Kollam town has an ancient past. It was an international emporium of trade and even now it is a prosperous commercial center. It is situated about 71 Kms. north of Thiruvavanathapuram and is connected by rail, road and backwater transport.
The town edges with the famous Ashtamudi Lake. In early medieval period many foreign travelers have visited Kollam as because it was one of the early centres of Christian activity in Kerala. It is said that the Syrian Merchant, Sapir Iso, built the present town of Kollam in the 9th Century A.D. Kollam is an important commercial, industrial and trading center. It is also the headquarters of Kerala State Cashew Development Corporation.
The 144 ft. Thangassery Light House that was built in 1902 is a special centre of attraction. The Ananda Valleswaram Temple present in the district attracts people on almost all days. There are several Churches and Mosques in and around Kollam district. The Pullichira Church was established in 1700 A.D. One of the oldest and most important Mosques is the Chinnakkada Palli. The Thangal Kunju Musliar College of Engineering that was the first of its kind in the private sector. It is situated at Kilikolloor which is about 7 Km east of Kollam town.
Mahatma Gandhi beach & park at Kochupilamoodu, Thirumullavaram beach and Ashramam picnic Village, are some of the important spots of local sight seeing. Mahatma Gandhi beach is just 2 Km away from the town. It is fascinating place for an evening while Thirumullawaram Beach is 5 km away from the town. The sea here is ideal for swimming and bathing. Asramam picnic village is located in the 48-acre Guest House Complex. This is the centre of various tourism development activities of the district.
The Government Guest House that is present here is 200 years old. It stands along Ashtamudi Lake and is a major attraction for its elegance rates. The adventure park, located in the shores of the Ashtamudi backwaters, is a novel experiment in the country. Different types of boats, including luxury cruise boats, powerboats and motorboats, are available on hire from the boat jetty near to the Adventure Park. A budget hotel for tourists, Yatri Nivas, run by Kerala Tourism Development Corporation, is also located in this village. The village is just 2 km away from the town.
