Kollam

Kollam (earlier Quilon) is another coastal district of Kerala; located 72 km from Trivandrum. This beautiful backwater district, Kollam was once a port of international spice trade center. The renowned Ashtamudi Lake, which covers one third of this historic place makes it gateway to the magnificent backwaters of Kerala. The district, which is the center of the  cashew trading and processing industry, well known for the cashew plantation and cashew processing units. Kollam was the capital of the powerful kingdom called "VENAD" which came into prominence in the 9th century A.D. According to some historians, King Udaya Marthanda Varma, the king of Kollam in 825 A.D, established the Malayalam era called the “Kollam era”. The districts later history is renowned with the Chinese, Arabians, Portuguese, Dutch etc. The Portuguese were the first Europeans to establish a trading center at Kollam in 1502. Then came the Dutch followed by the British in 1795. In 1949, when the Tiruvitancore -Kochi State formed it becomes Kollam district. It wears all natural gifts like beautiful beaches, backwaters, rivers, lakes, forests, and paddy fields. The largest fresh water lake ‘Sasthamkotta Lake’ is at Kollam district. It is also an important hub for the state's marine products industry. The ‘Shasthamkotta Lake’ at Kollam is the biggest freshwater lake in Kerala.

Tourist Season - August to March

Tourist information offices

DTPC Tourist Information Center, Tel: 091 - 473 - 745625, DTPC Tourist Office, Tel: 091 - 473 - 742558,
Department of Tourism, Tel: 091 - 473 – 743620

How to Reach

Nearest airport: Thiruvananthapuram - 71km
Official web: www.kollam.nic.in