerala, who have their own dance styles including famous fire dance. A major portion of the district is covered by coffee.

The history of the district is inevitably intertwined with the history of the city of Kozhikode. The district has a generally humid climate with a very hot season extending from March to May. The rainy season is during the South West Monsoon, which sets in the first week of June and extends up to September.

Located on a tiny island and considered to be the devotional gateway of India is the town of Rameshwaram. It has also gained popularity as the birthplace of the late scientist and former president Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam. A prominent pilgrim centre, the town has rich religious values with a scene and historical backdrop. Hindu mythology has it that the holy abode possesses one of the 12 Jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva. Boasting of a medieval Dravidian style of architecture, the town has grand prakaras with beautiful sculptures. The Ramanathaswamy temple has the pride of housing the longest corridor in the world. The sacred waters are where the pilgrims take a dip to be rid of their sins. The prominent Hanuman Temple and Agnitheertham are mandatory places of visit.

Kovalam means a grove of coconut trees and true to its name the village offers an endless sight of coconut trees. It is a beach town by the Arabian Sea in Thiruvananthapuram city, Kerala, India, located around 16 km from the city center. Kovalam has three beaches separated by rocky outcroppings in its 17 km coastline, the three together form the famous crescent of the Kovalam beach.

A coastal beauty in the South Indian peninsula is the renowned town of Kanyakumari. It is the southern most point in India and also known as Cape Comorin. It is a famous pilgrim centre and beach resort with lots of adventure activities. Alluring to the eyes are the pristine beaches with the mesmerising sunrise and sunset to keep you amazed. It has a commendable heritage of art, religion and tradition. The reddish shades of the sky at dawn and dusk are spectacular scenes at the confluence of the Indian Ocean, Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal, attracting tourists from round the world. Come spoil yourself in this ideal weekend getaway of fun and tranquillity with your near and dear ones.

A charming hill station resting in nature’s lap is Kodaikanal. The name translates to ‘The Gift of the Forest’. The granite cliffs, valleys and amazing lake make the place a popular weekend getaway along with it being a famous honeymoon destination. It has panoramic landscape with the dense forests. Also known as the Princess of Hill Stations, the misty and chill weather and wooden forests will leave you in a state of tranquility. You can enjoy trekking, horse riding, boating in the artificial lake at the heart of the city or simply enjoy the romance in the air with your loved ones. This quaint hill resort needs to be ticked off every traveller's bucket list.

One of history’s most intriguing mysteries is the ancient portside town of Mamallapuram, which is now a major resort town with historical monuments. Widely known as Mahabalipuram, the historic city is a World Heritage Site coming under UNESCO, a hotspot of art, culture and literature. It is also known as the Temple Town with 9 ancient temples of remarkable architecture. The Shore Temple, Arjuna’s Penance and the beaches are a must visit locations to be on your bucket list. The swaying trees, slippery silver sand and crafts makes it a fascinating tourist spot. The richness and beauty of the city along with its grandeur is sure to intoxicate any tourist visiting the Mahabs.

Sitting above the southern plains, smaller and quieter than other hill stations is Coonoor. It is the second largest hill station in NIlgiri Hills at 1930m. Coonoor is a blissful destination to get a panoramic view of the surrounding hills and falls. It is a dream come true location due to its colonial culture and amazing scenery. The rolling hills and plantations in Coonoor with dewdrops covered tea leaves ensures that you are left enchanted. Admiring the mist covered peaks and gushing falls with aromatic fragrances tingling your nose buds will leave your hair on edge. Coonoor is an ethereal haven of bliss will keep you engrossed in the flavours of fun and calm.

A popular tourist haven nestled in the Kerala waters is the serene village of Kumarakonam. Located amidst a bounty of coconut groves and scenic calm hues, the visitors will be fascinated by the blue hue lapping the houseboats. The cluster of little islands is an enchanting backwater resort. Laced with canals and houseboats, the vibrant countryside is an ornithologist’s paradise with flocks of migratory birds. The experience of the ride in the kettuvallams translating to the houseboats, admiring the scenic backdrop will rob your heart. The radiant landscape, dancing palm trees and verdant boats gives you the quintessential vacation that you have been yearning for.

