If Alleppey is Kerala’s backwaters at full volume, places to visit in Kollam are what those same backwaters look like before the crowds show up. Ashtamudi Lake, Kollam’s centerpiece, connects to the same canal network Alleppey is famous for, but it’s consistently described as calmer and less commercialized — Kollam has grown as a backwater destination without quite becoming the tourist circuit Alleppey now is. Here’s what actually justifies a visit, beyond the lake itself.
Attractions in Kollam: Ashtamudi Lake and the Quieter Kerala Backwaters
The single biggest draw among attractions in Kollam is Ashtamudi Lake — Kerala’s second-largest lake, spanning roughly 16 square kilometers and serving as the entry point to the wider backwater network. [STAT: Ashtamudi Lake spans approximately 16 square kilometers, making it Kerala’s second-largest lake.] The houseboat route from Kollam to Alappuzha is genuinely one of the best in the state, and an 8-hour cruise between the two towns is often cited as the longest continuous backwater journey in Kerala. What sets it apart from Alleppey isn’t the scenery so much as the pace: Kollam still has a working port town’s rhythm — a cashew industry, a history as one of Kerala’s oldest trading harbors — rather than a destination built primarily around tourism.
Kollam Places to Visit: Thangassery Beach and Its Colonial Past
Among Kollam places to visit, Thangassery earns a longer look than most guides give it. This coastal stretch, about 5km from Kollam town, was successively held by the Portuguese, Dutch, and British — Fort St. Thomas, built by the Portuguese in 1518, still stands in ruins under Archaeological Survey of India protection, and 18th-century church remains sit nearby. [STAT: The Thangassery Lighthouse, built by the British in 1902, stands 41 meters tall — the second-tallest lighthouse on the Kerala coast.] The British took the town from the Dutch in 1795, and the lighthouse that follows from that period still functions as a working navigational aid, making Thangassery one of the more layered colonial sites on Kerala’s coast rather than a single-building stop.
Kollam Sightseeing Places: Kottukkal Cave Temple and Mayyanad
Further inland, Kollam sightseeing places shift toward temple architecture — the Kottukkal Cave Temple, a rock-cut shrine dated to the 6th-8th centuries CE, is one of the clearer examples of early rock-cut architecture in this part of Kerala. Mayyanad, a coastal village about 10km south of Kollam city, pairs temples and churches within walking distance of each other, with the Subramanya Swamy Temple standing out for its architecture rather than scale.
Kollam Tour Places: Alumkadavu and the Houseboat-Building Villages
For a genuinely different kind of stop among Kollam tour places, Alumkadavu sits on the banks of Ashtamudi Lake as the traditional birthplace of Kerala’s kettuvallam houseboats — the same wooden boats that carry tourists through Alleppey’s canals were, and largely still are, built here. Watching the boat-building craft in progress gives a very different angle on the backwaters than riding through them, and it’s a stop most Alleppey-focused itineraries skip entirely since the boats built here are usually destined elsewhere.
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Kollam Tourist Destinations: Jatayu Earth’s Center as a Day Trip
Worth knowing about among Kollam tourist destinations, even if it’s more of a day-trip than a city sight: Jatayu Earth’s Center in Chadayamangalam, about 40km from Kollam town, houses the world’s largest bird sculpture — a five-story structure depicting Jatayu from the Ramayana, with a museum inside and an adventure zone offering zip-lining and rock climbing on the hill around it. It’s a genuinely unusual stop if your schedule allows the drive, but it sits far enough outside Kollam proper that it’s better planned as a separate half-day than folded into a city itinerary.
Kollam Tourist Spot: Munroe Island’s Backwater Villages
The most rewarding Kollam tourist spot for anyone who wants the backwaters without a crowd is Munroe Island — a cluster of small islands about 27km from Kollam, at the point where Ashtamudi Lake meets the Kallada River. Canoe rides here run through narrow village canals lined with coconut palms and mangroves, typically lasting 1-2 hours and costing roughly ₹800-1,500, passing coir-making units, toddy tappers, and fishermen working from dugout canoes along the way. It’s the clearest example of what people mean when they say Kollam’s backwaters feel more like village life and less like a tourist circuit.
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Places of Interest in Kollam: Mahatma Gandhi Beach and Park
Closer to town, places of interest in Kollam include Mahatma Gandhi Beach and Park, just 2km from Kollam city — a straightforward picnic spot and evening stroll destination rather than a major sight, but a convenient one if you’re staying in town and want a low-key evening by the water without traveling out to Thangassery.
Tourist Attractions in Kollam: Best Time to Visit and How to Reach?
For tourist attractions in Kollam, the peak season runs October through February, when the weather is driest and most comfortable for backwater trips and beach visits; the June-September monsoon months bring heavy rain that can disrupt houseboat schedules, though they also make the surrounding countryside noticeably greener. Trivandrum International Airport, about 66km away, is the closer airport if Kollam is your primary destination — Kochi’s airport, while larger, is a longer drive. Kollam Junction railway station is one of Kerala’s oldest and best-connected stations, making the train a genuinely economical option from most Kerala cities, and National Highway 66 runs directly through the town for anyone driving down the coast.
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Conclusion About Places to Visit in Kollam
Kollam rewards travelers looking for Kerala’s backwaters without Alleppey’s crowds — from Ashtamudi Lake down to Munroe Island’s quiet canals. Save each stop to your Explurger Bucket List, and let your Automatic Travelogue piece the whole Kollam trip together once you’re back. Let the Explurger help you plan a Kollam backwater trip that skips the Alleppey rush.
FAQs About Places to Visit in Kollam
2. Is Kollam better than Alleppey for backwaters?
It depends on what you want — Kollam is calmer and less commercialized, while Alleppey has more infrastructure and is the more established houseboat circuit. Many travelers prefer Kollam specifically to avoid Alleppey's crowds.
3. How far is Munroe Island from Kollam?
About 27km, at the point where Ashtamudi Lake meets the Kallada River.
4. What is the best time to visit Kollam?
October through February, during the dry season, is the most reliable window for backwater trips and beach visits.
5. How do you reach Kollam?
Trivandrum International Airport (about 66km away) is the nearest airport; Kollam Junction railway station has strong rail connectivity across Kerala and beyond; NH66 connects it by road.
6. Is Jatayu Earth's Center worth visiting from Kollam?
It's a genuinely unique stop — the world's largest bird sculpture plus an adventure zone — but it's about 40km away in Chadayamangalam, so it's better treated as a separate half-day trip.
