Kanyakumari is a fascinating place. It is a tiny dot on the map of India, and the place is very small. But marks the end of the Indian peninsula, and I literally felt at the edge of India from here.
Ours was a short 2 day journey from Bangalore. It can be combined easily with a Kerala trip as Thiruvananthapuram is just a 2 hours drive from here. It can also be combined with Madurai and Rameshwaram which are 4-5 hours away by road.
But we just wanted a short weekend trip, and reaching here is very convenient as regular buses and trains run from Bangalore.
What to Do in Kanyakumari
There are several things to do in Kanyakumari.
1. Vivekananda Rock Memorial & Thiruvalluvar Statue(Ferry Ride)
A 10 minute ferry ride from the main land will take you to Vivekananda Rock Memorial in the middle of the sea. It is said that Swami Vivekananda swam here from the mainland and meditated on this rock for 3 days to gain enlightenment.
The ferry does not stop at Thiruvalluvar Statue, but allows you a closer glimpse(grab the window seats on the ferry!).
Price of Ferry: Rs. 75 for normal and Rs. 350 for special tickets per person. Ferry is common but the line is shorter for special tickets. Do not visit here on a weekend or a public holiday. Budget atleast 3 hours from getting the tickets to coming back.
2. Bhagwati Amman Temple
Bhagawati Amman Temple is one of the 108 Shaktipeeths and houses the goddess in the form of a "Kanya", hence the name Kanyakumari.
3. Triveni Sangam
This is the point where the Arabian Sea, Indian Ocean and Bay of Bengal meet. It is a beautiful view point, and worth visiting. The small red flag marks the end of the Indian peninsula
4. Kanyakumari Pier
In Kanyakumari, you will see a line of rocks stretching into the ocean. The best part is you can actually walk on this "sea walk". It is one of the best sunrise points, but we went at sunset when the weather was cool, and it was so tranquil.
5. Watch the Sunrise & Sunset
We were not able to do this as it was cloudy, but sunrise and sunset from the same place is in itself an amazing experience(view points are different), and Kanyakumari boasts one of the most beautiful sunrises and sunsets of the country.
6. Other places to visit
The Lighthouse and circular watch tower are at a walkable distance from most places. The lighthouse has a lift for going to the top.
Gandhi Mandapam is a memorial for Mahatma Gandhi and his ashes were kept here in an urn for the public to pay homage before it was immersed in the Kanyakumari sea.
Vattakottai fort or Circular fort is an 18th Century fort which is around 7 km from the town. It commands beautiful views of the sea.
Padmanabhapuram Palace is a wooden palace belonging to the former kingdom of Travancore. It is around 40 km from Kanyakumari.
Suchindram Temple is a beautiful ancient temple situated on the road to Nagercoil around 20 km from Kanyakumari. It has an idol of Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh- all three Gods together. It also has a huge statue of lord Hanuman. We visited it on our way back to Nagercoil station from Kanyakumari
Food
South Indian comfort food like idli and dosa is easily available. We also had some seafood, and non-veg food. Best restaurant is The Curry near Gopinatham Grand Hotel. We also went to the Ocean Restaurant which boasts awe-inspiring views but it is a bit costly and the food is a tad underwhelming for the price you pay.
Stay
We stayed at Hotel Samudra, which is just 200m from the ferry point, 200m from the Bhagwati Amman Temple and 500m from Triveni Sangam. There is no in-house restaurant. It is a budget hotel but we took their best room and got a wonderful view from the hotel. If you want to view sunrise from your hotel, this is a good option.
How To Reach
From Bangalore, Kanyakumari is connected by buses and trains. Nearest airport is Thiruvananthapuram(90km) or Madurai(240 km)
The driving distance between Bangalore and Kanyakumari is around 660km and takes around 12 hours.
We took a train from Bangalore(SMVT) to Nagercoil which is around 20 km from Kanyakumari. From there we took an auto to Kanyakumari which cost around Rs 350. While coming back auto cost around 450 plus Rs. 200 for visiting Suchindram temple. Taxis are also easily available for Rs. 400-500.
Our Itinerary
We reached Kanyakumari from Nagercoil at around 8.30 in the morning, and had breakfast in a small eatery. We stood in line for ferry tickets but the line was never-ending(being a Sunday) so we dropped the idea and went to rest.
We had lunch at Ocean Restaurant and got treated to beautiful views. After that we rested for a while and in the evening, we went to the temple(outside only), Triveni Sangam, watched the circular watch tower from far. We didn't go to sunset point as it was cloudy. Instead we went to Kanyakumari Pier(a must do activity I feel).
We watched the sunrise from our room(again, it was cloudy so no proper sunrise). After that we went for early morning ferry ride to Vivekanada rock memorial. It was almost 12 by the time we came back so we skipped breakfast and had a sumptuous lunch at The Curry. After lunch we took another walk towards Triveni Sangam, saw Gandhi Mandapam from outside and did some street shopping. Finally we boarded auto to take us to Nagercoil Railway Station. We visited Suchindram Temple on the way to Nagercoil.
Thus, the short weekend trip came to an end. There are many beaches around as well which we didn't explore due to paucity of time. It is best for 1-2 nights short break, and the southernmost point of the Indian peninsula definitely deserves a spot on your itinerary.
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