Trip to Veli tourist village

by Suresh
(Mumbai)

We visited Veli Tourist Village in Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) in October of this year (2008). It is an ideal picnic location. There are beautifully landscaped gardens but the highlight is the waterfront. Veli is bordered by the Arabian sea and the Veli lagoon.

There is a nominal entrance fee of Rs.5. As you walk for some distance inside the park, you will come across the boat jetty. Tickets can be purchased for various boat types such as speed boats, paddle boats etc. We went for the paddle boat and it was an exciting experience. Life jackets are provided. While moving in the paddle boat, whenever the high speed boat passes by, the boat starts rocking, giving you a thrilling experience. High speed boat costs Rs. 750 and can carry 6 people.

The park is nothing much to write about except that you can while away the time here. Although there are children’s rides etc., they are not in a good condition. There is a floating bridge which connects to Shanghumukham beach.

Veli is well connected with the Trivandrum airport 3 km away and the Trivandrum Railway station just 8 km away. It is open from 8 am to 6 pm and is heavily crowded during weekends. There is plenty of parking space. The best time to take a tour to Veli is from September to May.