Located 8 km from Thiruvananthapuram city, the Veli Tourist Village is bordered by the Veli lagoon and the Arabian sea. The lagoon here is separated from the sea by a narrow sand bar.
The Veli Tourist Village on the outskirts of Trivandrum is a delightful waterfront park which has become extremely popular with Keralites. It is a nice place for tourists with young children to spend an afternoon. There are lots for the kids to do, and they will meet many of their young Keralite counterparts, all of whom will be eager to make new friends and try out their English.
The main attraction at Veli is water - a large inland lake, separated from the ocean by only a narrow sandbar. For a few rupees, rides can be had in motor-driven safari launches and power boats, or a family can drift about in a pedal-boat or a row boat. There are kayaks, and even hovercraft, for the more intrepid. While skimming over the lake, visitors will see the local fishermen readying their boats, working on their nets, or poling sand-laden barges.
There is a floating bridge and a floating restaurant too. Open every day; boat rides available until 6.00p.m., after which the lake reverts to the sole use of fishermen. For very small children, there is a tiny lake within the park, with sturdy, round "tub boats", equipped with miniature paddles. A small cafeteria serves ice-cream, cold-drinks and snacks, and the grounds are dotted with interesting climbing sculptures designed by the well-known sculptor Kanai Kunjiraman
