Thiruvananthapuram has a number of places for a tourist to enjoy. They are :

• Museum, Gallery & Zoo
• Shri Padmanabhaswamy Temple
• Palace Museum
• Padmanabhapuram Palace
• Vijnana Kala Vedi Centre
• Temples
• Churches
• Mosques

Museum, Gallery & Zoo
          These are all in the same area, in the park at the north end of the city. The Zoo is open daily except Monday from 9am to 5pm and the other two daily except Monday between 10am and 5pm. Entry to the museum costs Rs 1, and it is Rs 2 to the others. Housed in an attractive building, the Napier Museum has a good collection of bronzes, historical and contemporary ornaments, temple carts, ivory carvings and life-size figures of Kathakalli dancers in full regalia. The Science & Industry Museum is not that interesting unless you are a high-school science student.

The Natural History Museum has a rudimentary ethnographic collection as well as an interesting replica of a Nayar wooden house built in the Keralan style. On display at the Sri Chitra Art Gallery are paintings of the Rajput, Mughal and Tanjore schools, together with works from China, Tibet, Japan and Bali. There are also many modern Indian paintings, especially those of Ravi Varma. Although the Zoological Gardens are among the best laid-out zoos in Asia, set amongst woodland, lakes and very well-maintained lawns, some of the animal enclosures are still miserable. The zoo's botanical garden includes examples of almost every tropical tree.

Shri Padmanabhaswamy Temple
          This temple, thought to be the 'presiding deity' of Thiruvananthapuram, is dedicated to Vishnu, who reclines on the sacred serpent. It was constructed in the Dravidian style by a maharaja of Travancore in 1733. Only Hindus are allowed inside, and even they have to wear a special dhoti or sari. Still , it's worth visiting - even if you're just passing through town - to see the temple's seven-storey carved gopuram reflected in the nearby sacred tank. Constructed in the Dravidian style by a maharaja of Travancore in 1733. Ananda, which gives Thiruvnthapuram its name.

Palace Museum
          The recently opened Puthen Maliga Palace Museum, adjacent to the temple, is housed in several wings of the palace of the Maharajas of Travancore. Notable most;y for its wonderful Keralan architecture, the museum also offers a rare glimpse into the formal and private lives of one of India's most celebrated royal families. It's open from 8.30 am to 12.30 pm and from 3 to 5.30 pm; entry is Rs 5.

Padmanabhapuram Palace
          Although actually in Tamil Nadu, this fine palace is easily visited from Thiruvananthapuram or Kanyakumari. It was once the seat of the rulers of Travancore, a princely state for over 400 years which included a large part of present-day Kerala and the western littoral of Tamil Nadu. The palace is superbly constructed of local teak and granite and stands within the massive stone town walls which kept Tipu Sultan at bay in the 18th century. The architecture is exquisite, with ceilings carved in floral patterns, windows laid with jewel-coloured mica, floors finished to a high polish with a special compound of crushed shells and coconuts, eggwhite and the juices of local plants. The 18th-century murals in the puja room on the upper floors are in an excellent state of preservation, surpassing even those at Mattancherry in Kochi - ask at the curator's office for special access.
          With its banqueting halls, audience chamber, women's quarters, recruiting courtyard, cool, louvered galleries and many other features, the palace is a must for anyone visiting this part of the country. The palace is closed on Mondays. To get there, you can either catch a local bus from Thiruvananthapuram or take one of the Kanyakumari tours organised by the Kerala Tourist Development Corporation.

Vijnana Kala Vedi Centre
          If you'd like Indian arts under expert supervision in a village setting, it's worth considering taking one of the courses offered at the Vijnana Kala Vedi Centre at Aranmula, a village 12km from Changannua (which is about halfway between Thiruvananthapuram and Kochi). Main subjects include: Kathakali, Mohiniattam and Bharata Natyam (of Tamil Nadu) dancing, Karnatic vocal music, percussion instruments, woodcarving, mural painting, Keralan cooking, languages, kaulams, Kalaripayat, ayurvedic medicine, mythology, astrology and religion. You can put your own course together and stay as long as you like, though they prefer people who will stay a minimum of one month. Fees, which include full board and lodging, and two subjects of study.

Temples