Top 10 Reasons for Visiting South India

South India consists of Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Tamil Nadu, and has a distinct culture of its own. This part of India is rich in history, historical monuments, palm fringed beaches, wildlife, spiritual and cultural activities. Visiting this stunning land is an important part of any visitor to India.

South India lies in the shape of a vast inverted triangle in the peninsular Deccan plateau and is bounded by three seas - Arabian Sea in the west, Indian Ocean in the south and theBay of Bengal in the east. Nature has endowed South India, especially Kerala, with a lavish sprinkling of all things beautiful.

South India was ruled by many dynasties in the past and many of them have left behind rich heritage monuments of magnificent temples like Madurai Meenakshi temple, Belur and Halebid temples, Hampi temples, world's largest monolithic temple, and Mosques and Churches and forts and palaces of excellent craftsmanship for the modern Indians to be proud of.

Many of the best hill stations of the world are in South India, like Munnar, Ooty, Kodaikanal, Horsely Hills and Coorg (Kodagu), attracting tourists from all over the world to enjoy a memorable vacation

South India is a land of colorful festivals. Some of them are connected with the seasons called harvest festivals, and some others are temple festivals and cultural festivals. Each religion has their own festivals and some festivals are celebrated by all, irrespective of religions.

The lush green vegetation and moist deciduous forests of the Western Ghats are home to a wide variety of flora and fauna. Some of the most famous wildlife sanctuaries of India are in South India like Periyar National Park, Silent Valley National Park, Nagarjunasagar-Srisailam Tiger Reserve. South India is also home to numerous migratory birds.

Kerala, fondly called as "God's Own Country" is ornamented with network of backwater canals. Cruising through the emerald backwaters of Kerala on a traditional Kettuvallam (House Boat), it is easy to forget about the trials and tribulations of modern life and enjoy an exciting experience of happiness in the natural surroundings. World famous boat races are conducted here on the Vembanad lake.

The world's second largest beach, Marina Beach at Chennai, is in South India stretching 13 kms of beach drive. Apart from this, many well known and less known sandy and palm fringed beaches with heavenly beauty, in the long coastline of Arabian Sea, attract tourists from all parts of the world to South India.

Some of the most beautiful and soaring waterfalls are in South India, like Hogenakal, Athirapalli, Palaruvi, Ethipothala, Kundala, Jog falls, Kuttalam and Shivasamundram. These spectacular waterfalls add beauty to this land and are a feast to eyes of the tourists.

Ayurveda is an ancient system of health care, originated from India. Ayurveda is widely practiced in South India since time immemorial. Many diseases are cured through ayurvedic treatments. Ayurveda also helps to prevent sickness and maintain good health. People come from all over the world for rejuvenation and restoring health through ayurvedic therapy, combined with a vacation to South India.

India has emerged as a popular place for Medical Tourism. The southern part of India too has many allopathic and ayurvedic hospitals providing world class medical treatment, which is cheaper and affordable and also fast. Since the expenses for such treatments are cheaper in India, the patients can also enjoy a vacation with the money saved. Such a medical vacation provides them leisure, fun and relaxation together with wellness and healthcare.