Places to Visit Near Kollam

Known For : Houseboats in Alleppey Alleppey Backwaters Kuttanad

Officially called Alappuzha, Alleppey is a city in the South Indian state of Kerala. Bordering the Laccadive Sea, it is known for its wide network of interlinking, palm-fringed canals called backwaters and rejuvenating Ayurvedic resorts. Allepey is also popular for its Houseboat cruises that pass through the serene backwaters, where you can catch glimpses of green paddy fields, choir making activities, beautiful avifauna and witness the life of locals in Kerala.

Distance from Kollam: 79 km

Best Time: June to March

37 Alleppey Attractions

Known For : Varkala Cliff Water Sports in Varkala Varkala Beach

Varkala is a coastal town in the southern part of Kerala known for the unique 15m high 'Northern Cliff' adjacent to the Arabian Sea. It is popular for its hippie culture, shacks on the cliff serving great seafood and playing global music and the samadhi of Kerala's saint Sree Narayana Guru. Varkala is also known for Jardana Swami Temple, also known as Dakshin Kashi.

Distance from Kollam: 35 km

Best Time: October to February

26 Varkala Attractions

Known For : Kovalam Beach Vizhinjam Lighthouse Aazhimala Shiva Temple

Kovalam is an idyllic coastal town located around 13 km from Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala. Famous for its three adjacent crescent-shaped shallow water and low tidal beaches, Kovalam is dotted with resorts and ayurvedic massage centres. Earlier a fishing village, Kovalam started attracting tourists in the 1930s and shot to fame in the hippie epoch of 1970s. It still sees the influx of tourists from Israel and Europe.

Distance from Kollam: 77 km

Best Time: September to March

33 Kovalam Attractions

The town of Karunagapally is located 23 km away from Kollam district. It is the municipality of Kollam and comprises of resorts and beautiful beaches. The beauty of the place is unexplainable which is why it is also known as "God's own country". The main attraction for tourists flocking to the town is due to the boat facility offered at Alumkadavu. It is no less than a paradise for all the visitors coming to stay at the place. The scenic beauty of the place combined with its peaceful ambience is what makes it worth escaping to from the screeching noise and the hustle bustle of the city.

Distance from Kollam: 27 km

Punalur, lying along the border of Tamil Nadu and Kerala in the district of Kollam, derives its name from two words one Tamil and one Malayalam. Tamil word 'punal' means water and Malayalam word 'ooru' means place together making Punalur the place of water. Indeed Kallada flows right through the heart of the city with the famous suspension bridge hanging over it, stretching for 400 metres across its width. Panalur is known as "Pepper Village of Kerala" and is also houses a major Paper Mill established in 1850's.

Distance from Kollam: 43 km

Known For : Ulipooni Wildlife Sanctuary Kurisumala Vagamon Falls

1100 meters above sea, far way from the loud city culture, lush greenery and serenity to gift every visitor, Vagamon could be your quiet offbeat hill station in Kerala away from maddening tourist crowds. If you are a forest lover, the first place you should visit in Vagamon is the Vagamon Pine forest, which is the major tourist attraction of this place. A very popular spot for movie shootings, Vagamon forest is actually a man-made forest which was created during the British era.

Distance from Kollam: 141 km

Best Time: Throughout the year

17 Vagamon Attractions

Known For : Hill View Park Idukki Arch Dam Kulamavu Dam

Idukki, a landlocked district of Kerala, is one of the most nature-rich areas in Kerala with more than half of the area covered with forest. This rugged hill resort is known for its wildlife sanctuaries, beautiful bungalows, tea factories, rubber plantations and forests. Concealed beautifully in the superabundant and lush hills, Idukki (meaning a deep gorge in Malayalam) is a picturesque district flourishing between two rocky mountains of Kurava and Kurathy.

Distance from Kollam: 169 km

Best Time: Throughout the year

38 Idukki Attractions

Known For : Peppara Wildlife Sanctuary Golden Valley Mini Zoo, Ponmudi

Nestled in the lap of rolling hills of the Western Ghats, enveloped with tea plantations, lush green hills and valleys, waterfalls and streams; Ponmudi is a quaint little town in Trivandrum, Kerala. Trekking and mountain climbing on Agasthayarkoodam, the highest peak in the region is the most popular activity. To get the best of the two worlds, explore the wilderness of the Golden Valley and laze around along the freshwater springs and Kallari River. Don't forget to take a walk through the deer park and the Ponmudi crest.

Distance from Kollam: 100 km

Best Time: November to May

5 Ponmudi Attractions

Known For : Kottathavalam Nadukani Thirunakkara Mahadev Temple

An ancient town located on a hilltop bordered by the western ghats on the east and the thrilling Vembanad Lake on the west, Kottayam is a culturally rich and naturally enchanting destination. Apart from nature's bounty, the town has many laurels to its name. It is a proud town to achieve 100% literacy in India for the first time. Also being the land of several publishing houses and print media, Kottayam is also tagged as the 'Akshara Nagari' meaning 'City of letters'.

Distance from Kollam: 94 km

Best Time: September to February

31 Kottayam Attractions

Known For : Fort Kochi Mattancherry Palace Santa Cruz Basilica

Situated on the south-west coast of India, Kochi or Cochin is a bustling commercial port city with a trading history that dates back to at least 600 years. Called as the Queen of the Arabian Sea, the city is the financial, commercial and industrial capital of Kerala. The city is marked by influences of Arabs, Dutch, Phoenicians, Portuguese, Chinese and the British city as well as that of the Indian rule of the Chera Dynasty followed by rule of the Feudal Lords.

