'''Vaikom''' is a town in the Kottayam of Kerala.

Get in

By car

38 min from Cochin.

By bus

Buses and taxis are easily available at all times of the day from Kottayam and Cochin.

By train

'''Vaikom Road''' via Kottayam (15 kilometres)

By plane

Via Cochin International Airport (60km)

Get around

By bus

Vaikom has an excellent local bus service system and it is cheap.

By autorickshaw

This is cheap way of transportation between attractions.

By taxi

Local taxis are also available at cheap rates. There are many car rental companies offering cars with drivers or self drive. Rates are around Rs 7 per km but there are all sorts of extras.

By boat

When you are visiting places like Kumarakom, it's better to opt for boats, as many places in Kuttanad are inaccessible by road.

There are also good ferry services between places that are widely used by the locals, a cheap and scenic way of getting around.

By walk

Many attractions are near by one another so you could walk between them

See

  • '''Vaikom Mahadeva Temple'''
  • '''Lake beach'''
  • '''Murinjupuzha Kerala gramam'''
  • '''Kumarakom bird sanctuary'''
  • '''Kumarakom boating'''
  • '''Thannermukkom Bundu'''
  • '''Pathiramanal'''
  • Do

    Another fun thing to do in Vaikom is to wander through Mahadeva Temple ? the central area of the town. By the year end, the yearly Vaikom temple festival, Vaikothashtamy a lot of crowds and the roads are flooded with people. It is worth checking out the local gold and silver stores there. The silver anklets with bells are very pretty and cheap. There are also road side spice shops.

    Buy

    Eat

    Karikku / ilaneer (tender coconut)

    Sambhaaram (buttermilk), especially on hot summer days

    Fresh toddy from the coconut tree, especially around the Kumarakom area. Take caution as adulteration of the brew is very common. Your best bet would be to get it from a local who has given over his coconut trees for extraction

    '''Vaikom Temple is famous for Prathal (Mid day food offering by individual to others/anybody) and also Annathanam (served by the temple). Having this full fleged meal is very sacred too.'''

    Drink

    Sleep

  • '''Devaswom Guest House'''
  • '''Vaikothappan Tourist Home'''
  • '''Kalakkal Tourist Home'''
  • Get out

    Alappuzha, famous for House Boats, is 30 km away.

    Munnar, a hill resort in Idukki District, is 130 km east. And on the way to Munnar are

    Kallil Temple - an old Jain temple but now a Hindu temple is 53 km from Perumbavoor.

    Kodanadu - Elephant training centre.

    Bhoothathankettu - A Dam, 8 km north east of Kothamangalam.

    Thattekkad - Bird sanctuary near Bhoothathankettu.

    Idukki District is a hilly region with lots of hill resorts. On the way to Idukki are Thommankutthu waterfalls in Idukki District via Muvattupuzha

    Athirappilly waterfalls near Chalakudy, Thrissur

    Thekkady and other places in Idukki

    Kumarakom in Kottayam

    Guruvayoor and Thrissur

    Ooty, Kodaikanal, Yercaud in Tamil Nadu

    Lakshadweep is 5 day (seasonal) cruise from the Cochin port.

    Cherai Beach is some 25 km away from Cochin city near North Paravur and its beautiful with a nice beach and local cousine.