Deriving its name from Anantha, the thousand-headed serpent of Hindu mythology, Thiruvananthapuram or Trivandrum was once a part of the Travancore kingdom with its capital at Padmanabhan, now a part of Tamil Nadu. Tiruvananthpuram's pagoda-shaped buildings, the red tiled roofs and the narrow winding lanes show traits of old Kerala.

Thiruvananthapuram is, decidedly, one of the cleaner and well-planned cities of the country. The city's scenic appeal, its enchanting beaches, and overwhelming greenery only add to its uniqueness. It embodies the magical feel of Kerala, as a whole, and lends terrific insight into the culture of the state. The red-tiled roofs, the never-ending stretches of palm trees, the maze of narrow, winding streets and above all, the sea, make for a fascinating mixture. There is an element of understated and effortless elegance about the city, which leaves a lasting impression on the visitor.

The area of historical interest in the city is the Fort, at the southern end of M.G.Road, which encloses the famous Shri Padmanabhaswamy Vishnu Temple. The fort gateway leads to the temple, which is surprisingly enough, in the Dravidian style of architecture, typical of Tamil Nadu. The temple is dedicated, to the presiding deity of Thiruvananthapuram, Lord Vishnu. A Maharaja of Travancore constructed it, in 1733. The temple is open only to Hindus. The city derives its name from this temple, as the deity i.e. Lord Vishnu, is shown as reclining on his serpent, Anantha.

The Napier Museum
The Napier Museum is housed in a striking building, and has a good collection of bronzes, ivory carvings, ancient musical instruments and life-size figures of Kathakali dancers. The art collection at the Sri Chitra Art Gallery contains paintings of the Mughal, Tanjore and Rajput schools and a special section, devoted exclusively to the paintings of Raja Ravi Varma. There are, also, works of art from China, Bali, Tibet and Japan. The Zoological Gardens are, said to be, among the most well planned zoos in Asia. The Botanical Garden within the zoo houses specimens of almost every tropical tree existing. The Observatory, located on the highest point of the city, is one of the impressive architectural landmarks of Thiruvananthapuram.

Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple
This 260-year-old temple dedicated to Padmanabha, an incarnation of Vishnu covers an area of 2400 sq. m. Its main entrance, the 30 m high eastern gopuram has been built in Dravidian style. The inner sanctum has the deity reclining on the sacred serpent. Although the temple is open only to Hindus visitors are occasionally allowed in if the women are wearing a sari and men a dhoti.

Kasaragod
About 20 km north of Bekal and 47 km south of Mangalore is a small fort at Chandragiri. This seventeenth century temple is built by Shivappa Nayaka. The Sri Gopalakrishna Yakshagana Bombeyata Sangha performance troupe based at Kasaragod arranges presentation of their puppetry art, Yakshagana, for groups of five or more, if given a week's notice.

Around Thiruvananthapuram
A short distance away from the city's airport is the Veli Lagoon, a serene tourist village by the side of a beautiful lagoon. It, also, has an exciting range of aqua sports facilities to offer.

15 km away from the city is the famous Kovalam beach. It ranks amongst one of the loveliest beaches in the world. This sheltered bay is ideal for surfing, swimming and sunbathing. Other facilities include Yoga, Ayurvedic massage and water-sports.

29 km from the city is Neyyar Dam, which houses a mini wildlife sanctuary, and a crocodile farm. Additional attractions, in the form of boating facilities and trekking opportunities, make this spot a favorite with tourists.

61 km from Thiruvananthapuram, and 3000 feet above sea level, is the idyllic hamlet of Ponmudi. A popular weekend getaway with the local people, it boasts of a complex of attractive cottages, and unlimited trekking routes across the sylvan hills, that embraces it.

Kollam, 66 km from the city, was the ancient port of the state that received ships from all over the world. The region also houses the Astamudi Lake, ancient churches, the Thirumullavaram beach and some Hindu shrines. Backwater cruises to Allapuzha can be organized from here.

Festivals
The festival that the entire city anticipates with great enthusiasm is Onam, which marks Kerala's New Year and harvest season, and comes around in August-September. The other spectacular event that transfigures the entire city is Thrissur Pooram, the annual temple festival.