Vizhanjim, India Cruise Port

Located near the international shipping routes in the Thiruvananthapuram metropolitan area, Vizhinjam is a natural port known for its beaches and treatment centers that practice Ayurvedic an Indian alternative to Western medicine. It’s the second largest state in India’s Kerala state and one of the subcontinent’s major trading ports. Trivandrum, the port’s nearest town, is an important IT hub, and it’s also one of the state’s largest research and academic centers. Vizhinjam harbor is home to a wave energy plant that coverts the power in waves to electricity by using oscillating water columns. Beyond the busy fishing and industrial port, the city is made up of pagoda-shaped buildings with red-tiled roofs. Visitors come to see the many Hindu temples, many of which are adorned with outstanding sculptures depicting various deities. There are also ten Kerala cave temples, some of which enshrine lingams or symbols of divine energy, particularly the god Shiva.

• Check out some rare marine life at the Vizhinjam Marine Aquarium. The well-maintained habitats contain a variety of fish and coral including rare species like triggerfish and squirrelfish.
   
• Plunge into the past at the 1,200-year-old rock cut temple. Although it remains unfinished after all this time, that’s part of the draw; it’s also a quiet, serene place for reflection.
   
• Find the perfect birds-eye view of the surrounding area at the Vizhinjam Lighthouse. Built in 1972, this 36-meter tower is a great place to feel on top of the world.
   
• Just shy of 10 square kilometers, the Neyyar Wildlife Sanctuary allows animals to roam as they want to in this pure reserve not far from Neyyar Dam.