Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum)

Built on seven low hills and cleansed by ocean breezes, Kerala's capital is surprisingly calm and pleasant, with wide avenues and some rather baronial buildings, a legacy of colonial times. Thiruvananthapuram's few sights and quiet lanes outside the town center make it an enjoyable place to spend part of a day or so, to have lunch, see a few landmarks, and shop a bit. Most leisure travelers decide to base themselves in any of the better-located hotels in Kovalam and then just make a visit to Thiruvananthapuram.