TRAVEL
INFRASTRUCTURE
Access
to Kerala is no longer as difficult as in the ancient days of the spice-trade.
Trivandrum is now an international airport with services from Sri Lanka, the
Maldives and the Gulf touching here directly. Domestic Services use the Thiruvananthapuram
and Kochi hubs as the main entry points, as do the railways. Transport within
the state is provided by a network of slow trains, or by coaches and taxis playing
between major tourist destinations. Visitors will find that at least one journey
by ountry-boats through the bakcwaters can be a very relaxing experience.
Accomodation of excellent standards exists in most tourist centers. This can
range from the colonial hotels of Thekkady to more personilized ones of smaller
towns like Alappuzha; and from deluxe hotels in Kochi to among the finest beach
resorts as at Kovalam. In even the smallest tourist-town, at least basic, clean
accomodation is assured. Besides privately-run hotels, there is also a network
of KTDC.
The best shopping and medical facilities are to be found in Trivandrum and Cochin,
however, even the smaller towns would have the rudimentry facilities and services
expected by tourists such as souvenir shops, post offices, medical assistance
and local transport.
