Thiruvalluvar Statue
Standing tall at a height of 133 feet is the stone sculpture of the Tamil Poet and Philosopher, Tiruvalluvar, the poet who wrote Thirukkural. The height of this statue is of 95 feet and it stands upon a 38 foot rock that showcases the 38 chapters of virtue given in the Thirukkural. The whole structure together denotes the 133 chapters given in the Thirukkural. The statue weighs around 7000 tons in total. The statue was sculpted by the Indian sculptor Dr. V. Ganapati Sthapati and was opened to the public on 1st January 2000.
Vivekananda Rock Memorial
A popular tourist location in Vavathurai, Kanyakumari, India, the Vivekananda Rock Memorial, stands on one of the two rocks which is located at about 500 meters east of the mainland. In order to honor the great Indian Philosopher, Swami Vivekananda, this monument was built in the year 1970. It is said that Swami Vivekananda attained enlightenment on this rock. It is also believed that it was on this rock that Goddess Kumari performed austerity. This rock houses a meditation hall (Dhyana Mandapam), the Shripada Mandapam, the Vivekananda statue and Mandapam.
Gandhi Memorial Mandapam
Built at the spot where the urn containing Gandhiji’s ashes was kept for the public to view, before it was immersed, is the Gandhi Memorial Mandapam. One of the unique aspect of this place is that it is designed in such a way that on October 2 (Gandhiji’s Birthday), sun’s first rays falls on the exact same place where his ashes were kept.
Bhagavathy Amman Temple
The Bhagavathy Amman Temple or the Kumari Bhagavathy Amman Temple is the first Durga temple created by Lord Parasurama. It is also one of the 108 Shakthi Peethas. The temple is almost 3000 years old and is situated on the shores of the Laccadive Sea. This temple has been mentioned in the famous mythologies like the Ramayana, Mahabharata and Purananooru.
Kanyakumari Wax Museum
A reminiscent of London’s famous Madame Tussauds Wax Museum, is India’s First Wax Museum at Kanyakumari. The Kanyakumari Wax museum holds wax statues of many important figures of both the Indian and World history. It is located at the Bay Watch Amusement Park. The statues of Mother Theresa, Mahatma Gandhi, Rajnikanth, Shah Rukh Khan, and Jackie Chan are just a few to name of. This museum was opened way back in the year 2005. You can fulfill your dream of taking a snap with your favorite idol.
Sunset View Point
Located in front of the Vivekananda Memorial Park, in one of the corners of the beach, is the Sunset View Point. At around 6 AM in the morning, the sun rises behind the Vivekananda memorial rock. The sunset view at this place is also spectacular. In the warm full moon day of the Chithra Pournami one can view the Moon rise along with the sunset.
Padmanabhapuram Palace
The former capital of the past Hindu Kingdom of Travancore, the Padmanabhapuram Palace, is located in Padmanabhapuram, Kanyakumari district, Tamil Nadu, Kerala. This palace is one of the largest wooden palaces in India and it’s mostly made out of Rose and Teak Wood. Owned and maintained by the Government of Kerala, this palace is at a distance of 32 kilometers from Kanyakumari. The palace is located at the foothills of the Veli Hills of the Western Ghats.
Kanyakumari Beach
The sand at the Kanyakumari Beach is multi coloured, giving it a beautiful look. The sea here is fairly rough, making it amazing just to watch the waves thrash the rocks. The beach offers a welcome change to the usual beaches with its long stretches of multi hued beach sand. It is also here that the unique confluence of three seas – the Arabian Sea, the Bay of Bengal and the India Ocean.
Thirparappu Falls
The famous waterfall located in Kanyakumari is 300 feet long and has a rocky riverbed. The water falls from a height of nearly 50 feet. For around seven months in a year the water falls at a great force here. The Lord Shiva Temple located near the waterfalls makes the place religiously important as well.
Vattakotai Fort
Built in the 18th century, as a costal defense fort that acts as a barricade, the Vattakottai Fort or Circular Fort is a well known seaside fort in Kanyakumari. The fort was constructed under the supervision of Captain Eustachius De Lannoy who was the commander of the Travancore Army. A part of the fort now extends into the sea. This fort is now a protected area under the Indian Archeological department.
Chitharal Jain Monuments
This monument is the remains of a Jain training centre from the 9th century and is located on the small hill of Chitharal village. It is also known as Chitharal Malai Kovil meaning ‘Temple on the hill’. This temple is likely to have been built by the Digambara Jains. It is said to have been built around 1000 years ago and lies 55 kilometers away from Kanyakumari.