Enjoy your perfect Palakkad picnic in Malampuzha

The south-west monsoon in Kerala draws hundreds of tourists from all over the world to enjoy the scintillating showers that embrace the land. As the annual harvest festival of Onam nears, Malampuzha, one of the major tourist destinations in the state, brims with tourists. The grand flower show organized at the Malampuzha garden plays a significant role in wooing visitors to this land where the striking beauty of nature, art, and aesthetics meet.

The iconic statue of the Malampuzha 'Yakshi,' the beautiful garden, dam, children's park, rock garden, swimming pool, the lotus pond in central fountain are some of the most visited places in Malampuzha. It offers a complete package of fun, frolic and idyllic scenes, and often a group trip to Malampuzha is nothing short of a grand celebration.

Garden-crossing ropeway

It was at Malampuzha where the ropeway was introduced for the first time in Kerala. The rope way across the garden is never missed by the tourists as it offers a mesmerizing over head view of the place. The fifteen-minute ropeway ride begins from the landing station near the dam and ends at the same place. Two persons can ride in a ropeway car, and it is ideal to enjoy the ropeway before entering the garden. The aerial view of the Krishna fountain in the garden and the majestic dam are the highlights of the ride.

'Fish' aquarium

The aquarium, shaped like a giant fish, is in the middle of a fish pond and is a unique spot in Malampuzha. The aquarium has an impressive and varied collection of rare ornamental fish. One can enter the Malampuzha aquarium between 12 noon and 5pm. Time seems to stand still as you gaze at the beautiful fishes in the aquarium. Children find it particularly amazing to see the fishes huddling together when fish food is thrown into the pond.

The Snake Rescue and Rehabilitation centre outside the Malampuzha gardens is a major tourist attraction. The snake park houses a wide variety of snake species from the deadly python to the green vine snake. Russell’s viper, Indian cobras, Malabar pit viper, bronze back tree snake, rat snake, montane trinket snake, double headed snake, sand snake, hump nosed pit viper are some of the snake species found in the snake park in Malampuzha. Besides, the visitors can also see tortoises and an alligators here. As per an 'ophiology' (branch of zoology that deals with snakes) report, there are more than 200 varieties of snakes found in India. The snake park preserves some of the rarest species of snakes in the country.

The rock garden is another major destination which attracts hundreds of tourists every year. The building carved in the shape of a cave has rock statues of hunters, birds, flora and many others. The walls and the surroundings in the garden, exquisitely crafted from hard rocks, is truly an eye catching feature.

'Kanmadam' valley

Aanakkal which lies beyond Malampuzha is abundantly blessed by nature. It was at this picturesque location that noted Malayalam film maker Lohithadas filmed his super hit movie 'Kanmadam.' One can reach the Aanakkal road by travelling two kilometres from the Malampuzha bus stand and then taking a left from the junction near the church.

Tourists began to throng the idyllic Kava ever since the release of Kanmadam in 1995. The visitors love to relax on the beautiful meadows at Kava while enjoying the enchanting sun set beyond the Dhoni ranges.

Earlier the tourists who visited Aanakkal used to extend their trip to the woods where the pristine Kavarakundu waterfall greeted them. However, the tourism has been banned here after a few youngsters lost their lives in its treacherous waters. Kava can be visited during the summer and monsoon seasons, and is an ideal destination for families to enjoy a gala time together. The lush green meadows where animals are seen grazing, the beautiful valley and the clear waters of the vast lake make Kava an alluring destination for travel enthusiasts. The mesmerizing landscapes offer many beautiful frames to take selfies and pictures.

The mesmerizing statue of the 'Yakshi,' the hanging bridge, the garden, and the fountain lure tourists to Malampuzha who vow to return to the serenading charm of the place.

For the Malayali traveller, Malampuzha is a nostalgic destination where sweet memories from the unforgettable school leisure trips to the romantic honeymoon keeps beckoning them back to this enchanting place.