In Kannada, Kudremukha means ‘horse’s face’ and the place gets its name from a peak that resembles the face of a horse. There are dense forests around the town and wildlife spotting is popular, even though the forest cover makes it difficult to spot animals easily. You need to go deep in the jungle to catch a glimpse of the wildlife. The trekking trails through dense forests and tropical riverbeds with varying degrees of difficulty, attract those seeking an adrenaline rush. You can see rare orchids and enjoy the fresh mountain air as you explore the grassland.

From the town of Nenmara in Palakkad district, the cloud-caressed peaks of the majestic Nelliyampathy hill ranges are a sight to behold. The height of the hills ranges from 467 m to 1572 m. To reach Nelliyampathy, one has to take the road starting from Nenmara that proceeds to the Pothundy Dam. There are about 10 hairpin bends that have to be negotiated on the way to Nelliyampathy. The Pothundy Dam is a picturesque locale with facilities for boating and is a nice option as a picnic place. As the Ghat road winds its way up to Nelliyampathy, at certain places there are viewpoints from where the vast stretches of Palakkad district are visible with its extensive paddy fields forming a verdant carpet. It also offers a splendid view of the Palakkad Gap, which is a geographical phenomenon in the Western Ghats formation in this region, bringing into view, parts of the adjoining State of Tamil Nadu.

Vagamon is not just any other verdant spot. Of course, you can get grassy hills, velvet lawns and cool mountain air in many other places but not the Vagamon kind; not just this exciting blend of religious mysticism and European legacy. Like a lot of other beautiful things in life, Vagamon too has to be experienced, not read about or its stories merely listened to. What you’ve got to do is get yourself some means of transport, head straight for Idukki district and then on to Vagamon. Once there, try taking off your shoes, closing your eyes and just listening to Vagamon. And when you’re through with the mystic getting to know session, you could take a trek across the chain of three hills – the Thangal hill, the Murugan hill and the Kurisumala, important for Muslims, Hindus and Christians respectively. And don’t miss the nice, little dairy farm of the Kurisumala monks.

Yercaud is a hill station situated on the Shevaroys Hills of the Eastern Ghats, located in Salem District of Northern Tamil Nadu. The abundance of trees that happened to be near the lake made the locals to name this area as Yeri – Kaadu meaning Lake Forest. Later on, the name turned out to be Yercaud. It is popularly known as ‘Jewel of the South’. Yercaud region, includes the predominantly short and rocky hills that welcomes all travellers with its cool climate & pleasant surroundings. Scenically, it is an enchanting hill station with trekking as the most enjoyable way to spend time along friends and family. The popular points of interest here are Yercaud Lake, Killiyur Falls, Pagoda Point, Bear’s Cave etc.

The island village is a tourism destination where one can see the coir retting process, coir weaving, fishing, prawns feeding, migratory bird watch, narrow canals and waterways, coconut farms on the lake shore, lagoons, mangrove plants and the beautiful tiny islands of Pothupara. Kallada Boat Race, which is one of the famous boat races in Kerala, is at Karuvathrakadavu- Muthiraparambu nettayam in Munroethuruth. Munroe Island is located at the confluence of Ashtamudi Lake and the Kallada River, in Kollam district, Kerala, South India. It got formed by the backwaters of Ashtamudi Lake and Kallada River. The place is named in honour of Resident Colonel John Munro of the former Princely State of Travancore. He is credited with having integrated several backwater regions by digging canals. District Tourism Promotion Councils, DTPC, Kerala Tourism offers unique country craft cruise at Munroe Island in this typical backwater Island village of Kerala, which provides at true life of Kerala. The island, accessible by road, rail and inland water navigation, is about 25 kilometres (16 mi) from Kollam.

Nestled in the peaks of Vellore is the quaint hill station of Yelagiri, a cluster of 14 beautiful hamlets spread amidst 4 beautiful mountains. The authentic surroundings have a tranquil atmosphere soothing your senses. The alluring vistas has subtle savouriness of fruit foliages tingling your nose buds. The town has attractions from various smaller peaks to nature trails to a manmade lake, Lake Punganoor. It is a paradise for trekking enthusiasts with a number of trek routes to discover and explore. Yelagiri is renowned for the popular paragliding sport. In this free flying sport, you can get a splendid aerial view of Yelagiri. Have a once in a lifetime soaring experience as you touch the skies.