There comes a point in everyone’s life, when the mind says enough is enough, time to cut loose from the daily routine of four walls and take a break. And what could be more rejuvenating to the mind than the balmy touch of Mother Nature herself. Immerse yourself in healing colors of blues and greens, back up with the mesmerizing colors of golden sunsets out in the open. Welcome to Ashtamudi Lake in Gods own Country! Kollam, or Quilon as its old name goes, is a city settled on the banks of this huge lake, second only to Vembanad Lake in Kerala. Ashtamudi Lake is shaped like a palm leaf ..read more

Located on the scenic banks of the Ashtamudi Lake, the Thevally palace was built in 1819 during the reign of Princess Gowri Parvati Bayi and is considered as one of the most popular monuments of Kerala’s cultural renaissance. This heritage palace has a curious architectural design that is a mix of British, Dutch and Portuguese, who were also, interestingly the main foreign settlers in this region. This area was the capital of the erstwhile Travancore kingdom in those days and the Thevally palace was used as an official meeting ground with the British residents and for administrative purpo ..read more

There is something about water that draws people towards it like magnets. And when it comes to spectacular waterfalls, the attraction is even more! The magnificent Palaruvi waterfalls in Kollam district of southern Kerala is a popular tourist spot that attracts both the local as well as foreign tourists alike. Among the numerous waterfalls in India, this waterfall is the 40th highest river waterfall and within Kerala itself, it is the third highest, with the first and second being Meenmutty and Soochipara waterfalls in the Wayanad district. The Palaruvi waterfall falls from a height of 91 mete ..read more

Imagine a state that has a huge coastline of 590km. Top that up with the presence of 49 interconnected backwaters worth a whopping large area of 46,129 hectares. Then further add a brackish water area estimated to be 1,43,696 hectares. Now that’s exposure to a lot of water for a small state like Kerala. However, don’t get excited as yet, as we still have the inland fresh water resources including rivers, lakes, reservoirs, ponds and minor irrigation tanks that cover another 2,26,274 hectares. Out of these, a total of around 1,30,000 hectare area is suitable for fresh water fish farming. No won ..read more

One entire side of the scenic verdant state of coastal Kerala is bound by the Arabian Sea. Not only does it provide access to panoramic beaches, but a number of ports and fishing harbors too. The Neendakara fishing village and the fishing port is one such place and is located about 9km from the historically famous city of Kollam that rests on the banks of the picturesque Ashtamudi Lake. In the local lingo, the name translates to ‘a long bank’ and as far back as the 16nth century, when the Portugese traders settled down here, the Portugese ships used to sail through this long bank or bar a ..read more

It’s not surprising that with all the great number of water bodies within the verdant state of Kerala, a water sport like ‘Vallamkali’ meaning ‘Boat game’, is very popular. This adrenaline-pumping boat race uses especially-designed snake boats or ‘Chundan Vallams’. The snake boat races are a mega event attended by thousands of spectators and held on many of the numerous large lakes of Kerala around the time of the famous harvest festival of Onam. This is the times when schools, institutions and all businesses come to a standstill and everyone is in a festive mood. These races have been in exis ..read more

India is a land of myths and legends. From birds to places to people – it is not surprising to see mythology, lore, and history blending perfectly with our modern everyday fast-paced life. The Jatayu Earth Centre, at Chadayamangalam near Kollam, Kerala, is an interesting example of how mythology still touches and inspires us. At the heart of this one of a kind, the rock-themed nature park is a statue of the giant bird mythical Jatayu from the ‘Ramayana’. A trip to this innovatively designed tourism spot will leave you in awe at the pure genius behind scaling up the legend of a mythical bird in ..read more

This incredibly beautiful sanctuary is spread out over 172 sq km of beautiful hills and valleys of the southern parts of the Western Ghats in Pathanapuram. This biosphere reserve falls within the Kollam district and is about 70 km from Kollam city, which is a major tourist hub in itself; the nearest airport is less than 80km away in Trivandrum. Kerala has truly been gifted by Mother Nature as this awesome sanctuary is blessed with a variety of birds, butterflies, animals and vegetation. Numerous streams, rivers and waterfalls along with the Thenmala dam keep this forested area green throughout ..read more

Everyone aspires to live like the butterfly, beautiful and free, admired by one and all. They have been the theme of many a poem, describing their ethereal beauty since time immemorial. Kerala is lucky to have Asia’s first butterfly safari park that is host to about 125 varieties of these winged beauties along with some other flying creatures. The safari park is based in Thenmala, an ecotourism center located in the Kollam district and about 66km away from Kollam city, a big tourist hub. The nearest airport is in Trivandrum, a scenic 72km drive away. Getting here from any other city is ea ..read more

The picturesque Ashtamudi Lake attracts tourists in their thousands every year for its unforgettable backwater cruises, and other attractions associated with its vast wetlands and surrounding beaches. The lake, which is a fusion of eight smaller lakes, never ceases to rivet the attention of onlookers by its alluring beauty. Aside from this, the lake has also had a strong influence on the artistic, cultural and revolutionary sphere of Kerala. The historical port city of Kollam is located on the right banks of the Astamudi Lake and was formerly a major gateway for trade with the West a ..read more