Soak yourself in the irresistible clear waters at Kallar. Situated enroute the famed Ponmudi hill station in Kerala's Thiruvananthapuram district, Kallar is a popular picnic spot. The highlight is the scenic Kallar river noted for its boulders. In native language Malayalam, "kallu" means stone and "aaru" river. 

Kallar is a must-see for travellers heading to Ponmudi. The rocky river bed and cool waters endears it to child visitors. The water is crystal clear, giving an awesome view of the river bed.  

Trekking and bird watching are other options for tourists. The adventurous among them can travel along the river into the green wilderness. The place is ideal for soft trekking as well. A little into the greenery, one would see many birds and butterflies.

Tourists visiting Kallar can take advice from the facilitation centre operated by the government-run District Tourism Promotion Council (DTPC). Entering the river would be banned during heavy rains when the water level is up. The centre can also arrange guides for trekking. Accommodation facility is available at the destination. 

The beautiful Golden Valley and the Meenmutty Waterfall are other attractions at the destination. The waterfall is located inside the forest. Visitors need to pay an entry fee at the entrance of the road leading to the waterfall. The road is about three km and half of the distance can be accessed by vehicle. The rest should be travelled on foot. 

The narrow pathway leading to the waterfall itself is beautiful. On one side you can see the river flowing downstream and the other side is dense forest. The towering green trees, birds chirp and the sound of bamboo swaying in the wind offers one a refreshing experience. There are huts along the path for the visitors to take a rest.  Huge slanting rocks towards the end of the pathway adds to the wilderness of the spot. 

The waterfall is a favourite picnic spot of families who want a respite from the bustle of daily life. Travellers to the Ponmudi hill station should start their travel from Thiruvananthapuram city in the morning so that they can spend sufficient time at Kallar and Meenmutty and reach the hill station in the evening.