Kanyakumari Tourism

Kanyakumari is a coastal town in the state of Tamil Nadu on India's southern tip. Jutting into the Laccadive Sea, the town was known as Cape Comorin during British rule and is popular for watching sunrise and sunset over the ocean. It's also a noted pilgrimage site thanks to its Bagavathi Amman Temple, dedicated to a consort of Shiva, and its Our Lady of Ransom Church, a center of Indian Catholicism.

Kanyakumari has been a great centre for art and religion for centuries. It was also an area of great trade and commerce. It was ruled by Cholas, Pandyas and Nayaks. Later on, Kanyakumari came under the rule of the Venad dynasty and its capital was located at Padmanabhapuram. In spite of the troubles encountered in the southern border of Venad, Marthanda Varma expanded the kingdom northwards to Aluva and established the kingdom of Travancore. In 1745, the capital was shifted from Padmanabhapuram to Thiruvananthapuram. Kanyakumari was ruled by the kings of Travancore, under the authority of the British, till India's independence in 1947, after that it became a part of the independent Indian Union.

This is a popular tourist place and a place of great natural beauty. The city gets its name from the Hindu goddess Kanyakumari who was also known as Kumari Amman. Swami Vivekananda is said to have been lived here for a while and meditated. It is situated at the confluence of Bay of Bengal, Arabian Sea and Indian Ocean. This place offers marvelous Sunset and Sunrise views. It is the only place in India where one can enjoy the unique spectacle of Sunset and Moonrise simultaneously on full moon days.
Kanyakumari is held in high regards by the Hindus owing to its scared temples. One of the main attractions in Kanyakumari is the Kumari Amman Temple. Considered as one of the Shakti Peethas, this temple attracts large number of devotees every year. The Vivekananda Rock Memorial, Gandhi Memorial, Thiruvalluvar Statue, Padmanabhapuram Palace, Suchindram, Pechiparai Reservoir, Vattakottai Fort, St Xavier's Church and Udayagiri Fort are the places to see in Kanyakumari. Some of the popular beaches near Kanyakumari are Thengapattinam Beach, Sanguthurai Beach and Chothavilai Beach.

Trivandrum Airport is the nearest airport, which is about 97 km from Kanyakumari. Kanyakumari is also connected by rail with cities like Chennai, Bangalore, Mumbai and Jammu. It has good bus connectivity with Trivandrum, Madurai, Trichy, Tirunelveli, Pondicherry, Kochi, Chennai, Bangalore and Tirunelveli. The Chaitra Poornima Festival, Navratri, and the Holy Annual Festival of the Catholic Church are some of the major festivals celebrated in Kanyakumari. Kathakali is the most popular traditional dance form in this region. Best time to visit Kanyakumari is from October to March while the peak season is from November to February. Usually it takes one full day to visit Kanyakumari.