Distance from Kollam: 145 km

Best Time: July to April

57 Kochi Attractions

Known For : Poovar Beach Thirparappu Falls Vizhinjam

Poovar is a small rustic town situated 27 kms from Thiruvananthapuram with unspoilt, unexplored golden sand beaches and beautiful backwaters of Kerala. Also known as a fishing village, the tranquil Poovar island lies between the Arabian Sea and the Neyyar River. Hiring a boat, (especially during the sunset)that will take you through the mangrove forest of backwaters is a must-do activity.

Distance from Kollam: 93 km

Best Time: August to March

9 Poovar Attractions

Ashram of Amritapuri has been constructed at the same place where Sri Mata Amritanandamayi Devi was born. People from all over the world, flock in to seek the blessings of Amma. The people residing in the ashram and all the disciplines of Amma have given up their life in the salvation of God and making the world a better place to live in. Amma makes sure to listen to each and every child who comes to her 'darshan' and solve each of their problems with an effective solution.

Distance from Kollam: 36 km

Known For : Kanyakumari Beach Vivekananda Rock Memorial Thanumalayan Temple - Sthanumalayan Kovil

Located at the southernmost tip of the Indian peninsula, Kanyakumari is a coastal town in the state of Tamil Nadu. Earlier known as Cape Comorin, Kanyakumari is surrounded by mountains and bordered by vibrant sea shores, lined with paddy fields and coconut trees, and also boasts of aesthetic elevated patches of hills with undulating valleys and plains in between the sea and the mountainous terrain. Ever since ancient times, Kanyakumari has been one of the major centres of religion, art and culture.

Distance from Kollam: 164 km

Best Time: October to February

28 Kanyakumari Attractions

Known For : Bharathapuzha River Kadalundi Bird Sanctuary Keraladeshpuram Temple

Enclosed by the Nilgiris in the east and the Arabian Sea on the west, Malappuram is a prominent district in Kerala which is commonly known as "the land on the hilltop." With ancient monuments, natural spectacles, and the meandering rivers, Malappuram is a blend of history and heritage. Home to the Zamorins of Kozhikode and legendary poets, writers and artists; the culture and traditions of this region are unmatched. It is an important religious centre for Hindus and Muslims as well.

Distance from Kollam: 304 km

Best Time: July to March

21 Malappuram Attractions

Known For : Kalakkadu Wildlife Sanctuary Papanasam Agasthiyar falls

Tirunelveli, also called Tinnevelly, is a big city in the midst of numerous small towns, each with its own bounty of beautiful sights, temples, waterfalls and much more. Unlike many temple towns, this 2000-year-old ancient city also does offer many other sites to its tourists. The city is located on the west bank of the Tambraparni River which provides irrigation water for crops of rice and cotton.

Distance from Kollam: 152 km

Best Time: October to February

32 Tirunelveli Attractions

Known For : Neyyar Wildlife Sanctuary Padmanabhaswamy Temple Poovar Island

Offering an appealing blend of a strongly rooted heritage and a nostalgic colonial legacy, the city of Trivandrum has an exceptional vibe to it. Despite being the capital of Kerala, the city has, quite astonishingly, managed to keep itself far removed from the ruthless aura that generally surrounds a capital city. Built upon seven hills, this city has long since left the days when it was only used by seafaring explorers behind - today, Trivandrum is a swanky metropolis with a quaint urban charm and plenty of scenic places to visit.

Distance from Kollam: 87 km

Best Time: October to February

28 Trivandrum Attractions

A famous picnic spot located near Kolam-Alappuzha National Waterway, Alumkadavu is place that can mesmerize you with if nature's bounty.

Distance from Kollam: 31 km

Palaruvi Falls, cascading downstream from the height of 300 ft, is one of the prime attractions in Kutrallam or as some call it Courtallam, Tamil Nadu. Owing to its height; it is the 32nd highest fall in our country. The name Palaruvi means 'Stream of Milk' in the regional language. Ironically it seems to be a glittering stream of milk as it flows down. Hence, the beauty of this fall stands unimaginable till witnessed with own eyes. The roaring sounds of the fall stand in stark contrast to the silence of the forests and mist-kissed mountains around it.

Distance from Kollam: 77 km

Kulathupuzha is a small village located in the district of Kollam in God's own Country, Kerala, India. It is located on the Kollam-Shenkottai highway and is barely 59 kilometres away from Kollam and 64 kilometres away from Thiruvananthapuram. The village river, River Kulathupuzha, is home to numerous species of fishes and the region is has rich and dense forests and rubber plantation. The Myrstica Swamps and the forest region form the Kulathupuzha Reserve Forest and the Kulathupuzha Wildlife Sanctuary.

Distance from Kollam: 65 km

Jatayu Nature Park is a rock-themed park which got opened on November 25, 2017. Built to promote mythology and adventure tourism, the tourism centre boasts of 6D theatre, a digital audio-visual room, cable car and ayurvedic cave resort. It is also a home to umpteen adventure activities including paintball, laser tag, archery, bouldering, rock climbing, air-rifle shooting etc. The primary attraction of the park, however, is the world's largest stone-cut bird sculpture replicating Jatayu, the mythical bird from Ramayana.

Distance from Kollam: 38 km