Thiruvananthapuram

Female tourists should be wary of hooligans, especially in New Year parties.

Only eat hot food and drink only boiled or good bottled water. Take water purification tablets with you. Water from corporation supplied lines are generally safe, but to be on the safer side go for purified forms.

If you are visiting during the summers April-May temperarures might be higher and you might want to take some preparations against it. Evenings are best time to stroll. City sleeps early so you can roam about until maximum 10PM inside the city really the limit. Most shops close by that time. If you are staying somewhere outside the centre transport options get harder to find and more expensive later at night.

If you need injections or blood tests, try to provide your own needle, bringing a few with your first aid kit. Private hospitals generally provide good service.

telephone and mobile

The dialling code for Trivandrm is 471. When calling from overseas, dial +91 471 XXXX XXX. If you have a non-working phone number with only 6 digits try to add a "2" in front of it.

If you don’t have an Indian phone number then get a pre-paid calling card if you planning on using your phone frequently. By government regulation you need a photocopy of your passport visa and the main photo ID-page and a color photo to be able to buy a pre-paid card. Pre-paid cards are sold in most shops that sell mobile telephones.

'Telephone booths' or public telephones are widely available usually painted with the letters PCO Public Call office, local calls, STD Subscriber Trunk Dialing and ISD International Subscriber Dialing. All booths have electronic metering and you pay what's displayed on the meter.

talk

The native language of Kerala is Malayalam, which is a Dravidian language like Tamil and Kannada. Most educated locals are also able to communicate in Hindi and English. The people are generally very helpful and friendly but do keep an eye out for people trying to take you for a ride not common, but it pays to be careful. Tamil is generally understood, though people may not be too fluent in the language.

opticians

Sunshades and prescription glasses in stylish frames are much cheaper in India as compared to the western world.

Eye Designs

9-10, Kedaram Shopping Complex, Kesavadasapuram Phone: +91 471 2440985

Solar Opticals

Statue Convent Lane, General Hospital Junction Phone: +91 471 2477596

Rose opticals

pulimoodu junction

Vision House

Murinja Palam Junction, Pattom

atms

ATMs are widely available in Trivandrum, mainly along with branches of banks. A number of them are present along the MG road.

hospitals

Trivandrum has world class medical facilities with very competitive rates. This attracts "health tourists" from other states and even other countries. If you are in need of medical care, try to go to one of the reputed private hospitals listed below.