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OLLAM CITY – Situated on Ashtamudi Lake. Gateway to backwaters.
WP Backwater boat tour route: Kollam – Alumkadavu – Alappuzha. Also has
house boats & resorts.
Picnic Village at Ashramam – Situated on backwater. Main centre of
recreational activities in Kollam. 200 year old government guest house,
adventure park, children’s traffic park, tourist boat club, Yatri Nivas.
Mahatma Gandhi Beach & Park (2 km north) – Place for short outings and picnics.
Thangasseri (5 km) – Seaside village of historical importance. Ruins of
Portuguese/Dutch fort and 18th century churches and colonial bungalows. 144 ft high
century old light house on beach.
Thirumullavaram Beach (6 km north) – Beach fringed with coconut palms. A popular
local picnic centre.
ALUMKADAVU (23 km) – Picturesque village on Kayamkulam lake near Karunagapally.
Half way enroute to Alappuzha from Kollam, by boat. Home of artisans who crafted the over
60 feet long kettuvalloms (traditional cargo boats) in yesteryears. These are now re-
modeled as tourist house boats.
THENMALA (66 km) – Newly developed eco-tourism centre with boating facility in
Kallada dam reservoir, garden, musical fountain, trekking path, etc. Entry point to
Shenduruny wildlife sanctuary.
SHENDURUNY Wildlife Sanctuary – Formed around the Kallada irrigation project.
Shenduruny valley is one of the richest floral areas of Kerala. Also home for elephants,
tigers, leopards, bears, lion tailed macaques.
PALARUVI Waterfalls (75 km) – Palaruvi means ‘milky stream’. The 300 ft waterfall
down the rocks, gives the impression of flowing milk. The water falls into a shallow pool,
suitable for bathing/swimming. Wooded picnic spot. KTDC motel. Smaller cascades
nearby.
KULATHUPUZHA (64 km) – Sri Dharma Sastha temple in forest area near
Thenmala, on the right bank of Kulathupuzha river. Forest range famous for elephants.
ARIANKAVU (70 km) – Sri Sastha temple, 5 km from Palaruvi. Attracts pilgrims during
Mandalapooja in December. 2.5 km railway tunnel nearby.
Mayyanad (10 km) – Has nine temples. Most important is Subramanya temple at
Umayanallur, said to be consecrated by Adi Sankaracharya.
SASTHAMKOTTA (29 km) – Has Kerala’s largest fresh water lake with scenic hills on
three sides. Ancient Sastha temple on lake shore is an important pilgrim centre.
Ochira (34 km) – Parabrahma temple dedicated to universal consciousness. Unique
feature is that there is no deity or idol. Known for Ochira Kali festival in mid-June – mock
fight between groups of men dressed as warriors on the padanilam (battle field). They
perform martial dance standing in knee-deep water, brandishing swords & shields and
splashing water in all directions. Panthrandu Vilakku (twelve lamp festival) in Nov/Dec.
Matha Amrithanandamayi Ashram, Amrithapuri near Vallikkavu – Residence and
headquarters of Matha Amrithanandamayi Devi. Accessible by road and boat.
PUNALUR (46 km) – Suspension bridge built in 1879 over Kallada river is star attraction.
Lord Ayyappa temple at Sasthamkoram. Industrial town.
Rameshwara Temple – Dating from the 12th to 16th centuries with Pandyan influence in
design. Tamil inscriptions, Vyala monster sculptures.
JATAYUPARA at Chadayamangalam – Huge rock where the mythical bird Jatayu is
believed to have collapsed after failing in attempts to rescue Sita from Ravana.
KOTTUKAL Rock Cut Cave Temple (11 km from Chadayamangalam) – Idyllic example
of rock cut temple architecture.
WP Backwater boat tour route: Kollam – Alumkadavu – Alappuzha. Also has
house boats & resorts.
Picnic Village at Ashramam – Situated on backwater. Main centre of
recreational activities in Kollam. 200 year old government guest house,
adventure park, children’s traffic park, tourist boat club, Yatri Nivas.
Mahatma Gandhi Beach & Park (2 km north) – Place for short outings and picnics.
Thangasseri (5 km) – Seaside village of historical importance. Ruins of
Portuguese/Dutch fort and 18th century churches and colonial bungalows. 144 ft high
century old light house on beach.
Thirumullavaram Beach (6 km north) – Beach fringed with coconut palms. A popular
local picnic centre.
ALUMKADAVU (23 km) – Picturesque village on Kayamkulam lake near Karunagapally.
Half way enroute to Alappuzha from Kollam, by boat. Home of artisans who crafted the over
60 feet long kettuvalloms (traditional cargo boats) in yesteryears. These are now re-
modeled as tourist house boats.
THENMALA (66 km) – Newly developed eco-tourism centre with boating facility in
Kallada dam reservoir, garden, musical fountain, trekking path, etc. Entry point to
Shenduruny wildlife sanctuary.
SHENDURUNY Wildlife Sanctuary – Formed around the Kallada irrigation project.
Shenduruny valley is one of the richest floral areas of Kerala. Also home for elephants,
tigers, leopards, bears, lion tailed macaques.
PALARUVI Waterfalls (75 km) – Palaruvi means ‘milky stream’. The 300 ft waterfall
down the rocks, gives the impression of flowing milk. The water falls into a shallow pool,
suitable for bathing/swimming. Wooded picnic spot. KTDC motel. Smaller cascades
nearby.
KULATHUPUZHA (64 km) – Sri Dharma Sastha temple in forest area near
Thenmala, on the right bank of Kulathupuzha river. Forest range famous for elephants.
ARIANKAVU (70 km) – Sri Sastha temple, 5 km from Palaruvi. Attracts pilgrims during
Mandalapooja in December. 2.5 km railway tunnel nearby.
Mayyanad (10 km) – Has nine temples. Most important is Subramanya temple at
Umayanallur, said to be consecrated by Adi Sankaracharya.
SASTHAMKOTTA (29 km) – Has Kerala’s largest fresh water lake with scenic hills on
three sides. Ancient Sastha temple on lake shore is an important pilgrim centre.
Ochira (34 km) – Parabrahma temple dedicated to universal consciousness. Unique
feature is that there is no deity or idol. Known for Ochira Kali festival in mid-June – mock
fight between groups of men dressed as warriors on the padanilam (battle field). They
perform martial dance standing in knee-deep water, brandishing swords & shields and
splashing water in all directions. Panthrandu Vilakku (twelve lamp festival) in Nov/Dec.
Matha Amrithanandamayi Ashram, Amrithapuri near Vallikkavu – Residence and
headquarters of Matha Amrithanandamayi Devi. Accessible by road and boat.
PUNALUR (46 km) – Suspension bridge built in 1879 over Kallada river is star attraction.
Lord Ayyappa temple at Sasthamkoram. Industrial town.
Rameshwara Temple – Dating from the 12th to 16th centuries with Pandyan influence in
design. Tamil inscriptions, Vyala monster sculptures.
JATAYUPARA at Chadayamangalam – Huge rock where the mythical bird Jatayu is
believed to have collapsed after failing in attempts to rescue Sita from Ravana.
KOTTUKAL Rock Cut Cave Temple (11 km from Chadayamangalam) – Idyllic example
of rock cut temple architecture.
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