City in Kerala, India

Kollam

Kollam is an ancient seaport and the fourth largest city in the Indian state of Kerala.

Plan a trip to Kollam→From Thiruvananthapuram

Every way there

Thiruvananthapuram → Kollam
60 km · quickest by road, 1h 50m · ₹450–560
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Kochi → Kollam
123 km · quickest by road, 3h 22m · ₹880–1,100
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Coimbatore → Kollam
240 km · quickest by road, 6h 17m · ₹2,050–2,570
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Road and air are today’s quick answer; timetabled trains, buses and ferries load on the results page from the operators’ feeds.

The field note

What is in and around Kollam, ranked by how widely it is written about, how you reach it, and the nearest places where we have researched how people move.

Read the note on Kollam

What Kollam has

YScheduled flightsThiruvananthapuram (TRV), 57 km
YTrains and coachesTransitous carries 2 timetable feeds for this country, 1 with real-time
YFerriesKollam Boat Jetty, 3 km; sailings estimated
YDriving and taxiOpenStreetMap roads; cab fare from the country band
NBike and scooter shareno share feed known
NCruisesno open itinerary source anywhere

Y routable now · F found, not yet implemented · N no source known.

8.893°, 76.614°

Located on the southern tip of the Malabar Coast of the Arabian Sea, the city is on the banks of Ashtamudi Lake and is 71 kilometres (44 mi) northwest of Thiruvananthapuram. Kollam is one of India's oldest continuously inhabited cities,, with evidence of habitation stretching back to the megalithic period. The city has also been a maritime entrepôt for millennia, with the earliest attestation dating to the Phoenicians and Romans. It is the gateway to the Backwaters of Kerala, and is known for its cashew processing, coir manufacturing, and tourism industries.

Get in

Getting to Kollam

The city is well connected by road. National Highways 47 and 208 pass through it. A number of long distance buses and inter state buses ply through the city. You have buses from Kochi, Alappuzha, Thiruvananthapuram, Bangalore, etc. The city is also well connected by railways. The railway code is QLN. You can get trains to Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bangalore, etc.

01
Kollam Junction SR

See

Worth seeing

Alumkadavu (26 km from Kollam). Scenic place, with blue green stretches back water, coconut palms, back water cruise, house boats, Ayurvedic treatment centers. Aryankavu (73 km east of Kollam). Pilgrim centre, old trade route for merchants from either sides of western Ghats, famous for shrine of Lord Sastha, fine sculptures and mural paintings. Chavara (14 km north of Kollam on NH47).

01
Infant Jesus Cathedral
02
St Thomas Fort
03
Thangassery Lighthouse
A modern lighthouse in a historic Christian quarter that is possible to climb in the afternoons.

Things to do

Munroe Island Canoe Tours, Chittumala Rd, Munroe Island (Northeast of Kollum), vijimunroe@gmail.com. Vijeesh runs canoe tours which are an excellent way to explore Munroe Island. You get to go places that the house boats can't and will literally be going through the village and get to see life there. He has great English and an excellent personality. Also runs a home stay on the island.

01
Kollam Beach
02
Thangassery Beach
A fishing harbour.

Eat

Where to eat

Keraleeyam Restaurant by The Raviz, The Raviz, Thevally,. Fayalwan hotel, Main Road. Famous for Mutton related items. Salim Hotel, Beach Road. Famous for Mutton related items. Ramees Hotel, Residency Road. Non Veg and Arabian Dishes Rahath Hotel, Beach Road. Thirumullavaram Hotel, Thirumullavaram. Famous for Fish items. Al Hayat Restaurant, Nellimukku,. Hotel Bright, Kottiyam. Famous for their mutton chops.

01
Gowri Sankar Restaurant
02
Kallu Soda Kada
Ashramam, Kollam.

Text adapted from Wikipedia and Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photograph: Timothy A. Gonsalves (CC BY-SA 4.0), Wikimedia Commons.

Also in Kerala

Nearby places